Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Female Leaders In Occupational Safety And Health: Perceived Barriers And Potential Interventions, Jacqueline Basham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Limited research exists about the challenges women face working as leaders within the occupational safety and health (OSH) industry. This study aimed to help fill this gap by utilizing key informant interviews to qualitatively analyze what the perceptions of female safety leaders were within OSH related to barriers and interventions to sustain or increase the number of female safety leaders. Both convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods were utilized to recruit female safety leaders to participate in key informant interviews. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the study, participants needed to identify as female, be safety leaders currently …

Sunday In Bologna: Weekend In Bologna Part 3, Jean Lavigne

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Social Media Reliance And College Students' Tendency To Conform To Online Behaviors And Trends, Emily Grucello

Honors Theses

The importance of social media is undeniable among college students who frequently turn to online platforms as a form of recreation. While researchers have analyzed the influence of social media on emotional factors, fewer researchers have investigated if reliance on social media has an impact on public behavior and conformity habits. Therefore, the current study assesses if user reliance on two common platforms, TikTok and Instagram, are associated with conformity levels. Data collection came from a sample of 124 college-aged participants. Results found a significant correlation between conformity and Instagram reliance (r = .31, p < .001), as well as conformity and TikTok reliance (r = .32, p < .001), such that higher levels of conformity was associated with higher reliance on Instagram and TikTok. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how consumption of social media has the potential to alter the decisions and behaviors of young adults.

The Journey To Project Management: Navigating The Transition From A Nonproject Environment, Renate Lian Mascarenhas, Shagun Verma, Shrishti Rana

School of Professional Studies

To facilitate a seamless transition from a non-project management environment to a project management environment, Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) passionately dedicated to their missions and operating with limited resources can establish a Project Management Office (PMO) as a pivotal organizational function. This PMO will collaborate closely with senior executives to devise a comprehensive strategic plan for this transformation. An essential component of this plan is the identification of dedicated representatives within key departments, including IT, HR, Human Services Program, and Learning & Development. These departmental representatives will serve as proactive Project Management advocates, responsible for initiating and executing the transition strategies, …

Impostor Phenomenon, Perfectionism, Psychological Distress, And Burnout In Pre-Health Undergraduate Students, Victoria Lee

Poster Presentations

Careers in the healthcare field are demanding, and each stage closer to attaining the career aspirations is filled with increasing amount of stress. Previous research highlighted impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, psychological distress, and burnout in graduate students; however, this study‘s primary focus was to investigate the relationships between these constructs in an undergraduate pre-health population. This study aimed to find whether or not impostor phenomenon, perfectionism, and psychological distress could be considered predictors of burnout and whether or not pre-health students differed from non-pre-health students in their levels of these constructs.

Intergroup Contact, Beliefs About Gender, And Trans Prejudice, Samantha Oyler

Poster Presentations

Gordon Allport first proposed the Intergroup Contact Theory in 1954. According to his theory, contact between ingroup and outgroup members, under certain conditions, would lead to positive effects, specifically the reduction of prejudice. Since then, this theory has been expanded to include members of other majority/minority groups. Research suggests intergroup contact has positive effects for reduction of anti-trans prejudice. To date, the focus has largely been on the mechanisms driving changes in attitudes and intentions towards trans individuals through intergroup contact interventions. It is unclear whether this intervention might also promote the acquisition of more nuanced sociocultural understanding about gender, …

Higher Education For The Digital Age: A Correlational Study Of Undergraduate Engagement And Digital Citizenship, Jenna Ladd

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental correlational study was to examine the extent to which there exists a relationship between undergraduate study and digital citizenship knowledge and skills as measured by the digital citizenship scale (DCS), a previously validated quantitative instrument. A web-based survey including the DCS, demographic questions, and a Higher Education Engagement questionnaire was distributed to all full-time undergraduate students at a public university in the Upper Midwestern United States. Data was collected from a sample of 349 undergraduate students who completed the entire DCS and the question about number of post-secondary credits earned. A bi-variate correlational analysis revealed …

A Little Loud And A Little Alone: A Phenomenology Of Leadership Identity Construction Among Women In Higher Education Technology, Amy Barry

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

This qualitative study is an exploration of how women in higher education information technology (IT) positions navigate constructing their leadership identities. This includes the messy, personal, internal identity work that occurs prior to claiming their leadership identities on the public stage, followed by an examination of what the experience of attempting to claim and negotiate a leadership identity is like in the social context of their organizations. This educational and sociological study employs an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach with a series of three interviews per participant that allowed the researcher to deeply explore the personal identity experiences of participants. Findings …

Arcade Reboot: Using Nostalgia Marketing To Fund A Passion Project, Jen Riemenschneider

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

Close To Home, Closer To Fun: Bringing Local Customers Back To Metropolis Resort, Kate Burhop

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

Addressing Data Limitations Of Commercial Waterways Via Machine Learning And Stochastic Optimization, Sanjeev Bhurtyal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Freight transportation is a crucial component of the US economy, with truck, rail, and water contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, challenges arise in maintaining infrastructure capacity to accommodate the growing tonnage and value of freight transportation. Waterways offer high efficiency and environmental friendliness, with the capacity to transport substantial cargo volumes. Utilizing waterways can alleviate bottlenecks in landside transportation, accommodating the rising tonnage of commodity flow in the US. Despite the advantages of waterway transportation, the data limitations hinder informed decision-making regarding port operation and infrastructure investment. The lack of granularity and timeliness in available data …

Social Context During Moral Decision-Making Impacts Males More Than Females, June J. Pilcher, Phillip D. Smith

Publications

Moral judgments are often viewed as the outcome of affective and deliberative processes that could be impacted by social factors and individual characteristics. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between gender and social context on moral judgment. Participants included 315 undergraduate students (67.3% female). The participants completed the Moral Decision-Making Task while seated at row tables facing the front of the room or round tables facing other participants. The results indicated that males responded in a more utilitarian manner (harm one to save five) than females for moral impersonal (MI) and moral personal (MP) dilemmas regardless …

Educating Queerness: An Exploration Of Identity Construction Through The Schooling Experiences Of Transgender And Non Binary Adults, Miruna Ouatu-Lascar

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Transgender people and youth have been disproportionately denied their civil and human rights in educational and societal institutions. At the foundation of these actions and legislations that deny transgender people their rights is the rooted belief in the gender binary as a naturally occurring, accurate, system of defining gender which is pre prescribed at birth based on sex. It is imperative to explore the ways in which the gender binary has been socially constructed like other constructed identities such as race and ability in the effort to continue to eradicate transphobia and transphobic practices. This study explored the experience of …

Nebraska Snapshot #24-003: Is Home Internet In Nebraska Fast And Dependable?, Bureau Of Sociological Research

Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS)

No abstract provided.

The Framing Of Authority In The Acrl Framework On Information Literacy: Multidisciplinary Perspectives On Truth, Authority, Expertise And Belief., Lisa M. Rose-Wiles

Library Publications

Purpose This paper engages multidisciplinary perspectives on truth, authority, expertise and belief to unpack and better understand the underlying epistemology and implications of the ACRL frame “authority is constructed and contextual”.' Design/Methodology/Approach Following an overview of the issues confronting us in a “post-truth world”, the paper reviews critiques of the ACRL frame “authority is constructed and contextual” and examines the related concepts of truth, authority, expertise and belief from multidisciplinary perspectives. Findings While the frame acknowledges the limitations and biases of current scholarly publishing and implicitly supports social justice, it runs the danger of promoting relativism and is ambiguous regarding …

Gen Z’S Perceptions And Use Patterns Of Smartphones In Nature-Based Recreation, Miles A. Glendening

All NMU Master's Theses

Generation Z (Gen Z), individuals born between 1997 and 2012, are often defined by their relationship to technology, specifically smartphones. Gen Z is defined as the first digital natives, those who grew up with and had early access to smartphones. As Gen Z comes into adulthood, they represent the largest demographic of those who participate in nature-based recreation (NBR), and are the future of NBR participation. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how prevalent smartphone use is amongst Gen Z individuals while participating in NBR and how smartphone use potentially enhances or diminishes ones’ NBR experience. This …

Opportunities For Urban Resilience To Climate Change: Understanding Local Climate Perceptions, Motivations, And Barriers To Green Infrastructure Use, Emmilene Berski

Department of Geography: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Global climate change poses a substantial threat to cities in the United States, particularly through increases in flooding and extreme heat. Cities must adapt to these threats to preserve their residents’ livelihoods and prevent economic loss. One adaptation strategy is the implementation of green infrastructure (GI). The opportunity for GI to foster urban resilience to climate change necessitates a deeper understanding of the extent to which cities utilize GI as a strategy for local climate change adaptation as well as perceptions and motivations surrounding the use of GI at a local level. I sought to address this need through a …

Examining The Relationship Between Politics And The Economy, Evan Pals

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this project is to quantify the relationship between the US political environment and the American economy. First, impacts of U.S. presidential elections on the American economy are analyzed. The project will analyze the time effects of elections on multiple economic indicators. Average returns on the following investments will be observed: Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, gold, and silver. Additionally, the price of crude oil and the consumer price index will be studied. Time dummy variables will then be incorporated to show whether an election took place within the given time period, splitting the data into two …

Understanding Perspectives Of Power In A College Mathematics Classroom, Laura Seeberger

Honors College Theses

Power is embedded in teacher and student actions within mathematics classrooms, whether that power is known or not. Incorporating equity and inclusiveness requires a deeper understanding of this power behind actions. In this study, we developed and administered a three part survey questioning college faculty and college students how they perceive power related to common actions within a college mathematics classroom. For example, participants were asked whether a college math teacher assigning homework increased, decreased, or did both to the teacher’s power; then whether this action increased, decreased, or did both to a student’s power. Analysis of 16 faculty and …

Motivational Interviewing For Problem And Pathological Gambling: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, David Forman

Psychology ETDs

As legalized gambling becomes more accessible and the prevalence of gambling problems are expected to rise, there is growing interest in effective psychological interventions that reduce gambling problems. A previous meta-analysis (Yakovenko, 2015) concluded that Motivational Interviewing (MI) was associated with significant reductions in gambling frequency and intensity. Yet, that analysis only included five studies and had methodological limitations. Notably, the majority of studies included in the meta-analysis combined MI with another intervention, blurring the effect of MI’s specific contributions on outcomes. To improve upon this work, the current study performed an updated systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis that 1) …

A Woman Unfolding: A Journey Of Motherhood And Creativity How Inviting Play And Honoring Our Thinking Preference Strengthens Well-Being, Laine M. Walnicki

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Seeking to provide a nuanced understanding of how the facets of motherhood, creativity, and wellbeing intersect and influence each other, this investigation and subsequent analysis answers the questions, "How does motherhood affect creativity?" and "How does creativity affect motherhood?" as well as their impact on creative outlook and wellbeing. Drawing on insights from the science of creativity, self-actualization, flow, and play, an understanding is curated as to how humans develop creative capacity, utilize it to foster well-being, and develop their potential for growth and evolution. The significance of play in the context of motherhood is also explored along with its …

Ce 590 Syllabus: Addiction Counseling: Practicum, Mitch Moore

Counselor Education Syllabi

This is a Counselor Education practium for addiction counseling.

Exploring Asynchronous Pronunciation Training Through Context-Aware Pronunciation Applications, Claire L. Schweikert

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This paper provides a survey of various research articles on context-aware asynchronous pronunciation training applications. First, a set of seven articles is reviewed and summarized. Next, they are synthesized over the three main topics of 1) automated speech recognition, 2) non-native speaker considerations in language learning, and 3) future directions for research and development within computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT). Research in the areas of acoustic and pronunciation modeling (both implicit and explicit), pedagogical considerations for CAPT application design, Goodness of Pronunciation algorithm scoring, accent recognition and neutralization, and more are discussed.

Star Wars Library Resources, Raquel Estrada, William Flores

Library Display Posters

Explore Star Wars in an academic setting. Posters highlighting library resources on Star Wars with book and video covers hyperlinked.

Governance And Islam In East Africa: Muslims And The State In Kenya And Tanzania, Farouk Topan, Kai Kresse, Erin E. Stiles, Hassan Mwakimako

Exploring Muslim Contexts

Explores the relationship between Muslim communities and the State in East Africa in political, institutional and legal contexts

• Focuses on the relationship between Muslims and the State in Kenya and Tanzania
• Asks which factors, both within and outside the Muslim community, shape and affect this relationship in contemporary times
• Presents 13 case studies exploring governance issues within and across the categories of politics, institutions and law in Kenya and Tanzania
• Identifies cross-cutting issues of governance and Muslim communities which are relevant beyond East Africa

Recent studies of Muslims in Kenya and Tanzania have tended either to examine governance of Muslims …

Putting Forward Sustainability As A Model For Journalism Education And Training, Nancy Booker, Bruce Mutsvairo, Dinesh Baliah, Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey, Lars Tallert, Jean Mujati

Graduate School of Media and Communications

African journalism practice presents unique opportunities and challenges that require journalists to be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and values to engage in sustainable journalism. Training institutions play a critical role in ensuring that journalists are not only professionally-ready to execute their mandate but also that they can safeguard and promote ethical values in their everyday work. Some of these values include “truth telling, independence, objectivity, fairness, inclusivity and social justice” (Gade, Nduka, and Dastger 2017, 10). Africa, like other regions of the Global South, has several journalism training institutions that provide an opportunity to challenge “hegemonic epistemologies and …

Evaluating The Applicability Of Hernando De Soto's Theories In Context Of Bangladesh's Informal Housing Sector, Md Mohotasim R. Khan

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This research project examines Bangladesh's urban informal housing sector, aiming to understand the dynamics considering Hernando de Soto's theories, as articulated in "The Other Path." With 52% of urban residents living in slums, the study adopts a mixed-method approach, analyzing De Soto's framework, conducting literature reviews, case studies, and utilizing secondary data on urban informal housing. The objective is to identify structural and operational aspects of informal housing in Bangladesh and compare these with De Soto's observations in Peru. The significance is underscored by its focus on socio-economic perspectives, offering insights into the informal housing sector's impact on development indicators. …

Urban Harmony: Exploring The Interplay Of New Urbanism Qualities On Economic Prosperity And Psychological Wellbeing In Contemporary Cities, Crew T. Borgeson

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Now that most people live in urban places, answering which urbanism best provides citizen well-being becomes increasingly important. After nearly a century of suburban development, the significant drawbacks of urban sprawl are widely documented, namely the unsustainability and social impacts they incur. Many American cities, however, continue to chiefly expand in this way. What if cities were to make decisions not based on the status quo of today’s building codes but instead drew inspiration from great historical cities, applying their lessons to the unique challenges of the 21st century?

The New Urbanism movement aims to identify and incorporate the elements …

Establishing Employee Sense Of Belonging In A Busy Work Environment, Zoe A. Rodriguez

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This honors thesis capstone project explores the concept of an employee’s sense of belonging within a busy work environment. A department within ABC Company faces operational challenges regarding their daily tasks. The Honors contribution addresses the comparison between the busy work environment at ABC Company and existing literature to provide scholarly-supported recommendations and mitigation strategies for ABC Company. Existing literature underscores the importance of understanding contributing influences on an employee’s sense of belonging within the workplace. The honors contribution adds value by closing the information gap within companies that operate under a busy work environment and strategies of how to …

The Impact Of Website Interface Micro Animations On User Perceptions Of Trust, Credibility, And Design Quality, Lydia F. Burge

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Animation is increasingly considered an important aspect of quality website design. Although research indicates the positive effects well-crafted visual design can have on user perceptions of a website, there is little research investigating animation’s effects on user perceptions. Adopting an experimental design, this study examines the effects of interface micro animation on users’ perceptions of design quality, credibility, and trust in a website. After viewing a series of identical hypothetical nonprofit organization websites, participants were divided into two groups for the last website. One group was presented with a website incorporating interface micro animations and the other with the same …