Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Inter-Generational Family Reconstitution With Enriched Ontologies, Deryle W. Lonsdale, David W. Embley, Stephen W. Liddle, Scott N. Woodfield

Faculty Publications

Enriching ontologies can measurably enhance research in digital humanities. Support for this claim is shown by using an enriched ontology to attack a well known and challenging problem: record linkage of historical records for inter-generational family reconstitution. An enriched ontology enables extraction of birth, death, and marriage records via linguistic grounding, curation of record-comprising information with pragmatic constraints and cultural normatives, and record linkage by evidential reasoning. The result is a fully automatic reconstruction of family trees. Using three historical record books containing a total of 29,229 extracted records, the enriched ontology links records with high accuracy: F-scores in the …

Housing Market Pressures In Youngstown During The Gm Plant Closure (2016 To 2019), Iryna Demko, Molly Schnoke, Rachel Lefebre, Isabella Mcknight, Merissa Piazza

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This brief seeks to investigate the changes in the regional housing markets for renters and homeowners in the Youngstown region due to the General Motors Lordstown Assembly closure. Housing is an important part of the regional infrastructure that can attract new people in times when the Youngstown region tries to develop high-tech industries and reinvent its economy. The quality of housing stock determines the amount of property taxes, which help fund local schools as well as city services. In 2019, both median household income and median home values declined in the Youngstown region. The demand for rental properties increased as …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: Entrepreneurship Policy, Iryna V. Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Molly Schnoke, Shneur Kushner

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recent report conducted by the Center for Economic Development discussed the structural and policy factors of economic growth in mid-sized U.S. economies and included an analysis of similar regions. The Center used factor analysis as a data-reduction technique and identified five factors influencing mid-sized regional economies: 1) Innovation and Talent, 2) Entrepreneurship in High-Cost Areas, 3) New Residential Centers, 4) Retirement Destinations, and 5) Polarization. An analysis determined the relationship between these factors and the changes in regional employment, gross regional product (output), and per capita income. This brief outlines the initial analysis primary takeaways as it relates to …

Aidez Moi: Cleaning Up Non_English Language Cataloging, Sarah H. Theimer

Faculty Publications

From a Presentation given at ELUNA Learns, September 8, 2021. This presentation discusses the importance of using quality data in describing non_English Language material, as often errors negatively impact searching and public displays. By correcting the language codes, add 800 paired MARC fields, and correcting Diacritics the library can improve the quality of these records.

The Basic Rules Of Doing A Good Search And Search Tips - Revised, Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

This is a handout that is used as a reference for those who are learning to more effectively search databases for assignments and evidence-based practice projects. The revised handout contains information related to the databases that may be searched as well as about Google Scholar.

Please contact the author for a version that can be reused and rebranded.

The Evidence Based Practice Question Development & Search Tips Checklist (Revised), Roy E. Brown

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

The Evidence Based Practice Question Development and Search Tips Checklist is a tool that is used in instructional sessions with nurses in reference to evidence-based practice and literature searching. It is intended as a reference handout. The revised handout contains information related to the databases that may be searched as well as about Google Scholar.

It is under a creative commons license. If you would like a version that can be rebranded for your organization to use, please contact the author for an editable version.

A Serious Game For Social Engineering Awareness Creation, Fabian Muhly, Philipp Leo, Stefano Caneppele

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Social engineering is a method used by offenders to deceive their targets utilizing rationales of human psychology. Offenders aim to exploit information and use them for intelligence purposes or financial gains. Generating resilience against these malicious methods is still challenging. Literature shows that serious gaming learning approaches are used more frequently to instill lasting retention effects. Serious games are interactive, experiential learning approaches that impart knowledge about rationales and concepts in a way that fosters retention. In three samples and totally 97 participants the study at hand evaluated a social engineering serious game for participants’ involvement and instruction compliance during …

Examining Social Vulnerability And The Association With Covid-19 Incidence In Harris County, Texas, Guillermo A Tortolero, Marcia De Oliveira Otto, Ryan Ramphul, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Alison Rector, Michael Brown, Melissa F Peskin, Dania Mofleh, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Studies have investigated the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. However, few studies have examined small geographic units such as census tracts, examined geographic regions with large numbers of Hispanic and Black populations, controlled for testing rates, and incorporated stay-at-home measures into their analyses. Understanding the relationship between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence is critical to understanding the interplay between social determinants and implementing risk mitigation guidelines to curtail the spread of infectious diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and SARS-CoV-2 incidence while controlling for testing rates and …

Gender Differences In Fear And Risk Perception During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Abdelaziz Alsharawy, Ross Spoon, Alec Smith, Sheryl Ball

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has led many people to suffer from emotional distress. Previous studies suggest that women process and express affective experiences, such as fear, with a greater intensity compared to men. We administered an online survey to a sample of participants in the United States that measures fear of COVID-19, perceptions about health and financial risks, and preventative measures taken. Despite the empirical fact that men are more likely to experience adverse health consequences from COVID-19, women report greater fear and more negative expectations about health-related consequences of COVID-19 than men. However, women are more optimistic than men regarding …

Online Learning Librarianship In A Fully Online World: Findings (And Advice) From A National Study During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber Willenborg, Tessa Withorn

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Listening To Their Voices: A Narrative On Campus Climate For Trans* Students, Cloe Bourdages

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that campus climate has on trans* student academic and personal success. This qualitative study was explored through individual interviews by four participants. Participants discussed practices which enabled and inhibited their success; which lead to the finding of four themes: identity and validation, academic climate, climate outside of the classroom, and resources and services. Overall, a positive correlation in trans* student success was found when institutions use inclusive practices within their work. Lastly, the study provided implications for higher education recommended by both the participants and the researcher.

Debt, Death, And Deregulation: Neoliberalism, Human Rights, And American-Argentine Relations, 1976-1983, Billy Davis

Masters Theses

Between 1976 and 1983, Argentina was governed by a military government that oversaw both a brutal campaign against communism and a process of neoliberalization. During this period, the United States provided substantial economic support to Argentina through its approval of loans that enabled Argentina’s economic transformation. Early on, the United States was largely apathetic and complacent in regard to Argentina’s Dirty War. During the administration of Jimmy Carter, the United States attempted to confront the Argentine military government about its human rights abuses. However, a substantial contingent within the Carter administration pushed back against this initiative and worked to protect …

Five In 20: An Exploratory Study To Develop And Pilot An Observation Tool Used To Assess The Five Features Critical To Effective Classroom Management, Alexandria Cardot

Masters Theses

The present study aimed to develop and pilot a standardized classroom observation tool intended to assess teachers’ current use of the five features critical to effective classroom management. Thirty-nine observers who regularly conducted classroom observations (e.g., school psychologists) were recruited to complete 39, 20-min observations in kindergarten through twelfth grade classrooms. Due to COVID-19, observers could either complete a live observation or think of a previously completed observation. Of the 39 observations, 13 were live and 26 were recalled. To complete the observation, observers indicated whether the teacher was observed to use each of the 21 evidence-based strategies and if …

Teacher Perceptions And Use Of Evidence-Based Discipline Practices, Taylor Robinson

Masters Theses

School discipline has been linked to significant positive and negative outcomes for both students and teachers. The current study examined the predictive power of Illinois, public school teacher variables on the use of specific discipline strategies in the classroom. One hundred eleven teachers completed a survey with vignette developed by the primary researcher which was used to assess teachers’ confidence in implementing discipline strategies, perceived effectiveness of discipline strategies, and perceptions of peer use and peer beliefs about discipline strategies. The study used descriptive statistics to identify patterns of reporting and multiple linear regressions to determine the predictive power of …

Field Management Research In Vietnam: Lessons For Navigating Social, Cultural, And Data Challenges, Phuong Anh Nguyen

School of Economics and Business Administration Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Cyberbullying: A Resource For Parents Of Elementary School-Aged Children, Lauren Broussard

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the digital revolution, and, in particular, the widespread use of devices with internet access, has enabled a new form of bullying to emerge. The typical age at which youth begin using internet-enabled technology and social media continues to trend downward. Consequently, elementary school-aged children are increasingly subjected to cyberbullying. Therefore, this clinical resource is a text-based pamphlet for parents with elementary-aged children that will serve as an educational tool regarding cyberbullying prevention strategies. The development of the pamphlet included an initial literature review of the literature, gathered through searches from online academic databases, including Psychinfo, PsychArticles, and …

Bullying Prevention And Social Justice: Recommendations For Teachers, Anna Grigorian-Routon

Theses and Dissertations

Though bullying was once considered a "rite of passage," in recent years experts have begun to re-conceptualize bullying as an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim and to recognize the deleterious mental health outcomes that are often the result of having experienced or having participated in bullying. This phenomenon is also coming to be viewed more broadly as a human rights violation as it creates and perpetuates barriers for specific student populations to equal access to education. Historically, teachers have been among the most outspoken advocates of social justice issues and are on the front lines of …

Identifying Characteristics That Lead To Better Academic Performance For International Students In U.S. Colleges, Hadi Rajabbeigi

Theses and Dissertations

A large proportion of students in the United States is international students. Thus, educational leaders need to facilitate the learning process for this population. This study investigated the characteristics of international students that affect their academic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine how individual characteristics of international students affect the learning strategies they choose and how it affects their academic performance. For this purpose, the survey was designed according to the literature, which measures characteristic variables based on VIA character strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004), learning strategies (MSLQ) developed by Pintrich et al. (1991), and academic performance …

Development Of A Resource Manual For Working With Latino Parolees, Abner Flores

Theses and Dissertations

The standard psychological treatment available for Latino men who are newly released from prison has remained unchanged for over thirty years and focuses on decreasing recidivism through cognitive-behavioral interventions by managing and decreasing law-breaking behaviors. However, clinical experience with inmates suggests that personal experiences, cultural values, and intergenerational trauma along with the long-term impact of poverty, gang ties, and repeated incarceration will all influence post-release behavior. Understanding these areas could help draw out protective factors and innate resiliency, therefore informing treatment and helping newly released inmates from becoming repeat offenders. In this dissertation, I developed a resource manual for service …

The Rurality Of Education: Best Practices To Improve The Quality And Accessibility Of Basic Education Service Delivery In The Rural Area Of Oke Ogun, Oyo State In Nigeria, Alice Jokodola

Theses and Dissertations

Nigeria’s educational system is riddled with issues and challenges, leading it to have the highest number of out-of-school children in the world. Not only have these issues and challenges led to a high number of out-of-school children, but it has also led to an increase in national poverty and illiteracy rates. Research points to the fact that these challenges result from a lack of quality and accessible basic education in Nigeria. It also indicates that rural areas are often the most vulnerable and affected when it comes to receiving quality and accessible education. This study focused on the rural area …

Authentic Leadership In Crisis Scenarios: A Phenomenological Examination Of The Lived Experience Of Corporate Leaders During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Natasha Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The coronavirus pandemic unleashed a host of challenges worldwide including political instability, financial turmoil, and public health concerns in 2020. As a result, new constraints including remote work environments, shifting consumer demands, and supply chain disruptions created a complex landscape for businesses. Leaders within companies have been confronted with crisis scenarios. The purpose of the study was to understand the role of authentic leadership in helping corporate leaders navigate the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The central research question was: To what extent, if any, does authentic leadership enable leaders to navigate crises effectively? The research is focused on the intersection of …

Can The Circular Economy Concretize Sustainability? A Construal Level Approach To Encourage Sustainable Consumption., Jolie Gutentag

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a growing awareness and understanding of the impact our lifestyles have on the environment, most people have not adequately changed their consumption patterns. One possibility for the disconnect is the perceived abstractness of sustainability. Drawing on construal level theory, this research proposes that framing environmental sustainability as circularity, using the principles of the circular economy, reduces the perceived abstractness of sustainability. Four studies investigate the effects of circular framing on sustainable consumption behavior, including the moderating role of consumers’ chronic level of construal, an innate mindset reflecting a tendency to view information more concretely or abstractly. Findings provide initial …

Best Practices For Encouraging Instructor/Student Communication And Partnerships In Online Learning, Amanda W. Joyce, Jennifer Morrison, Tanya Romero-González, Martin Kane

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

When students and instructors communicate well, students’ GPAs, GRE scores, educational engagement, personal development, and satisfaction with their learning experience all improve. Similarly, when instructors are transparent in their course decisions and involve students as partners in their education, student retention, academic sense of belonging, student-instructor interactions, and networking opportunities all improve. However, face-to-face techniques for student/instructor communication, like informal before-class conversations or in-class question-and-answer sessions about assignments, can be challenging to implement in an online environment. The purpose of this piece is to discuss evidence-based strategies for improving transparency and communication in an online learning environment.

A Function-Based Intervention For College Student Tech Use In Class, Steffen Wilson, Brianna Williamson

Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings

The purpose of the intervention described in this paper is to provide guidance and support to help college students develop a personal tech-management strategy, so that they can reap the benefits and minimize the pitfalls of their personal technology use in class. Results presented suggested that this intervention can help students begin to develop a self-management strategy for their off-task tech use.

Detachment And Antagonism As Moderators Of Effects Of Psychosocial Stressors On Emotional Distress In Daily Life, Christina My Quach

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Psychological distress encompasses transdiagnostic symptoms of anxiety, depression, and anger, which all feature of emotional dysregulation and are often associated with interpersonal stressors. To understand these forms of distress as they occur in daily life, examination of both personality vulnerabilities and social situational context is needed. Interpersonal circumplex research and theory suggests human needs for agency and communion, and therefore others’ cold-dominant behavior is highly aversive and likely to cause psychosocial distress, but degree and type of distress (e.g., anxiety versus anger) may depend upon personality. Detachment and antagonism are the most interpersonal of the pathological personality traits (Southard et …

Mortalidad Por Diabetes En Guatemala 2018: Patrones E Inequidades, Alejandro Cerón, Gila Goldstein

Anthropology: Faculty Scholarship

El presente estudio busca analizar la mortalidad por diabetes en Guatemala con el propósito de identificar posibles criterios epidemiológicos que orienten la priorización de acciones de salud pública. El riesgo de morir de diabetes en Guatemala muestra marcadas desigualdades por departamento, las que son aún más marcadas al comparar por municipio. El riesgo de morir es también más alto en mujeres, en personas mestizas o ladinas, en niveles educativos bajos, y en personas que se dedican a ocupaciones elementales. Deberían implementarse medidas de salud pública orientadas a los municipios y grupos en mayor riesgo de morir de diabetes. Este estudio …

Folie À Deux In The 21st Century: Qanon And The American Dream Delusion, Gordon A. Crews, Christina S. Bentch, Garrison A. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The purpose of this chapter is to use the concept of folie à deux (or shared delusion disorder) to examine the phenomena of “Q” and the “QAnon” movement in the 21st century. The insurrection which occurred on January 6, 2021 during the attack on the United States’ capitol, drew the authors’ attention to try to understand the reason for this mass violence and to determine what individuals, motivations, and beliefs brought this violence to life. The allegory of Plato’s Cave is used by the authors to offer the reader a context to place the current increasingly bizarre claims and conspiracies …

The Social Dimensions Of A Technological Innovation: Agrivoltaics In The U.S., Alexis S. Pascaris

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis lays the groundwork for the broader realization of agrivoltaics by identifying the socio-political opportunities and barriers to development. Combining theoretical frameworks on technology diffusion and social acceptance of renewable energy with expert perspectives, this work seeks to understand, address, and accommodate the role of society and policy in combining solar energy and food systems. Three empirical studies are presented that first investigate the impediments to farmer adoption of the technology, then explore the challenges to development from the perspective of solar industry professionals, and conclude by outlining a comprehensive legal framework for agrivoltaics in the U.S. The findings …

Effect Of Short-Storage Hrgcs On Driver Decision Behavior And Safety Concerns: Real-World Analysis And Experimental Evidence, Anne Linja

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Vehicle-train collisions at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) continue to be a safety concern, and despite improvements in warnings, many of these incidents are attributed to human error. In some cases, distractions other than railroad traffic, such as HRGCs with limited space between the railroad tracks and the highway intersection, may create additional cognitive burdens for drivers. We investigated the effect of HRGC type (short-storage vs. non-short storage) on driver attention and decision-making in two studies. In Study 1, we systematically analyzed 996 incidents from 2017-2019 from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Safety database. Driver decision making and outcomes were different depending …

Natural Resource Curse, Economic Freedom, Economic Growth And Development: Case Of Africa, Oluwatomisin Shalom Akinbo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Over the years, there has been discord or lack of agreement on the effect that natural resources have on economic growth and development. This study adopts output approach to investigate the effect that natural resources and institutions (Economic Freedom) have on economic growth for the period of 1960 to 2020 using World Bank data. The analysis employs Multiple Regression Analysis based on augmented Ordinary Least Squares Regression methods. The results are mixed, as the outcome indicates that, while natural resources are positively related to economic growth, there exists a crowding out effect between natural resources and two sectors of the …