Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

We Know The Odds Aren't Ever In Our Favor: Toward An Understanding Of White Privilege Deprivation Amongst Black Individuals And The Initial Validation Of The White Privilege Deprivation Scale, Jennifer Burris

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Social science scholarship acknowledges that disparities affecting Black people in the United States are rooted in historical race-based oppression (Black & Stone, 2005; Borell, Barnes, & McCreanor, 2018; Harrell, 2000; Mills, 1997). Yet little is understood about the ways Black people psychologically experience being denied the social privileges conferred upon Whites (i.e., White privilege). The belief that White privilege exists, along with the perceptions that Black people as a group are systematically deprived of benefits conferred upon Whites, could expose Black people to negative psychological and psychosocial experiences. As such, White privilege deprivation (the belief one is denied the social …

Pathways To Financial Wellness: Using Intersectionality Theory To Understand Black Women’S Financial Socialization, Courtney J. Wright

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Black women experience high levels of financial vulnerability and consistently exhibit poor financial outcomes across the literature; however, few studies have investigated Black women’s financial socialization processes and outcomes. As a function of gendered racial marginalization, Black women occupy a unique standpoint that may influence their financial socialization experiences. Therefore, research that investigates Black women’s financial socialization and perceived financial capability, responsibility, and well-being is warranted.

Within this dual-manuscript style dissertation, the first manuscript investigates the sources, content, and methods of Black women’s family financial socialization messages. Using a critical-constructivist research paradigm and Reflexive Thematic Analysis for data analysis, findings …

Consequences Of Artificial Intelligence In Health Insurance: Lawsuits, Policy, And Ethics, Alyssa N. Roberts

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, the healthcare system has been burdened by a multitude of obstacles that hinder the ability to provide effective, affordable, and timely care. Among these, one of the most significant challenges is the role that health insurance plays in shaping the quality of care. Health insurance companies are designed to decrease financial strain on patients, but they have introduced inefficiencies through delayed coverage approvals, increased denials, and administrative costs. Artificial intelligence (AI) has started to play an integral role in resolving these issues for the health insurance industry. Through its quick automated claim processing, fraud screening, and reduced …

Shortage To Surge - Studying The Post-Covid-19 Guitar Retail Market, Jed Kim, Emmale Davis

2025 Research Poster Competition

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most catalyzing events of the 21st century, leading to supply chain disruptions, lifestyle changes, and a massive shift towards digital technologies. During the COVID-19 lockdown, many people had more time, and over 16 million people learned guitar in the first 2 years of the pandemic. According to a study by Fender, 62% of these new guitar learners cited the pandemic as their primary reason for learning the instrument. However, pandemic policies and supply chain disruptions meant that many guitar retailers were unable to satisfy demand, and backorders began to accumulate. Since both guitars …

Calming Music As An Emotion Regulation Technique In Response To A Traumatic Sexual Assault Narrative, Mia A. Iandolo, Reese Myatt, Alexander Garcia, Kelly Summers, Brielle White, Emily L. Allen, Marley F. Fradley, Julian Ruiz, Ana J. Bridges

2025 Research Poster Competition

Problem. Experiencing a sexual assault often results in lasting psychological trauma that inhibits the person’s ability to function (CDC, 2022), so coping strategies are needed to reduce those symptoms. For instance, after listening to traumatic stories, people experience significant increases in subjective distress (Bynion et al., 2023). And laboratory studies demonstrate that calming music reduces subjective distress (Judd, 2020; Ophir & Jacoby, 2020). On the other hand, calming music appears to interfere with memory and processing (Rickard et al., 2012). While music has been shown to be a helpful coping mechanism to decrease anxiety and may relate to memory …

In Search Of The Rational Voter In The 2020 Presidential Election: Understanding The Impact Of Voter Costs And Benefits On Turnout, Norou Diawara, Tiffany Henley, Samuel L. Brown, Md Iqbal Hossain

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

The ability to vote is one of the most valuable rights and privileges afforded by the Constitution of the United States to its citizens. For many, voting is not just a civic duty; it is also a choice. Voting is crucial to our democracy, and any changes to it may affect the efficiency of the democratic process. The bigger question is whether voters behave rationally by engaging in a cost-benefit calculus in deciding whether or not to vote. Using data science, this paper will examine the probability of voting and investigate its impact via cost and benefit among other variables …

Relationship Partners’ Experiences Of Managing Conflict With Individualist And Collectivist Cultural Perspectives: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis, Rebecca Alithia Payan

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, the increasing number of multicultural marriages leads to the individualistic traditional American nuclear family colliding with ideals from a collective culture. This conflict over individualistic and collective nature can lead to martial conflict, including divorce. In this context, this study seeks to answer an important question: How do relationship partners experience managing conflict, considering individualist and collectivist perspectives in the United States? The methodology utilized the Medium-Q of Reflexive Thematic Analysis of data gathered from qualitative open-ended interview questions and a brief survey. Findings reveal engaging themes, leading us to understand that individualism and collectivism influence …

Corruption And Foreign Direct Investment In Ghana: Empirical Assessment Of The Mediating Role Of Institutional Quality And Political Stability, Isaac K. Yeboah

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) provides more than just capital; it introduces technology and managerial expertise, contributing significantly to economic growth. However, corruption, measured by the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), deters inflows. This study examines how Ghana’s CPI relates to FDI, with institutional quality and political stability as mediators accounting for GDP, inflation, and exchange rates as covariates.

Methods: A non-experimental quantitative design that adopts a multivariate deductive approach is used to test the theoretical propositions, and uses data from 1995 to 2022. CPI data are sourced from Transparency International, FDI from the IMF, and institutional quality and …

Counselors’ Role In Supporting Lgbtgeqiap+ Teens Living In The Foster Care System, Elizabeth K. Kurt

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Queer youth in the United States are overrepresented and simultaneously unseen in the foster care system. They experience more negative mental health outcomes than their non-queer peers, and the child welfare system does not always provide safe or affirming care for these marginalized youth. LGBTGEQIAP+ teens are placed in congregate care at high rates and face a myriad of challenges in these settings that exasperate existing mental health concerns. This poster examines the injustices of out-of-home care and the maltreatment that gender and sexual minority youth experience in the foster care system, as well as exploring factors that improve …

Match Accuracy Of Burned Teeth: A Pilot Study Of Allied Dental Professionals, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Marsha A. Voelker, Samantha C. Vest, Sinjini Sikdar

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess allied dental professionals' match accuracy of burned teeth; a skill required by disaster victim identification (DVI) team members.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of registered dental hygienists (RDH) (n=15) and dental assistants (DA) (n=15) to assess their match accuracy of burned teeth with simulated antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) images. Fifteen human teeth were heated at 400°C for 15 minutes. Prior to and following heat alteration, each tooth was photographed and radiographed. Images were presented to participants in randomized order, and they were instructed to correctly match …

A Cadaver Story: Relationality In The Anatomy Laboratory, Stephanie Teasley

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Cadavers in the human anatomy laboratory occupy a liminal social space, a circumstance that presents a variety of challenges for anatomy students. Cadavers are intended to be scientific objects for study, but their human status makes dissection uniquely challenging. Many of the obstacles to working in the laboratory result from discomfort experienced at the thought of cutting a person (i.e. a social being). In this project, I use ‘cadaver’ to indicate a category of being created in and for the anatomy laboratory. This is distinct from the more general ‘dead body’ in that the category cadaver enables emotional distance and …

Vaccines And Publics: A Variety Of Engagement Experiences, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

This chapter is about some of the sites and scenes where members of the public are exposed to (and engage in) vaccination discourse. To preview, after a brief introduction, we begin with messaging models of communication, followed by the move from messaging to engagement. Next, case examples of public engagement with vaccines are introduced, from pandemic influenza preparedness in the U.S., to polio eradication initiatives in India, and then to COVID-19 public engagement events in England. Settings of public engagement are noted, including online, in churches and museums. Then, there’s a section about communication and public participation, seen as either …

Behavioral Finance: The Influence Cognitive Dissonance Has On Investors, Noah A. Adams

A with Honors Projects

The aim of this literature review is to understand the relation between the Cognitive Dissonance Theory and investor decision-making. Under the Investor Rationality Theory, investors are perceived to act in their best interest financially after gathering all available information on their investment. Behavioral Finance on the other hand is the study of psychological biases and emotions and how they influence investors, causing them to act rather irrationally and consequentially creating an irrational market.

Policing, Prejudice And Change: Confronting Racial Bias In Policing, Aliya Ross

A with Honors Projects

Exploring racism, and discrimination within the Justice System and recommendation for reform.

Beyond The Surface: Lgbt+ Minority Stress & Social Safety, Violet Lewis

A with Honors Projects

Presentation about minority stress in the LGBT+ community surrounding the recent political climate and how we can use social safety to deter the impacts.

Social Anxiety And Cannabis Use Context, Brooke Beckius

Dissertations and Theses

Cannabis use is highly prevalent among young adults in the United States, with many experiencing associated problems. Social anxiety has been identified as a significant risk factor for cannabis use and related consequences; however, it remains unclear whether cannabis facilitates or inhibits social engagement among socially anxious individuals. Solitary cannabis use is consistently linked to use-related problems, but the term “solitary use” may encompass distinct contexts—such as social preparatory use, use to aid sleep, or use while spending time alone. The present study aimed to examine how cannabis use influences social engagement among socially anxious individuals and test how specific …

Invisible Infrastructure: Beyond The Burden Of The Dual Roles And Systematic Realities Of Black Women Professionals As Caregivers, Lolita J. Griffin

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Black women in the professional sector frequently serve as caregivers to close relatives or family members while balancing the demands of their careers. Research shows the hurdles and the stress Black women in the workforce encounter. (Office of Behavioral Health Equity, 2020). Similarly, the expectation to take on the caregiver role adds another layer of complication to their existence (Williams et al., 2021). This combination of conflicting caregiver and professional responsibilities can cause harm to overall well-being and mental health. The enactment of reforms in public policy that address the specific mental health and job satisfaction needs of Black professional …

The Impact Of Age-Friendly Policy On New York State: How Executive Order-190 And Executive Order-23 Shape Community Development For All Ages, Trista Bercarich

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

The demographic shift toward an aging population has created an urgent need for policies that promote inclusive, livable communities for all ages. This quantitative study examined New York State’s implementation of Age-Friendly policy through Executive Order 190 (2018) and Executive Order 23 (2022), which collectively advance the integration of health, accessibility and community participation across state and local systems. Guided by environmental gerontology and psychology, aging in place and successful aging frameworks, this research utilized an adapted version of the AARP Livable Communities Survey to assess residents’ perceptions of livability with the eight AARP domains. The cross-sectional online survey (n …

What We Owe Each Other: An Examination Of Social Exchange Theory And Public Perception Of Healthy Relationships, Sarah R. Korbich

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study uses prior literature on social exchange theory and uses various frameworks to examine the public’s perception and comprehension of SET through examining user-generated content on TikTok. Social exchange theory is based upon the idea that when interacting with other persons, you are exchanging rewards and costs. This study was guided by two questions that explore how social exchange is generalized and understood by the public, and how well the public’s ideas of positively contributing to a healthy relationship aligns with operational measures of SET. This study’s intention is to encourage SET’s usage in application to relational contexts as …

Gods Guns: Why Firearms And Firearm Culture Remain Sacred To Rural Americans, Thomas Westrick

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

With ample evidence demonstrating a link between low levels of gun regulation and high levels of firearm fatalities, it seems intuitive that Americans would want to increase the level of firearm regulation to bring down the level of violence. However, the target population, white males living in rural areas of the State of Indiana and practicing the Christian Evangelical Protestant tradition, display high levels of resistance to new firearm regulation. This study sought to explore that resistance through the lens of the rural gun culture with an interpretivist qualitative design using reflexive thematic analysis to answer the research question: How …

Relational Database Schema To Support Research Profiling Studies, Natural Language Processing, And Bibliometric Analysis, Darnelle Melvin

Library Faculty Research

In this paper, a relational database schema is introduced that supports rapid prototyping, data preprocessing, and warehousing tasks associated with research profiling studies, natural language processing, and bibliometric analysis. Python scripts are leveraged for the seamless retrieval and processing of data from Semantic Scholar. This schema is tailored to efficiently analyze entities such as authors, their scientific papers, referenced papers, and cited papers. Adhering to the relational model, this schema offers a standardized approach to data storage and detailed information retrieval for scientific papers. Enhancing knowledge discovery in scientific databases, this schema provides researchers with a powerful platform for robust …

Introduction, Amanda Koziura, Amy Tureen

Library Faculty Research

Introduction to the book Making Values-Based Decisions in the Academic Library.

The Luxury Belief: How Casual Political Labeling Harms The Lower Classes, Yan Lei

A with Honors Projects

This essay argues that casual political and moral labeling, when used as a luxury belief, misleads followers, fosters intellectual complacency, and amplifies misunderstandings about complex issues such as race.

Voices From Within: Understanding Native American Student Journeys In Predominantly White Institutions: A Phenomenological & Autoethnographic Study, Collette Bowman

Dissertations and Theses

This study explored the lived experiences of Native American undergraduate students at a small Midwestern university, with particular attention to how identity development, systemic challenges, and culturally grounded support systems shape their academic and personal paths. Using a phenomenological approach paired with an autoethnographic lens, this research amplifies Native student voices while drawing on the reflections of the Indigenous researcher who shares similar lived experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes. Three major themes emerged from the analysis: Identity Development, which captured how students negotiated cultural identity, intergenerational impact, and a sense of belonging; Barriers and Challenges, …

Racism And The Treatment Of Muslim Americans After 9/11, Khatera Akmal

A with Honors Projects

Racism is more than prejudice—it is fear transformed into power. Racism is commonly defined as “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism … against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.” But definitions alone do not capture how racism forms. At its roots, racism grows out of ordinary human instincts: fear of difference, the tendency to categorize, and the desire to belong to a group. These instincts aren’t inherently harmful, but when combined with national anxiety or crisis, they can turn into widespread prejudice and …

The Effects Of A Game-Based Social Skills Intervention On Social Skills Acquistion For Autistic Youth In Training And Generalized Settings, Sales Libby Ann

Dissertations and Theses

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly have difficulties with social communication which is often targeted using social skills teaching (SST) (Mikami et al., 2014). These programs are effective, however, many lack evidence of social validity measures or procedures as well as generalization of the skills targeted in intervention. The current study investigated the skill acquisition of three participants through the use of social skills teaching embedded within a role-playing game. The primary dependent variable was the skill acquisition of each participant within the RPG setting. Immediate increases in level and trend were noted across participants for most skills following …

An Introduction To Cultural Anthropology: What Does Anthropology Offer The Current World?, Kristina Baines, Victoria Costa, Baird Campbell

Open Educational Resources

This Open Educational Resource (OER) is designed to be used as a textbook to accompany an introductory course in Cultural Anthropology. The chapters can, however, stand alone or be expanded and be used in courses with units on Medical Anthropology, Ethnographic Methods, Race and Gender Studies, Climate and Environmental Anthropology and others. Please feel free to use all or part of the textbook and supplemental materials provided. This resource is published under a creative commons license. Use and modify as you wish for non-commercial use only with attribution to Cool Anthropology.

Sexual Education, Sexual Self-Concept, And Behavior Of Adolescents: A Retrospective Study, Rachel Albanese

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Adolescence is a period within the lifespan of a human where sexuality is a key component of development; therefore, it is appropriate that adolescents are provided sexual education during this time. There continues to be a debate regarding sexual education; while some studies consider specific ways to provide sexual education, they do not compare the effect of differing sexual education (i.e., how and who provided sexual education) or lack of sexual education on risky sexual behavior and sexual selfconcept during adolescence. This study retrospectively examined the impact of sexual education on risky sexual behavior and sexual self-concept. It also explored …

Exploring The Relationship Among Postpartum Depression, Cognitive Distortions, And Relationship Satisfaction, Kylie A. Hastings

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Postpartum depression is the most prevalent psychological disorder experienced following childbirth, impairs daily functioning, negatively impacts child growth and development, and is linked to maladaptive parent-child interactions. Previous research also suggests a link among distorted thinking, depression symptoms, and interpersonal tension. The current study explores the interplay among postpartum depression symptoms, cognitive distortions, and relationship satisfaction among postpartum individuals. Researchers examined how specific thinking errors, including catastrophizing, mindreading, and labeling, are associated with depression symptoms and relational experiences in the postpartum period. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from 90 participants using validated instruments: the …

Cold War Karl Mundt: The Utility Of Anticommunism During The Eightieth Congress, Wattier Zachary

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines South Dakota House Representative Karl Mundt during the Eightieth Congress and his role in helping to build a movement and consensus over domestic and international communism. I argue that not only did Mundt help facilitate the Second Red Scare that allowed for the “McCarthyism” of the 1950s to thrive, but Mundt also aided in selling a combative diplomacy towards the USSR which intensified relations into a Cold War. As a ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mundt advocated for the use of soft power, education, information, and propaganda to sell his idealized Americanism to …