Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Systemic Effect Of Organizational Capitals On Parent Commitment In Youth Soccer, Paul Kimbrough

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates how soccer parents perceive the offerings of the soccer team on which their child plays. The study uses the systems perspective of Flora & Flora’s Community Capitals Framework to analyze family commitment to the team. The study subjects were parents of soccer players ages 12 and older who play for teams and participate in competitive travel soccer teams. Parents are classified based on their geographic location and team level. Questionnaires were administered at a series of travel soccer tournaments in March 2024. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression analysis. Parents were found to value the total …

Does Diversity Ideology Moderate Participants’ Perceptions Of Therapists Who Do And Do Not Broach?, Emily Allen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. The literature has grown considerably regarding the act of broaching racial, ethnic, and cultural factors in therapy. Many have highlighted its positive impact on the therapeutic alliance, but little empirical work explores how individual differences influence a client’s response to broaching. This study assessed the effects of participant diversity ideology and therapist broaching behavior on perceptions of a therapist’s effectiveness. I hypothesized that participants in the therapists broaching condition would perceive the therapist to be more effective than participants in the no broaching condition. I also hypothesized that participants’ colorblind diversity ideology and therapist broaching condition would interact, such …

News Framing Of The Ukrainian-Russian War: A Comparative Analysis Of Russian And American News Media, Alina Rudakova

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted with the goal of exploring ways in which American (The New York Times) and Russian (TASS) print news media frame the Ukrainian-Russian War. Along with examining the differences and similarities in primary framing techniques used by American and Russian news, the focal point of this study was to identify who is portrayed as an aggressor and who is illustrated as a victim in this conflict. Informed by the news media framing literature and construction of the social problems perspective, this study was led by two research questions: (1) How do the American and Russian news media …

Instagram And Influencer Marketing: An Empirical Study Of The Parasocial Interaction Theory And Its Effects On Purchase Intention, Caroline Marie Chumley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scholars have studied different factors that contribute to a parasocial interaction theory, and how this relates to purchase intention in the marketing industry. Previous research concentrates on parasocial interactions between television personalities and consumers, rather than influencers on social media. It is important to determine exactly what factors lead consumers to create a parasocial interaction with influencers in the media and determine how that parasocial interaction mediates purchase intention. Influencer marketing on Instagram is included in this study, as it contains brand-sponsored posts and allows users to interact with each other. This study utilizes the parasocial interaction model to determine …

5-Year Strategic Direction, 2024–2028: Institute Of Agriculture And Natural Resources, University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Institute Of Agriculture And Natural Resources University Of Nebraska-Lincoln

Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Institute Publications

IANR: Integrating Learning, Discovery, and Engagement for an Even Better Nebraska

Includes an introduction, description of the components of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the IANR pillars, stratgeic aims for 2024–2028, and a section on implementation.

Through The Gendered Language Glass: How Gendered Language Shapes Mental Representations Of Gender And Why It Matters, Emily Roberts

World Languages, Literatures and Cultures Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between gendered-languages and mental perceptions of gender. Compiling various studies that evidence a strong link between gendered language and gender bias, the research creates a framework for discussing the potential gender-equalizing effects of gender-fair language. The paper focuses on the conversation concerning gendered language in France, especially discussing the role of the French Academy in establishing and legitimizing language practices.

Reaping What We Sow: The Implications And Outcomes Of Mississippi House Bill 1125, The “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (Reap)” Act, Kerigan Brewer

Honors Theses

Mississippi House Bill 1125 (MS HB1125), also known as the “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures (REAP) Act,” was signed into law by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves in early 2023 (REAP Act, 2023). It is one of multiple policies passed into law that limit the rights of transgender people. This thesis aims to clarify the history of the trans community, dispel myths around gender-affirming health care and the trans identity, and discuss the current state of anti-trans laws and transgender rights. Using a policy analysis framework by DiNitto (2011), MS HB1125 is analyzed on points like its social and economic costs, the …

A History Of Mississippi Segregation Academies And How They Serve As Agents Of Socialization In Students’ Political Affiliations, Hanna Allen

Honors Theses

Segregation academies are products of the desegregation of public schools in the American South. For decades, they have educated generations of families within this region of the United States. Today, segregation academies are still active educational institutions, with thousands of schools representing a period of history that founded them based on the exclusion of African Americans. Previous literature on segregation academies details their histories, but little focuses on them within a twenty-first-century context. Further, this research asks how segregation academies socialize their students in political affiliations. Little research on political socialization has differentiated by school type, and none have studied …

Establishing A Model For Sustainable And Meaningful Philanthropy Partnerships: A Case Study Of Kappa Delta Beta Sigma And Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center, Kenning Bridges

Honors Theses

Sororities have a long-standing tradition of philanthropic engagement, evolving from simple donations to forging sustainable partnerships with charitable organizations. This thesis project delves into the dynamics of sorority-philanthropy relationships, focusing on the partnership between the Beta Sigma Chapter of Kappa Delta and Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center. Through interviews, surveys, and literature review, the study explores the evolution of their collaboration, challenges faced, and strategies for sustainability. The partnership, initiated by modest donations, has grown into a significant commitment by Kappa Delta Beta Sigma, displaying a transition from transactional giving to deep engagement with Kids Hub's mission. Challenges such as …

Inclusive Policy, Diverse Perspectives: Affirmative Action And The Model Minority Among University Students, Jannie Nguyen

Honors Theses

In lieu of the recent Supreme Court overturn of affirmative action, Asian American students were on the forefront as the main racial group defended in this case. The model minority stereotype obscures societal perceptions of Asians and Asian Americans as collectively intelligent, hard-working, and submissive. Whereas the stereotype appears frequently in academic settings, this research aims to understand and contextualize the perceptions on affirmative action among Asian college students within the context and social dynamics of the model minority stereotype. A qualitative approach was deployed to garner nuance narratives of fifteen participants in the study. Participants in the study represent …

Race Relations At The Neshoba County Fair: Examining Interdependency Between Tradition, Intergenerational Racism, And Racial Disenfranchisement, William Adams

Honors Theses

The Neshoba County Fair in Neshoba County, Mississippi, is a place of idiosyncrasy and incomparability. As of 2023, the Neshoba County Fair still existed as a place of explicit residential and social segregation. This project aimed to interview fairgoers at the 2023 Neshoba County Fair to unveil the truth about the Fair's continual racial exclusion. How has the Fair remained segregated? What makes racism at the Neshoba County Fair different from traditional racism? To answer these questions, anonymous interviewees at the Neshoba County Fair were asked a series of questions tailored to provide answers to those two research questions. As …

Adults Matter Too: An Examination Of State Adult Missing Persons Policies And Procedures To Implement A Best Practices Handbook, Hunter Smith

Honors Theses

The most recent estimates put the number of active missing person records at 97,127. Over the past eight years, child active records have decreased by 2,530, while adult active records have increased by 14,696. While there is no clear explanation for this trend, a common theory is that there are multiple federal and state laws requiring the entry of missing people under the age of 2; however, very few, if any, extend to adults. Additionally, there is a lack of standardization across available policies and procedures for where these cases should be reported, the time frame for doing so, and …

Inclusive Policy, Diverse Perspectives: Affirmative Action And The Model Minority Among University Students, Jannie Nguyen

Honors Theses

In lieu of the recent Supreme Court overturn of affirmative action, Asian American students were on the forefront as the main racial group defended in this case. The model minority stereotype obscures societal perceptions of Asians and Asian Americans as collectively intelligent, hard-working, and submissive. Whereas the stereotype appears frequently in academic settings, this research aims to understand and contextualize the perceptions on affirmative action among Asian college students within the context and social dynamics of the model minority stereotype. A qualitative approach was deployed to garner nuance narratives of fifteen participants in the study. Participants in the study represent …

“Ufo Reports Swamp Mississippi”: Media Coverage Of The 1973 Pascagoula Alien Abduction, Jane Fort

Honors Theses

On October 11, 1973, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker reported that they were taken aboard an unidentified flying object (UFO) in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Hickson and Parker’s abduction is now known as one of the most famous extraterrestrial encounters in the United States. In 1973, Hickson and Parker’s story captivated the media’s attention, and fifty years later, in 2023, UFOs are still widely reported on. This thesis utilizes the first-hand narratives from Hickson and Parker’s individual books to provide a detailed retelling of what happened on October 11. This thesis then analyzes the media coverage of the Pascagoula alien abduction in …

A Cultural Communication Perspective On Hispanic Students’ College Experiences, Yanrong (Yvonne) Chang

Communication Faculty Publications

Guided by the theoretical assumption that college life is a culturally situated, symbolic process of interaction between students and various others, this qualitative study attempts to explore how minority students’ home culture, which is different from the dominant college culture, helps them make sense of their college experiences. The respondent interviewing method was used to obtain Hispanic students’ responses to questions that allow them to share their experiences, which were centered around student-professor interactions. A total of 112 Hispanic college students from a comprehensive university in South Texas participated in the study. Results confirmed the significance of examining minority students’ …

Persuasion As A Function Of Celebrity, Argument Complexity, And Need For Cognition, Stratton Stave, Blair T. Johnson Dr., Lisset Martinez-Berman, Matthew B. Jané

Honors Scholar Theses

With advertising commanding so much money as an industry, it is critical to determine what people like or do not with ads. Our focus was on three main factors within advertising, two dimensions within how the advertisement is presented, one based on the person reading the ad. The two dimensions based on presentation were the complexity of the ad, done the first time by omitting letters from the ad and the second time by swapping letters within words, and celebrity endorsement, comparing popstar Taylor Swift’s to Alicia Steele, an AI-generated celebrity. We also measured Need for Cognition (NFC), the level …

Fostering Creativity In The Workplace: Unlocking The Power Of Diversity Through Psychological Safety, Samantha Rosario

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

With a growing recognition of the advantages associated with forming culturally and cognitively diverse teams, understanding the crucial role of psychological safety in leveraging diversity for creativity and innovation is paramount. Additionally, since leaders establish the tone of the workplace culture, it's crucial to ensure they possess the necessary expertise to lead inclusively to establish psychological safety. This project aims to meet the demand for skill development by producing a facilitator guide and workshop presentation. These resources are designed to empower workshop leaders with the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to facilitate a workshop with the goal to promote workplace …

My Daily Grounds: A Journal Of Creative Alchemy, Kathleen A. Donovan

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

My Daily Grounds: A Journal of Creative Alchemy is a project intended to renew artistic confidence and prepare a mindset for a writing retreat in Ireland in June 2024 by revisiting childhood memories and exploring the impact of early domestic abuse through a visual journaling process. This endeavor aims to stir up the creative voice and find authenticity in creation by gathering and clarifying personal data visually, following the Creative (CPS) approach to unlock new insights and ideas for writing. The resulting essays will illuminate the unseen effects of trauma and are intended for publication, reflecting a co-creative process between …

An Experimental Test Of Mental Health Help-Seeking Intentions As A Function Of Demographics And Disorder Type, Alyssa Hartley

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The current study sought to understand help-seeking behaviors for diverse psychological disorders across different demographic groups. Previous literature finds that help-seeking behaviors are greater in non-minority women in higher socioeconomic statuses, and greater for neurocognitive disorders. This study focuses specifically on university students (N= 276). Participants took diagnostic measures and then were told their scores were clinically elevated for either anxiety or ADHD. Participants were then asked qualitative questions regarding their help-seeking intentions. Findings that were consistent with previous literature are that women were more likely to help-seek than men, and participants in the ADHD condition were more likely to …

The Implications, Magnitude, And Development Of Traumatic Brain Injury For Individuals Undergoing Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah G. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an established bidirectional relation between substance use and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Despite the high rate of prescribing opioids for pain management following a TBI and the epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, scarce research has specifically analyzed the association between TBI and OUD. In a series of three interrelated manuscripts, the present study will first examine the prevalence and features of TBIs among persons seeking treatment for OUD. Next, the present study will evaluate the association between TBI and indicators of risky health behaviors and OUD severity, including the risk of overdose and …

"Men Hunt, Women Gather." Perceptions Of Gender And Leadership In Outdoor Recreation In A Higher Education Setting, Elizabeth Marie Johansen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation delved into the complex interaction between gender dynamics and leadership perceptions within outdoor recreation, particularly in the context of higher education. Utilizing Transformational Learning Theory, Critical Feminist Theory, and Conditional Outdoor Leadership Theory, this study aimed to uncover the nuanced ways in which gender influenced perceptions of leadership roles and behaviors in outdoor recreation activities based on participant’s experiences. This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design, which included a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews to gain a more holistic understanding of participants' perceptions and experiences.

Findings suggest that despite progress towards gender equality in outdoor recreation …

The Design Of Environmental Policy For The Olive Oil Sector In The Presence Of Eco-Friendly Firms, Luis Gautier

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The olive oil sector in the European Union has recently exhibited an increase in the production of eco-friendly olive oil, which is consistent with the policy goals of increasing the production of eco-friendly products and addressing environmental degradation. Under current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027 regulations, environmental policy in the European Union is predominantly of the command-and-control type with less emphasis on market-based policies. We study the design of environmental policy by comparing an emission tax (market-based policy) and a relative binding standard (command-and-control policy) in an industry where firms are transforming themselves into eco-friendly firms. We argue that an …

Age At Lung Cancer Diagnosis In Females Versus Males Who Never Smoke By Race And Ethnicity, Batel Blechter, Jason Y Y Wong, Li-Hsin Chien, Kouya Shiraishi, Xiao-Ou Shu, Qiuyin Cai, Wei Zheng, Bu-Tian Ji, Wei Hu, Mohammad L Rahman, Hsin-Fang Jiang, Fang-Yu Tsai, Wen-Yi Huang, Yu-Tang Gao, Xijing Han, Mark D Steinwandel, Gong Yang, Yihe G Daida, Su-Ying Liang, Scarlett L Gomez, Mindy C Derouen, W Ryan Diver, Ananya G Reddy, Alpa V Patel, Loïc Le Marchand, Christopher Haiman, Takashi Kohno, Iona Cheng, I-Shou Chang, Chao Agnes Hsiung, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: We characterized age at diagnosis and estimated sex differences for lung cancer and its histological subtypes among individuals who never smoke.

METHODS: We analyzed the distribution of age at lung cancer diagnosis in 33,793 individuals across 8 cohort studies and two national registries from East Asia, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Student's t-tests were used to assess the study population differences (Δ years) in age at diagnosis comparing females and males who never smoke across subgroups defined by race/ethnicity, geographic location, and histological subtypes.

RESULTS: We found that among Chinese individuals diagnosed with lung cancer …

Public Horticulture: Process And Design Of The Lincoln Botanical Garden, Brad Kindler

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Beginning in 2012, the local non-profit, The Lincoln Botanical Garden, began organizing the conceptual design and creation of a glass conservatory within a botanical garden in Lincoln, Nebraska. These proposed urban enhancements seek to fill a gap in garden amenities in the city by providing year-round access to public horticulture programming and education.

This project, Public Horticulture: Process and Design of the Lincoln Botanical Garden, documents these efforts and makes design recommendations for a themed Glacial Erratic Garden that could be constructed within the botanical garden.

Advisors: Ellen Paparozzi and Sam Wortman

Understanding The Zonal Variability In Cmip6 Projections Of Sahelian Precipitation, Emmanuel Ogwuche Audu

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The uncertainty in model projections of future precipitation across the Sahel has persisted across many generations of Earth System Models (ESMs), with some models predicting drying and others moistening across this region. These discrepancies in future projections pose a challenge for stakeholders and decision makers. Many projections of Sahel precipitation found in the ESMs participating in the sixth phase of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) show a zonal dipole in precipitation trend, with moistening across the Central and Eastern Sahel and drying projected for the Western Sahel. Previous studies have connected precipitation variability across the Sahel to changes in various …

Polarimetric Radar Signatures In Significant Severe Left-Moving Supercells, Raychel Nelson

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Left-moving (LM) supercells, though rarer than right-moving (RM) supercells, may produce significant severe weather. However, there are very few existing studies on LM supercells, particularly polarimetric radar analyses. The upgrade of the nationwide Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) network to polarimetric capability and subsequent studies vastly improved understanding of RM supercells, but similar efforts have largely not been made for LM supercells. This study employs an automated polarimetric radar signature detection algorithm to examine a dataset of significant severe (hail ≥ 2.00”, wind ≥ 65 kts) LM supercells to quantify their polarimetric signatures. Comparisons are made with RM supercells to …

A Dual-Polarimetric Analysis Of A Large Sample Of Left-Moving Supercells, Ben Schweigert

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Supercells have been researched extensively since they were first described over 50 years ago. They are prolific severe weather producers, responsible for the most severe hail, severe wind gusts, and tornadoes. These rotating thunderstorms require attention from forecasters to protect life and property from their threats, most effectively done with Doppler radars. While extensive amounts of radar-based investigations have been completed, they focused almost exclusively on right-moving (RM) supercells, resulting in a knowledge gap surrounding their counter-rotating (left-moving, LM) partners. This study works to fill the void by developing a dataset of LM supercells and analyzing the dual-polarimetric features observed …

Program Curricula For Preparing Medical Professionals On Early Childhood Mental Health, Socio-Emotional Development, And Adverse Childhood Experiences In Primary Care Settings: A Phenomenological Study, Jesutomilola O. Olayemi

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Primary care settings serve as the frontline for addressing the holistic well-being of individuals and particularly for children, they play a pivotal role in shaping early childhood experiences. Pediatric primary care physicians are pivotal in addressing the scarcity of mental health resources for children aged zero to five. There is limited knowledge regarding the competence of pediatric primary care providers in providing developmentally appropriate mental health care in early childhood. Therefore, this phenomenological study examined how early childhood mental health, social-emotional development, and adverse childhood experiences and their related screening practices were integrated into the curricula for preparing prospective pediatric …

Regression Discontinuity Designs Within A Latent Variable Framework: Measurement Considerations For The Accuracy Of The Treatment Effect, Sarah Hammami

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Regression discontinuity designs are valuable quasi-experimental designs, especially when randomized control/clinical trials are ethically or practically challenging. Latent variables are prevalent in the social, behavioral, and educational (SBE) sciences—measurement assumptions have to be tested and met when using such variables. Not meeting those assumptions leads to biased results and (likely) erroneous inferential making. One way to minimize the impact of measurement assumption violation is to use latent variable modeling such as structural equation modeling (SEM). Soland, Johnson and Talbert (2022) conducted two simulation studies testing the effect of using a sum score (when the assumptions for using such a score …

Parental Child Rearing Beliefs And Children's Behavioral Problems: The Mediating Role Of Parental Involvement In Elementary School, Catalina Correa Ramirez

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The contributions that parents make to child development have been heavily investigated but the potential links between parents’ child rearing beliefs and school involvement levels have been overlooked. In this study, a model was proposed where parental involvement was examined as a potential mediator in the relationship between parents’ child-rearing beliefs and internalizing and externalizing outcomes in children. Using data from the NICHD SECCYD study, these constructs were examined in first, third, and fifth grade (N = 1128). SEM analyses supported our hypothesis regarding the mediating effect of parental involvement and it appeared to act as a potential mediator …