Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Scientific Literacy At A Tragic Low: A Call For More Public Engagement In Science, Leah G. Jones

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Science is the catalyst for humanity’s progress. Without it, we would not understand our world, our universe, even our own bodies to the extent we do now. We would not have the ability to travel, connect, and innovate at the heights we currently enjoy. In fact, many people are alive today only because of scientific discoveries and advancements. Life-saving surgeries, medications, and implants impossible a mere hundred years ago are now routine, thanks to science. It follows that science should be revered, trusted, and understood. Unfortunately, in the information age, communication gets complicated. As with any other topic, there are …

Primed For Addiction: A Critical Review Of The Role Of Microglia In The Neurodevelopmental Consequences Of Adolescent Alcohol Drinking, Jennifer K. Melbourne, Cassie M. Chandler, Catherine E. Van Doorn, Michael T. Bardo, James R. Pauly, Hui Peng, Kimberly Nixon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Alcohol is one of the most widely used recreational substances worldwide, with drinking frequently initiated during adolescence. The developmental state of the adolescent brain makes it vulnerable to initiating alcohol use, often in high doses, and particularly susceptible to alcohol-induced brain changes. Microglia, the brain parenchymal macrophages, have been implicated in mediating some of these effects, though the role that these cells play in the progression from alcohol drinking to dependence remains unclear. Microglia are uniquely positioned to sense and respond to central nervous system insult, and are now understood to exhibit innate immune memory, or “priming,” altering their future …

Effects Of Social Isolation On Perineuronal Nets In The Amygdala Following A Reward Omission Task In Female Rats, Dolores B. Vazquez-Sanroman, G. Arlington Wilson, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Negative urgency is a facet of impulsivity associated with negative affect and risky behavior that may involve the amygdala. The current study determined if social isolation during development alters negative urgency and c-Fos activity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Female Sprague-Dawley rats were raised in an isolated condition (IC), a standard social condition (SC), or an enriched condition (EC) and then were tested for locomotor activity, novelty place preference, and negative urgency using a reward omission task. Following performance on the reward omission task, the brains were analyzed for c-Fos expression in Ca2+ /calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) and calbindin (CB) …

Effects Of The Glucocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Pt150 On Stress-Induced Fentanyl Seeking In Male And Female Rats, Lindsey R. Hammerslag, Emily D. Denehy, Benjamin A. Carper, Tracy L. Nolen, Mark A. Prendergast, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Rationale Opioid use disorder (OUD) is highly comorbid with stress-related disorders, and stress can serve as a trigger for reinstatement of drug seeking. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonists such as mifepristone (RU-486) may be effective against stress-induced drug seeking. In the current study, PT150 (formerly ORG-34517), a more selective GR antagonist, was tested using two models of stress-induced drug seeking, namely footshock and yohimbine.

Methods Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer fentanyl (2.5 μg/kg/infusion, i.v.) in a model of escalation. Rats then received 7 days of abstinence, followed by extinction; PT150 (0, 50 or 100 mg/kg in …

A Laboratory Of Common Interest: Contesting The Economisation Of Space In Limerick City Through The Practice Of Aesthetic Work, Fiona Woods

Doctoral

This arts practice-based research [APBR] addresses a political and ethical problem, namely how a creative practice can operate contrary to the destructive, predatory forces of extractive capitalism. The research took the systemic, socio-spatial violence of enclosure and economisation as a starting point, anchored in the concrete conditions of Limerick city, to test the critical, political possibilities of collaborative, cultural work. From an examination of the ways in which lived space is subsumed under the abstractive logic of ‘the Economy’, two processes of abstraction and enclosure are isolated and examined: i) a hollowing out of publicness, captured by the lexigraph public …

Integrative Sonic Urbanism: Artist-Led Strategies For Urban Sound Design In The Contemporary City, Sven Anderson

Doctoral

This doctoral research advances the fields of urban sound design and acoustic planning, presenting new ways of exploring the interrelationship between individual and collective sonic experience, the dynamic potential of the urban sound environment and the complex evolution of the contemporary cityscape. It links urban sound art practices with larger urban design processes, revealing how sound contributes to the production of urban space. The research progresses by crafting a dynamic, integrative methodology that activates contrasting sonic perspectives to critically reassess the role of sound in the public realm. As it discloses this methodology, the research navigates the tension between new …

Celebrating Women Scholars In Athletic Training, Julie M. Cavallario, Cailee E. Welch Bacon, Lindsey E. Eberman, Stacy E. Walker

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Karst Feature Prediction Model For Prince Of Wales Island, Alaska Based On High Resolution Lidar Imagery, Alexander Lyles

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Investigation into surface karst formation is significant to hazard prediction, hydrogeologic drainage, and land management. Southeast Alaska contains over 600,000 acres of mapped carbonate bedrock, and some of the fastest recorded karst dissolution in the world. The objectives of this study are to develop and compare multiple semi-automated models to map and delineate karst features from bare-earth LiDAR imagery using ArcGIS Desktop 10.7, and to apply a preliminary geostatistical analysis of sinkhole morphometric parameters to highlight potential spatial patterns of karst evolution on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. A semi-automated approach of mapping karst features provides a dataset that minimizes …

Examining How Adverse Childhood Experiences And The Underlying Processes Of Trait And State Impulsivity Influence Suicidal Behavior, Julia K. Duran

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

ABSTRACT

Due to the effects of ACEs and impulsive behavior on mental and physical health, it is important to better understand the relationship between these two as well as how they both may influence choices, such as suicide. Numerous studies have identified impulsive behavior as a risk factor for suicide, however, recent research has identified several underlying independent processes that make up impulsivity. This study uses a broad assessment of trait and state impulsivity to gather a more discrete understanding of the underlying processes that contribute to impulsive behavior. The short version UPPS-P scale was used to measure negative urgency, …

Observer Reaction To Physical And Verbal Abuse In Relation To Gender And Sexual Orientation Of Abuser And Victim, Rachel Stritt

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Advocating for victims of domestic violence has drastically evolved within the last few years through an increase of education and advocacy for victims, but there is still room for improvement. This study examines the relationship among gender of abuser, gender of victim, and type of abuse (physical or verbal) and participants reaction to witnessing domestic violence. In this experimental study, participants were randomly assigned to one of ten different vignettes describing a domestic violence scenario that varied the gender of the victim and the abuser, along with the type of abuse. Two of these vignettes did not mention the gender …

What Influences Suffering In Silence: Examining Mental Health Stigma, Social-Cognitive Factors, And Age As Predictors Of The Willingness To Seek Professional Psychological Help, Bobbie Call

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Mental health and wellness are increasingly common and popular topics discussed and researched in the world today. Recent estimates suggest that one in five adults in the United States of America experience mental health issues each year; this is estimated to be approximately 51.5 million adults (NAMI, 2020). However, despite many individuals who might suffer from mental health issues, and perhaps be diagnosed with a mental health disorder, these same individuals may not seek out the help and psychological services needed. Research exploring why people do not seek out help for their mental health should be a priority. Thus, the …

Marginalisation: Practitioner Level, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Education Analytics Service

This Practitioner level module is designed to ensure staff members who engage with and lead policy dialogue with international and domestic partners understand the patterns of marginalisation in education and the policies, strategies and structures that can be put in place at the national, school and community level to reduce marginalisation. It is recommended that staff complete the Marginalisation: Foundation level module as background information to this Practitioner level module.

Gender Parity In Science: The Intersection Of The National Education Policy 2020 And The Draft Science, Technology, And Innovation Policy, Jyoti Sharma

Teacher India

With International Women’s Day observed on 8 March, Jyoti Sharma’s review of the National Education Policy 2020 and the draft Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy through the lens of gender parity is a timely reminder of the need to support improved participation of women in science.

Shortage Of Subject Teachers: A Festering Wound In The Indian School System, Vimala Ramachandran

Teacher India

Vimala Ramachandran suggests that issues that affect the shortage of subject teachers should be studied holistically and the system for aggregation of data on teacher demand overhauled to better support decisions related to teacher deployment.

Marginalisation: Foundation Level, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Education Analytics Service

The purpose of this module is to provide introductory information about the key characteristics and strategies to reducing marginalisation. It provides a foundation to engage in this topic and apply advice from staff with operational or expert levels of knowledge in combatting marginalisation. On successful completion you will be able to be an informed participant in forums related to marginalisation.

Lights, Camera, Activity! A Systematic Review Of Research On Learner-Generated Videos, Bridgette Shade Epps, Tian Luo, Pauline S. Muljana

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

The current literature discusses the use and benefits of learner-generated videos (LGVs). However, it rarely addresses any correlation between the types of subjects that are best suited for using these videos or what techniques should accompany the use of LGVs.

Background

This systematic review synthesizes current literature to identify patterns and implications that develop from the use of LGVs so that their future use can be both consistent and effective. This paper also reviews the studies to establish the most consistent educational benefits that emerge from this activity.

Methodology

Employing the Preferred-Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses …

Afghan Decision-Making In A Development Context, Daniel Stent

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Numerous theories exist showing the relationship between stress and decision-making strategies. Conflict Theory, as expressed by Mann et al. (1997) explains that when facing a major decision, individuals will respond to the stress of that decision by using one of four decision-making strategies: vigilance, buckpassing, procrastination, and hypervigilance. In matching Conflict Theory with the cultural scales proposed by Hofstede (2001), the decision-making strategies of buckpassing and procrastination are preferred by individuals from collectivist cultures in contrast to people from individualistic cultures. The current study used Mann’s Melbourne Decision-Making Questionnaire in the context of Afghanistan. This research is pertinent given the …

Mortality Salience And Moral Dilemmas: The Impact Of Stress On Regret In Trolley Problem Decision-Making, Nicolas Perdomo

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The present study experimentally investigated the effects of stress, in the form of mortality salience, on decision regret in participants presented with the trolley problem. Participants (N = 166) were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned to a mortality salience or threatening control topic (dental pain) writing prompt and either the standard trolley problems (i.e., the "switch" and "footbridge" dilemmas) or an experimental reversal where the default was five people on the tracks instead of the usual one. The effects of mortality salience on affective regret, the trolley reversal on cognitive regret, and the relationship between mortality salience …

Developing A Nomological Network To Incorporate Learned Helplessness Into Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Nicholas Kovacs

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Employees are facing personal traumas, higher stress, and work pressures that are likely to result in both short- and long-term impacts. To mitigate these negative impacts, organizations should focus on applying research related to employees’ responses to trauma and stress. Learned helplessness, which is well-established within clinical psychology and less established within the industrial-organizational literature, occurs as a direct response to perceived control over trauma and could thus relate to the ability to overcome trauma. In relation to control-related constructs, industrial-organizational researchers have focused on resilience, hardiness, and work locus of control (LOC). However, each of these constructs account for …

The Effect Of Careless Responding Warnings On Construct Validity, Mark A. Roebke

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Careless responding is a problem for survey research that poses threats to both the reliability and validity of data collected. Warnings against careless responding have been proposed as a potential solution to reduce this harmful effect. The present study examines how warnings can reduce careless responding as well as examine how those warnings may influence the reliability and validity of data collected. Data was collected in a low stakes online testing format in a way similar to many psychological studies. This study included informant dyad data from people who knew the participants well to provide external criteria for analysis. A …

The Role Of Social Anxiety In Prosocial Behavior Following Exclusion, Hannah Friedman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social anxiety (SA) causes significant distress and impairment in several areas of daily life. Individuals with SA experience increased rates of exclusion and have more difficultly forming meaningful interpersonal relationships. Exclusion is associated with increased SA and motivations for social withdrawal in emerging adulthood. In non-SA individuals, the desire for compensatory social interaction following exclusion often produces prosocial behaviors (e.g., increased effort to help the group). Prosocial behavior levels following exclusion are not uniform, however, as an individual’s response may vary depending on the type of exclusion experienced. Although previous work has observed decreased levels of prosocial behavior in non-SA …

1.5 Generation Korean-American Young Adults' Bilingualism And Their Identity In The U.S., Hanna Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the 20th century, particularly post-1965, there has been rapid growth in the Korean-American population in the U.S. The number of 1.5 generation Korean-Americans has also increased. 1.5 generation Korean-Americans can take advantage of learning both languages and cultures in the two countries which can help them become bilingual and bicultural individuals. However, previous studies about the language experience and identity of Korean-Americans have mainly focused on the first or second-generations (Kang, 2013; M. Park, 2005) rather than 1.5 generations. Some of these studies have focused more on children at an early age (E. S. Park, 2005; Zhou, 1997) instead …

The Influence Of Emotion Regulation And Family Involvement On Diabetes Distress Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Patric Justin Leukel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adults with diabetes frequently experience diabetes related distress which is associated with negative health outcomes. Family members are commonly involved in patients’ diabetes self-management. However, family involvement can have harmful and/or helpful effects on patients’ diabetes outcomes. Difficulties in regulating emotions may play a role in patients’ interactions with family members and experience of diabetes distress. This study examined the role of emotion regulation and type of family involvement in diabetes distress among 370 adults with type 2 diabetes. Two separate three-step sequential linear regression models were used to test the main and interactive effects of harmful and helpful family …

The Trajectory Of Resilience, Meaning In Life, Social Support, Posttraumatic Growth, And Posttraumatic Stress For Emerging Adult Trauma Survivors, Marcela C. Weber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The literature suggests the relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic stress (PTS) is curvilinear, and that type or severity of trauma may affect this relationship. The relationship between depression, anxiety, and PTG is understudied. It is well established that meaning in life predicts PTG, PTS, and resilience, yet most of the research has measured general perceived meaning rather than meaning beyond-the-self, specifically, which was initially theorized by mid-century Humanistic psychologists. Mixed findings about whether searching for meaning is beneficial or harmful suggests potential moderators of search for meaning should be explored. METHOD: Participants (N = 628) were emerging …

Ceramic Analysis Of The 2019 Excavations Of Ely (44le12) Mound Site, Lee County, Virginia, Shannon Medah Wooten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippian frontier in southwestern Virginia is a relatively unexplored area. This area was occupied by Mississippian and Radford locals, creating a crossroads between the two groups. The Ely Mound site is a Mississippian frontier site that can help understand the influence of Mississippian and Radford cultures on the development of chiefdoms. This thesis will analyze the ceramics from the mound test unit and shovel test survey of the 2019 excavation at Ely located in Lee County, Virginia. The temper patterns were used to understand the date and use of the site. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze …

Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying The Relationship Between Social Media Use And Depressive Symptoms, Mary Le

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Social media continues to grow in popularity but has been associated with diminished mental health in some users. Social media provides a platform for social comparison, which influences how individuals evaluate their traits, abilities, and successes in achieving life milestones and, in turn, may impact psychological functioning. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether social comparison and cognitive distortions mediated the relationship between social media use and depressive symptoms in younger adults. In total, 175 adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years were recruited online (64.6% male, 34.9% female; 45.7% Asian). Participants completed anonymous surveys …

Black Girls Work Out Too! An Exploration Of Physical Activity Behaviors Of Black Women, Kimberley C. Desir

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Lack of participation in physical activity has become an increasing public health concern in the United States. Compared to any other racial and ethnic group, Black women have the lowest prevalence of exercise. A limited amount of empirical research suggests cultural beliefs about the meaning of physical activity has a role in one’s ability to initiate and maintain a physical activity regimen. Black women face specific sociocultural factors that impact their physical activity routines. Hair care practices and maintenance has been identified as a unique barrier among Black women. This qualitative research study investigated the influence of the distinctions in …

Cultural Socialization And Ethnic-Racial Identity Mediated By Positive And Negative Conversations About Race: Exploring Differences Among Students Of Color And White Students, Maria J. Cisneros, Eryn Delaney, Chelsea D. Williams, Sabrina Hawa, Chloe Walker, Fantasy Lozada, Su Jinni, Danielle Dick

Graduate Research Posters

Objectives: The current study examined associations between cultural socialization and ethnic-racial identity (ERI) via positive and negative conversations about one’s ethnicity/race. Differences between students of color (SOC) and White students (WS) were explored.

Method: Diverse college students 18-22 (M age = 18.46) participating in a university-wide study provided self-reports of childhood cultural socialization, engagement in conversations about ethnicity/race during college, and ERI.

Results: Cultural socialization was associated with more positive conversations about race, and, in turn, greater ERI exploration, resolution, and affirmation among SOC and WS. Additionally, negative conversations about race were associated with greater ERI exploration and …

Navigating Internalized Stigma And Identity Development In Bipolar Disorder I: A Grounded Theory Investigation., Kaylyn L. Watterson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mental illness stigma occurs at multiple levels in Western societies. Internalized stigma, the application of negative stereotypes and prejudice about mental illness to self-concept, has deleterious effects on mental health for adults living with a serious mental illness. Historically, research on stigma in serious mental illness has centered on schizophrenia. Recently, researchers and clinicians have drawn attention to bipolar disorder I, an affective disorder that creates disruptions in functioning and increased risk for substance abuse and suicide. Despite the growing literature establishing the relationship between recovery in serious mental illness and identity, little is known about how adults in long-term …

A Case Study To Explore The Perception Of A Woman Participant In Drug Court Of A Community-Based Arts Program On Substance Use Recovery Outcomes, Catherine L. Troop

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Addiction to drugs is a complex, chronic, and multi-faceted disease that often involves cycles of relapse and remission. The lifetime prevalence of alcohol and drug use disorders in women in the United States is 19.5 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively (McHugh, Wigderson, & Greenfield, 2014) yet there is a significant dearth of efficacious substance abuse treatment services tailored specifically to women. In addition, literature suggests that the third aspect of Bandura’s Social Cognitive theory (self-efficacy) potentially plays a significant role in abstinence of drug use. The role of art interventions on recovery outcomes for a woman enrolled in the Franklin …