Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Civically Engaged 4-H Ambassadors: A Program Designed To Bridge Youth Leaders With Local Policymakers, J. "Clay" Hurdle, Sage V. Eichenburch, Megan Kershner

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Agricultural Extension Practitioners After Undergoing Andragogical Training In Malawi, Lisa Kaslon, Nathan W. Conner, Catherine Mthinda, Limson Kaluzi, Austen Moore

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The effectiveness of Extension work is highly dependent on the preparedness and professional competencies of Extension practitioners. One area of training that is of importance to Extension practitioners is adult learning. According to Malcolm Knowles, andragogy is the art and science of adult learning. This study looked at the principles of adult learning necessary for effective Extension programming. Twenty Extension practitioners were trained in andragogical principles, and their perceptions of using andragogy to redesign Extension programming were examined. The researchers found that, upon training, Extension practitioners felt that andragogical principles would help Extension work to be viewed more positively …

Kate 2025: Trans*Cendence, Marlo Young, Sage Reliford, Julia Tenbusch, Zahara Rahi, Karina Streeter, Katie Deeter, Kyle Miller, Ellyse Gallagher, Ava Borromeo, Morgan Smedley, Charlie Ryan, Julia Zetlmeisl, Evie Reed, Ahjay Cody, Kit Mccall-Crum

Kate

Each year, kate seeks to:

• explore ideas about normative gender, sex, and sexuality
• work against oppression and hierarchies of power in any and all forms
• serve as a voice for race and gender equity as well as queer positivity
• encourage the silent to speak and feel less afraid
• build a zine and community that we care about and trust

A Narrative Policy Framework Analysis Of Lgbtq+ Adoptive Fathers’ Experiences In Georgia, Seft George Hunter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face systemic discrimination and inconsistent policies when seeking to adopt, despite legal advancements and growing public support. Existing research has primarily focused on lesbian mothers or broadly on same-sex couples, with limited attention to LGBTQ+ fathers, especially those living in politically conservative states like Georgia. This gap in the literature limits the understanding of their adoption experiences and the development of responsive policies. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore the barriers and success factors experienced by LGBTQ+ fathers in Georgia and to identify the federal, state, and local policies they viewed as …

Code^Shift Newsletter Spring 2025, Srividya Ramasubramanian, Manaswini Pillai

CODE^SHIFT Research

No abstract provided.

Muzibogun Research Symposium Poster, Serena Parra, Maurissio Gonzalez, Renee Alonzo, Cj Spears

Team - Muzibogun - Documents

This is the research poster which we presented at the 2025 Research Symposium

Intimate Partner Violence In The Latino Community, Emilee Pesina

Presentations - 2025

Presenter aims to explore the barriers Latina women face in accessing the support and resources needed to escape abuse. By examining cultural norms, immigration status, language barriers, and the influence of family and community dynamics, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how domestic violence manifests in the Latino community. They attempt to identify effective interventions and policies that address the unique needs of these women. The intended broader goal is to raise awareness, encourage community-based solutions, and develop culturally sensitive approaches to empower Latina women to break the cycle of violence and remind them they are not alone—that …

Workshop Series: Reflections On An Emerging Leadership Journey, Sanjay D. Paul

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Defense Date

April 1, 2025

Candidate Name

Sanjay Paul

Personal Email Address

[email protected]

First Advisor

Dr. Emile Hawkins

Second Advisor

Dr. Debra Dean

DSL Final Project Abstract

Project Type

Global Conference Presentation

Project Overview

Reflections on an Emerging Leadership Journey is a PowerPoint presentation (of approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes) which designed to connect glo al interests in a way that can share best practices across an interdisciplinary front. Sanjay Paul shares ideas, observations, educational, volunteer, and professional experiences, along with his growth in the leadership journey. This journey can serve as a catalyst for others who are on …

Understanding The Wellness Needs Of Black Men Student Athletes, Sephora Abigail Wawa-Egbuche

Dissertations (1934 -)

Race, ethnicity, and gender significantly impact the wellness of Black collegiate athletes, particularly males. However, the literature on the wellness of collegiate-level student-athletes highlights a lack of diversity in gender and racial/ethnic representation, often overlooking Black student-athletes, who form the second largest group in college sports (Boyd et al., 2017; Elder et al., 2014; NCAA, 2012). Notably, there is an underrepresentation of males (Hinton et al., 2004; Stickler et al., 2022). Additionally, the dearth of qualitative research on this issue is troubling, as such studies can provide deeper insights into these experiences (Biggerstaff, 2012). This qualitative, reflexive thematic analysis aimed …

Terrorism Financing In The Digital Age: The Illicit Exploitation Of Cryptocurrencies, Vesna Markovic

Justice, Law, and Public Safety Studies Department Faculty Articles

Terrorist groups rely on their ability to support their operations by financing training, securing infrastructure, transporting fighters, and acquiring weapons and munitions. This necessitates the pursuit of illicit funding sources to cover expenses. These funds cover the costs of logistics, use of safety, transportation of fighters, and acquisition of weapons and munitions to sustain their operations. In the past several decades, terrorist groups have employed various methods in their activities. In recent decades, terrorist groups have faced escalating challenges in this domain due to the tightening of oversight measures by law enforcement agencies targeting their financing channels. This has compelled …

Arab Americans’ Views Of Arab Lobbying Efforts Related To The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, Samar Farha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on ethnic lobbying has largely neglected the perspectives of Arab Americans, creating a disconnect between this community and their lobbying efforts. This gap is crucial because it threatens to widen the disconnect between Arab Americans and their lobbying groups, where effective lobbying depends on a unified message. Existing studies highlight this gap, pointing out the lack of unified organization and ongoing resource constraints that limit the influence of Arab American lobbyists on U.S. foreign policy. The purpose of this generic qualitative was to explore Arab Americans’ perceptions of their lobbying efforts and the factors shaping these perceptions based on …

Transforming The Feminist Movement – How Female Celebrities Influence The Economic Power And Consumer Behaviors Of Women, Erin Lewantowicz

Senior Theses

This thesis explores the evolving relationship between feminism, economic power, and celebrity culture in the 21^st century. Through an examination of three key industries—entertainment, athletics, and influencers—this study highlights how female celebrities like Taylor Swift, Caitlin Clark, and Alix Earle act as catalysts for significant shifts in women’s economic and consumer power. Taylor Swift’s impact on the entertainment industry, Caitlin Clark’s role in redefining women’s sports, and Alix Earle’s influence on the social media marketing landscape illustrate the growing authority of women as consumers and change-makers. Utilizing social media, brand partnerships, and unprecedented fan engagement, these women transcend traditional …

Early Motor And Language Development In Infants At Elevated Likelihood For Autism, Natalie C. Deal

Senior Theses

During the early stages of infant development, various emerging skills set the foundation for more complex abilities. One such connection is the development of motor skills, which play a crucial role in influencing language outcomes later in the infants' first year. Although these developmental cascades are well understood in typically-developing populations, less is known about the cascade in infants at elevated likelihood for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many infants who are later diagnosed with ASD have motor delays or language delays, suggesting that the cascade from motor to language may not be typical in this population. Additionally, little is known …

Vital Language Practices And Attitudes Among The Lumbee, Deven A. Hull

Senior Theses

The longstanding interest among linguists and linguistic anthropologists in Indigenous languages has increasingly adopted a Critical Indigenous framework, which has been promoted by Indigenous scholars and community leaders as a means of decolonizing “salvage” collection of Indigenous language materials. An important aspect of Critical Indigenous theory is the framework of vitality—that is, an emphasis in literature and community practice on the everyday living and lived elements of culture. One means of promoting Indigenous language within this Critical framework of vitality that is community-centered is centering vital language practices in community-based archives, which seek not to document the language as it …

A Theoretical Defense Of Police Recalibration In Columbia, South Carolina, Sanya Singh

Senior Theses

This paper defends police recalibrationism as the best means of reforming law enforcement. Columbia, South Carolina, will serve as a case study to demonstrate the philosophical and practical justifications of recalibrationism. Police recalibration, which aims to reconceptualize the role of police by reallocating extraneous responsibilities to other entities, offers a more comprehensive and viable solution than abolition, fiscal restraint, and managerialism. The paper further examines proposals that align with police recalibrationism through the lens of the philosophical frameworks of social contract theory and utilitarianism to demonstrate how the reform would fulfill the proposed goals of the American criminal justice system. …

Redefining "I Do": Marital Attitudes Among Generation Z, Ryley G. Bethle

Senior Theses

This thesis attempts to explain the attitudes of Generation Z toward marriage. In a larger sense, to also understand previous generational cohorts’ marital values to discover that these values are shaped by changes in technology, individualism, and societal norms. This thesis also will lean into Twenge’s framework that poses that marital values are not influenced by individual choices, but rather an overarching generational influence. There is heavy influence of technology discussed as this generation are the first to grow up as digital natives, and the introduction of online dating has expanded their relationship landscape for better or for worse. A …

Articulation As A Predictor Of Cognitive Decline, Sarah G. Hammons

Senior Theses

Background: Speech production is facilitated by motor neural networks that are proximal to neural substrates of general cognitive functions in the frontal lobe. However, the precise relationship between these brain networks supporting articulatory control and more general cognitive functioning has not been determined. A relation may be expected due to the anatomical proximity of specific networks, or due to more global aspects of brain health in individuals, affecting cognitive and motor functions across the board. Lower motor function is expected to affect the stability of speech production, but the extent to which this is also associated with lower cognitive functioning …

Are The Kids Alright? An Analysis Of Sex Education, The Sexual Behaviors Of Minors And Age Of Consent Laws In The United States, Monica L. Johnston

Senior Theses

This paper explores the sexual development of children, the sexual education they receive, as well as the history of sex laws in the United States, to determine whether the laws regarding education and age of consent adequately protect children. A qualitative survey is also conducted with undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina to determine what topics were discussed in their sexual education curriculum, as well as their sexual behaviors as a minor. While the push for comprehensive sexual education models has been growing, millions of dollars are still being allocated to promote Abstinence Only Until Marriage programs, which …

Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol Policy And Related Health Impact Among College-Aged Individuals In South Carolina: A Scoping Review, Emily K. Luoma

Senior Theses

After the 2018 Farm Bill passed, loopholes were quickly found that led to the popularization of delta-8 THC, a derivative of delta-9 THC, more commonly known as marijuana. Use of this substance became particularly high in states that criminalized marijuana, such as South Carolina. This scoping review aimed to assess South Carolina’s current delta-8 policies in the context of health-related impacts among college-aged students. Comprehensively analyzing the results of relevant studies, it was determined that there are three commonly observed threats to public health that are direct outcomes of existing policies: 1) a lack of quality control standards; 2) misleading …

Ocd Online: Strategies To Build Engagement For Mental Health Content On Social Media, Casey Matthews

Senior Theses

Social media is a tool with the potential to shape health communication. This study seeks to apply models of social media engagement from brand communication studies to explore how social media practitioners can effectively build engagement for mental health messaging. The study takes root in the concepts of social media engagement behavior (SMEB) and active vs. passive engagement outlined in the work of Dolan et al. (2019) and Shahbaznezhad et al. (2022). The application of these concepts to health communication provides new insight into the effectiveness of various messaging strategies—with a focus on OCD, a disorder that faces high levels …

Bridging The Gap: Evaluating The Impact Of A First-Generation Mentoring Program On Sense Of Belonging And Self-Efficacy, R. Olivia Mace

Senior Theses

Many higher education four year institutions define a first-generation student as any individual whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree. Prior research on this population has shown that various factors, such as socioeconomic status, academic support, and sense of belonging contribute to their decreased graduation rates compared to continuing-generation students. Student feedback from an independent study with this population at a four-year institution indicated a need for a specific mentoring program for first-generation students. Additional prior research suggests this intervention, while few evaluate the effects of a pilot mentoring program for first-generation students. This thesis aims to do exactly …

Go Big Or Go Home: An Analysis Of The 2019 Nfl Draft, Lucas W. Gee

Senior Theses

This thesis is a correlation analysis of the 2019 NFL Draft class, analyzing if there is a relationship between what position a player was selected and the amount of value returned in terms of Approximate Value by Open Source Football. The draft was broken down by position and by round to see trends within the data. Using knowledge of how scouting occurs in the NFL, biases were identified that affected its efficacy.

The Stigma Surrounding Sex And Sexuality In American Culture, Sophia L. Pollock

Senior Theses

An important question to examine is the origin and implications of the taboo against sex and sexuality. The stigma against these topics encourages negative public health implications like poor sex education, high rates of sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancy. History of sexual stigma was examined through physical media and digital articles from the Thomas Cooper Library databases. The background and global perspective of these stigmas are covered, examining how past and distant cultures deal with sex. How sex is portrayed in the media, why a healthy sex life is important, and the subject of sex education are also addressed. …

How Do Children Learn How To Learn? Promoting Early Development At Home Through Play: A Scoping Review, Annika J. Larson

Senior Theses

Early childhood is a critical time in human development, during which children are discovering and practicing countless skills, from basic motor and language skills to problem-solving, self-regulation, memory, and other foundational abilities like literacy and math skills. From infancy through childhood, play is thought to be the primary condition under which most early skills are developed and perfected. During this time, young children are especially vulnerable to adversity and negative environmental influences due to their brains’ high plasticity; adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact an individual well beyond early childhood, specifically in early skills deficits. Play is known to be a …

Physiological Indicators Of Social Anxiety In Preschoolers With The Fragile X Premutation, Olivia Cyburt

Senior Theses

The Fragile X premutation (FXpm) is a common genetic disorder often characterized by psychiatric impairments, including anxiety. It results from a trinucleotide repeat expansion (CGG) of 55-200 repeats on the FMR1 gene. Despite its association with psychiatric symptoms, there is limited research regarding the relationship between FXpm and anxiety, particularly social anxiety. Early detection of social anxiety is essential for timely intervention, yet it remains challenging to identify in young individuals with FXpm due to limited research. The present study aimed to bridge this gap by examining social anxiety in preschoolers with the FXpm, utilizing both a physiological and behavioral …

Could It Be Cold War? How Sino-American Tensions Are Unfolding In The South Pacific., Peter R. Caldwell

Senior Theses

This thesis assesses the impacts of geopolitical competition between the United States and China, focusing on the South Pacific as a primary theatre for this great power contest, and investigating the uses of foreign aid by regional powers to effect both the geopolitical alignment and domestic policies of the developing states of the South Pacific. This paper finds that foreign aid to these South Pacific States is geopolitically motivated, and induces greater attention from competing regional powers, furthering the ongoing competition. This paper first provides an overview of the evolving political situation in Kiribati, a Pacific Island Country which has …

From Trend To Trash: Unraveling The Waste Issue In Fast Fashion And Its Impact On Ghana, Rowan Kilbridge

Student Theses 2015-Present

Fast fashion, with its rapid production cycles and low-cost clothing, is significantly worsening the global waste crisis by driving overconsumption and excessive garment disposal. This thesis examines how fast fashion's business model contributes to the escalating problems of textile waste, microplastics, and chemical pollution, with a specific focus on Ghana. Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the industry's impact on Ghana’s ecosystem services, supported by both quantitative and qualitative data. Chapter 2 offers a historical analysis of fast fashion, highlighting the evolution of consumer culture and the increasing emphasis on overconsumption driven by marketing strategies and the constant demand …

Primates From Senèze, Eric Delson

Publications and Research

Senèze has yielded two primate fossils, neither from the recent field work. A partial ulna can be identified as cf. Macaca sylvanus. A nearly complete female skull is the holotype of Dolichopithecus arvernensis Depéret, 1928, now included in Paradolichopithecus. Emended and differential diagnoses are provided for this genus and species for the first time, and the Senèze skull is described and briefly compared to those of other species of the genus. Dental and cranial measurements are provided, along with comparative data. The macaque and Paradolichopithecus are moderately to highly terrestrial, respectively, and they suggest a woodland to more open …

Tiered Clinician Vaccine Communication Strategy To Improve Childhood Vaccine Uptake: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial., Douglas J. Opel, Jeffrey D. Robinson, Chuan Zhou, Kathryn Colborn, Heather Spielvogle, Anna Furniss, Christine Spina, Cathryn Perreira, Sean T. O'Leary

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

No experimental studies to date have tested the effectiveness of clinician communication strategies to improve vaccine uptake among children of parents with negative vaccine attitudes.

Jfl Insider: A Newsletter To Keep You In The Know, Liberty University

Jerry Falwell Library Newsletter

No abstract provided.