Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Advertising And Public Relations In A New Aige: Exploring Implications Between Advertising & Public Relations And Generative Artificial Intelligence, Hayden Tucker

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a new tool that is changing the landscape of several industries across the board, forcing practitioners to adapt and navigate a new terrain with this new addition. One industry that is particularly affected by the introduction of AI is the Advertising and Public Relations (ADPR) industry. Under the umbrella of strategic media, the ADPR industry focuses on building relationships with publics through connection, trust, and creativity in hopes of persuading publics to feel one way or another. This thesis focuses on exploring the new relationship between AI and ADPR and understanding the effects that AI …

Investigating Household Non-Farm Enterprises In Nigeria: What Influences Their Survival And Function In The Face Of Droughts?, Anna Xochitl Settels Palacios

Economics Honors Projects

This paper examines whether household non-farm enterprises (NFEs) in Nigeria function as coping mechanisms during drought shocks. Using monthly panel data, climatic water balance measures, and survival, linear probability, and staggered difference-indifferences models, I find that drought exposure is associated with increased persistence in NFE activity, reflected in lower hazards of enterprise closure and reduced monthly exit probabilities. These findings suggest that NFEs may be used as a tool by agricultural households to cope with agricultural shocks by reallocating labor, smoothing income, and maintaining economic activity.

Information Aggregation In Decision Markets Under A Modified Hanson Market Maker, Leo Vershel

Behavioral and Computational Economics (MS) Theses

In this paper, we report the results of experiments where subjects participate in a prediction market utilizing the Hanson automated market maker. The key distinction of our environment when compared with previous studies in the prediction market space is in the introduction of a conditional market that allows subjects to make conscious decisions to infuence market outcomes, and thus it investigates the quality of the decisions made by the subjects as opposed to the accuracy of the market prices. Utilizing dispersed “not-state” information, we evaluate whether subjects can accurately infer true states and maximize organizational welfare. Our initial baseline results …

Himmelfarb Headlines - May/June 2026, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Headlines (2009 - present)

News, information, and resources relating to the Himmelfarb Library that is of interest to patrons.

The Impact Of Social Media Algorithms On Information Consumption, Emily Scott

Communications and Digital Media Theses

This research examines the profound impact of social media algorithms on information consumption in an era defined by rapid digital transformation. Social media platforms, powered by sophisticated algorithms, personalize user experiences to maximize engagement. These algorithms raise concerns about the formation of filter bubbles and echo chambers, limiting exposure to diverse perspectives, and reinforcing existing beliefs. This study investigates how algorithms prioritize content, the effects on users, and the influence of AI in distorting news and information. It explores the ethical responsibilities of social media companies in mitigating the negative impacts of algorithmic curation and promoting a more balanced and …

الصمت المُصنّع والرأي المُوجَّه: دراسة تحليلية في آليات تشكيل الرأي العام الدولي تجاه الحرب على غزة (2023–2024) من خلال نظرية دوامة الصمت ونموذج المعتقدات الانتقائية, Ibrahim Akka, Mujahid Jihad Faraj, Doha Mazid, Yahya Mashaqi

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aims to provide a critical and in-depth analysis of Western media coverage of the Gaza War (2023–2024) through a comparative content analysis of three major international news channels: BBC, CNN, and Fox News, across three consecutive time phases. The research is grounded in a dual theoretical framework that combines Noelle-Neumann’s Spiral of Silence theory (1974) and the Selective Belief System (SBS) model (Lord et al., 1979), employing a mixed quantitative–qualitative methodology applied to a sample of 240 televised news items covering the period from October 2023 to May 2024.

The findings reveal a clear dominance of …

A Plague On Both Your Houses: Archetypes Of Political Choice, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

In times of political polarization, we are well-advised to heed Spinoza’s injunction, “Not to lament, not to curse, but to understand.” Understanding can be facilitated by ideas about the archetypal structures of political choice. This paper offers a systems theoretic analysis of a set of such archetypes focusing solely on their structures and not advocating any specific political positions. The primary question that must be answered is whether available or desirable political choices are dyadic or triadic, and if dyadic, whether the two alternatives of the dyad should be viewed as good versus bad or as complementary.  Various modes of …

Quality Control: A Process For Vendor Digitized Av Assets, Kathryn Reagan

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This poster delineates the process of quality control for vendor digitized audio-visual assets from congressional collections and examines the significance of this practice for archives more broadly. The steps outlined include selecting items from the collection inventory, preparing and reboxing for digitization, and rehousing the original materials when they come back from the vendor. The creation of a quality control checklist and evaluation of each item is examined more closely.     Likewise, the poster quantifies the scale of this project; Given the size of political collections, the items were sent to a vendor to be digitized as part of an NHPRC …

Hope Or Fear: The Communication Battle To Engage Southern College Students In The Issue Of Climate Change, Andie Forbes

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Climate change is a pressing issue that young people have been exposed to since childhood. Fear is the predominant emotional appeal used in climate change messaging, though this appeal has been shown to cause disengagement. To motivate young people to engage in climate change, this study seeks to understand how Southern college students respond to different emotional appeals in climate change messaging. The role politics and religion play are also analyzed in this study. Three focus groups were shown headlines and digital posters that utilized hope, fear, and influential figures in their messages. A moderator guide was used to prompt …

Pour & Ponder: A Gen Z Evaluation Of Hospitality And Communication In Wineries Of The Ozarks, Evan W. Seay

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Generation Z represents an emerging consumer group within the hospitality and tourism industry, yet winery experiences are often designed with more traditional audiences in mind. As younger consumers increasingly value authenticity, communication, and experience-driven hospitality, wineries must consider how their practices align with evolving expectations. This honors thesis explores winery hospitality and communication practices in the Ozarks through a Generation Z perspective using a creative, experience-based approach. The final product of this project was Pour & Ponder, a podcast created to document reflective discussions following visits to three wineries: Sassafras Springs Vineyard, St. James Winery, and Ozark Hills Winery. …

Exploring The Impact Of Poverty On Financial Literacy: The Role Of Parental Education In College Student Financial Behavior, Zoe Williams

Honors Theses

Many college students experience financial stress, yet financial hardship is often explained as a simple lack of financial knowledge. Recent research suggests that how students are socialized around money may matter just as much as what they know. In this study, I examined whether parental education, specifically first-generation college status, changes the relationship between household income and financial health among undergraduate students at a regional public university in the southeastern United States. Participants included 204 undergraduates recruited through the university research pool. Students reported household income (categorized as < $50,000 or >$50,000), first-generation status, and financial behaviors. Financial literacy was measured using an …

Not Just Monetary: Arts And Humanities Scholars’ Perspectives On The Costs Of Open Access Publishing, Lindsey Skaggs, Rachel Scott, Colby Cilento

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Bibliometric and survey-based studies have documented different open access (OA) publishing practices among scholars across academic disciplines. This article reports on interviews conducted with arts and humanities scholars from the United States and explores how OA intersects with their research and publication practices. Beyond the considerable financial costs of OA publishing, findings demonstrate that arts and humanities scholars contend with opportunity, reputational, equity, and time costs as they consider and engage with OA publishing. The authors discuss the implications of these costs for librarians who facilitate the dissemination, discovery, and preservation of arts and humanities scholarship.

The Trade-Off Between The Fear Of Judgment (Stigma) And The Intention To Engage With Ai-Driven Hiv/Aids Information: Evidence From Bangladesh And Nigeria, Abdullah Mohaimen

Masters Theses

This study explores the relationship between Fear of Judgment (FOJ), understood as perceived stigma, and Intention to Engage (EI) with an AI-driven chatbot providing HIV/AIDS information. Stigma often discourages individuals from seeking information or discussing sensitive health issues, creating barriers to prevention and education. AI chatbots offer a potential solution by enabling anonymous, accessible, and non-judgmental interactions. This study examines whether FOJ reduces users’ willingness to engage with such technology and whether cultural context shapes this relationship. Data were collected from young adults in Bangladesh and Nigeria (N = 56) through an anonymous online survey using a simulated chatbot, Lifeline. …

Distribution Mapping And Modeling Of The Invasive Japanese Knotweed, Jossalyn Rogalski

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the distribution of invasive Japanese knotweed across Michigan. This plant poses significant challenges to land management due to its rapid growth, environmental impacts, and difficulty of removal once established. Using geographic information systems (GIS), remotely sensed data, and secondary environmental datasets, this research maps current infestations and analyzes key factors influencing the species’ growth and dispersal, such as soil composition, hydrology, land use, and a range of environmental variables, including climatic (annual mean temperature, temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality), elevation, vegetation and hydrological indices (NDVI, EVI, NDWI), percent tree cover, and distance to roads. Spatial analysis …

Does The Party Label Matter? Partisanship, Election Timing, And Ballot Drop-Off In Municipal Elections, Joelle Francis Whitaker

Masters Theses

This project examines if party labels drive participation in municipal elections. Progressive Era reforms removed partisan labels in attempts to weaken party machines and simplify local governance. Many cities continue to implement these reforms today. However, existing research suggests that party labels provide important informational and mobilizing cues that should increase turnout, especially in low-information elections. Using a comparison of four Michigan municipalities, this paper evaluates how partisan and nonpartisan systems shape local election turnout. The results show that the relationship is more complicated than expected. While party labels will still matter for how voters make decisions, election timing emerges …

Chicago Southland Work-Based Learning Report, Alexia Santiago

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

In 2025, Education Systems Center (EdSystems) at Northern Illinois University partnered with Prairie State College, South Suburban College, and local school districts to build a strong and comprehensive system of work-based learning opportunities. This report shares information collected on existing opportunities and identifies opportunities to scale work-based learning across the region.

Deaf Inclusion In Community Engagement: Anderson County In Perspective, Franklin Chukwuemeka Izundu

All Theses

This terminal project examines communicative accessibility in public engagement meetings for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) residents, using Anderson County, South Carolina, as the primary case study. Public participation is a central principle of planning, yet participation cannot be considered meaningful when some residents are unable to fully access information, follow discussion, or contribute on equal terms. This study investigates the extent to which Anderson County’s planning-related public meetings accommodate DHH participants and identifies strategies that can improve inclusive engagement.

The study employs a qualitative case study design based primarily on non-participant observation. Public meetings in Anderson County were …

Between Home And Hallway: Does School Discipline And Parental Incarceration Moderate Academic Outcomes Among Justice Involved Youth?, Morgan M. Hamer

All Theses

This study examines the relationship between parental justice contact, school disciplinary action, and academic performance of juvenile justice involved youth. Prior research has found youth with parents with justice system contact and juvenile justice involved youth to be vulnerable populations. Specifically, this study examines how a youthful offender with at least one parent with justice system contact performs academically, and if this relationship is moderated by school disciplinary action. Using quantitative data from the baseline wave of the Pathways to Desistance Study (Mulvey et. al, 2004), an ordered logistic regression analysis was employed to assess whether parental justice contact predicts …

Communicating Sustainability: Exploring How Nongovernmental Organizations In Ghana Use Internal Communication For Philanthropic Development, Ama A. Assenso-Onyinah

All Theses

Internal communication is an important area in organizational structure. In the NGO sector, it can be used strategically to navigate resource constraints. The main objective of this study is to highlight the importance of internal communication and its role in navigating resource dependency in NGOs in Ghana. In recent times, NGOs in Ghana have been struggling as funding drops, especially after the stop order by the US government on USAID. Using qualitative data drawn from six participants who work with NGOs in Ghana, the study identified internal communication as a foundational structure to philanthropic partnerships. Through the lens of resource …

Rooted In Purpose: Understanding Volunteer Motivations And Preferences In University Forest Stewardship, Lydia N. Heisel

All Theses

In an era of growing reliance on community support in public lands, this study explores the relationship between volunteer motivations and preferences for engagement in university forest management. The research draws from survey data collected from visitors to the Clemson University Forest (CUF), a 17,500-acre educational and research forest in South Carolina, incorporating the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) to assess six motivational dimensions alongside preferences for volunteer program structures, activity types, communications, and sustained engagement intentions.

Using quantitative segmentation analysis, this study identified five distinct motivational profiles within the CUF visitor population through k-means cluster analysis of approximately 180 forest …

Beyond The Interface: Human Perceptions Of Generative-Ai Chatbots As Conversational Partners, Browning W.E. Blair

All Theses

Generative AI (gen-AI) chatbots are becoming embedded in everyday communicative life, yet it remains unclear whether users perceive these systems as socially reciprocative conversational partners. Therefore, this study examines how young adults understand and interact with gen-AI chatbots, focusing on perceptions of conversational partnership, anthropomorphism, politeness, discomfort, and technical understanding. Guided by the CASA framework, Media Equation Theory, and the uncanny valley hypothesis, this study employed four semi-structured, online focus groups with 15 undergraduate students and recent college graduates in the United States. Findings indicate that participants did not broadly perceive gen-AI chatbots as conversational partners in the interpersonal sense. …

The Invisible Toll: Black College Women And The Intersection Of Academic Stress, Rest Deficiency And Exhaustion At Clemson University, Jomya Ford

All Theses

Leisure has been an under-explored aspect of Black women’s lives in higher education, particularly within predominantly white institutions (PWIs), where limited culturally relevant opportunities and racialized isolation shape daily experiences. Constraints around rest, rooted in racism and gendered expectations, continue to influence how Black college women navigate academic pressure, deficiency narratives, and exhaustion. Guided by intersectionality, this qualitative study draws on semi‑structured interviews with Black undergraduate and graduate women at a PWI to explore how cultural upbringing, institutional climates, and internalized expectations shape their definitions and practices of rest. Findings show that while participants recognize rest as necessary, they rarely …

Understanding The Relationship Between Property Neglect And Subjective Well-Being: How Redevelopment Can Strengthen Community Identity In Anderson, South Carolina, Andrew Karriem

All Theses

Neglected and abandoned properties do more than just harm the physical appearance of urban cities. They contribute to the decline in emotional well-being among the residents that live near them.

Connection Through Crisis: A Thematic Analysis Of Dialogic Public Relations And Renewal In Social Media Posts From Nonprofit Organizations During Hurricane Helene, Cassidy L. Gruber

All Theses

During a crisis, nonprofit organizations must communicate quickly and ethically with their stakeholders to maintain a good relationship. Data was collected from nonprofit organizations’ Instagram and X accounts during a one-month period surrounding Hurricane Helene in 2024 to see how organizations were communicating with their stakeholders during a crisis. This study found that nonprofit organizations were implementing elements of dialogic communication and renewal into their social media messages. It was also found that national and global organizations were more vocal than local and regional organizations during the crisis. This research highlights the importance of communicating ethically with stakeholders during a …

Faculty And Academic Advisor Perspectives On Embedded Certifications Supporting Neurodivergent Learners, Katherine B. Watkins

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explores the experiences, strengths, and challenges of neurodivergent individuals within educational and social environments, with a focus on promoting inclusivity and understanding. Neurodivergence, encompassing conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive variations, is increasingly recognized not as a deficit but as a natural form of human diversity. The research examines how traditional systems often fail to accommodate diverse cognitive styles, leading to barriers in learning, communication, and self-expression. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines quantitative survey data with qualitative interviews to capture both broad trends and personal narratives. Participants reported that rigid structures, sensory overload, …

Multinational Investment Activity Under Policy Uncertainty In Host And Competing Countries, Daisoon Kim, Sunhyung Lee

Department of Economics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This paper examines how economic policy uncertainty (EPU) in host and competing countries reshapes U.S. multinationals’ greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI). Using firm–destination level data from 2003 to 2021, we show that while host-country EPU deters investment, EPU in competing destinations attracts it through a spillover effect. We document a structural shift around 2015: as global EPU rose unevenly, the spillover effect from competitors became the dominant driver of investment decisions, supplanting the direct effect of host-country policy instability. Our findings indicate that in an era of heightened global uncertainty and risk, FDI allocation is governed by relative, not just …

Notes For The Stalled, V18n08, May 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Rod Library newsletter: Notes for the Stalled

Contents:

--- Extended Hours
--- Duck Hunt
--- DeStress Days
--- Congratulations!
--- Upcoming Events

Improving Outreach To Residents Through Semi-Structured Interviews, Emmett Booth, Mlis, Ahip, Gary Kaplan, Mlis, Ahip, Abby Adamczyk, Mlis, Ahip, John Caruso, Md

Academic Commons and Scott Memorial Library Staff Papers and Presentations

Objectives

Our academic medical center has a large number of residents and fellows across programs based out of multiple hospitals, five of which receive direct support from the libraries. Two librarians supporting the scholarly activities of residents and fellows were hired by the university in the last six years. As these positions evolve, we seek to understand if outreach is working, whether support is effective, and whether scholarly support needs are changing. Building on survey results from last year,1 the team is conducting interviews with residents and program directors to better understand their perceptions of library support and services.

Examining Institutional And Personal Barriers To Women's Participation In The U.S. Foreign Service In Comparison To Scandinavian Countries, Isabella R. Thompson

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

What explains women’s underrepresentation in the United States Foreign Service? The United States Foreign Service Act of 1980 claims that the foreign service needs to be “truly representative of the American people throughout all levels.” Women also constitute the majority in such fields as political science and international relations, which often lead to a career in foreign service. If there are no legal obstacles to women’s entry into foreign service and women are the majority in the education systems that lead to a career in foreign service, then why are women not participating? Existing explanations focused on structural factors such …

Comparatively Exploring Journalism And Oral Histories As Modes Of Advocacy For Marginalized Communities, Miceala R. Morano

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, four oral history interviews produced at the Pryor Center and news stories produced by four local media outlets were comparatively analyzed using software program MAXQDA. Each was qualitatively coded for expressions of identity, community and advocacy. These three key themes were determined through bottom-up processing, meaning the overarching themes were selected after each interview was listened to twice.

The results of this process were then used to determine the key similarities and differences between oral history and journalism, and how both practices can be used to accurately capture the narratives of marginalized communities. These findings were combined …