Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Cultural Identity, Cultural Security And Acculturation Strategies Of Hindus And Muslims In India, Shabana Bano, Ramesh Chandra Mishra, Rama Charan Tripathi

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

In this paper we attempt to answer two related questions. First, which acculturation strategies are used by Hindus and Muslims in mutual intercultural relations and second, how contact with the members of the other group is associated with their acculturation strategies, cultural identity, and cultural security in different local contexts. A sample of 540 participants consisting of 241 Hindus and 299 Muslims, was drawn from three cities which differ in terms of their cultural and demographic histories. One of these was primarily a Hindu city, namely, Varanasi; second, a metropolis, Mumbai; and the third, some Muslim towns of the state …

The Conductome – A New Paradigm For Understanding Human Behaviour, Christopher R. Stephens, Dagmara Wrzecionkowska, Estefanía Espitia-Bautista, Roland Díaz-Loving, Gabriela Contreras

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

As almost every major problem that humankind faces is a consequence of human behaviour, predicting behaviour and behaviour change is fundamental. Given the multitude of factors that affect our decision making, a transdisciplinary understanding of behaviour is impossible without the integration of data that crosses disciplinary boundaries. The concept of Conduct-“ome” is an analog of those holistic –“omic”-approaches found in the biological sciences which take a “totality of factors” approach, and provides a framework for studying human behaviour in a multifactorial, multidisciplinary context, accounting for a wealth of potential causes of behaviour, from the genetic and epigenetic to psychological, neurological, …

State Of The Northwest Arkansas Region 2024 Report, Mervin Jebaraj, Kashfia Kamal

State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report

The State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report is an annual publication commissioned by the Northwest Arkansas Council that serves as a tool for evaluating economic performance. In July 2018, the Council created a new blueprint for development, benchmarking Northwest Arkansas against other high-performing regions, including Austin, Texas; Des Moines, Iowa; Madison, Wis.; Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Provo-Orem, Utah. The 2024 report compares Northwest Arkansas with these regions in GDP, employment, unemployment, establishment growth, median household income, average annual wages, poverty, educational attainment, research and development, homeownership costs, commuting time and average domestic airfares.

Factors That Inhibit And Support The Work Of School-Based Mental Health Providers, David B. Naff, Jennifer Murphy, Alexandra Javna, Wyatt Aldrich, Erin Standish, Jeen Joy, Ciana Cross, Sandra Saji

MERC Publications

This research brief comes from the MERC Supporting Mental Health in Schools study. Launched in 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study explores research-based strategies for supporting mental health in PK-12 school settings, as well as the emotional and professional capacity of PK-12 faculty and staff in the MERC region to support the social and emotional wellness of their students. This brief shares takeaways from a systematic literature review that highlight the factors that inhibit and support the work of school-based mental health providers, including school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. It outlines the roles …

Data From: Active Transportation Counts From Existing On-Street Signal And Detection Infrastructure, Sirisha Kothuri, Patrick Allen Singleton, Mahyar Vahedi Saheli, Elizabeth Yates, Joseph P. Broach

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Datasets

This study’s objective was to use data from existing traffic signal infrastructure to estimate pedestrian volumes. Pedestrian push-button actuations were collected from signal controller logs at 49 intersections in western Oregon and an additional 16 intersections in eastern Oregon. These actuations were then compared to observed pedestrian counts, totaling over 34,000 people, obtained from video recordings. After exploring various options, a simple quadratic relationship was modeled using a single measure of pedestrian signal activity: the number of push-button presses (filtered to remove multiple presses within 15 seconds). The model’s predictions showed a correlation of 0.86 with observed pedestrian volumes and …

Workplace Implications For Female Leaders: Exploration Of Stereotype Threat Within Video Conferencing., Roisin Donnelly, Anthony Ryan

Journal Articles

A significant body of research has documented the effect to which stereotype threat can be triggered by both the physical environment and by the use of various technology media. However, there is a dearth of research exploring the relationship between stereotype threat, defined here as “the concrete, real-time threat of being judged and treated poorly in settings where a negative stereotype about one’s group applies” (Steele, Spencer & Aronson, 2002, p.385), and video conferencing software features - specifically virtual backgrounds. This literature review suggested that this feature might, in certain circumstances, negatively affect the performance of groups not stereotypically associated …

Acculturative Stress, Depression, & Anxiety Among Arab Americans, Sally Kafelghazal M.S.

Theses and Dissertations

Arab Americans, those who themselves or their ancestors have immigrated fromthe Middle East or North Africa to the United States, experience a lot of stress as a result of balancing varying cultures, known as acculturative stress. Due to the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of Arabs in Americans, as well as the taboo that exists in the Arab culture regarding poor mental health and seeking mental health services, the mental health impacts of acculturation stress among this population are scarcely studied. This dissertation aims to further understand ways in which acculturative stress impacts early generational Arab American adults, including immigrants and refugees, …

What Explains American Perceptions Of Russia And China?, Shane Stryker

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This undergraduate senior thesis project aims to investigate the question of how Americans perceive the challenges posed by Russia and China comparatively, and which factors have the greatest influence on these perceptions. This is important for many reasons, such as a greater understanding of American public opinion on foreign affairs that may help frame approaches to U.S. foreign policy. Additionally, finding where the American public agrees and disagrees on competitors and challengers provides us with insight that can be used to explain perceptions.

First, there will be a literature review concerning the importance of understanding public opinion, explanations and theories …

Food Accessibility Struggles For College Students With Dietary Restrictions, Ella Schleuning

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

College is a time when many students experience independence for the first time in their lives. This is the first time they have had to do their laundry on their own, keep their room clean, and maybe most importantly, they are responsible for figuring out where they are going to eat every day, for every meal. The focus of this study is on food accessibility struggles for college students, specifically looking at Western Kentucky University’s (WKU) food on-campus, as well as students with dietary restrictions.

Since college is the first-time students are responsible for their own meals, it can often …

The Marketable Me: A Personal Branding Exploration, Amanda Prichard

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The concept of personal branding was introduced in 1997 by Tom Peters in an essay entitled “The Brand Called You”. Since that term was introduced, there has been an explosion of media written about it and many different perspectives formed. In this social media driven age, much of the public understands personal branding as something for influencers and celebrities, when in reality it can, and should, be used by everyone. This project was created to be an intrinsic case study of my own personal branding experience as a college student looking to create a smooth transition into the post-graduation world. …

Mental Health Portrayals In Video Games And Their Impacts: Horror Games And Their Reliance On The Mentally Ill, Jordan Hightower

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis seeks to address the representation of mental illnesses within the video game genre, specifically within horror video games. Horror video games have a history of relying on the mentally ill to increase the “fear factor” of games, though often do not seem to do proper research, as the portrayals often rely on stigmas and misconstruals on the mental illness being portrayed. This can lead to those who play aforementioned video games to develop subconscious stigmas and biases towards those who are mentally ill. Through a literary analysis of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Omori, examples of negative and …

I Am Gay And Catholic: An Analysis Of Identity Integration In Lgbtq+ Members Converting To Catholicism, Maria Julian

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This article examines the negotiation of sexual and religious identities among Catholic members of the LGBTQ+ community. I explore context-specific identity negotiation to determine how and why, in a time of “cultural warfare” within the Catholic Church surrounding the acceptance of LGBTQ+ participants, LGBTQ+ members choose to convert to Catholicism. Through semi-structured interviews conducted with members of the LGBTQ+ community, I identify and discuss several themes based on the identity integration process of these individuals: (1) Experiencing “The Call” (the initial interest in Catholicism), (2) Encountering the Religious “Other” (association with a welcoming and enduring Catholic LGBTQ+ Community), (3) Immersion …

The Influence Of School Policies On Black Students' Mental Health, Ama Ogyaa Boateng

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

When educators target Black students’ hair through school policies, they inadvertently target their racial identity, causing harm to their mental health (Joseph- Salisbury & Connelly, 2018). While previous research has looked at the relationship between a school’s racial climate and Black students’ mental health (Mattison & Aber, 2007), this research study explored the mental health of Black adults who have experienced racial discrimination or racial microaggressions, in relation to hair and dress codes, as Black students in the K-12 school system.

A retrospective survey was used to explore the experiences that Black young adults had in the K-12 school system …

The Effects Of Pain Neuroscience Education In Young Adults With Knee Pain, Jae Mcreynolds

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a pain neuroscience education (PNE) video on knee pain. Young adults with knee pain were examined, assessing an individual’s fear and avoidance behaviors based on current pain and functional capability. Fear was tested through the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) while the functional capability was assessed through the Y-Balance Test (YBT). METHODS: This single-blind, randomized control trial included twenty-one participants (experimental: n=10 and control: n=11). The experimental group received a 3-minute video related to PNE while the control group received a 3-minute video related to the anatomy of the …

Detriments To Effective High School Teaching In Kentucky, Christopher Wallace

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This quantitative study examines Kentucky public high school teachers’ perceptions regarding the detriments they and their students face when striving to effectively educate and learn. Data was collected by surveying public high school teachers from across the Commonwealth (n=453). Using Likert-style scales, the survey captures the barriers most detrimental to their students’ assessment outcomes. Concluding questions sought additional personal experiences to elaborate findings. 2023 Kentucky American College Test (ACT) scores represent the dependent variable in the ordinary least squared regression models. Further information regarding administrative effort and points of view was gathered through interviews with four Commonwealth Superintendents. This study …

A Self-Defeating Prophecy: Democratic Ideology After The Cold War, Nathaniel Aaron Brooks

International ResearchScape Journal

This paper analyzes the historiography of a scholarly debate on democratic ideology. Using the end of the Cold War as its epoch, it details the debate on the subject of “Whig history”, an interpretation of the past that argues that Western liberal democracy is the inevitable conclusion of world history. Analysis demonstrates that the end of the Cold War solidified two intellectual camps—one that believed in the interpretations and predictions of Whig history, and one that believed this ideology was incorrect and had potentially dangerous consequences. The end of the Cold War revitalized the dormant Whig interpretation of history within …

Modeling The Burden Of Racial Discrimination And Its Effects On Anger Coping: A Latent Profile Analysis, Brandon Dial

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Perceived racial discrimination (PRD) is defined as unfair treatment received because of one’s race. Although prior research has established that PRD is a chronic psycho-social stressor with various subdimensions, there is less research exploring whether unique profiles or clusters of discriminatory experiences exist. Further, although research has identified positive relations between discrimination and anger suppression and expression, it is not known if profiles of discriminatory experiences are differentially linked to patterns of anger expression (i.e., anger suppression, outward anger expression, or anger control). Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify profiles of discriminatory experiences in a sample …

Portland State University Economic And Social Impact Study 2024, Jenny H. Liu, Hyeoncheol Kim

Northwest Economic Research Center Publications and Reports

Portland State University (PSU) serves as a vital economic and social engine for the Portland metropolitan area and the state of Oregon. With more than 20,000 students enrolled across eight distinctive colleges and schools, offering more than 200 degree and certificate programs, and employing a total workforce exceeding 3,500, PSU contributes significantly to economic, social and community vibrancy through its core educational, research and engagement activities. This study examines PSU’s economic and social contributions, educational outcomes, research activities and community engagement initiatives through both quantitative and qualitative analyses to provide a multifaceted view of the university’s impact.

Geographically, this study …

Strategic Rhetorics: Apartheid South Africa/Apartheid Israel: Address To Chapman University’S Gaza Solidarity Encampment, May 2024, Ian Barnard

English Faculty Articles and Research

"On 2 May 2024, Chapman University faculty were asked to participate in a 'faculty speak out' in support of the Chapman Students For Justice In Palestine’s Gaza solidarity encampment. We were invited to speak 'from our expertise and/or personal experiences in a call for a ceasefire in Gaza' (Leitz, 2024). This is a slightly expanded version of what I said[.]"

The Nondual Realization Of Advaita Vedanta Does Not Support A Psychological Theory Of Consciousness, Glenn Hartelius

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Advaita Vedanta is seen as something of an authoritative source for nondual philosophies and theories of consciousness that postulate a pure featureless awareness at the base of mental experience. These approaches deviate from both the lineage-based teachings of Advaita Vedanta and the necessary standards of science, constructing compromises that fall short of traditional fidelity and psychological rigor. Dialogues between psychology and Advaita Vedanta need to delineate clearly between a sensate phenomenology of experience and spiritual interpretations that may be implicit within experiential descriptions.

In This Issue Of Ijts

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

N/A

Smokable "Vine Of The Dead": Two Case Studies Of Experiencers Of Both Changa And Near-Death Experiences, Pascal Michael, David Luke, Oliver Robinson

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Introduction: Virtually no studies have looked at psychopharmacological combinations as models of the near-death experience (NDE), which is inadequate given the evidently complex neurochemistry occurring near- or at death. An example of such a combination is "changa," a smoked mixture of the psychedelic N,N-DMT and monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)-containing plants, and as such has been referred to as "smokable ayahuasca" (vine of the dead). Only very few studies, yet not systematically, have included experiencers of both NDEs and psychoactive substances. Methods: Two case studies are presented of individuals who have experienced both a near-death experience and a changa experience, making …

The Role Of Personality In Moving Encounters With Sacred Art, Jacob Lang, Despina Stamatopoulou, Gerald C. Cupchik

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

In Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, the material world is understood to contain access points to the transcendent. An icon may move the awestruck believer to emotional engagement and reflection on moral and religious themes. Personality dispositions potentiating the experience of being moved in religious aesthetic contexts have not been thoroughly studied. The present article describes the development and testing of a cross-sectional study into potential belief and personality-related predictors of being moved by sacred art in a lab environment evocative of a holy site. Ninety (90) Christians in Canada and Greece completed personality measures and viewed and rated …

The Outlines Of Transpersonal Psychotherapy, Jacqueline Hermida

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

N/A

What Is Transpersonal Psychotherapy? A Conceptual Template, Gabriel Fernandez-Borsot

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Transpersonal psychotherapy (TPT) lacks systematization, as it lacks a model that

characterizes what qualifies a psychotherapy as transpersonal. Due to this situation, TPT

has been developed in a state of fragmentation, through a multiplicity of idiosyncratic

approaches. This idiosyncratic fragmentation jeopardizes the theoretical development

of the field, undermines the possibilities of obtaining a wider recognition, and hinders

the training and the research. To remedy this, this paper proposes a model of five

components which characterize TPT: (1) purposeful use of states of consciousness,

(2) transpersonal therapeutic framework, (3) transpersonal techniques, (4) focus on

spirituality and/or existential meaning, and (5) suitable …

Childhood Trauma And The Emergence Of Precognitive Abilities: A Correlational Study, Kirsten Cameron, Jenny Wade

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This study addresses the scientific tendency to misattribute the higher levels of belief in extrasensoryperception (ESP) of adult survivors of childhood trauma to cognitive errors whenthey may be a result of actual experience with ESP. Dissociative tendencies may contribute to precognition, which would be an adaptive skill for children living in unpredictable and traumatic environments. This study investigated the correlation between self-reported childhood abuse and neglect and precognitive abilities in 227 adults. The participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, comprising subscales measuring emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and physical and emotional neglect, and completed four online tasks measuring …

Colic As Trauma Release? A Comparative Exploration Of Play Therapy In Children With And Without A History Of Colic, Nilüfer Devecigil, Jenny Wade

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

Colic, characterized by excessive, inconsolable crying in early infancy, has long puzzled researchers and clinicians. Traditional approaches have predominantly relied on medical models, yet they have failed to provide satisfactory explanations or effective treatments. This blinded comparative qualitative study took a novel approach by asking: What are the womb and birth experiences of colicky babies in relation to the prenatal relational trauma between mother and fetus or within the fetal environment? The sample comprised 23 mother-child dyads, 10 children with a history of colic and 13 without, whose histories and interactions unfolded through 10 videotaped sessions of Experiential Play Therapy. …

Integrating Clinical Intuition For A Whole Person Approach To Empowerment, Jennifer Sousa

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

This paper is a summary of a study utilizing constructivist grounded theory to examine the process of accessing and applying clinical intuition in psychotherapy. Intensive interviews were conducted with 19 psychotherapists to explore their experiences with clinical intuition, including training on the topic, supportive conditions for accessing intuition, and decision making around its application in session. Engagement in an iterative process of data collection and analysis occurred to arrive at the constructed theory: integrating clinical intuition for a whole person approach to empowerment. The theory is comprised of the core categories (a) building trust and confidence to access and use …

A Program To Promote Reusable Sanitary Pads In West Bengal, India: Recommendations For The Flūme Foundation, Alison Suthers

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Menstrual Health and Hygiene (“MHH”) is an increasing focus for the development sector because of the potential to improve the lives of women and girls by empowering them to understand and care for their bodies and to overcome the shame and stigma associated with cultural taboos around menstruation that exist all over the world. In West Bengal, India, embarrassment and secrecy surrounding menstruation, which is commonly considered an impurity, means that many menstruators do not understand the biological causes of menstruation, and many do not share information about their experiences managing menstruation and its impact on their daily lives. In …

My Heart Returns To Kashmir: The Ongoing Conflict Between India And Pakistan In The Kasmiri Information Environment, Adrian Colaianni, Malia Fairbanks, Kylie Gilbert, Jonathon Greco, Janna Gubanich, Parker Hundley, Ella Kea, Darren L. Linvill, Ethan May, Sarah Meadows, Connor Pridnia, Matthew Rippy, Miles Rockow, Steven Sheffield, Kate Tesh, Patrick Warren, Phebe Webb, Timothy Wilson

Media Forensics Hub Creative Inquiry Reports

In September of 2023, The Washington Post wrote of an ongoing coordinated, inauthentic social media coordinated influence operation (CIO) conducted by the Indian Army.[1] The Post argued India’s Modi administration “is setting an example for how authoritarian governments can dictate to American social media platforms what content they must preserve and what they must remove.” Previous reports in 2022 from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute[2] and Stanford’s Internet Observatory[3], both using data supplied to them by Twitter (now X) detailed influence campaigns targeting an Indian domestic audience and working to influence attitudes around Kashmir, Pakistan, and the Indian Army. While …