Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Agriculture Could Uplift A Nation And Its People: Providing Analytical Data To Farmers In Belize, Thomas G. Stephenson

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Agriculture is the bedrock of the Belize economy, but is plagued by routine issues. These problems hurt not only the economy of Belize, but also the health and well being of its citizens. By working with the Ministry of Agriculture my team surveyed the Stann Creek district of Belize to address these issues and provide much needed information to local farmers.

The Effect Of Right-To-Work Laws On Subjective Well-Being: A Case Study Of Oklahoma, Tyler Qualls

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Using Oklahoma as a case study, this thesis applies a synthetic controls model to investigate the causal effect of right-to-work (RTW) laws on the well-being of the total population with a particular focus on the most affected subset, blue-collar workers and the less educated. The effect of RTW laws leads to a significant decrease in the happiness of blue-collar workers. To be specific, while results show a possible increase in unhappiness in the total population immediately following the adoption of the RTW law, for the more vulnerable blue-collar workers, the statistically significant negative effect of the law on happiness is …

Making In The Midst Of Pandemic: The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Two Public Library Makerspaces, Stacey Woods

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on makerspaces in the United States which were subject to public health guidelines and challenged with limited/no access to facilities. This multi-case study examined two public library makerspaces, and addressed these research questions: (1) How did the pandemic affect makerspace operations and access, and the teaching and learning that occurs there? (2) How did makerspace leaders respond to the challenges of the pandemic? (3) How did makerspaces evolve during the COVID-19 pandemic? I developed the Conceptual Framework for Studying the Impact of Pandemic on Public Library Makerspaces which informed the …

An Empirical Study Of Rational Addiction: The Effects Of Quitting Aids On Smoking Cessation, Cade White

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the relationship between the use of quitting aids and smoking cessation using United States (US) survey data from the 2018-2019 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS). Becker and Murphy’s (1988) theory of rational addiction implies that strong rational addictions must terminate abruptly. In other words, strong addictions only cease by the user quitting “cold turkey”. I empirically test this hypothesis using a “double-hurdle” approach, outlined by Jones (1994). A smoker’s decision to quit and their conditional quitting success is modeled in two stages. In the first stage, a probit model is estimated for their …

Frame Of Reference Training For Content Analysis With Structured Teams (Fort-Cast): A Framework For Content Analysis Of Open-Ended Survey Questions Using Multidisciplinary Coders, Sandra J. Galura, Kristin A. Horan, Joy Parchment, Daleen Penoyer, Ann Schlotzhauer, Kenzie Dye, Emily Hill

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the context of a global pandemic, the need for reliable analysis of qualitative data in healthcare has never been more pressing. Open-ended questions are a feasible way for both researchers and organizational stakeholders to gain deeper insight into complex situations when timely research is needed. However, the interpretation of brief, textual responses can prove problematic. Both manual and automated/semiautomated methods of coding qualitative data have been associated with errors and costly temporal delays. Data obtained from the qualitative analysis of open-ended questions have been questioned for lacking robust insights. The present article introduces an innovative, manual, team-based method of …

Stability Of Neurocognitive Abilities In Heterogeneous Subgroups Of Schizophrenia, Megan L. Becker Wright

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Considerable work has been devoted to characterizing the latent structure of cognition in schizophrenia (SZ) to understand important clinical outcomes associated with generalized or specific deficits but findings are limited in a number of ways. Previous work has not assessed bifactor and other complex models of cognition in SZ, which might provide a better understanding of the structure of cognitive abilities. It is also unclear whether the latent structure of cognitive abilities is similar between men and women with SZ or whether the latent structure of cognitive abilities is stable over time with repeated assessment. These limitations must be addressed …

Crime Attractors In Sin City? A Pre/Post Test Of Crime Patterns And Police Enforcement Around Recreational Marijuana Facilities, Joshua Donnelly

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The federalist system in the United States has created criminal opportunities within jurisdictions that have approved recreational marijuana facilities (RMFs). These facilities have characteristics that are attractive for motivated offenders including marijuana and marijuana-related tangible goods. Through ArcGIS, this research examined the crime patterns and police enforcement patterns that occurred within a 288-meter street-network buffer around RMFs through a pre/post-test exploratory design in the Las Vegas area. The time periods examined were 2015 to 2016 (pre-legalization), and 2018 to 2019 (post-legalization). Calls for service data were used to demonstrate both crime and enforcement patterns. Furthermore, facilities were classified into “local …

Evaluating The Scl-90-R For Use In Collegiate Athletes, Elena Gavrilova

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The present study examines psychometric properties of the Symptom Checklist 90 – Revised (SCL-90-R; Derogatis, 1994) in collegiate athletes. The SCL-90-R is one of the most widely utilized measures of broad psychiatric distress. Current literature, however, suggests its factor structure varies across populations (Ardakani et al., 2016; Bakhshaie et al., 2011; Olsen et al., 2004; Ronan et al., 2000; Sereda & Dembitskyi, 2016; Smits et al., 2014; Urbán et al., 2016). Although the SCL-90-R has been previously utilized in studies involving athletes, the psychometric properties of this scale have yet to be investigated in this population. This study examined the …

Diffusion Return: A Case Study Of New Orleans, Neiufi Iongi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study establishes and explores the concept of diffusion return. This study utilizes a qualitative case study of the city of New Orleans and their regulation of short-term rentals to establish and explore diffusion return. A network map is constructed of cities that diffused short-term rental regulation information with New Orleans. Information movements are sketched with the network map, and the resulting patterns illustrate how diffused information travels both inward and outward across jurisdictions. Additionally, thematic analysis is applied to qualitatively analyze data gathered from five interviews with New Orleans city staff, three short-term rental reports. and public meeting minutes …

The Influence Of Technostress On Hotel Guests, Samuel Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The implementation of technology in the hospitality sector is rapidly growing. Although there are practical, economic, and experiential benefits of hospitality technology, the increased adoption of guest service technologies such as digital room keys, check-in kiosks, and service robots can also introduce friction points in a guest’s hotel experience. Technostress is any form of stress induced by the usage of technology and this study is among the first to apply this concept to consumer behavior. Based on the transactional model of stress and coping and social cognitive theory, this dissertation examined the effects of technostress on hotel guests, using a …

To Report Or Not To Report: Student Reporting Behaviors Of Violent Crimes In Schools, Heather Monaghan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

School-based violence is a criminal justice topic that often captures the attention of the media and the public. As a result, measures - such as school security strategies, safety personnel, and teacher training - are put into place to help combat school-based violence. These measures are not only costly and time consuming, but also have inconclusive research findings to support them. However, violence in schools can still be prevented. Research has found support for the role that student reporting has in preventing violence. However, many students may choose not to report violent crimes. Using a modified version of Sykes & …

Awareness And Knowledge On Aging And Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder: Service User And Provider Perspectives In Southern Nevada, Brandon C. Ranuschio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) is a condition that can affect up to 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) and present as a cluster of neurocognitive difficulties in domains such as attention, memory, concentration, language, information processing, decision-making, problem-solving, and even motor skills. The current study intended to identify awareness and knowledge of HAND among middle-aged and older PLWH and their healthcare or service providers in Southern Nevada. Using a Community-Based Participatory Research approach, participants from the community were recruited to complete a survey that assessed awareness and knowledge of HAND. The survey also assessed the personal experiences of PLWH …

Understanding The Role Of Identity Salience In The Relationship Between Experience Of Ethnic/Racial Discrimination And Mental Health Symptomatology, Michelle Strong

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Ethnic identity salience is shown to be a protective factor in the negative impact of discrimination on mental well-being in BIPOC. However, the extent to which ethnic identity salience is a protective factor in specific BIPOC is unclear. The current study examined whether ethnic identity salience would be equally protective against the negative effects of discrimination on depression and anxiety symptoms in LatinX/Hispanic, Black/African American, and AAPI groups. It included N =168 ethno-racially diverse college students (e.g., AAPI n = 59, Hispanic/LatinX n = 72, and Black/African n = 37 American college students). Hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine …

The Antagonistic Tetrad And Romantic Attachment Styles, Kayli H. Wrenn

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Both attachment styles and personality traits are characterized by enduring patterns of inner experience and behaviors. There are four primary attachment styles: secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized. In adult romantic relationships, attachment styles are influenced by the attachment behavioral system, caregiving system, and sexual/reproductive system. In comparison, the Antagonistic Tetrad is a constellation of four overlapping but distinct personality constructs: Machiavellianism, grandiose narcissism, psychopathy, and everyday sadism. These four traits include interpersonal features such as a lack of empathy, aggressiveness, and manipulation. Using a regression-based approach, this research study examined the associations between the Antagonistic Tetrad, adult romantic attachment styles, …

Utilizing Nonparametric Statistical Methods To Inform Equitable And Inclusive Mtss Models Of School Attendance/Problems, Victoria Bacon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

School attendance/problems are a key focus of educational policy. Critical approaches to educational policy stress the importance of nontraditional methods that are inclusive of the needs of students from marginalized or minoritized groups. Students in these groups are already at an increased risk for school attendance problems due to complex systems interactions, and bolstering protective factors at the school level may be one way to promote inclusivity and equity. MTSS models are well suited to address attendance, and bolstering protective factors on a large-scale would fall under Tier 1 preventative efforts. School climate is one such protective factor that could …

Attachment And Older Adults In Psychotherapy: A Latent Profile Analysis Of Psychological Distress Across Treatment, Brian Michael Stran

Dissertations

Older adults have been largely underrepresented within the psychotherapy literature. Given the unique social and emotional changes associated with older age (Carstensen et al., 1999) and the perceived gap in training that trainees report in working with older adults (Woodhead et al., 2015), there is a pressing need for research that can aid mental health practitioners in the conceptualization, treatment planning, and treatment of their older adult clients.

In the first part of this manuscript, an integrated theoretical model, consisting of socioemotional selectivity theory (SEST; Carstensen et al., 1999) and attachment theory (Bowlby 1969), was developed to provide psychotherapists with …

Science Education Research On Student To Student Discourse: A Literature Review With An Applied Linguistics Lens, Abbee A. Mortensen

University Honors Theses

Science education researchers have increasingly been using discourse analysis to research small group discussion while doing course related activities. This literature review examined studies from that discourse community to see what analysis methods were used and if they connected to applied linguistics theories or methods. Two of the most common discourse analysis frameworks used were Toulmin's Argument Pattern and grounded coding schemes that looked at the design and specific contents of the discourse. Studies covered will also include education scholars using theories of conversation analysis and normative pragmatics to make a more explicit connection to applied linguistics. Orienting and drawing …

When Knowing Prevents Doing: An Exposition On Commitment Hazards, Alexander Porter

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Information hazards are risks posed by potentially harmful true information. Information hazards include the risks posed by instructions on how to make a bomb, facts about world events which could cause harmful political unrest, or even the password to an email account being revealed. I will examine and explain one specific type of information hazard which can be seen as the subject of discussion in three well-known but disparate philosophical texts: information which draws attention away from individual control. I will argue that this idea shows up in Plato as what is being avoided through noble falsehoods in The Republic …

Talent Management And The Impact Of Dark Triad Personalities In The Workplace, Joseph A. Rosendale, Eliot Mastrovich, Leann Wilkie

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

This study examines links between the Dark Triad of personality types (Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism) and workplace behaviors. The research objective seeks to confirm the relationship between the Dark Triad and several negative behaviors while investigating positive externalities that have not been previously explored. A literature review covers the background of the Dark Triad, instruments that have been used to measure it, and ongoing research streams in the field. The Short Dark Triad (SD3) survey was administered to 142 working professionals and data collected were quantitatively examined using a variety of statistical tools in SPSS. Corresponding results provide additional evidence …

Masculinity Ideology As A Moderator On The Effects Of Lethal Means Counseling And Distribution Of Cable Locks On Firearm Storage Practices Among National Guard Personnel, Samantha E. Daruwala

Dissertations

Safer firearm storage practices, which may reduce suicide risk, can be promoted by lethal means counseling (LMC). A recent trial found that providing a single LMC session or distributing cable locks can lead to sustained changes in firearm storage practices within a sample of firearm-owning National Guard personnel (Anestis et al., 2021). An important next step is to consider if the intervention effects may differ based on participant characteristics. One particularly relevant sociodemographic characteristic to consider is traditional masculine norms, which are evident in the military and firearm cultures and associated with several negative outcomes. The current study evaluated if …

Characteristics Of Collegiate Ranch/Stock Horse Teams And Team Member Perceptions Of Benefits Of Participation, Ashton Rein Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe characteristics of collegiate ranch horse teams and team member’s perceived benefits from participation. A lack of research and literature on this category of competition, that is rapidly growing in popularity, is the problem that this study was designed to solve. In recent years, students have begun choosing where to further their education based upon their participation on a ranch horse team. With collegiate ranch horse teams being prevalent, there is a need for a simplified presentation of facts about the teams that can be referenced. This study will be used to guide …

Examination Of Kastle-Meyer’S Limit Of Detection And Cross Reactivity, Djonnique M. Devone

Forensic Science Master's Projects

Forensic Serology is a branch of forensic science that deals with the identification of certain trace evidence. Blood is the most commonly recovered and most important piece of evidence analyzed and used in criminal investigations. As evidence blood holds significance in criminal investigations because it can link a crime to an individual or exclude their involvement. Serology and DNA analysis are often aligned, because the same evidence item is often analyzed by both sections. During a criminal investigation it is important for to identifying the type of biological material or trace evidence found. The possible identification of bodily fluids can …

Uss Boston Collection: Curation And Photogrammetric Documentation, Athena Van Overschelde, Will Nassif

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Sentiment And Solidarities: Rooting Enewetak/Ujelang Identities In Space And Place, Laurence M. Carucci

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Fishing Camps And Topiary Trees: Place, Affect, And Moral Agency In A Papua New Guinea Modernity, David Lipset

Pacific Studies

Despite being regarded as a founding father in sociology and as no less canonical in anthropology (Merton 1934; Horowitz 1982), the overall theoretical framework of Durkheim’s arguments with respect to place, affect, and agency in The Division of Labor in Society (1933) and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1995) are too often ignored or unwittingly reinvented (Stewart 2007; Berlant 2008). I therefore want to begin this essay with a brief outline of how I understand his main points in order to lay a theoretical groundwork for my analysis of the shifting relationship of place, affect, and agency among the …

Vol. 45 No. 1 (2022): Pacific Studies Front Matter, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies

Pacific Studies

Front Matter for the Vol. 45, No 1-Aug 2022 edition of the Pacific Studies Journal.

Vol. 45 No. 1 (2022): Pacific Studies Full Issue, The Jonathan Nāpela Center For Hawaiian And Pacific Islands Studies

Pacific Studies

Pacific Studies is published two times a year by The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i #1979, 55–220 Kulanui Street, Lāʻie, Hawai‘i 96762, but responsibility for opinions expressed in the articles rests with the authors alone. Subscription rate is US$40.00 yearly, payable to The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies. The Jonathan Nāpela Center for Hawaiian and Pacific Studies (formerly The Pacific Institute) is an organization funded by Brigham Young University Hawai‘i. The Center assists the University in meeting its cultural and educational goals by undertaking a program of teaching, research, and …

Women's Research Institute Of Nevada Newsletter, Women's Research Institute Of Nevada

Newsletters

Honoring a life well lived...It is with great sadness that we share the news of Barbara Agonia's recent death. Barbara was a friend to WRIN for decades. It is often said that our accomplishments are not truly our own, as we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Barbara's impact on WRIN will resonate for years to come. Diminutive in stature yet magnanimous in spirit, Barbara served as Chair of WRIN's Inaugural Community Advisory Board (CAB) created in 2000. We were a very young institute then without much of a track record or community support. Barbara …

(Wp 2022-06) Sheila Dow's Open Systems Methodology, John B. Davis

Economics Working Papers

This paper reviews Sheila Dow’s contributions to open systems thinking as a form of methodological argument and as an important foundation for pluralism in economics. It reviews the origins of her thinking in connection with her distinction between Cartesian/Euclidian and Babylonian thinking in the history of economics, discusses the further development of her views regarding open and closed systems in her 2002 Economic Methodology book and in connection with her ‘structured pluralism’ concept, discusses the 2005 paper co-authored with Victoria Chick, “The Meaning of Open Systems” examines Dow’s and Chick’s view and critique of critical realism in regard to the …

Law Library Blog (August 2022): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.