Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Progressive Maternity And Reproductive Justice: The Identity Of Motherhood As A Conduit Of American Social Policy, Sharanya Suresh

CMC Senior Theses

For this thesis, I explore the following research questions: How did primary actors such as the activists and scholars within the Progressive Maternity and Reproductive Justice movements use and construct maternal and gender identities within their respective movements? What are the policy implications for building coalitions around gender and motherhood? I argue that the Progressive Maternity movement embraces motherhood as an identity by which we coalesce and create policy, while the Reproductive Justice movement has a nuanced understanding of motherhood and gender, with a rejection of the notion that citizenship is contingent on motherhood at the center of their political …

American-European Alignment: An Assessment Of Economic And Security Factors Impacting The Relationship Between The United States And Europe Since Wwii, Peter Nicholas Gianaris

CMC Senior Theses

The United States and Europe have had a relationship that has constantly augmented during the past 80 years. The extent of this change has depended on a number of factors including security and economics. This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between the United States and Europe throughout the Cold War, following the Cold War, and in the wake of Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine. It will view the partnership through a security and economic lens and seek to determine how much both factors impact the relationship and in what way each factor has impacted the relationship. It will also …

Analyzing The Mental Health Realities Among Daca Recipients Within The Mexican Community, Oscar Javier Gonzalez

CMC Senior Theses

Immigration to the United States, particularly from Mexico, has resulted in a significant population of undocumented individuals residing in the nation. Among them are those who arrived in the U.S. as children, with some eligible for protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, offering temporary relief from deportation and government benefits. This thesis analyzes the historical context of immigration and the DACA program, focusing on the often-overlooked experiences and mental health realities encountered by Mexican DACA recipients. These experiences encompass the pursuit of the American Dream, deportation fears, family separation, challenges in accessing government services, navigating the …

Applying Transformational Leadership To Dentistry: Finding A Leader In A Dentist, Irene Jun

CMC Senior Theses

A dentist holds a unique leadership position in which they must lead their dental practice, their dental staff, and their patients. The multifaceted nature of the occupation requires a combined team effort, and a cohesive partnership can be inspired through transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is a mutual process where leaders and followers empower one another and develop together toward a shared vision. Its effectiveness is implemented by the leader and further maintained by the followers. A transformational leader within a dentist can be manifested through the 4I’s of transformational leadership: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration. The …

Designing A Personalization Intervention To Reduce Churn In Exercise Mobile Apps: A Research Proposal, Chris Li

CMC Senior Theses

Sports and fitness mHealth app development has rapidly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic due to changes in living situations that increased the demand for exercising remotely. App developers struggle to understand the various strategies in reducing the amount of users that churn as time progresses. This research proposal will primarily focus on the effect that personalization has on churn, seeing the increased development of mobile health apps, strong desire for curated experiences, and the recent relevance of AI. To fully understand the relationship between personalization and churn, moderator effects of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and user engagement will …

For Richer Or Poorer: The Warren Court's Relationship To Socioeconomic Class, Nicole Jonassen

CMC Senior Theses

The U.S. Constitution does not enshrine socioeconomic rights. Why does this matter? Many argue that socioeconomic rights have value in and of themselves because they secure certain minimum conditions of human dignity, but socioeconomic rights also have instrumental value because abject material deprivation often makes traditional political and civil rights meaningless. In this thesis, I explore the relationship between U.S. constitutional law and socioeconomic rights through an analysis of the Warren Court’s decisions regarding socioeconomic class. In Chapter 1, I present existing literature on socioeconomic rights, socioeconomic rights in the American context, and what many scholars see as the Warren …

Your Anonymous Words Matter: The Harms Of Internet Anonymity And Its Inhibiting Effects On Producing Knowledge, Sena Selby

CMC Senior Theses

In this paper, I will argue against Karen Frost-Arnold’s claim that internet anonymity has more epistemic benefit than epistemic harm for online communities. I will first outline her arguments that anonymity poses epistemic benefits for speakers of marginalized communities, who often rely on anonymity to share their experience and testimony without fear of repercussions, such as testimonial injustice, backlash, and even physical harm. I will then consider objections to Frost-Arnold’s account made by others, including the idea that anonymous testimony is not reliable. I will show how this objection alone is insufficient against Frost-Arnold’s claim. Then, I will offer my …

Driven By Change: The Impact Of Macroeconomic Shifts And Covid-19 On New Vehicle Sales, Jackson Aldrich

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the impact of macroeconomic factors and the COVID-19 pandemic on new vehicle sales. In order to address these two topics, a two-pronged approach was used with separate regression models. The macroeconomic variables include monthly supply of new homes, CPI for urban public transportation, unemployment rate, disposable personal income, inflation expectation, consumer sentiment, average gas prices, and total vehicle miles traveled which were regressed on total vehicle sales from 1978-2022. The regression results confirmed and supported current literature and highlighted the importance of the housing market and unemployment rate on new vehicle sales. The COVID-19 pandemic model variables …

Understanding Empathy: Exploring Power Relations, Group Dynamics, And Counter-Dominance In Shaping Outgroup Attitudes, Rachel Leonardi, Shana Levin

CMC Senior Theses

This article is a literature review of how the context of group dynamics, power relations, and counter-dominance change our understanding of empathy towards outgroups. A large focus of current psychological research around empathy aims to better understand empathy in improving intergroup relations. However, many of the current studies measure the perspectives of the majority (high-power) groups, while failing to take into account the differences in the perspectives of the minority (low-power) groups, for whom empathy does not predict positive intergroup attitudes. In order to look at the importance of group dynamics and power relations in understanding empathy, I analyze different …

Is Green The New Gold? Esg’S Influence On The Financial Performance Of The Energy And Mining Industries, Alexa De Vegvar

CMC Senior Theses

The demand for Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting has increased in recent years. As the concern for climate change has moved to the forefront of the investment process, companies have needed to prioritize ESG in their operations. Previous literature addresses how ESG has benefited companies’ financial performance and increased shareholder value. The pandemic has proven to have positively impacted ESG reporting as social priorities shifted. However, studies have also shown that ESG reporting is too ambiguous to concretely display any relationship with financial performance. This thesis will analyze the impact of ESG and environmental data reporting on the Return …

Reclaiming Democracy: Examining Disenfranchisement Laws And Policy Recommendations To Restore Voting Rights For Formerly Incarcerated People, Maeve Conte

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated people and the steps by which they can participate in civic society again. It delves into the history of these laws, both in the United States and abroad, and the philosophies behind disenfranchisement. It then uses Florida’s Amendment 4 as a case study in current debates surrounding voting rights. After a literature review on voting, it assesses the voting population inside prisons in states that allow it and includes policy recommendations for these states. This thesis also applies interventions from the literature review to reduce the cost for formerly incarcerated people. Ultimately, …

Strategic Narrative And Global Public Opinion On The Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Jason Rhett

CMC Senior Theses

Through analyzing the cases of public opinion in Russia and South Africa, this thesis explores the nature of strategic narratives and the effects that they have on public opinion. Using the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a case study, it is conclusive that while strategic narratives are important and impactful, they are not the only factor that shape domestic and international public opinion. In Russia, while narrative has swayed a large portion of the population, there are those who’s stances can be attributed to the pressure to conform to the Russian nationalist majority. In South Africa, the country’s leadership has taken a …

Mapping The Older User’S Journey: Building Ux With Theories Of Cognitive Aging, Aichatou Diaw

CMC Senior Theses

The aging global population represents a pressing consideration for user experience (UX) designers. The field of cognitive aging research focuses on characterizing and explaining changes in cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, perception, and problem-solving that occur as people age. Understanding these changes is vital for crafting interfaces that cater to a broader demographic. With the hope of creating more inclusive digital interfaces, this thesis explores the application of three cognitive aging theories, Cognitive Reserve, Cognitive Load Theory, and Controlled Processing, in order to examine their implications for UX design. By integrating insights from these theories, designers can make digital …

Towards Algorithmic Justice: Human Centered Approaches To Artificial Intelligence Design To Support Fairness And Mitigate Bias In The Financial Services Sector, Jihyun Kim

CMC Senior Theses

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has positively transformed the Financial services sector but also introduced AI biases against protected groups, amplifying existing prejudices against marginalized communities. The financial decisions made by biased algorithms could cause life-changing ramifications in applications such as lending and credit scoring. Human Centered AI (HCAI) is an emerging concept where AI systems seek to augment, not replace human abilities while preserving human control to ensure transparency, equity and privacy. The evolving field of HCAI shares a common ground with and can be enhanced by the Human Centered Design principles in that they both put humans, the user, at …

Determinants And Effects Of Offset Usage Within The California Cap-And-Trade System – A Firm-Level Analysis, Adarsh Srinivasan

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the determinants of the usage of carbon offsets within the California cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions. It also investigates the relationship between a firm’s investment in offsets and its financials for publicly traded companies. Entity-level data from 2013 to 2020 was used, which was sourced from the California Air Resources Board. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate factors that correlated with offset usage and whether offset usage correlated with EBITDA. Dummy variables indicating geographic location and economic sector of each entity were used as controls. The analysis found that total covered emissions and privately owned …

Unveiling The Unseen: A Feminist Exploration Of Consciousness And Empowerment Among Homeless Women Through Consciousness-Raising, Scarlett Liu

CMC Senior Theses

Homeless women have been forgotten subject matter in the study and practice of feminist consciousness and consciousness-raising efforts. However, they grapple with the compounded challenges of both gender and homelessness within an oppressive societal structure. This thesis therefore seeks to conceptualize the consciousness of women, and particularly homeless women, in a feminist lens. Specifically, this thesis explores the Othering of women’s consciousness through the intellectual lineage of Simone de Beauvoir and Hegel, and emphasizes the role of material circumstances in shaping consciousness-raising efforts. Then, this thesis examines two unique struggles faced by homeless women – survival sex and homeless motherhood. …

Capturing Value In Emerging Markets: A Real Options Perspective On Resilience And Risk, Alexander Castillo

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the evaluation of investment opportunities in emerging markets (EMs) through real options analysis, against the backdrop of their unique risk profiles and the recent trend of EMs exhibiting resilience in economic performance. While EMs are associated with high growth rates and infrastructure gaps, they have shown adaptability, particularly in monetary policy responses to inflation. This paper explores the sensitivity of net present value (NPV) and real options (RO) to changes in the capital asset pricing model, adapting the yield spread to capture default risk and local risk-free rates. Utilizing oil benchmark price data, the paper constructs a …

The Korean Hanok As A Model For Sustainable Architecture In South Korea, Jordan Oh

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes the traditional Korean hanok within the Western framework for sustainability across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. It then cross-references the findings of this analysis with existing theory on the cultural role of architecture to elucidate how the traditional Korean hanok can serve as a model for sustainable architecture in South Korea. Through a comprehensive analysis this thesis highlights the importance of architectural vernacular to define a sustainable building, and critiques contemporary Western ideas of sustainable architecture. Furthermore, this thesis synthesizes two current approaches to sustainable development in South Korea, the u-eco-city and the Green Standard for Energy …

Effect Of Dopamine-2-Receptor Manipulation On Social Interaction And Social Decision-Making In Juvenile Fish, Kiren Kanazawa

CMC Senior Theses

Animals interact in intricate social networks. Social behavior is imperative in shaping relationships, in communication, and adapting to changing environments. Despite its profound effects on individual fitness and health, neural-molecular mechanisms behind social behavior and social decision-making continue to be identified. In the present study, we focused on the regulation of social behavior by the Dopamine-2-Receptor (D2R), based on its role in context-dependent social behavior. We used juvenile African cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, to investigate the effect of dopamine signaling manipulation on their aggressive, territorial, and affiliative behaviors. We hypothesize that D2R manipulation affects social decision-making in juvenile A. burtoni. …

Does The Constitution Follow The Flag? The Paradox Of Puerto Rican Identity And Citizenship, Laura Somoza Velez

CMC Senior Theses

How do identity and citizenship interact? Puerto Rico’s current political status is that of an unincorporated, organized territory of the United States, under the shiny title of ‘Commonwealth.’ Although they have US Citizenship, Puerto Rican residents aren’t protected by the US Constitution. This source of dual identification, American and Puerto Rican, creates a unique circumstance where questions of identity, and belonging naturally arise. In this thesis, I aim to answer how the citizenship condition created in Puerto Rico and how it is experienced measure up to current debates and scholarship surrounding citizenship. Achieved through a historical analysis of the formation …

Savage Tales: The Colonialist Narratives Underpinning Indigenous Genocide, Riley Green

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores the settler-colonialist supremacist narratives - religious, racial, and civilizational - wielded in the territories that would become Australia, Canada, and the United States to justify displacing and killing Indigenous Peoples. The narratives and their effects persist: contemporary disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples reveal the narratives' institutionalization, as do modern incarnations of the same legitimizing tropes in Australian, Canadian, and US domestic and foreign policies.

How Does Foreign Born Population Affect Tax Morale And Perceived Immigrant Strain On The Welfare System?, Chase Keir

CMC Senior Theses

The goal of this paper is to assess the effect of foreign born population concentration on tax morale and perceived immigrant strain on the welfare state in Sweden. This paper uses data from the European Values Survey as well as merging data regarding the population makeups of the regions in Sweden the respondent is from. Using multiple OLS regressions over 2 time periods, the significant explanatory variables will be uncovered. I find that foreign born population percentages are not very statistically significant if at all, and the actual explanatory variables with high significance are gender, education level, political skew, and …

China’S Strategic Calculus: A Comparative Analysis Of China’S Approaches Towards The Philippines And Vietnam In The South China Sea Dispute, Letian Wang

CMC Senior Theses

The South China Sea (SCS) dispute is a longstanding territorial conflict involving several surrounding states. In this paper, I analyze the differences in China’s policies towards the Philippines and Vietnam as China exerts its expansion into the SCS using relevant International Relations theories. The Philippines’ democratic values, alliance with the U.S., small-scale volume of trade with China, and active strategies against China all contradict China’s interests to be the regional hegemonic power. In contrast, Vietnam’s socialist regime, alliance with China, substantial trade with China, and passive strategies do not contradict China’s interests as much and even comply with them. Hence, …

Speaking To Maryland’S Eastern Shore: Lessons For Candidates Looking To Earn The Watermen Vote, Maryum Khwaja

CMC Senior Theses

One of the thirteen original states, Maryland is located on the East Coast. It consists of two main sections that are separated by the Chesapeake Bay: the Eastern Shore, which is east of the Chesapeake, and mainland Maryland, west of the Chesapeake. As a whole, Maryland is a blue state. The East Shore is different: it has Republican House member, Andy Harris, and holds different values from the rest of the state, and it votes differently, too. In the 2020 election, Biden won the statewide vote 65-32 percent – but Trump carried Harris’s district 56-42 percent.

The people of the …

The Effect Of Tommy John Surgery On Mlb Starting Pitcher Performance, 2017-2023, Jake Tracey

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis investigates the effect of Tommy John surgery on MLB starting pitcher performance for the 2017-2023 MLB seasons. The paper uses data from the sources Statcast (BaseballSavant.mlb.com) and BaseballReference.com, focusing on various conventional and advanced performance statistics for MLB starting pitchers as well as their salary. Using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model, the thesis measures the significance of the dummy variable Tommy John surgery on various pitching statistics to see how the surgery affects performance for MLB starting pitchers. The regressions measure the effect of Tommy John surgery on a pitchers era, wins, weighted on base average …

Essays On Public Finance And International Finance, Deepti Sikri

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The first chapter examines New York State's Fiscal Score Monitoring program to find the effect of two quality labels on school district outcomes: fiscal stress scores, reflecting the budget solvency, and environmental stress labels reflecting economic and demographic conditions. Using the NYS school district data from 2013-22, I employ the regression discontinuity design to find the effect of stress labels, in response to the political pressure on district finances, housing, and school outcomes. I find the effect of fiscal stress label is limited, leading to a decrease in the fund balance ratio and an increase in the tax rate. However, …

Let Your Head Hang Down: A Narrative Examination Of Cultic & Conspiratorial Romance, Kyle Macy

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

A response to recent cultural trends of radicalization, extremism, and violence in American society, this dissertation, a novel rendered in ephemeral fragments of oral histories, interrogates the romanticist postures that compel a community of musical artists, the so-called “Folk Revival Revival,” toward infamy and tragedy. Where more traditional sociological approaches to cultic formations stress the importance of centralized charismatic authority, and more traditional psychological approaches rely upon a conspiratorial Cold War ethos of cognitive bias and coercive control (i.e. “brainwashing”), this project meets such assumptions with incredulity, asserting instead that cultic and conspiratorial entrancement awakens first from within, and may …

Testing An Integrated Dual Diathesis-Threat Model Of Authoritarianism, Brendan Gallagher

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The Dual Diathesis-Threat Model of Authoritarianism proposes parallel motivational pathways by which similar personality features could predispose liberals and conservatives to different forms of authoritarianism. Specifically, the model posits that cognitive rigidity serves as a shared dispositional ‘diathesis’ of right- and left-wing authoritarianism ‘activated’ by distinct threats. For cognitively rigid conservatives, threats of change (i.e., threats to cohesion/conventions, cultural shifts) were expected to enhance the embrace of RWA; while for cognitively rigid liberals, threats to change (i.e., oppression, inequities, barriers to social progress) were predicted to promote LWA. Two studies examined this premise. In Study One, American citizens (N …

The Transdiagnostic Role And Measurement Of Cognitive Inflexibility Across Understudied Eating Disorder Groups: A Multi-Method Investigation, Mckenzie Miller

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Cognitive inflexibility is an established transdiagnostic executive function deficit that maintains a wide array of psychiatric conditions. Eating disorders (ED) are serious, life-threatening conditions that remain underdiagnosed and understudied across diverse demographic groups. There is growing evidence for a role of cognitive inflexibility in driving hallmark ED symptoms, particularly in anorexia nervosa. Treatments targeting cognitive inflexibility may improve the currently poor outcomes of these conditions. To date, the role of cognitive inflexibility remains to be examined across demographically and diagnostically diverse ED groups. The first two studies presented here examine associations between cognitive inflexibility and symptom presentation in two relatively …

Building Engaged Audiences: The Influence Of Multimedia-Inclusive Posts On Online Engagement Breadth And Depth For Arts And Culture Nonprofit Organizations, Sabrina Jeffcoat

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In recent years, broad access to digital communication tools provided by the “tech boom” has forced arts and culture nonprofit organizations (ACNPO) to transition to social media and mobile applications to engage audiences. While various approaches focus on building breadth (i.e. recirculation of content) and depth (i.e. replies) of engagement, ACNPO use multimedia to spur discussion and dissemination of their mission. Dependent on individual donors who generally give in small amounts, ACNPO are reliant on effective and visual social media campaigns to drive virality and broaden marketing appeal. Yet questions remain whether the presence of multimedia-inclusive posts (MIP) generates broader …