Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Identifying Markers Of Transit States Embedded In International Drug Trafficking Networks, Citlalik Ibarra Figueroa

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Illicit drugs can travel across multiple borders before reaching their intended retail market. International drug trafficking is important because it introduces a large quantity of foreign sourced illicit drugs into domestic drug markets. Of utmost importance are countries that lie along the transshipment paths used by international drug trafficking operations that facilitate the movement of illicit drugs. Understanding the characteristics of countries operating as transit states is necessary to combat transshipment operations. The study investigates social, economic, geographic, and political factors that have the potential to account for nations being positioned as transit states in illicit drug transshipment networks generated …

A Need For Richer Public Service Motivation, Adam Dallas Levitus

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

While there are many outstanding questions surrounding the motivations of employees, a key problem is that there is not a defining construct to explain why public employees behave as they do. Although the concept of Public Service Motivation (PSM) has developed over the past three decades to help explain these motivations, there are still disagreements as to the definition, characteristics, and value of PSM. Moreover, this lack of congruity in the literature suggests that the underlying components of PSM, historically studied via cross-sectional quantitative surveys, have not yet been well-defined via rigorous theory-building. Accordingly, this study looks at PSM from …

Macro And Microscopic Lithic Analysis Of The Pinto Basin Site Ca-Riv-52 Collection, Bernardo Alexander Renteria Iv

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands, California holds the Pinto Basin archaeological collection. The Pinto Basin assemblage is a legacy collection for the Pinto point and related point types in the Mojave. The collection contains many artifacts including projectile points, drills, knives, manos, pestles, metates, hammerstones, and scrapers originally collected from the Mojave Desert during the late 1920’s. This thesis research investigates the morphological characteristics of a sub-sample of chipped stone lithics by examining and comparing the metric elements of chipped stone lithics in relation to previously reported projectile point types. Lithics originate from the southern extent of Joshua …

The Role Of Numerical Processing And Working Memory Capacity On The Relationship Between Math Anxiety And Math Performance, Pilar Olid

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Math anxiety refers to a negative emotional response to math-related stimuli. Studies have found a negative correlation between math anxiety and math performance—as math anxiety increases, math performance decreases. According to Attentional Control Theory (Eysenck et al., 2007), anxiety impairs executive functions via depletion of working memory (WM) resources. Therefore, math anxiety affects math performance by consuming WM resources. Additionally, poor math performance is attributed to poor numerical processing (NP), which is the ability to estimate quantities. Recent research suggested that math anxiety affects arithmetic indirectly through working memory capacity (WMC) and NP, and that math anxiety affects numeracy—ratios, fractions, …

Public Perception Towards Conservation Of Heritage Buildings In Berlin And Kuala Lumpur, Shaharuddin Shahariah Norain

Student Works (2020-2029)

This study examines the local public perception towards the intention to conserve the heritage buildings and sites in the city area. The need for an effective public interest and integrated heritage conservation in the city is vital which resolve the issues on the demolition of historic buildings. The objective of this study is to investigate the perception of attitudes, subject norms and perceived behavior control of the local public that influence the behavior towards the intention to conserve the heritage building in the city area. This study also investigates the behavior of local public from the opinion of stakeholders towards …

Global Research Output On Eosinophilia Literature: A Scientometric Analysis, Chithiraivel S., Sivasekaran K, Jeyshankar Ramalinagam

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study analyses that research output on eosinophilia from 1998-2017 on different parameters including the literature growth, year -wise cited records, number of authors & h-index. The relative growth rate (RGR) and doubling time (Dt), the time series analysis for articles, contribution of various subject fields, highest research productivity of journals and their citation with impact factor and keyword analysis. The higher numbers of publications 793 were published in 2016, the scientists most preferred journals are Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Journal of immunology, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The high frequency keywords were: Eosinophilia (3175), …

Impact Of Ict On Cataloguing & Classification Of Library Materials., Eniekebi Ejiroghene

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper discusses the current trends in cataloging and classification of library materials in the information and communication technology era. There is outstanding evidence that ICT has improved cataloging activities, but has at the same time given rise to some issues of concern to the library, librarian, and the users. Such defined concerns include a threat to the cataloguer's role, competencies needed, facilities, training, software, etc. Suggestions given on how to derive maximum benefits include capacity building through self-development, curriculum review, constant power supply, and bibliographic instructions for regular users.

Geographies Of Transition—From Topical Concerns To Theoretical Engagement: A Commentary On The Transitions Research Agenda, Christian Binz, Lars Coenen, James T. Murphy, Bernhard Truffer

Geography

This viewpoint takes stock with the ‘geography of sustainability transitions’ (GOST) as it is presented in the transitions research agenda. GOST has been a relatively recent addition to transition theorizing, addressing the need for greater sensitivity and attention to the scales, spatialities, and context-specific factors that shape transitions. In our view, the agenda represents a rather narrow perspective on GOST, which is geared to two empirical themes, namely urban transitions and transitions in developing countries. While these are relevant and topical issues, the section lacks sufficient acknowledgement of the increasing engagement of geographers with transitions studies and the theoretical approaches …

Shaft Tombs And Figures In West Mexican Society: A Reassessment., James Aimers

Anthropology

No abstract provided.

Using Reinforcement Learning To Minimize The Probability Of Delay Occurrence In Transportation, Zhiguang Cao, Hongliang Guo, Wen Song, Kaizhou Gao, Zhengghua Chen, Le Zhang, Xuexi Zhang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Reducing traffic delay is of crucial importance for the development of sustainable transportation systems, which is a challenging task in the studies of stochastic shortest path (SSP) problem. Existing methods based on the probability tail model to solve the SSP problem, seek for the path that minimizes the probability of delay occurrence, which is equal to maximizing the probability of reaching the destination before a deadline (i.e., arriving on time). However, they suffer from low accuracy or high computational cost. Therefore, we design a novel and practical Q-learning approach where the converged Q-values have the practical meaning as the actual …

Detecting Fake News In Social Media: An Asia-Pacific Perspective, Meeyoung Cha, Wei Gao, Cheng-Te Li

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In March 2011, the catastrophic accident known as "The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster" took place, initiated by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The only nuclear accident to receive a Level-7 classification on the International Nuclear Event Scale since the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986, the Fukushima event triggered global concerns and rumors regarding radiation leaks. Among the false rumors was an image, which had been described as a map of radioactive discharge emanating into the Pacific Ocean, as illustrated in the accompanying figure. In fact, this figure, depicting the wave height of the tsunami that followed, …

The Spatial Optimization And Evaluation Of The Economic, Ecological, And Social Value Of Urban Green Space In Shenzhen, Yuhan Yu, Wenting Zhang, Peihong Fu, Wei Huang, Keke Li, Kai Cao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Urban green space (UGS) is important in urban systems, as it benefits economic development, ecological conservation, and living conditions. Many studies have evaluated the economic, ecological, and social value of UGS worldwide, and spatial optimization for UGS has been carried out to maximize its value. However, few studies have simultaneously examined these three values of UGS in one optimization system. To fill this gap, this study evaluated the economic value of UGS in terms of promoting housing prices, its ecological value through the relief of high land surface temperature (LST), and its social value through the provision of recreation spaces …

Feminine Gender Identification And Mother-Daughter Connectedness As Predictors And Sociocultural Buffers Against Adult Sexual Victimization In Latinas And Caucasians, Erika A. Pobee-Mensah

Theses and Dissertations

The growing body of literature on childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has highlighted increased risk for adult re-victimization and transgenerational sexual abuse such that children of adult women with CSA histories are at increased risk for being sexually abused. Despite these research trends, there is less research specific to victimization risk and transgenerational sexual abuse. Furthermore, there is limited information on ethnic/racial differences in these trends, particularly regarding Latinas. Despite research suggesting an over-representation of reported CSA among Latina children, there are apparent disparities suggesting underreporting of sexual victimization among Latinas in adulthood. The present study examines interactional effects of sociocultural …

Health Risk Perceptions Regarding Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Ends) And Secondhand Exposure Behaviors Among U.S. Student Military Veterans, Katie Alexandra Bartley

Theses and Dissertations

Student veterans are at high risk for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use and for exposing others to secondhand vape. This study examined student veterans’ health risk perceptions of ENDS use and their association with implementing vaping restrictions in their homes and vehicles. The study included 256 veterans who were 18 years of age or older, were attending higher education in the United States, and who endorsed being a current smoker (n = 105; 41%), a current ENDS user (n = 79; 30.9%), or a current dual user (n = 72; 28.1%). The sample included 187 men (Mage = 31.73), …

Latinos In Massachusetts: Puerto Ricans, Phillip Granberry, Krizia Valentino

Gastón Institute Publications

Puerto Ricans are the largest Latino population in Massachusetts. They started arriving in the Connecticut River Valley after World War II to fill the state’s need for agricultural workers. Springfield has the largest population and Holyoke the largest share of Puerto Ricans in the state. This migration pattern is important because Western Massachusetts has not experienced economic growth as other parts of the state, and over 25% of Puerto Ricans in the state live there. This concentration of their population in this region shapes many of the demographic, social, and economic characteristics in this report. Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico …

Examining The Cross-Cultural Validity Of The Positive Affect And Negative Affect Schedule Between An Asian (Singaporean) Sample And A Western (American) Sample, Sean Teck Hao Lee, Andree Hartanto, Jose C. Yong, Brandon Koh, Angela K. Y. Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The positive affect and negative affect schedule (PANAS) is a popular measure of positive (PA) and negative affectivity (NA). Developed and validated in Western contexts, the 20-item scale has been frequently administered on respondents from Asian countries with the assumption of cross-cultural measurement invariance. We examine this assumption via a rigorous multigroup confirmatory factor analysis, which allows us to assess between-group differences in both strength of scale item-to-latent factor relationship (metric invariance test) and mean of each scale item (scalar invariance test), on a large sample of 1,065 respondents recruited from Singapore (Asian sample) and the United States (Western sample). …

Drill Into What Makes People Socially Responsible, David Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In an invited commentary, SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan explained why being socially responsible is critical in Singapore’s efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak and mitigate its effects. He discussed the psychology underlying people’s behaviour change and suggested that we pay attention to issues of values, image, norms, convenience and enforcement.

Translation Of: Interview With Jacques Derrida: The Western Question Of "Forgiveness" And The Intercultural Relation, Ning Zhang, Steven Burik

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

These two interviews with Jacques Derrida were conducted by Ning Zhang in 1999 and 2000, respectively, in preparation for the publication of his book Writing and Difference in Chinese and his first academic trip to China in 2001. In the first interview, Jacques Derrida tries to clarify the ethical concerns with regard to his deconstructive analysis of Western traditions, through his critical reading of the concept of forgiveness. In this interview he gives us a clearer insight into his ideas about the problem of intercultural exchange, especially concerning questions of translation, translatability, and untranslatability, as central issues of his work. …

Manufactured Insecurity: Mobile Home Parks And Americans’ Tenuous Right To Place. By Esther Sullivan. Berkeley: University Of California Press, 2018. Pp. Xiv+264. $85.00 (Cloth); 29.95 (Paper)., Ranita Ray

Sociology Faculty Research

Traditionally, ethnographers of urban poverty in the United States have tended to write about the everyday lives, tentative morality, and curious practices of the "poor" as if poverty were a suprise outcome of illusive structures and intensely complex behaviors of the poor. ... See full text for complete abstract.

Bella Figura: Understanding Italian Communication In Local And Transatlantic Contexts, Denise Scannell Guida

Publications and Research

Bella figura—beautiful figure—is an idiomatic expression used to reflect every part of Italian life. The phrase appears in travel books and in transnational business guides to describe Italian customs, in sociological research to describe the national characteristics of Italians, and in popular culture to depict thematic constructs and stereotypes, such as the Mafia, romance, and la dolce vita. Scholarly research on bella figura indicates its significance in Italian civilization, yet it remains one of the most elusive concepts to translate. Among the various interpretations and references from foreigners and Italians there is not a single definition that captures the …

Place Network Investigations In Las Vegas, Nevada: Program Review And Process Evaluation, Tamara D. Herold, Robin S. Engel, Nicholas Corsaro, Stacey L. Clouse

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

The gang and gun violence reduction project implemented in Las Vegas consisted of three components: hot spots deployment, focused deterrence, and place network investigations. This report focuses on a program review and process evaluation of the PNI initiative.

Behavioral Antecedents Of Fuel Efficiency, James A. Cotton

Theses and Dissertations

The US Department of Defense is the largest institutional petroleum consumer in the world. In addition to the financial cost of petroleum-based fuels, the US DoD generates more CO₂-equivalent greenhouse gases than the entirety of modern, industrialized nations like Sweden and Norway. Other dangers and externalities arise from the fuels supply chain, like toxin risks to fuel handlers, and human costs to transport fuel in-theater. Within the DoD, the USAF alone often rivals or exceeds the consumption of all other services combined. While the USAF prefers technical, hardware-based solutions to problems, and has given increasing attention to logistical …

The White-Black Disparity In Maternal Mortality And Morbidity: An Evaluation Of Risk Factors, Ann Gilbert

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Good Jobs: Employment And Wages In Groups Of Regional Industrial Drivers, Iryna Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Iryna Demko, Matthew Ellerbrock, Emily Forsee

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Talent attraction and workforce development are urgent topics in Northeast Ohio, as many companies are finding it challenging to locate and attract necessary workers for open jobs. This dilemma spans across sectors: from the manufacturing industry finding appropriately skilled labor to professional services finding experienced IT staff. This research analyzes employment dynamics among Northeast Ohio (NEO) industries, so policymakers and economic development practitioners can utilize our findings and design programs to improve the economic conditions in the region. This report builds on The Center for Economic Development’s prior work, which identified NEO’s Groups of Regional Industry Drivers (GRIDs). These sectors …

Investing With Cryptocurrencies: A Liquidity Constrained Investment Approach, Simon Trimborn, Mingyang Li, Wolfgang Karl Hardle

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

Cryptocurrencies have left the dark side of the finance universe and become an object of study for asset and portfolio management. Since they have low liquidity compared to traditional assets, one needs to take into account liquidity issues when adding them to a portfolio. We propose a Liquidity Bounded Risk-return Optimization (LIBRO) approach, which is a combination of risk-return portfolio optimization under liquidity constraints. Cryptocurrencies are included in portfolios formed with stocks of the S&P 100, US Bonds, and commodities. We illustrate the importance of the liquidity constraints in an in-sample and out-of-sample study. LIBRO improves the weight optimization in …

Guest Editorial: Interreligious Encounter And Religious Change In Former Yugoslavia, Aleksandra Djurić-Milovanović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In this issue of OPREE, three case studies by Gašper Mithans, Evelyn Reuter, and Aleksandra Djurić-Milovanović explore interreligious encounters in Yugoslavia and religious transformations that brought new dynamics in interreligious relations between majority and minority religions.

Atomization, Decentralization, And Sustainability: Prominent Trends On The Russian Protestant Church Scene, William Yoder

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"At least in Russia–and China–the age of euphoria prominent 30 years ago is gone. The church missions committed to short-term gains have left for greener pastures and the congregations remaining behind are now, more than ever, required to determine their own fates. Increasingly required to live from their own funding, church projects are becoming more sustainable. Huge building and educational projects are only a memory. This general and expected course of events can be attributed in part to short attention spans in the West; increased government pressure is only one of numerous factors."

Evaluating The Facilitating Attuned Interactions (Fan) Approach: Vicarious Trauma, Professional Burnout, And Reflective Practice, Katherine Hazen, Matthew W. Carlson, Holly Hatton-Bowers, Melanie Fessinger, Jennie Cole-Mossman, Jamie Bahm, Kelli Hauptman J.D., Eve Brank, Linda Gilkerson

Center on Children, Families, and the Law: Faculty Publications

Background: This evaluation examined the use of the Facilitated Attuned Interaction (FAN) approach to reflective practice among child welfare and early childhood professionals working with vulnerable children and families.

Objective: The aims of the current evaluation were to test (a) the role of vicarious trauma in predicting professional burnout, (b) the effect of reflective practice quality in decreasing professional burnout, and (c) the ability of reflective practice quality to lessen the relationship between vicarious trauma and professional burnout.

Participants and Setting: The sample included sixty-three professionals across diverse professions including child welfare social workers, early childhood educators, and child welfare …

Señor Jim Crow Still Roosts In Cuba: A Comparative Analysis Of Race And Resistance In The United States And Cuba, Leah P. Hollis

Comparative Civilizations Review

After touring Havana, Cuba, with a group of African American Scholars in the fall of 2019, I am inspired to identify the subtle and explicit racist experiences that we endured. A common message from those in the tourism industry is that Cubans love African Americans. This message was constant, yet it rang like a gong in our ears because the message did not match the treatment we received. In truth, this love was not for the African aspect of our identities but for the financial prosperity in the American part of our identities. The Cuban tour guide constantly announced the …

The Conspiracy Theory Handbook, Stephan Lewandowsky, John Cook

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

Conspiracy theories attempt to explain events as the secretive plots of powerful people. While conspiracy theories are not typically supported by evidence, this doesn’t stop them from blossoming. Conspiracy theories damage society in a number of ways. To help minimize these harmful effects, The Conspiracy Theory Handbook, by Stephan Lewandowsky and John Cook, explains why conspiracy theories are so popular, how to identify the traits of conspiratorial thinking, and what are effective response strategies.

The Handbook distills the most important research findings and expert advice on dealing with conspiracy theories. It also introduces the abbreviation CONSPIR which serves as a …