Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Taking A Joke Seriously: When Does Humor Affect Responses To The Slurring Of People With Intellectual Disabilities?, Jennifer Katz, Dimitri Wing-Paul

Psychology

The use of humor may affect how bystanders respond to slurs. Undergraduates (N = 192) completed a measure of prejudice towards people with intellectual disabilities and were randomly assigned to read a scenario in which a peer uses a slur either as part of a joke (humor condition) or a statement (control condition). Participants responded to measures of intent to assertively respond and their evaluation of the speaker. Humor inhibited intent to nonverbally disagree and to verbally confront. Bystanders’ own prejudicial attitudes moderated the effects of humor on intent to verbally confront and negative evaluation. In the humor condition, compared …

Accounting For Training Data Error In Machine Learning Applied To Earth Observations, Arthur Elmes, Hamed Alemohammad, Ryan Avery, Kelly Caylor, J. Ronald Eastman, Lewis Fishgold, Mark A. Friedl, Meha Jain, Divyani Kohli, Juan Carlos Laso Bayas, Dalton Lunga, Jessica L. Mccarty, Robert Gilmore Pontius, Andrew B. Reinmann, John Rogan, Lei Song, Hristiana Stoynova, Su Ye, Zhuang Fang Yi, Lyndon Estes

Geography

Remote sensing, or Earth Observation (EO), is increasingly used to understand Earth system dynamics and create continuous and categorical maps of biophysical properties and land cover, especially based on recent advances in machine learning (ML). ML models typically require large, spatially explicit training datasets to make accurate predictions. Training data (TD) are typically generated by digitizing polygons on high spatial-resolution imagery, by collecting in situ data, or by using pre-existing datasets. TD are often assumed to accurately represent the truth, but in practice almost always have error, stemming from (1) sample design, and (2) sample collection errors. The latter is …

The Relationship Between Veterans' Participation In School Activities And Their Perceived Ability To Assimilate To Campus Culture, Eric Fagan, Jeffrey S. Mcquillen

Communication Faculty Publications

This study examines the relationship between student veterans’ self-perceived level of participation in school activities and organizations and the association participation has with veterans’ level of assimilation to college life. Subjects were one hundred student-veterans from a southwestern university and college. Instruments used were the Veteran’s Involvement Questionnaire (VIQ), a modification of Grover’s (2014) Family Involvement Questionnaire, and the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) (Baker, 2017). Results reveal a significant correlation between the variables participation and assimilation. Results also suggest the need for further research on other factors that may contribute to student veterans’ assimilation into campus culture.

Empirical Evaluation Of Disaster Preparedness For Hurricanes In The Rio Grande Valley, Dean Kyne, Leslie Cisneros, Josue Delacruz, Bianca Lopez, Cristina Madrid, Rebecca Moran, Alma Provencio, Felix Ramos, Maria Fernanda Silva

Sociology Faculty Publications

Individual emergency preparedness is critical to mitigate and minimize the negative impacts from disasters. Preparing for future disasters could enhance capacity to better cope with the external shocks and achieve a faster return to normalcy after the disaster event. This study investigates how individuals living in the Rio Grande Valley prepare themselves for the future hurricane disasters. The study investigates the state of objective and subjective preparedness and any discrepancy between the two types of disaster preparedness. Using collected data from590 respondents via an online survey instrument, the study examines the relationships between the states of individual preparedness and selected …

From Neoliberalism To Socialism: Reimagining Socialism In Africa, Kiiru Gichuru

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract. For many scholars, pundits, policy makers, and citizens alike, Africa’s persistent maldevelopment has continued to defy the usual International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and foreign aid prescriptions that are, at times, peddled as silver bullets to the African conundrum. Beginning in the late 1970s, loans from the IMF and World Bank required African governments to implement certain conditions that were supposed to address public sector mismanagement, illiberal trade policies, low foreign investment, and state development. These austerity measures were designed to usher in an era of financial growth that would enable Africa to join the ranks of developed …

Emergent Women's Global Political Leadership: Progress Despite Constraints, Aoife Meehan

Dissertations and Theses

“Emergent Women’s Global Political Leadership: Progress Despite Constraints” seeks to trace why and how female political leaders emerge at the global level. Evidence points to certain cultural factors, often expressed by laws, constraining or supporting women as they seek political advancement. Data shows women leaders are emerging more and more, though slowly, as political leaders around the world. Reviewing women’s participation and representation regionally and nationally in parliaments, as ministers, and as heads of governments and states confirms that women can and do emerge as political leaders. Finally, learning about and examining women leaders themselves, their style and substance, proves …

Political Representation For Indigenous Peoples In The Andes, Jessica Yepez

Dissertations and Theses

For years, there has been a lack of representation for indigenous peoples in communities, and most importantly in parliament. This is a very common trait in the South American Andes, which houses the largest number of indigenous groups in the continent. This thesis focuses on Ecuador and Bolivia due to their indigenous population and their history, or lack thereof, with indigenous people in parliament. For my hypothesis, I argue that parliamentary representation of indigenous peoples, can help ensure that their rights are protected, and their unique interests are heard and translated into relevant policies, while at the same time preventing …

Counterterrorism: The G5 Response Efforts To Combat Terrorism In The Sahel Region, Ndeye Fatou Ndiaye

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

Africa’s Sahel suffers from multidimensional challenges that require robust solutions to address the issues. The regional crisis is aggravated by multiple factors that include climate risks, poverty, unemployment, water shortages, weak governance, lack of rule of law, food security to cite a few. Thus, a combination of factors greatly contribute to the Sahel crisis, resulting in severe security threats. This study attempts to analyze the role of the G5 Sahel states and the international community in counter-terrorism efforts. However, the region has emerged as the new battleground for terrorism along with a growing threat of violent extremism and other …

Zoning – Neighborhood Character And Historic Overlays In Lexington, Ky, Taylor S. Price

Dissertations and Theses

Zoning has a significant impact on our built environment. Overlay zoning, an additional form of restrictive zoning, is a tool that municipalities utilize to control development and changes to neighborhoods. This study analyzes the impact that historic district (H-1) and neighborhood character (ND-1) overlays have on home sale prices in Lexington, KY. Results suggests that overlays have a significant positive impact on home values. Results also suggest that that overlays exhibit spatial impacts that extend further than the homes included in the overlay.

Does Overweight/Obesity Moderate The Association Between Adhd And Internalizing Difficulties In Young Adults?, Breanna Badripersaud

Dissertations and Theses

This study’s objective was to investigate if ADHD symptoms and BMI are associated with internalizing impairments of depression, anxiety, stress and lower self-esteem in college students. It was predicted that higher ADHD symptoms would be associated with elevated depression, anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem, especially if BMI fell in the overweight/obese range. Undergraduate students [N= 580; Mean (SD) age= 20.7 (3.10)] from an urban campus completed an online survey comprising self-report measures of demographics, height/weight, attention and hyperactivity/impulsivity (Barkley Deficits Executive Functioning Scale ADHD- Executive Function Index), depression, anxiety, stress (all using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale) and self- …

Socioeconomic And Racial/Ethnic Disparities In Adhd And Alcohol Use Among College Students, Laurie Pierre-Paul

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Modern Formulation Of Chinese Art History And The Building Of A Nation In Early Twentieth-Century China, Chennie Huang

Dissertations and Theses

At the dawn of the twentieth century, the Chinese formulation of art history underwent dramatic changes. It moved away from the traditional narratives that did not follow a strict chronology to adopt the Western linear model which emphasizes progress and national identity. Based on the premodern tradition, the modern formulations of Chinese art history began as a political strategy for nation building amid the political upheavals, including military attacks on China that led to the end of Qing imperial rule and the beginning of the Republican era (1912-1949).

In the early 1900s, while exiled in Japan, Liang Qichao 梁啟超 (1873-1929), …

The Battle For The Battle Of Adwa: Collective Identity And Nation-Building, Joseph A. Steward

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

On March 1^st, 1896, an Ethiopian army lead by Emperor Menelik II dealt a shocking defeat to the invading Italian forces in the Battle of Adwa. In victory, Menelik was able to exert his authority over a vast territory which included both the historical, ancient kingdoms of the northern and central parts of Ethiopia, and also the vast, resource-rich territories in the west and south which he had earlier conquered. The egalitarian nature of the victory united the various peoples of Ethiopia against a common enemy, giving Menelik the opportunity to create a new Ethiopian nation.

The …

The Epidemiology Of Somatic Depression And Eating Disorders: The Relationship Between Depressive Subtypes And Symptoms Of Disordered Eating, Anita M. Sicignano

Dissertations and Theses

Depression is known to affect females in much greater numbers than males, with about three times as many women having the disorder as men (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). A similar gender disparity can be seen in eating disorders, where up to nine in ten sufferers are female (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Studies have shown that most of the gender difference in depression occurs as a result of women experiencing a form of depression involving a number of body-centric symptoms, including headaches, weight changes, fatigue, and insomnia, which has been termed “somatic depression” (Silverstein et al., 2013). Some of the symptoms, …

Mechanisms Of Value-Biased Prioritization In Fast Sensorimotor Decision Making, Kivilcim Afacan-Seref

Dissertations and Theses

In dynamic environments, split-second sensorimotor decisions must be prioritized according to potential payoffs to maximize overall rewards. The impact of relative value on deliberative perceptual judgments has been examined extensively, but relatively little is known about value-biasing mechanisms in the common situation where physical evidence is strong but the time to act is severely limited. This research examines the behavioral and electrophysiological indices of how value biases split-second perceptual decisions and the possible mechanisms underlying the process. In prominent decision models, a noisy but statistically stationary representation of sensory evidence is integrated over time to an action-triggering bound, and value-biases …

Motivation And Perceived Barriers For Underrepresented Students Interested In Art Therapy, Michael A. Jesson

Dissertations and Theses

Substantial racial and gender disparities exist in art therapy (AT), with 90% of U.S. art therapists identifying as White and female. This has been identified as a major concern of both practitioners and educators, though little research has been performed. To understand the role of student motivation and barriers to the field, this study recruited 116 undergraduate students academically exposed to AT. Student interest in the field, psychological needs defined by Self-Determination Theory and perceived educational and career barriers were measured. Autonomy, relatedness and competence regarding studies in AT as well as financial barriers were significantly related to interest in …

Free-To-Play? An Examination Of Intrinsic Motivation And Gaming Behaviors In U.S. Female Mobile Gamers, Margot Goldblum

Dissertations and Theses

The prevalence of U.S. female gamers has skyrocketed in recent years, largely due to the popularity of mobile games; however, this population is underrepresented in academic research. The present study aimed to close this gap in the literature by focusing on the motivations and behaviors of adult female mobile gamers in the U.S. It also aimed to capture changes in gaming motivation and behavior resulting from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online sample of 354 American women 18 to 77 years of age (M = 36.79, SD = 12.38) were surveyed about their motivations for mobile gaming, …

Mindfulness As A Moderator Of The Relation Between Acculturative Stress And Body Dissatisfaction/Eating Disorder Symptoms In Latinx Students, Ariana J. Mackson

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study is to test the theory that mindfulness is an effective coping strategy for reducing acculturative stress and body dissatisfaction/eating disorder symptoms. It was hypothesized that acculturative stress would be associated with more body dissatisfaction/eating disorder symptoms, but this relation was expected to be moderated by mindfulness. It was also predicted that mindfulness would be associated with less acculturative stress and less body dissatisfaction/eating disorder symptoms. Thirty-eight Latinx students were recruited from The City College of New York, CUNY, through the web-based survey participation pool SONA. Participants answered questions assessing their levels of acculturative stress, mindfulness, …

Does Resilience Moderate The Impact Of Children’S Experiences Of Racial And Ethnic Discrimination On Internalizing Problems?, Dahlia Abbas

Dissertations and Theses

This study’s objectives were to investigate how children’s experiences of discrimination impact the severity of their internalizing symptoms, and whether the relation between discrimination and internalizing symptom severity is moderated by resilience. It was predicted that children who had experienced more discrimination would have more severe internalizing symptoms, especially when they have low levels of resilience. Children [N=20; Mean (SD) age= 11.83 (2.50)] receiving low-cost music lessons in northern Manhattan were recruited into a larger study examining how learning music affects cognitive and emotional development. Children were interviewed in-person about experiences of discrimination because of their race/ethnicity using the Perceptions …

Financial Development And Economic Growth, Chiau-Jiun Jiang

Dissertations and Theses

This paper purposes to discuss the relationship between the financial development and economic growth. In the past, most studies related to the influence of financial development on economic growth used cross-sectional analysis or time series analysis. However, the cross-sectional analysis cannot explain the long-term trend of the time series, and the time series is unable to explain the multiple samples of the cross-section. Based on Arellano and Bond (1991), and Arellano and Bover (1995), this paper utilizes the panel data model to discuss financial development and economic growth. The results point out that bank credit in total GDP and capitalization …

Why Are The Trial-By-Trial, Strength-Based Criterion Shifts Hard To Observe? Is The Difficulty In The Mental Process Itself Or In The Typical Cued-Criterion Method?, Jerwen Jou, Eric E. Escamilla, Andy U. Torres, Alejandro Ortiz, Maria S. Matos

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

In the cued-criterion recognition paradigm (Stretch & Wixted, 1998a), trial-by-trial memory-strength based criterion shifts have been an elusive phenomenon. Often the criterion shifts fail to occur. We suggest that the frequent failure in making criterion shifts in the literature is due to participants’ failure to understand the rationale of the task as typically presented in an abstract format. In this study, participants studied words once or thrice and were asked at test to either classify the probes into “new”, “seen once”, or “seen 3 times” categories by pressing the corresponding keys, or to make an Old/New binary decision followed by …

Not Another Survey! Use Interviews Instead To Understand Needs In Your Library, Dan Broadbent

Faculty Publications

Assessment in libraries is an essential part of managing library resources to meet the needs of patrons and stakeholders. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of two assessment devices—surveys and interviews—in particular as they apply to libraries.

U.S.-China Bilateral Trade Flows And U.S. Employment, Tobin Hansen

CMC Senior Theses

The U.S.-China diplomatic relationship today is shaped significantly by economic factors. Recent strains of literature have expanded our understanding of how international economic policy choices have effected U.S. workers and labor markets. This paper extends this research by imposing bilateral symmetry in the trade flow calculations of previous works, which historically have considered U.S. exports globally. I build on the net-impact analysis of Feenstra, Ma, and Xu (2017b) and adopt the instrumental variable strategy used in Acemoglu et al. (2016), which uses Chinese trade flows with eight additional high-income countries to avoid endogeneity when comparing U.S.-China trade. From this analysis, …

Shutting Down Russia's Superiority Complex. An Analysis Of The International Community's Response To Russia's 2014 Annexation Of Crimea., Luisa Valles

CMC Senior Theses

The United States, the European Union and allies responded to the Russian Federation’s 2014 Annexation of Crimea with economic sanctions. After providing a basic understanding of Russia’s political economy and rent redistribution economic system, this paper supplies an overview of the Western sanctions within Russia’s three economic sectors — the energy industry, the defense industry, and the financial system. From there, I make an analysis of the Russian response to the sanctions is within each sector. Furthermore, I argue that the United States supports ulterior motives for implementing the economic sanctions. Concluding with the effects of the sanctions to Russia's …

An Empirical Analysis Of Company Culture: Using Glassdoor Data To Measure The Impact Of Culture And Employee Satisfaction On Performance, Linnea Uyeno

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the impact of culture and employee satisfaction on company performance; it considers which elements of culture are most important in specific industries: manufacturing, technology, and finance. Additionally, it explores whether these elements of productive cultures are also associated with employee satisfaction. It uses data from the MIT Sloan Management Review/Glassdoor Culture 500 database, which applied machine learning to analyze 1.2 million Glassdoor reviews. This data quantitatively measures nine dimensions of culture: agility, collaboration, customer focus, diversity, execution, innovation, integrity performance, and respect—assigning each company a score for every cultural dimension. Two depende­­­nt variables are used to measure …

Trickle Down Nationalism: Interactions Between Liberal Nationalism And Colonialism In The Raj And Nigeria, Aaryaman Sheoran

CMC Senior Theses

The combination of nationalism and colonialism has remained understudied in academia, despite the important interaction between the two phenomena. European ideas bled over into their colonial empires and began to fill the power vacuum created by colonial enterprises. This study analyzes the impact of British colonialism on the development of national identity in British India and Nigeria.

British influences included large scale economic disruption, cultural reform through ‘westernizing’ the population and abolishing local customs, and creating a new set of institutions to replace traditional power centers. Inevitably, these factors created a nationalist surge across both the Raj and Nigeria, as …

Leader Self-Awareness: Inception, Progress And Future, Frankie Rayis

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the theoretical and empirical literature on the field of leader self-awareness, in an effort to provide an overarching review of the inception, development, and potential future of the theory. The concept’s origins of managerial self-awareness (MSA) and self-other agreement (SOA) are considered, as is the progress of leader-self awareness through a variety of updated metrics. Relationships with organizational outcomes and the ability to develop leader self-awareness in individuals are investigated, and the paper concludes with my assessment of the theory in a discussion of the field’s limitations and recommendations for future research, hopefully providing direction that will …

What Is The Effect Of Social Capital On Community Resiliency Against Social Decay?, James Dail

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis builds off of the work of Robert Putnam and Charles Murray by using a fixed effects regression model and a first difference regression model to see if there is a relationship between the number of community institutions within a county and that county’s resiliency against social decay. Historically, it has been difficult to determine if there is a causal relationship in either direction between these variables because they are endogenous. That is, the underlying factors that determine whether a county will have low levels of social capital also determine whether the same county will have high levels of …

Air Pollution’S Effect On The Labor Force At The State Level, Benjamin Culberson

CMC Senior Theses

The health effects of air pollution are well established, ranging from increased rates of cancer to cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, a growing body of literature shows that air pollution has a tangible, negative impact on the labor force. However, in their efforts to avoid the endogeneity of air pollution and labor production, the current literature focuses on specific industries at a local level. The objective of this thesis is to expand this research to a state level by using naturally occurring weather events called air stagnations as a proxy for air pollution. These air stagnations correlate with increased levels of air …

The Streaming Wars: The Future Of Entertainment, Alexander D. Kenworthy

CMC Senior Theses

The Streaming Wars are the competition between Over-The-Top online streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max. This paper seeks to analyze the market through a literature review of factors which will influence in the market as well as an empirical analysis on the relationship between Netflix and the cable industry over time and how that relationship has changed. I find that Netflix’s revenue growth has had a negative impact on the cable industry’s revenue growth, but that relationship has diminished over time. I interpret this as a new market emerging for streaming services where multihoming will play …