Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

On The Eco-Gender Gap, Haley Normandin

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The pressing focus on sustainability and the importance of climate action impels this project to examine whether and how gender and gender socialization shape perceptions of these issues. Drawing on survey data, from the 2016 American National Election Studies (ANES), I examine environmental awareness and activism, primarily through gender socialization.

Staying Connected: The Importance Of Social Integration On The Well-Being Of Older Adults, Paulin T. Straughan, Vincent Chua, Stephen Hoskins, Frosch Quek

ROSA Research Briefs

It has been about a year since COVID-19 first emerged and reshaped the daily lives of people around the globe, including Singaporeans. Since moving past the circuit breaker in June, Singapore has gradually re-opened and relaxed its restrictions in different phases. As Singapore prepares for Phase 3- the final and least restrictive phase, it is important to examine how Singaporeans have coped and responded with the circuit breaker (7 April 2020) and its gradual easing of restriction in Phase 1 (2nd June 2020) and Phase 2 (19 June 2020), and identify the groups which have fallen through the gaps in …

Age Is An Attitude, Not A Number: The Change In Perceptions Of College Students About Aging., Jennifer Nelson

Honors College Theses

“Ageism is an untrue assumption that chronological age should be the main determinant of human characteristics and that one age group is better than another” (Cavannaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2015, p. 31). Even though America is currently undergoing population aging, ageism is still experienced by 77% of adults (Novak, 2012). Although there has been an abundance of research on the outcomes of ageism (Burnes, et al., 2019; Kallio & Thomas, 2019, Scott, 2019) not as much attention has been given to intergenerational programs. The current study compared qualitative feedback to better understand students’ experiences in service learning with different populations of …

Leveraging Attitudes, Motivations, And Values From Farmers’ Market Managers In Florida: An Opportunity To Improve Nutritional Outcomes Through Extension, Cody Gusto, John M. Diaz, Laura A. Warner, Paul Monaghan

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Increasingly, farmers’ markets in the United States offer nutrition incentives to help limited-resource shoppers afford fresh fruits and vegetables and support local farmers. Despite increased attention to these efforts, there has been less focus on the market managers and staff members responsible for implementing and administering incentive programs. Using qualitative data collected from semi-structured phone interviews, we explore the attitudes, motivations, and values of farmers’ market managers in relation to their efforts to administer and promote a nutrition incentive program at their respective markets in Florida. Results demonstrate that program adopting managers: 1) express concern for inclusivity, social justice, and …

Language Matters: Examining The Language-Related Needs And Wants Of Writers In A First-Year University Writing Course, Grant Eckstein, Dana Ferris

Faculty Publications

All writing involves complex linguistic knowledge and thoughtful decision-making. But where do students acquire the linguistic tools needed to write effectively? Many students come from diverse backgrounds and may need additional support and/or instruction in language and grammar. In order to better understand this situation, we conducted a qualitative multiple-case study to examine the experiences of 12 students in a first-year university-level composition course to understand the extent of their diverse learning backgrounds and language needs and expectations. We synthesized information from surveys, interviews, and written texts into narratives about each student’s attitudes toward language and writing and also examined …

Relationships Between Professional Development And Attitudes, Knowledge, And Skills In Play Therapy Among Counselors, Cynthia Ann Anderson

Dissertations

Most counselors receive inadequate training in play therapy, through university counselor education programs, to counsel children using the method, which leaves novice counselors searching for workshops, institutes, conferences, or self-training to effectively meet the mental health needs of children with play therapy. In this first-of-its-kind study, the researcher investigated relationships between professional development and play therapy among working counselors and measured attitudes, knowledge and skills, and types of training in play therapy. A nonrandom sample of counselors were recruited from relevant online sources in this quantitative study. Attitudes, knowledge, and skills were measured by the self-reported Revised Play Therapy Attitude-Knowledge-Skills …

Optimism And Risk Of Incident Hypertension: A Target For Primordial Prevention, Laura D. Kubzansky, Julia K. Boehm, Andrew R. Allen, Loryana L. Vie, Tiffany E. Ho, Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald, Hayami K. Koga, Lawrence M. Scheier, Martin E. P. Seligman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Aims

Optimism is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk; however, few prospective studies have considered optimism in relation to hypertension risk specifically. We investigated whether optimism was associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension in U.S. service members, who are more likely to develop high blood pressure early in life. We also evaluated race/ethnicity, sex and age as potential effect modifiers of these associations.

Methods

Participants were 103 486 hypertension-free U.S. Army active-duty soldiers (mean age 28.96 years, 61.76% White, 20.04% Black, 11.01% Hispanic, 4.09% Asian, and 3.10% others). We assessed optimism, sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, health behaviours and …

The Development Of Attitudes Toward Scientific Models During A Participatory Modeling Process – The Impact Of Participation And Social Network Structure, Taylor Goelz, T. W. Hartley, Andrew M. Scheld, Inga Carboni

VIMS Articles

Scientific models are increasingly being used to support participatory natural resources management decision making processes. These models allow stakeholders and scientists to explore potential policy and management options and can help facilitate discussion surrounding concerning uncertainty and different sources of knowledge. The unique benefits of participatory modeling processes, however, are contingent upon stakeholders understanding of, engagement with, and willingness to use the scientific models as sources of knowledge and information. Little is known, however, about how stakeholders view scientific models within these processes. We examined changes in stakeholders’ attitudes toward scientific models over the course of OysterFutures, a 2-year, facilitated …

A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Abortion Attitudes And Perceptions Among Women Living In Alabama And South Carolina, Anthony Peluso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legal induced abortion is a safe option for terminating a pregnancy for women of reproductive age in the United States (U.S.), though access has varied since the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton cases in 1973. Information is lacking on women’s attitudes toward and perceptions of abortion as well as on related constructs such as pregnancy attitudes and contraceptive use. Exploring these constructs is important in that it can provide much needed context to women’s reproductive life planning. This research aimed to explore perceptions of abortion access and safety and examine the potential associations between attitudes toward abortion access …

Surveying Silicon Valley On Cycling, Travel Behavior, And Travel Attitudes, Kevin Fang

Mineta Transportation Institute Publications

This report presents the results from a March 2020 survey of Santa Clara County residents about their current travel behavior, overall thoughts on travel, and opinions about various forms of transportation in particular. While the instrument inquired about all modes of transportation, the survey was particularly focused on attitudes and behavior related to cycling. A total of 1,009 responses were included in the analysis. Overall, the study confirms that private motor vehicle travel dominates, with approximately 90 percent of respondents reporting that they drive in an average week and own cars. However, the results also show greater use of alternatives …

A Cross-Cultural Qualitative Study On Students’ Attitudes Towards Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Dara Tafazoli, María Elena Gómez Parra, Cristina A. Huertas-Abril

The Qualitative Report

This cross-cultural qualitative study investigated the attitudes and perceptions of language students towards computer-assisted language learning (CALL). We examined the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of CALL in language education according to Iranian and Spanish students’ perceptions and attitudes. In addition, we found out the differences between Iranian and Spanish language students’ perceptions and attitudes towards CALL. The participants were 237 language students, and the researchers applied an online 10 open-ended question instrument for data collection and a SWOT analysis for data analysis. The findings of the content analysis revealed that many language students in Iran and Spain approved that …

Attitudes, Behaviours, And The Well-Being Of Older Singaporeans In The Time Of Covid-19: Perspectives From The Singapore Life Panel, Paulin T. Straughan, William Tov, Seonghoon Kim, Terence Cheng, Stephen Hoskins, Micah Tan

ROSA Research Briefs

COVID-19 has affected all Singaporeans, regardless of age and socioeconomic status (SES). Many measures have been implemented by the government to control the spread of this disease, including restrictions on social gatherings, restrictions on overseas travel, and making it compulsory to wear a mask. Measures have also included a partial lockdown – known as the ‘circuit breaker’ – which began in April 2020. This forced Singaporeans to quickly adapt to a new normal with some doing better than others. This research brief provides an overview of how COVID-19 and its related measures have affected seniors in Singapore using data from …

The Attitudes Of The Students Toward The Entrepreneurial Teaching And Learning Methods That Have Been Recently Implemented In The College Of Administrative Science., دينا عبد الحميد القدسي

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education (مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية (للبحوث في التعليم العالي

This study aims at exploring College of Administrative Science students' attitudes toward the entrepreneurial learning and teaching methods that have been recently implemented. In addition, the study focused on opinions toward teaching methods, the tools and resources used in teaching, the community interaction activities, as well as the new grading system. It also aims at discovering the statistical relationship between the student attitudes and factors such as academic year, gender and specialization of the students. The study conducted at Palestine Polytechnic University. The researcher used a questionnaire to collect the data from the sample of 258 students. The results showed …

Self-Stigma And Help-Seeking In First Generation Students: The Moderating Role Of Empowerment, D'Andra P. Johnson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Self-stigma of help-seeking (SSOHS) is a significant barrier for individuals that perceive a need to rely on mental health services for personal and emotional difficulties. SSOHS refers to the internalization of negative messages regarding help-seeking. Although help-seeking is primarily viewed as an adaptive coping mechanism, many individuals from underrepresented groups view it as a failure and threat to their identity, decreasing the likelihood that members of these groups would rely on help-seeking. Furthermore, many individuals from underrepresented groups are pressured to value independence, which can decrease their reliance on support seeking and increase the likelihood of health and educational disparities …

"You Play Like A Girl": How Alternative Conceptualizations Of Sexism Impact Attitudes Toward Women In Professional Sports, Kate Wigod

Honors Theses

This thesis examines whether alternative conceptualizations of sexism impact attitudes towards women in professional sports. Specifically, this thesis focuses on the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT), who sued their governing body in 2018 on the bases of unequal treatment and pay. The choice to focus on this particular team is because these women generate more revenue and outperform the United States Men’s National Soccer Team; two factors that are normally used to justify why female athletes should not be paid equally. To measure sexist attitudes, a survey of 74 questions was administered through Lucid and served as the …

Belief In Redeemability And Punitive Public Opinion: “Once A Criminal, Always A Criminal” Revisited, Alexander L. Burton, Francis T. Cullen, Velmer S. Burton Jr., Amanda Graham, Leah C. Butler, Angela J. Thielo

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In 2009, Maruna and King presented results from a British survey showing that the public’s belief in the redeemability of people who committed offenses curbed their level of punitiveness. Based on a 2017 national survey in the United States (n = 1,000), the current study confirms that redeemability is negatively related to punitive attitudes. In addition, the analyses reveal that this belief predicts support for rehabilitation and specific inclusionary policies (i.e., ban-the-box in employment, expungement of criminal records, and voting rights for people with a felony conviction). Findings regarding measures for punishment and rehabilitation were confirmed by a 2019 …

Insight Into Student Perceptions Of Lgbtqia+ Content Inclusion In Bsn Education, Kenny Sullivan, Jae Basiliere

Honors Projects

Previous research has indicated that LGBTQIA+ clients continue to receive discriminatory care from healthcare professionals. Undergraduate nursing students (n = 24) completed a survey inquiring about their perceptions of knowledge of this vulnerable population, their preparedness to provide care, and the education they received from their BSN program. Twenty-two students’ responses, 91.67%, indicate a need for further education on the provision of care to LGBTQIA+ patients. These students demonstrated discrepancies in their perceptions and the application of their knowledge. As such, nursing programs should begin to consider providing more thorough education on this vulnerable population to prepare student nurses with …

Mental Health Counseling For Individuals With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities: Attitudes And Experiences Of Licensed Counselors, Alysha Dawn Blagg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The following study examined the attitudes and beliefs of licensed mental health counselors toward individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) and those providing services to the population. This study examined if professional and/or personal contact with individuals with IDD impacts counselors’ attitudes. A quantitative research design was utilized to examine the relationships among counselors’ attitudes toward individuals with IDD, contact with the population, perception of treatment effectiveness, and confidence in working with individuals with IDD. The responses from 74 participants were used in data analysis for this study. Findings in this study suggested that counselors may hold neutral to low positive …

A Call For Grounding Implicit Bias Training In Clinical And Translational Frameworks, Nao Hagiwara, Frederick W. Kron, Mark W. Scerbo, Ginger S. Watson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Since the publication of Unequal Treatment in 2003,¹ the number of studies investigating the implicit bias of health-care providers and its troubling consequences has increased exponentially. Bias can occur in all three psychological components: affects (ie, prejudice), cognition (ie, stereotypes), and behaviour (ie, discrimination). Implicit bias refers to prejudicial attitudes towards and stereotypical beliefs about a particular social group or members therein. These prejudicial attitudes and stereotypical beliefs are activated spontaneously and effortlessly, which often result in discriminatory behaviours.² This definition is consistent with how implicit bias is defined in psychology³ and in literature on health disparities. …

Sociolinguistics And Insider/Outsider Status In Hawai'i, Elissa M. Uithol

Linguistics Senior Research Projects

Prior to the rise of tourism in Hawai’i, the Hawaiian economy was largely driven by plantations. As labor was imported to work these plantations, a rich, multiethnic culture developed on the islands, producing a similarly diverse linguistic situation. What began as a pidgin blend of several languages for the purpose of communication between workers and supervisors has since developed into a language unique to the islands: Hawaiian Creole English (HCE). Social status in Hawai’i has long been influenced by a person’s manner of speech, as evidenced by elite Standard English (SE) schools founded to educate children of those in the …

How Moral Foundations And Traditional Sex Ideologies Influence Attitudes On Bystander Intervention Among College Students, Bailey Lytle, Kyle Bizal, Haley Hansmeier, Taylor Brumbaugh, Joshua Magee, Julia Sullivan, Shaina Kumar, Sarah Gervais, David Dilillo

UCARE Research Products

Many researchers highlight the need for bystander prevention programs on college campuses to mitigate the risk of sexual assault among college students (Caver, 2013).

However, Hoxmeier, O’Connor, and McMahon (2020) found that college students often hold different attitudes towards bystander intervention based on adherence to traditional gender roles.

Other researchers have found that those who do intervene tend to be higher in moral values such as altruism and social responsibility (Moisuc, Brauer, Fonseca, Chaurand, & Greitemeyer, 2018).

To date, there is little known about the specific link between traditional sex roles and moral values as they relate to bystander attitudes, …

Individual Attitudes And Perceived Efficacy Toward Bystander Intervention Among Childhood Trauma Survivors, Haley Hansmeier, Taylor Brumbaugh, Bailey Lytle, Kyle Bizal, Adisson Ams, Daniel Stephens, Shaina Kumar, Sarah Gervais, David Dilillo

UCARE Research Products

◉ Childhood abuse and neglect are related to a number of negative outcomes in adulthood, including increased risk for mental health disorders and additional traumatic experiences, poor self-efficacy, and difficulties with interpersonal relationships (Brietzke et al., 2012; Dube et al., 2003; Sachs-Ericsson, Medley, Kendall-Tackett, & Taylor, 2011).

◉ Women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse in particular are at greater risk for lower levels of self-efficacy in adulthood (Diehl & Prout, 2002).

◉ Because sexual abuse survivors experience low self-efficacy, they might feel less confident with regard to engaging in bystander intervention, even though they want to prevent another victim …

Hypergender Ideology And Social Norms Influence Attitudes Towards Bystander Intervention, Taylor Brumbaugh, Haley Hansmeier, Kyle Bizal, Bailey Lytle, Anna Bartholet, Mia Lambertsen, Shaina Kumar, David Dilillo, Sarah Gervais

UCARE Research Products

• Bystander intervention can help prevent future cases of sexual assault that might otherwise go unreported without help to the victim and without justice against the perpetrator.

• However, according to Burn (2009) and Planty (2002), a bystander witnesses a third of all sexual assaults yet only intervenes a third of the time.

• Little is known about factors that may ultimately influence attitudes toward bystander intervention, but emerging evidence indicates that hypergender ideology and strong adherence to social norms may lead to a lesser likelihood of bystander intervention.

• For example, hypermasculinity has been linked to approval of sexual …

Lgbtq Training For Aquatic Employees: Impact On Attitudes And Professional Competencies, Austin R. Anderson, Eric Knee, William D. Ramos

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study examined the impact of a LGBTQ diversity training on the attitudes and professional competencies of aquatic employees within a campus recreational sports setting. While diversity training is often discussed as a key component of inclusive aquatic programming, little empirical research examining the outcomes associated with such trainings exists. As such, members of the research team developed, implemented, and evaluated a four-month long training program consisting of one in-person training session and monthly inclusion handouts discussing issues related to the inclusion of LGBTQ participants. A comparative quantitative research design was used to measure employee’s attitudes towards the LGBTQ population …

Social Work Students' Attitudes Towards Using Yoga, Alexis Freed

Honors Theses

Current social work students are in the position of becoming future professionals who will be providing treatment and referrals to clients. It is crucial that social workers are aware of effective treatments and utilize evidence-based practices. The present study aimed to assess opinions and knowledge of social work students towards using yoga in general and as a therapeutic intervention, which is known as trauma sensitive yoga (TSY). An anonymous survey was created in order to determine this. Participants in this study were male and female students at Western Michigan University within the College of Health and Human Services who were …

Exploring Perceptions Of Anti-Racism Interventions And Possible Correlates, Marena L. Mcleod

Selected Honors Theses

Although there is a large body of research on anti-racism interventions, little research has been done on participant perceptions of anti-racism interventions or the relationship between certain perceptions and other factors. This study addresses perceptions of anti-racism interventions among college students and how perceptions relate to willingness to attend interventions, aspects of religiousness, identification with all of humanity, and factors such as gender and race. The sample includes 69 undergraduate students, all of whom self-identified as Christian. Results indicate that perceptions were generally positive. It was found that reported importance of interventions, agreement with reasons for positive attitudes, and willingness …

The Montana Expression 2020: Residents’ Attitudes Towards Tourism, Glenna Hartman, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

The main purpose of this study was to assess Montanans’ attitudes towards tourism in the state, analyze the 27-year trend line in tourism attitudes, and highlight responses by residents in Montana counties. Residents responded to questions about quality of life in relation to tourism, how they perceive crowding in the state and their community, and the degree to which they feel tourism in their community benefits them economically. Results show an overall positive attitude toward tourism by Montana residents. Five different counties, however, had 50% or more of their residents indicate that their community is becoming overcrowded due to tourism.

Physical Education Teachers' Attitudes Towards Teaching Zumba To Children With Disabilities, Evelina C. Brandon

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of physical education teachers toward teaching Zumba to children with disabilities during physical education classes. Sixty-two physical education (PE) teachers (Mean Age = 42.13, 15 males, 47 females) participated in this cross-sectional survey design study. The survey data was analyzed using Pearson correlation methods, independent t tests, and the Cronbach’s coefficient technique to measure correlation, variance between participants, and the reliability and validity of the survey. Findings indicated that physical education teachers believed that teaching students Zumba in PE class would be beneficial and effective for students with disabilities. This …

Attitudes And Beliefs Of Christian Denominations Toward Mental Health, Javier Velez

Dissertations

This empirical study assessed common attitudes and beliefs toward mental health services in the varying denominations of Christian churches. Specifically, the objective of this study was to identify the effects of Christian denomination on attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment and to identify whether there are racial and age differences that also impact those attitudes within the church. The study sought to answer the following questions: (a) What is the difference in attitudes and beliefs between different races toward mental health services in the church among Christians? (b) Is there an age difference in attitudes and beliefs toward mental health …

College Student Perceptions Of Adhd: Links Between Prior Knowledge And Stigma, Caterina Langlois

Senior Honors Theses

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by persistent inattention, which might or might not accompany hyperactivity and impulsivity, that noticeably interferes with functioning and development in at least two settings. It is a commonly diagnosed childhood mental health disorder. Public knowledge and attitudes towards ADHD are an important consideration for those who are going to potentially be working with that population. Research has shown older children and parents may attribute ADHD behavior to poor social skills or immaturity. Teachers often report feeling unprepared to have a student with ADHD and would like more training. Some research has shown the …