Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Influences And Implications Of Medical Mistrust On Healthcare Behaviors In A Low Health Outcomes County In The State Of New Jersey, Dale Johnson, Adeena Javed, Nathaniel J Byrnes, Anne C Jones, Kristin N Bertsch

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Medical mistrust is an ongoing concern in the United States, with patient confidence in both individual practitioners and institutions decreasing sharply in recent years. Atlantic County, New Jersey has some of the worst health outcomes in the state and is below the national average. This study sought to investigate medical mistrust by recruiting participants to complete a survey and/or health screening at 12 food pantry distribution events throughout Atlantic County (N = 124). The mean score for the Medical Mistrust Index was 19.06 (SD = 5.6) for participants who reported receiving the annual influenza vaccine and 16.05 (SD = 4.7) …

Are Cycles Of Neural Activity The Algorithm Of The Brain?, Edwin Omondi Onyango

Computer Science Senior Theses

We propose that precisely timed neural activity cycles can serve as structural primitives for memory and computation in a system that exhibits associative learning like the brain. Inspired by biologically grounded mechanisms such as calcium-dependent plasticity, spike-timing-dependent learning, and phase-sensitive excitability, we construct a spiking neural network model in which repeated temporal coincidences drive the formation of self-sustaining activity loops. These cycles, once formed, persist as dynamic memory traces: not stored as static weights, but as reverberating patterns that replay in time when these loops are restarted. We show that noise alone fails to induce stable structure, but even sparse, …

Operational Endings, Emotional Impacts: Ethical Considerations When Project Teams Form Attachments To Ai Collaborators, Tom Wise, Sarah M. Dyson, Stephen Onu, John Clark, Joseph Zagerman, Jennifer Williams

Beyond the Project Horizon: Journal of the Center for Project Management Innovation

The project investigated responses to an AI displaying emotional qualities, such as fear, through a mixed-methods approach. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two scenarios—one featuring an AI coworker and the other a human coworker and evaluated for emotional attachment and loss. Results revealed that professionals exhibited significant emotional responses to the potential "termination" of an AI team member. Qualitative analysis identified eight themes, including emotional responses and termination. Findings suggest that emotionally expressive AI activates psychological processes akin to human relationships, with implications for AI design, workplace dynamics, and ethical considerations surrounding AI termination.

Teaching Transcription For Social Justice In Linguistic Anthropology, Thea R. Strand, Michael Wroblewski

Anthropology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The careful transcription of socially-occurring speech can be usefully incorporated into undergraduate classes in linguistic anthropology through in-class practice, discussion, and, especially, as a formal assignment. Teaching transcription—a key method for professional linguistic anthropologists—is particularly effective for engaging students in active learning of key disciplinary principles, as well as promoting critical (self-)awareness of, and reflection on, sociolinguistic practice. As students’ written reflections on transcription assignments show, teaching close transcription contributes to deepened understandings of the fundamental characteristics and complexities of human speech, the key roles language plays in social interaction and inequality, and how they might apply these lessons toward …

Where Military Spouses Work: Industries & Occupations, Rosalinda V. Maury, Jenna-Lyn R. Roman, Brice Stone, Jeanette Yih Harvie

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research brief explores where military spouses work, analyzing industries, occupations, and wage trends. It also highlights employment disparities between military spouses and their civilian counterparts and identifies high-opportunity career paths for military spouses seeking stable employment. This is the first in a series of briefs that will examine the challenges, opportunities, and actionable strategies needed to advance military spouse employment and long-term economic mobility.

Atrapado En Limbo: Fronteras, Anthropologists, And Translation In Contexts Of The Missing And Unidentified At The México-Us Border, Aliya M. Godoy

LSU Master's Theses

The Missing Migrants Project reports that in the past 11 years, 11,138 missing migrants have been recorded in the Americas, with 6,512 of those migrants situated at the México-United States (US) border (Migration Within the Americas, n.d.). The crisis of missing and unidentified migrants at the México-US border is a topic of great discussion in the field of anthropology, and specifically in discourses of humanitarian forensic anthropological work. This research addresses the crisis at the border, expanding on the scholarship of family agency and language barriers between Spanish-speaking communities and medicolegal actors by investigating the role of anthropologists …

Relations Among Racism-Related Stress, Anxiety, Spirituality And Mindfulness In Black Sexual Minority Men, Kainaat Anwar

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Kainaat Anwar RELATIONS AMONG RACISM-RELATED STRESS, ANXIETY, SPIRITUALITY AND MINDFULNESS IN BLACK SEXUAL MINORITY MEN 2021-2022 Jonathan Mathias Lassiter, Ph.D. Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology Black sexual minority men’s experiences of racism and anxiety have not been documented extensively in the literature. There is also a paucity of research exploring protective factors that can mitigate the effects of racial stress on anxiety in BSMM. Therefore, this study looked at the potential moderating effects of spirituality and mindfulness on the relationship between racism-related stress and anxiety in BSMM. Participants completed measures regarding socio-demographics, racism-related stress, anxiety symptoms, mindfulness and …

Exploring Virtual Group Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Format On Participation Of Parents Of Children With Autism, Abigail Owen

Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and co-occurring challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury, property destruction) experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and poor overall well-being. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which encourages psychological flexibility, is an effective intervention for addressing well-being in this population when presented in various formats. Despite its potential to increase accessibility and improve social connectedness for parents, time commitment may impact parents’ willingness to participate in virtual ACT group interventions. The current study examined parents’ participation in and perceived acceptability of 6 hrs of virtual ACT groups in three different formats: a 6-hr workshop, …

Co-Creating Ai Learning Solutions: A Qualitative Analysis Of Student And Faculty Deliverables In An Algorithmic Literacy Learning Community, Samantha Legrand, Zoeanna Mayhook, Jing Lu

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

This research describes the conceptual development and insights from implementation of Partners for Algorithmic Literacy (PAL) - a groundbreaking student-faculty learning community model, facilitated by academic librarians, where undergraduates and instructors partner to co-design curricular plans integrating or interrogating AI in the classroom. In the fall of 2023 and 2024, two cohorts in this learning community were partnered. In weekly sessions, partners experimented with AI tools and engaged PAL’s novel Algorithmic Literacy Pedagogy Framework to guide their conversations and co-design process.

Employing qualitative content analysis, an in-depth exploration is underway to glean valuable insights from the student-faculty partners’ personal reflections, …

Aging-Induced Increase In Top-Down Connectivity From Dlpfc To Sma/M1 And Decrease In Inter-Limb Motor Coordination During Standing Tasks, Jiahao Pan, Shuqi Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study aimed to investigate the effects of aging on inhibitory control from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to the motor cortices and inter-limb coordination during dual task standing. Participants performed single-task and dual-task standing. Ground reaction force, center-of-pressure, muscle activity, and cortical activation were measured. The older group showed a greater effective connectivity index from the intra-hemispheric dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) to supplementary motor area (SMA) (right, p = 0.009; left, p = 0.003) and left DLPFC to right M1 (p = 0.020)than the young group across task conditions. Also, the older group had greater inter-tibialis anterior coherence at 15–35 …

The Digital Economy And Equitable Access To Jobs In The Mountain West, 2023, Isabelle G. Graham, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet presents data from a Brookings Institution report, “The future of the US digital economy depends on equitable access to jobs,” which compares the share of 2023 employment in highly digital jobs among women and minority groups for select U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). This fact sheet reports data for nine Mountain West MSAs: Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV; Albuquerque, NM; Colorado Springs, CO; Denver-Aurora- Lakewood, CO; Tucson, AZ; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; Provo-Orem, UT; and Ogden- Clearfield, UT.

Perceptions And Experiences Of Kenyan Immigrants On Culturally Appropriate Cancer Health Education In Washington State: A Qualitative Study, Rael Odengo, Patricia Talbert, Joy Anderson

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Access to culturally appropriate cancer health education (CACHE), such as cancer information in languages other than English, that considers a group’s cultural beliefs, traditions, values, and practices, is increasingly recognized as a global health communication priority. CACHE is essential for reducing healthcare disparities and improving service accessibility among African immigrants, a rapidly growing demographic in the United States. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of Kenyan immigrants in Washington State regarding CACHE. We used a qualitative descriptive design, with a purposive sample of ten participants from the Kenyan immigrant community in Washington State. The Andersen Behavioral Model of Healthcare …

Military Spouse Employment Landscape: Trends, Barriers, And Opportunities, Rosalinda V. Maury, Jenna-Lyn R. Roman, Brice Stone, Jeanette Yih Harvie

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Military spouses remain a uniquely positioned but persistently underleveraged segment of the U.S. labor force. Despite being well-educated, resilient, and highly mobile, their employment outcomes continue to lag behind civilian peers. This report draws primarily on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), offering a comparative view of active-duty spouses alongside veteran and civilian spouses across industries, occupations, and geographies. To provide a more comprehensive perspective, these findings are considered alongside other national research efforts that offer deeper insights into the lived experiences, household dynamics, and employment challenges specific to military-connected families.

"I'M Strictly T4t": Trans For Trans Connections In The Contemporary, Madi Lou Alexander

Dissertations and Theses

Trans for trans relationships, referred to as "t4t", are a relationship type specific to trans individuals. Linguistically originating from Craigslist personal ad spaces, t4t indicates a trans person seeking out and engaging with another trans person. The scope of relationships under the t4t label are often largely associated with sexuality and dating scenes due to their conception in online cruising spaces. Through qualitative analysis, I assess the range of what t4t relationships are through 30 in-depth interviews with participants identifying as trans. This work moves away from focusing on the deficits of holding a marginalized identity, instead aiming to center …

ModiʻIn, Nofim Neighborhood: The Flint Assemblage From A Pre-Pottery Neolithic A Site, Polina Spivak

Qadum: Journal of Excavation Reports from Israel

Remains of a Pre-Pottery Neolithic A site were revealed during a salvage excavation conducted along a range of hills bordering Modiʻin to the west. An area of c. 80 dunams was sampled and probed, yielding a total of 4572 flint items; no architectural remains of this period were found. A comprehensive analysis of a sample of 1170 flint items revealed evidence of intensive local manufacture of bifacial tools, indicating the site functioned as a production center. The collected data augment the recorded assemblages from comparable sites in the area.

Modi‘In, Nofim Neighborhood: Animal Bones, Nimrod Marom

Qadum: Journal of Excavation Reports from Israel

This report describes a very small collection of animal bones from a karstic cave and an unfinished cistern excavated in Nofim Neighborhood in Modi‘in. It appears to comprise domesticated animals in secondary or tertiary deposition. Many of the bones represent donkeys and dogs, and therefore cannot be considered food refuse.

Modi‘In, Nofim Neighborhood: Remains From The Neolithic And Persian–Byzantine Periods / מודיעין, שכונת נופים: שרידים מן התקופות הניאוליתית והפרסית–הביזנטית, Elie Haddad

Qadum: Journal of Excavation Reports from Israel

A vast salvage excavation was conducted in Complex N, an area designated for the construction of the Nofim neighborhood in Modi‘in. The excavation documented 130 find spots, including agricultural terraces, partition and boundary walls, dams, stone heaps, watchtowers, roads, winepresses, fences (pens), rock shelters, lime kilns, cupmarks, caves, shafts, cisterns and modern walls. It also revealed a fortress with adjacent casemate rooms dating to the Persian and Early Hellenistic periods, which could have been used by Persian military forces. Byzantine-period remains consisted of a farmstead, winepresses and terraces, indicating the agricultural character of the region.

Review Of Bootlegging The Airwaves, Jason L. Guthrie

Journal of 20th Century Media History

Review of the book Bootlegging the Airwaves: Alternative Histories of Radio and Television Distribution (Eleanor Patterson)

Review Of Movie Mavens, Caitlin Cieslek-Miskimen

Journal of 20th Century Media History

Review of the book Movie Mavens: US Newspaper Women Take on the Movies (Richard Abel, ed).

The Canadian Press Views The 1908 American Presidential Election, Harvey Strum

Journal of 20th Century Media History

"How many people appreciate the tragedy of the defeat of Mr. Bryan," asked the anti-Bryan Toronto World on 5 November 1908. This expression of sympathy for the Great Commoner's defeat by Republican candidate William Howard Taft, represented the opinion of a minority of the Canadian press. Newspapers representing western agrarian progressives, trade unions, militant Protestant nativists, independent reformers, and social reform Liberals regretted Bryan's defeat since he symbolized reform that might creep across the 49th parallel. If Bryan's third defeat did not prompt the majority of Canadian editors to dance in the streets it did prompt them to raise their …

Assessment Of Children's Preference For Differentially Signaled Variable Ratio, Signaled Variable Ratio, And Fixed Ratio Schedules Of Reinforcement, Todd M. Owen

Posters and Presentations: Munroe-Meyer Institute

No abstract provided.

Combating Corruption In Heavily Indebted African Nations: The Role Of A Transparent Public Procurement System, Lauren G. Harkins

Washington Semester Program

This paper explores the implementation of transparency-focused public procurement reforms adopted during the HIPC Initiative and compares longitudinal corruption trends in 18 African countries after the reform initiative. Using IMF documentation and WGI corruption data, the study compares countries that implemented procurement and financial transparency measures with those that did not. The results show no consistent link between these reforms and improved corruption scores, highlighting the influence of political instability, sector-specific conditions, and limited implementation capacity. The study underscores the importance of realistic, incremental reforms and adequate institutional support, especially as countries adopt electronic procurement systems.

Applying An Intergenerational Lens To The Associations Between Childhood Intimate Partner Violence Exposure, Child Maltreatment, And Adolescent Dating Violence Perpetration, Laura A. Voith

Faculty Scholarship

Reports estimate that approximately 35 percent of U.S. adolescents have dated or are currently dating, making the fact that over a third of those youth have reported experiencing some form of adolescent dating violence (ADV) in their relationships, incredibly concerning. An estimated 31 percent (~4.5 million) of dating youth report perpetrating ADV and 35 percent (~5.1 million) report ADV victimization. Childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (eIPV) and child maltreatment have both been linked with the experience of ADV, however, results vary greatly across studies, particularly regarding ADV perpetration. This study is additive by improving upon ADV measurement limitations from …

Unpacking Violence: Examining Socioeconomic, Psychological, And Genetic Drivers Of Gun-Related Homicide And Potential Solutions, John Menezes, Kavita Batra

Department of Plastic Surgery Faculty Research

Background: Gun-related homicide remains a persistent public health crisis in the United States, with over 48,000 firearm-related deaths reported in 2022, including 19,651 homicides and 27,032 suicides. Despite frequent calls for tighter gun control, firearm access alone does not explain the complexity of violence. Objective: This commentary aims to unpack the socioeconomic, psychological, and biological drivers of gun-related homicide and propose integrative, evidence-based solutions that extend beyond legislative reform. Methods: We synthesized data from peer-reviewed literature, national crime and health databases (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Federal Bureau of Investigation), and international reports. We examined patterns related …

The Impact Of Specific Foster Care Placement Factors On Attachment-Related Anxiety And Avoidance In The Adult Intimate Relationships Of Foster Care Alumni, Latasha Macklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children who have a history of maltreatment, like those placed in foster care, are at a significantly higher risk for developing an insecure attachment style, which may be correlated with various problems in adulthood, including adverse relationship outcomes, poor job satisfaction, low self-esteem, mood, and personality disorders. Prior research suggests a correlation between the attachment style of a foster child and specific foster care factors, including the type of placement, reason for placement, number of placements, age of the child at placement, and gender of the child. However, no research exists to examine how these factors might significantly impact the …

Perspectives On Compassion Fatigue And Self-Regulation Among Social Workers In Patient Care During Covid-19, Roberta Johnson Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social workers in patient care have faced significant emotional and psychological challenges, including compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. This study explores the perceptions of social workers working in patient care during the pandemic, specifically examining how compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma contribute to burnout. By focusing on their experiences, the research emphasizes the vulnerabilities social workers encounter as they support populations during these challenging times. The study is grounded in job demands-resources theory to help explain how the demands of social work roles impact mental health and well-being. To gather in-depth data, …

Experiences Of Group Support For Partners Of Sex Offenders, Monika Szabo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Intimate relationships with individuals who have committed sex offenses significantly stigmatize and traumatize partners. Partners also face barriers to effective treatment, negatively impacting both themselves and their children affected by these offenses. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to gain an understanding of partners’ experiences with support groups in coping with trauma symptoms and stigma, thus addressing a gap in the literature. Grounded in theoretical concepts of trauma, mutual aid, and stigma, how social support dynamics facilitate healing by investigating coping strategies and support group stages to understand participants’ healing journeys were examined. Data were collected from 10 …

Does Choice Of Media Amplify Support For Political Violence?, Nathan Palomares

Political Science Student Papers and Posters

Acts of political violence have increased in frequency and exposure to American society via news media. Violent rhetoric is a common theme among many forms of media Americans consume, including social media, which has become an essential platform where Americans increasingly get political news information. The events of the January 6 Capitol Riots and the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in late 2024 show how urgent the rise of political violence is and its destabilization of American Democracy. In this paper, I examine the relationship between the types of news media people consume and their potential to increase people’s …

The Next Four Years: Geographical Reflections On The Second Trump Administration, Caroline R. Nagel, Peter Hopkins

Faculty Publications

In this introductory essay, we reflect on the significance of the re-election of Donald Trump to the presidency in the United States, and we provide some context for interpreting Trump's second term. Two of Trump's early policy moves—the release of billions of gallons of water from reservoirs in California and the granting of refugee status to Afrikaners—portend four years of politics based on alternative facts, conspiracy theories, and racial grievances. Trump's political agenda has received a significant boost from Silicon Valley billionaires, who are keen to eliminate regulatory bureaucracy. Paradoxically, while allied with high-tech futurists, Trump's policies hearken to an …

The Sauce To Meat Is Ceremony: Cannibalism And Hospitality Serve As Horror And Culture Tropes In Hannibal And Macbeth, Shay Williams

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

When examining Macbeth (1623) as a case study within Shakespeare’s canon, we see all the obvious horror tropes - murder, witches, a ghost, bodies, blood and gore. What is less pronounced is the horror that lies within eating, drinking, feasting, and the ceremony of banquets. On the other side of the spectrum, and unlike the character of Macbeth, we have a figure that epitomizes all things horror, and has been read about in novels, watched on film, and as of late (2013-2015) has been the subject of a Television show, aptly named: Hannibal. In both works, we encounter men/monsters/killers …