Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Investigation Of Sex-Specific Effects Of Nucleus Accumbens Dopamine Receptor Signaling In Persistent Reward Seeking Under Punishment, Anna Caroline Toburen

Theses and Dissertations

Addiction involves persistent reward-seeking behavior despite adverse outcomes, with the nucleus accumbens (NAc) critically mediating motivation and cost-benefit decision-making. Dopamine (DA)-responsive neurons in the NAc, specifically D1 and D2 receptors within the NAc are crucial in encoding motivated behavior. However, the specific role of D1/D2 receptors in driving reward-seeking under punishment remains unclear. Preliminary findings suggest a sex-specific effect, with females exhibiting greater sensitivity to the suppressive effects of footshock on natural reward-seeking compared to males. We investigated the differential roles of NAc D1/D2 receptors in modulating reward-seeking behavior under punishment, with a focus on potential sex-specific effects. Using a …

Controlling The Curriculum: A Content Analysis Of Prageru's Children's Educational Material, Heather Katherine Costa

Dissertations and Theses

PragerU is a conservative media outlet founded by Dennis Prager in 2009 that aims to insert new conservative content into existing U.S. public school curricula. While conservative activist groups have attempted for decades to alter educational content and policy, PragerU is attempting to directly influence public school curricula by having their materials authorized for use in public schools.

This study utilizes qualitative content analysis to understand the meaning behind PragerU's content, using a sample of 39 videos, targeted at students in grades 6 and higher. The transcript data were analyzed to address two research questions: 1) What are the key …

Leslie Shines, Tobi Zausner Phd

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This poem serves as a tribute to a beloved colleague of consciousness studies, Allan Leslie Combs, celebrating his neurodivergent brilliance, boundless compassion, and enduring energetic presence.

Keywords: Allan Leslie Combs, poetry, tribute, consciousness studies

Book Review: The Unvanquished: The Untold Story Of Lincoln’S Special Forces, The Manhunt For Mosby’S Rangers, And The Shadow War That Forged America’S Special Operations, Wylie W. Johnson

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Patrick K. O'Donnell

Reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, US Army War College class of 2010

The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations, by Patrick K. O’Donnell and reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, explores the Civil War–era precursors of today’s special operations forces. Broken into three sections, the book covers rival groups—the Jessie Scouts and Mosby’s Rangers, the Confederate Secret Service, and Sheridan’s Scouts and the retribution they wreaked upon their enemies. The reviewer calls it “. . . a strong …

Book Review: The Military Legacy Of Alexander The Great: Lessons For The Information Age, Jason W. Warren Phd

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Michael P. Ferguson and Ian Worthington

Reviewed by Jason W. Warren, PhD

The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age focuses on three themes—inspirational physical presence, Alexander’s army’s professionalism, and the speed with which he campaigned. The reviewer notes there are many useful observations, overall, he sees the book as a “mixed bag.” For those newer to studies “on Alexander or lessons-learned methodology, Legacy may prove a useful primer.”

Book Review: Mission Iran: Special Forces Berlin & Operation Eagle Claw Jtf 1-79, Daniel W. Harris

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: James Stejskal

Reviewed by Colonel Daniel W. Harris, US Air Force, instructor, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, US Army War College

Adding to the history of Operation Eagle Claw, the author includes primary sources, photos, and declassified documents to the story of the failed special operations forces rescue attempt and a second planned-but-never-executed rescue attempt. The reviewer calls this book “captivating” and of interest to “anyone interested in learning more about a lesser-known element of the Desert One mission.”

Book Review: Marshall’S Great Captain: Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews And Air Power In The World Wars, Evan H. Gardner

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Kathy Wilson

Reviewed by Colonel Evan H. Gardner (US Air Force), faculty instructor, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College

Marshall’s Great Captain is a biography of General Frank M. Andrews, one of the founders of the US Army Air Force. The author reveals the story of Andrews’s contribution to the creation of the Air Force and argues that he deserves more recognition. Her argument is accomplished through a detailed look at various aspects of Andrews’ life. This book is for anyone wanting to learn more about a relatively unknown legend of the Air Force.

Influences On Suicidality And Suicide-Prevention Needs For The Autistic Community: Qualitative Insights From Multiple Perspectives, Anne V. Kirby, Kristina Feldman, Wilhelm Clark, Amber N. Darlington, Alissa Atisme, Bobbi Duncan-Ishcomer, Rachel Kripke-Ludwig, Andrea Joyce, Whitney Lee, K. Rodriguez, Zack Siddeek, Kavitha Murthi, Brooks Keeshan, Hilary Coon, Christina Nicolaidis

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Autistic individuals are disproportionately likely to experience suicidal thoughts, feelings, and actions. Addressing suicidality is also a high priority of autistic community members. The goal of this study was to understand broad influences on suicidality and suicide-prevention needs for the autistic community. Using a community-based participatory research approach, we conducted a reflective thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 16 autistic adults, 8 family members, and 14 mental health providers. Themes summarizing influences on suicidality and suicide-prevention needs centered on three broad thematic concepts: (1) Pervasive negative societal attitudes and social experiences have a lasting impact on autistic people's feelings of …

Families Experiencing Domestic Violence Related Homelessness, Brittany Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homelessness in the United States remains a persistent issue despite legislative efforts to address it. Single parents navigating homelessness encounter unique challenges in accessing stable housing and essential services, with domestic violence often serving as a significant contributory factor. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of practitioners regarding the needs of single parents navigating domestic violence-related homelessness. The empowerment theory provided the framework for this study, and data were obtained from focus groups with leaders and administrators who work in the areas of homelessness, economic security, and family violence. The study’s findings revealed significant gaps …

Navigating Grief In The Digital Age: A Phenomenological Study Of Young Widows Using Instagram For Support And Connection, Mariah Jasmine Sandoval

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of young widows who use Instagram for grief support following the death of a spouse. Young widows often face disenfranchised grief and limited access to traditional support systems, which can impede emotional processing and identity reconstruction. Grounded in Continuing Bonds Theory, which posits that ongoing connections with the deceased can be adaptive, the study examined how Instagram facilitates or complicates grief by enabling emotional expression, maintaining bonds, and fostering engagement with a community of shared loss. The central research question asked: How do young widows describe their experiences using Instagram for grief …

What Are The Lived Experiences Of Policing Professionals With Self-Reported Alterations To Biological Instinct Alongside Operational Demands?, Madyson Wier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Operational demands and training of policing professionals may be a source of conflict leading to a potential increase in risk for both the officer and the general public. Training in a law enforcement academy does not adequately prepare officers for the impacts the career may have on mental health, changes to the biological system, or societal criticism of modern-day policing. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how policing professionals experience changes in the autonomic nervous system with exposure to trauma in the field, and how self-reported alterations are further impacted due to operational expectations of their department. …

The Force Of Resilience: Exploration Of Correlations Between Generational Differences In Occupational Resilience And Turnover Intentions Among Active United States Law Enforcement Personnel, Kaylin Elizabeth Switzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement agencies across the United States are facing critical challenges with the recruitment and retention of officers. This study examined whether differences existed in occupational resilience and turnover intentions across generations of active law enforcement personnel, and whether resilience levels were correlated with turnover intentions. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used to collect data via an online survey that included the Predictive 6-Factor Resilience Scale and the Expanded Multidimensional Turnover Intentions Scale. The sample consisted of 241 active members of law enforcement. There were two one-way ANOVA tests conducted to assess generational differences in resilience and turnover intention scores, …

Dampak Jumlah Kredit Yang Dimiliki Rumah Tangga Terhadap Kekerasan Dalam Rumah Tangga (Kdrt) Pada Anak Di Indonesia, Anjar Maulitfiani, Dwini Handayani

Jurnal Kebijakan Ekonomi

This study examines the impact of intensity of household debt on domestic violence (DV) towards children in Indonesia. There is a positive relationship between the amount of household debt and the likelihood of domestic violence towards children based on literature review. This research uses a quantitative method with multinomial logistic regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that households with more than one household debt are correlated with an increased likelihood of both psychological and physical domestic violence towards children compared to the likelihood of no domestic violence, both before and after controlling variables added.

Faculty Newsletter Fall 2025, University Of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries

Library Publications

No abstract provided.

Contested Development: China’S Influence, Authoritarian Agency, And Ngo Resistance In Uganda, Saara E. Leppanen

Global Governance Theses and Dissertations

In 2021, the Ugandan government suspended the operations of 54 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), citing a range of administrative and legal justifications. This crackdown reflects a broader pattern emerging across the African continent, where over the past twenty years, more than twenty-four states have introduced restrictions on NGOs, particularly those engaged in human rights advocacy and governance. At the same time, the continent has witnessed a marked increase in Chinese investment, most notably through Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2013 as a global infrastructure and development project. While scholarship on the BRI has increased, limited attention has been …

State Of Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guides: 2025 Utilization Report, Meagan Mitchell Phd

Reports, Analyses, and other Publications

The State of Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides were developed in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) through a process led and facilitated by Education Systems Center (EdSystems) at Northern Illinois University. The process included extensive research into labor market information and credential programs, as well as dialogue across secondary, postsecondary, and employer stakeholders. With the support of ICCB, EdSystems researched the utilization of the State of Illinois Model Programs of Study Guides: Culinary and Hospitality and Human and Public Service.

We consulted with ICCB to receive the Perkins V …

Introduction To Sociology: Groups And Organizations, Marcia Morrison Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

Abstract:

This comprehensive analysis explores the dynamics of social groups and bureaucratic organizations, drawing on foundational theories and empirical studies to illuminate how structure, identity, and informal culture shape collective behavior. The paper examines the essential elements of group dynamics—regular interaction, defined roles, shared norms, and collective identity—alongside the four stages of group decision-making that guide consensus and effectiveness. It distinguishes between primary and secondary groups, emphasizing their respective influences on personal identity and social cohesion, and discusses the pivotal role of reference groups in identity formation.

Further, the discussion extends to the mechanisms of group survival, analyzing concepts such …

Estimation Of Serially Correlated Error Components Models Using Whittle’S Approximate Maximum Likelihood Method, Badi H. Baltagi, Georges Bresson, Jean-Michel Etienne

Center for Policy Research

This chapter studies the estimation of error components models with serial correlation of the 𝐴𝑅𝑀𝐴(𝑝, 𝑞) type using Whittle’s (Whittle, 1953) approximate maximum likelihood method. This is done for the one-way and two-way error components panel data model. Monte Carlo simulations are performed that investigate the small sample performance of this method.

Lindenwood Digest, September 3, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Medical Students’ Perspectives On Dobbs V Jackson Women’S Health Organization, Victoria Lazarov, Cecilia Mastrogiacomo, Mikaela Koch, Kirsten Wohlars, Tova Ablove, Student Perspectives On Reproductive Rights Research Group

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Background: In June 2022, the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling overturned the previously upheld constitutional right to abortion. The resulting impact on medical training and student decision-making remains uncertain. This study aims to assess the nationwide impact of the Dobbs decision on medical students’ geographic residency preferences, specialty selection, and level of concern regarding civil and criminal charges for physicians providing abortion and fertility care.

Methods: An anonymous IRB-approved REDCap survey was distributed to American accredited medical schools across the United States and Israel between December 2022 and May 2023. Participants indicated specialty interests and geographic preferences for …

Leslie Combs And His Life In Chaos, Stanley C. Krippner

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The purpose of this contribution is to review what Leslie Combs described as his “Life in Chaos” and our interaction over the years. Beginning with our meeting at the founding of the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology in 1991, this tribute traces his journey from early educational challenges to his emergence as a pioneering theorist in consciousness studies. It highlights our decades-long collaboration in the study of dreams, creativity, and the evolution of consciousness, celebrating his enduring legacy as both a brilliant psychologist and a cherished friend.

Keywords: Allan Leslie Combs, Stanley Krippner, chaos theory, systems theory, consciousness …

Researching Post-Industrial Political Behaviour With The National Occupation Classification In The 2019 And 2021 Canada Election Studies, Simon Kiss, Rafael Campos-Gottardo

Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy

In the following note we describe coding of open-ended responses to respondent occupations in the Canada Election Studies 2019 (phone and online) and 2021 (online). 7904 unique entries were gathered from the three surveys and assigned 5- or 4-digit codes from the National Occupational Classification (NOC) using the information such as job and task descriptions and sample job titles from the NOC. 84%of entries were able to be matched to a 4-digit NOC code and 79% could be matched to a 5-digit code. The note concludes with a brief model of vote choice as a func-tion of whether respondents’ occupations …

Neonatal Striatal Volume Is Associated With Infant Anhedonia, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Catherine H. Demers, Jessica L. Irwin, Laura M. Glynn, Martin A. Styner, Mercedes Hoeflich Haase, M. Camille Hoffman, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Benjamin L. Hankin, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Anhedonia is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. New evidence demonstrates that anhedonia is present in infancy and early childhood. Structural variability in striatal regions involved in reward processing and pleasure seeking is concurrently linked to anhedonia, yet few studies have examined whether striatal differences presage anhedonia, and none have examined prospective associations before middle childhood. The present study examined whether neuroanatomical markers that confer risk for anhedonia can be detected as early as the neonatal period. Specifically, we tested whether the volume of striatal regions in neonates predicted the emergence of infant anhedonic behaviors at six …

Neonatal Striatal Volume Is Associated With Infant Anhedonia, Melissa Nevarez-Brewster, Catherine H. Demers, Jessica L. Irwin, Laura M. Glynn, Martin A. Styner, Mercedes Hoeflich Haase, M. Camille Hoffman, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Benjamin L. Hankin, Elysia Poggi Davis

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

Anhedonia is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. New evidence demonstrates that anhedonia is present in infancy and early childhood. Structural variability in striatal regions involved in reward processing and pleasure seeking is concurrently linked to anhedonia, yet few studies have examined whether striatal differences presage anhedonia, and none have examined prospective associations before middle childhood. The present study examined whether neuroanatomical markers that confer risk for anhedonia can be detected as early as the neonatal period. Specifically, we tested whether the volume of striatal regions in neonates predicted the emergence of infant anhedonic behaviors at six …

Moderated Identity Politics: Muslim Voters And Religious Depolarization In North Maluku’S 2024 Gubernatorial Election, Aji Deni, Marno Wance, Muhtar Muhtar

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study examines religious polarization in North Maluku, proposing moderated identity politics and a hybrid representation model to explain post-conflict electoral behavior. It highlights local leaders who strategically balance identity appeals with cross-group alliances, integrating structural and agential factors to advance electoral theory and offer a replicable model for mitigating identity-based conflict in plural Indonesian regions. Using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, quantitative data were first collected from 100 proportionally sampled respondents. Subsequently, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 key informants. Data triangulation, comparing survey results with interview findings, ensured consistency and strengthened the validity of the research conclusions. …

Essays On Operational Issues Of Online Medical Consultation Platforms, Jinxin Zhang

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

The increased demand for Online Medical Consultation (OMC) services has accelerated the development of Online Medical Consultation Platforms (OMCPs). OMCPs are third-party digital platforms on which patients can access medical consultation services with comparatively less effort and lower cost, while physicians can expand their service coverage and benefit financially from the provision of paid OMC services in their spare time. Although OMCPs have attracted a growing interest in academia, the role of various decision-making behaviors of physicians on these platforms on their patients and themselves remains unclear. To fill this research gap, we conduct two empirical studies based on proprietary …

Student Activism In Post-Authoritarian Indonesia: Higher Education Reform, Movement Dynamics, And Shifting Political Narratives, Mohammad Fajar Shodiq Ramadlan, Muhammad Faishal Aminuddin

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study investigates student activism in post-authoritarian Indonesia, focusing on the interplay between higher education reform, movement dynamics, and evolving political narratives over the past decade. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 497 undergraduates from social and political science faculties at 26 Indonesian universities and supplemented our analysis with a document review of student movements from 1999 to 2021. The study examines the transformation of Indonesia’s higher education system, the defining characteristics of contemporary student activism, and the predominant socio-political issues driving post-authoritarian student movements. Our findings show that student activism primarily occurs through various platforms, including social media, organizational …

Exploring Successful Financing Strategies For Developing Real Estate In Cameroon, Esoh Etebe Elah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Financing constraints have become a significant problem for leaders of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) developing real estate in Cameroon. Cameroon SME real estate development leaders often lack knowledge of financing strategies to mitigate financial barriers and improve business sustainability. Grounded in the financing constraint theory, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore the successful financing strategies Cameroon SME real estate development leaders used. Seven leaders of Cameroon real estate development SMEs were interviewed, and public documents were reviewed. The semistructured interview and document data were analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in five themes: (a) financing strategies, (b) funding …

P.L.A.Y. For All Pilot: Effects Of A Community-Based, Inclusive After-School Program On Physical Activity And Motor-Skill Outcomes, Allison R. Tsuchida, Karl-Richard Hennebach, Erin E. Centeio

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

After-school programs for physical activity (PA) can contribute to helping children and youth achieve the suggested 60 minutes a day of PA. Previous research also suggests that developing motor competency can positively impact long-term PA participation. Additionally, parent and peer support can help children and youth overcome barriers to PA participation. The primary purpose of this pilot research study was to determine the effects of an inclusive after-school program on PA levels and motor-skill outcomes for children with and without disabilities. A secondary purpose was to examine parental support for physical activity and children’s physical activity and motor skills. 38 …

Contributors

The Ozark Historical Review

No abstract provided.