Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Automated Cinematographer For Vr Viewing Experiences, Zihan Wu

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

As the virtual reality (VR) industry continues to evolve, the question of how to effectively capture VR experiences for an audience remains a challenge. The predominant method of showcasing VR applications through first-person recordings lacks cinematic interest, failing to capture other viewpoints and the essence of the moment. Meanwhile, manually setting up cameras and editing videos requires technical expertise on behalf of the user. In this paper, we propose the use of machine learning (ML) to automatically select the most compelling predefined viewpoint in a VR environment, at any given moment. Our models, trained on actor motion and voice volume, …

Community Engagement Newsletter, May 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

--- Community Engagement Celebration Day
--- McElroy Yough Leadership Fund Fellows
--- Veridian Community Engagement Fellows
--- Seed Coalition-Engaged Campus Awards
--- Cedar Valley Leadership Institute
--- Changemakers Retreat
--- Page Fellowship
--- Allstate Foundation Youth Action Board
--- Service-Learning Course Designation
--- Fall Volunteer Fair
--- Civic Action Academy
--- UNI Engaged Podcast
--- Donations Needed

Breathing Inequity: A Mixed Method Analysis Of Rubbertown's Air Quality Problem, Mikayla Pitmon

Undergraduate Theses

Louisville Metro Government has a multitude of quantitative data on demographics, health, and air quality in Rubbertown fenceline communities. This study explores how community-level research allows us to have a more robust understanding of the impact of environmental injustice. Spatial data was utilized to map various health variables, zoning, and community spaces relative to Rubbertown chemical facilities. A semi-structured interview was then conducted with a local environmental justice activist to gain a better understanding of their experience and the barriers to environmental justice for the residents of West Louisville. This study improves our understanding of community needs and adds a …

What's In A Name? Plant Naming As Cultural Artifact And Story In The Midwestern United States, Sophie Wesseler

Undergraduate Theses

This project sought to collect and contextualize the historical and contemporary names given to plants by inhabitants of the Midwestern United States, understanding plant names as cultural artifacts that can offer insight into the communities in which they were created and evolved. Formatted as a series of entries, this collection gathered these names and contextualized them within other artifacts of cultural significance, such as art or poetry, and alongside historical research on their origins and cultural environments. Examining plant names through the fields of linguistics, semiology, anthropology, cultural studies, taxonomy, and ethnobotany, this work traces the names of various plants …

A Comparison Of Shaping And Imitation For Reducing A Dog’S Problem Behavior, Carlee Weir, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Over one million dogs have entered shelters in 2024 alone with approximately 31% of those dogs being relinquished by their owners (Shelter Animal Count, 2024). Further, non-aggressive behavioral issues are often cited as a primary cause for owner relinquishment (Best Friends Network Partners, 2018; Howard & DiGennaro Reed, 2014). Previous research has shown the effectiveness of training methods based on positive reinforcement to reduce problematic behavior with dogs and to increase desirable behavior, such as shaping and clicker training, and there has been a growing interest in the use of imitation during training. Fugazza and Miklosi (2015) compared a shaping …

A Preliminary Analysis Of Functional Communication Training Via Voice-Recorded Buttons To Reduce Undesirable Behaviors With Dogs, Mya Watson-Blake, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Undesirable behavior, such as excessive barking, jumping up, and biting, is prevalent among pet dogs with an estimate of 72%-85% of dogs exhibiting at least one type of undesirable behavior (Dinwoodie et al., 2019; Powell et al., 2021; Salonen et al., 2020). Further, canine undesirable behavior has been found to be the leading cause of owners relinquishing their dogs to rescue shelters (Powdrill-Wells et al., 2021). Functional communication training (FCT) is a method that has shown to be effective with human populations for reducing challenging behaviors by teaching an individual an alternative response that results in the same class of …

Friends Of The Tmc Library Cookies & Conversation, Rebecca Denkeler

TMC Library Newsletter (2015-)

On May 1, 2024, in the Library lobby, the Friends of the TMC Library hosted a special end-of-semester student-focused event, Cookies & Conversation. The Friends invited students to enjoy cookies and sparkling water and shared the Friends’ mission to support the TMC Library. Students also entered a drawing to win a door prize including a ticket to the Fall Book & Author Event and membership in the Friends of the TMC Library. Learn more about joining the Friends of the TMC Library.

Victim Or Villain: Female Resilience And Agency In The Face Of Trauma In Chimamanda Adichie’S, Purple Hibiscus (2003) And Tsitsi Dangarembga’S, Nervous Conditions (1988), Adaobi Juliet Chukwuma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As long as disparities persist in the way women are treated as compared to their male counterparts, the issue of gender will continue to call forth literary productions. For this reason, female writers are on a mission to dismantle the stereotypes that keep women confined to societal roles. Grounded in a feminist framework, this study focuses on the gender disparity theme in Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions. The aim is to examine how these writers represent the trauma of women living in an African patriarchal system. The traumatic experiences of the female characters in both texts …

The Future Of Academic Reference Services In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: An Overview, Lili Li, Kay Coates

University Libraries: Faculty Presentations

The purpose of this study explores the deep impact of ChatGPT on reference services in academic libraries. Based on the identified research literature, this study used the method of descriptive content analysis to evaluate the general capabilities of generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT, to transform reference services in academic libraries. With the homepage of the Georgia Southern University Libraries, two experienced librarians examined the potential of generative AI applications like ChatGPT to impact future reference services in ever-changing academic libraries. Based on the word limit, this study only focused on a few key areas of reference services, such as …

Sexual Exploitation: The Crisis And Eradicative Solution, Tonnie Adams Bracey

Nonprofit and NGO Studies Student Projects

French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I find this to be true in our current era of the digital age. Although technology has gifted a newly improved and vast method of making worldwide connections and broadening our perceptions and views, a change in how we communicate has conveniently presented itself, but the historic pattern of how we handle these new advancements have indeed stayed the same.
Smart phones are a mainstream vessel employing the world with a plethora of information while giving all sorts of people access to individual’s lives …

Examining Young Adult E-Cigarette Users By Device Type: A Latent Class Analysis, Mufazzela Tabassum

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Examining Young Adult E-Cigarette Users by Device Type: A Latent Class Analysis

Purpose. This study examined which factors influence the type(s) of e-cigarette devices someone uses and if there are heterogeneous groups of young adult e-cigarette users.

Methods. This study first quantitatively explored if there are heterogeneous groups of e-cigarette users by utilizing data from an online cross-sectional survey. E-cigarette users (n = 595) were able to participate in the survey if they were 18-29 years of age, used an e-cigarette for 1-5 days in the past 30 days, own their own e-cigarette, and live in the United States. Participants …

Juvenile Diversion Programs In Minnesota Counties And Their Effect On Arrest Rates, Victoria Floden

Political Science Theses and Capstones

The rise of juvenile diversion programs in Minnesota has sparked widespread discussion, especially as the nation addresses its concerns about overcrowded jails and prisons stemming from past "tough-on-crime" policies. Minnesota has responded by creating alternative pathways for juvenile offenders, aiming to keep them out of the traditional justice system while still holding them responsible for their actions. However, research and existing literature are unclear as to which of these diversion programs help reduce juvenile arrest rates. Different factors in each case could provide insight into which programs are most effective. I seek to explain why certain Minnesota counties have been …

Getting The Dunce Cap: Examining The Effects Of Authority And Rejection On Self-Esteem, Chloe Whitfield

Honors College Theses

Social rejection has been defined as any instance in which an individual is excluded socially or fails to maintain a social relationship (Jiang & Ngai, 2020). To describe the tendency to worry about, anticipate, and overreact to social rejection, the term rejection sensitive was coined (Feldman & Downey, 1994). The present study was specifically interested in rejection sensitivity and its various influences on behavior and self-esteem, especially in an instance of receiving rejection from a person of academic authority (i.e., a professor). The study was also interested in identifying recurring personality traits in rejection-sensitive individuals. After completing an online pre-test …

Stuck In My Head: Maladaptive Daydreaming And Memory, Tamryn Woolfork

Honors College Theses

Previous research has indicated that maladaptive daydreaming (MD), a proposed psychological disorder in which people are compulsively immersed in complex daydreamed plots accompanied by intense emotional involvement and stereotypical movements (Soffer-Dudek & Theodor-Katz, 2022), may be comorbid with many disorders such as ADHD (Somer, Soffer-Dudek, & Ross, 2017). Research has also shown that MD is related to the concept of absorption in which a person’s attention is fully engaged in an outside object (Abu-Rayya, Somer, & Meari-Amir, 2019; Tellegen & Atkinson, 1974). This study examined whether MD was correlated with story world absorption, working memory span, and memory for a …

The Use Of Laja In Construction In Ancient Mesoamerica: A View From The Southern Gulf Lowlands Of Veracruz, Mexico, Lauren Smith

Honors College Theses

The archaeology of the southern Gulf lowlands of Veracruz, Mexico is notable for its research pertaining to the Olmec culture (Jaime-Riveron 2016; Loughlin 2012; Pool 2006). The region was home to the Colossal Olmec Heads: large, easily identifiable sculptures crafted from the volcanic rock of the Tuxtlas Volcanic Field. The use of volcanic resources in such grand presentations may instill a bias in the research of some archaeologists, but it is important to consider how these and other volcanic resources might have been used in everyday life (e.g., Jaime-Riveron 2016: 86). The consolidated volcanic ash in this region is referred …

The Atlanta University Center’S (Auc) Robert W. Woodruff Library’S Growing Partnerships And Outreach To Support Its Annual International Games Day, Patrice Williams, Bryan A. Briones

Georgia Library Quarterly

International Games Day (IGD) is one of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library's most popular annual outreach events. The library's IGD transformed from a one-day event for its AUC community members to come visit, socialize, and play a few rounds of table-top card and board games into a two-day event with broader gaming and e-sports networking opportunities which has been very well-received.

Royston Public Library Receives National Grant To Make The Library More Accessible To Patrons With Disabilities, Maggie West, Darcy Calia

Georgia Library Quarterly

The Royston Public Library has been awarded a prestigious $10,000 grant as part of the Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities initiative, spearheaded by the American Library Association (ALA). This grant aims to enhance accessibility and community engagement for individuals with disabilities in small and rural libraries. The Royston Library plans to host community conversations to gain direct patron input into the best use of these funds. Ideas include utilizing the grant to develop tailored programs, including Sensory Storytime sessions and Quieter Storytime sessions with interactive elements. Furthermore, the library could improve physical accessibility by enhancing the garden …

News Briefs Spring 2024, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Length Of Time Differences Between Genders In Factors Of Movement From Suicidal Ideation To Suicidal Action, Carina Anderson

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

While women are more likely to take suicidal action, men are more likely to die of it. This difference has been partially, but not completely explained by the methods of suicide generally chosen by men and women. While this and other factors have been explored, there is no conclusive answer for the difference in death rates. Research suggests that men and women make decisions differently, and if these differences contribute to variations in their movement from suicidal ideation to suicidal action, we might expect to see these differences reflected in the amount of time it takes men and women to …

Emergence: Social Movements, Law Enforcement, And Defending The Sanctity Of Life, Diana Elizabeth Aroche

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the aftermath of national social movements advocating for police reforms and accountability, with San Francisco emerging as a pivotal city at the forefront of criminal justice and policing transformations. Rebuilding community trust and implementing substantive police reforms aimed at preserving lives has proven to be a formidable challenge. The convergence of interests among all stakeholders, driven by a shared commitment to dismantling institutional racism and implementing reforms that fostered trust with communities of color and law enforcement, played a pivotal role.

A significant aspect of this reform process has been the development of social movement convergence, where …

A Word From The Writing Team (May 2024), Pam Walter, Mfa, Liz Declan, Ma, Mfa

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Join Us for Our Virtual Writing Retreat on May 3rd
• Save the Date for the 16th Annual Jefferson Faculty Days: June 5th & 6th
• Scott Memorial Library Archive Renovations Are Done—Come See!
• Thomas Jefferson University Has Updated Its Mission Statement
• Publication Spotlight
• Jefferson's AI Library Guide is Available on the Library Website
• The OPWPC Canvas Page Offers Helpful Tools

Mate Guarding Against Strong Men Displaying Affiliative And Aggressive Humor, Jacob Pauley

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mate retention behaviors serve to discourage partner defection from a current pairbond. Such behaviors are oftentimes more prevalent toward intrasexual rivals exhibiting physical and behavioral cues implicating that rival as an optimal mate. Among these features in men are their upper body strength, a feature diagnostic of heritable fitness, and men's ability to produce humor, a cue to their social competence. This study considered the intersection of these desirable features in shaping men's mate retention behavior toward an intrasexual rival. After learning of a hypothetical interloper exhibiting high or low upper body strength while similarly using humor in an affiliative …

The Effect Of Hormonal Contraceptive Use On Dominance And Prestige Tactics, Carson Chappell

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between hormonal contraceptives and prestige and dominance status-seeking tactics. Existing literature has examined how the hormones estrogen and progesterone, especially in relation to the fertile window of the menstrual cycle, are associated with prestige and dominance but has yet to look in depth at how hormonal contraceptives might alter this impact. The current study asked participants to complete a 22- item questionnaire assessing dominance and prestige. I hypothesized that women on hormonal contraceptives would have lower scores for prestige and dominance compared to women who are naturally cycling. The results did not …

Amendment 80 And The Effects On Arkansas Supreme Court Elections, Sydney Kincaid

Political Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

In 2001, Amendment 80 was implemented into the Arkansas Constitution. One part of this Amendment was changing statewide judicial elections from being partisan to nonpartisan. This research project seeks to analyze the impact of Amendment 80 on Arkansas Supreme Court elections. The research considers how three components of elections have been impacted by the Amendment which are diversity of candidates, level of competition, and voter turnout. Data collection was conducted for all Arkansas Supreme Court elections from 2002-2022. The information that was collected includes election records as well as descriptive characteristics of candidates including race, gender, raw vote, opposed versus …

Investigating The Relation Between Family Income And Barriers For Black Caregivers Of Autistic Children, Leah Gelfand

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Black caregivers and families of autistic youth experience racial barriers (e.g., racial microaggressions, stigma;) and practical barriers (e.g., cost of treatment, long waitlists), when seeking treatment and diagnostic services (Lovelace et al., 2018). The current study aimed to ascertain whether family income influenced the racial and practical barriers experienced by a sample of Black caregivers of autistic youth (N = 101). Overall and item-level analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between racial and practical barriers experienced across Lower (below 39,693; n=32), Lower-Middle ($39,693-$59,540; n=28), Middle-Upper ($59,540 to $119,080; n=21), and Upper income groups ($119,080 and …

Storytelling For Social Change: Using Victim Narratives From Social Media To Disrupt Rape Myth Acceptance Among College Students, Grace Carmack

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study employed a narrative intervention experiment aimed at challenging college students' acceptance of rape myths (RMA). Rape myths are erroneous beliefs that shift blame for sexual violence (SV) from perpetrators to victims and encompass stereotypical misconceptions about women. Three authentic narratives, shared anonymously on social media by college victims of sexual violence, were selected for their varying levels of graphic detail and situational context. The study's objective was not only to interrogate RMA among college students but also to discover which of the three narratives was most effective in reducing RMA among readers, utilizing the Transportation Theory as a …

Surveys Assessing Food Security And Willingness To Buy Dairy Products In Mauritius Conducted Summer 2022, Abigail Burch

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the summer of 2022, I worked on a team of University of Arkansas and University of Mauritius students to administer surveys regarding the consumption of dairy milk and the impact of COVID-19 on food security in the island nation of Mauritius. This project was created by both universities in conjunction with the Mauritian Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security.

Economic Anomalies Following The Handover Of Hong Kong, Nathan Martin

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper seeks to examine and provide a possible explanation for economic anomalies in Hong Kong following its handover to China. Hong Kong was on a 99-year lease to the United Kingdom from China before being handed back over July 1^st, 1997. Due to the “one country, two systems” policy espoused in the handover agreement that was to be implemented for fifty years, this event marks a rare natural experiment of a peaceful regime change without a significant change in governance. This paper seeks to understand the impact of the act of regime change on selected key macroeconomic …

Community Development In Stann Creek, Belize, Connor O'Neill

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research attempts to understand the inner workings of community development by taking part in ongoing development projects in Belize. Through collaboration with existing government entities, we took part in meetings, surveys, and site visits to gather the data necessary for the development projects. These projects consisted of finding cost of production, collecting market research, and constructing business plans. During our time, we experienced multiple difficulties similar to those that developers consistently encounter. Ultimately, we gained valuable insight into procedures involved in community development, as well as being able to aid in ongoing development work.

Reaping What You Subsidize: A Comprehensive Review Of Outcomes From Crop Subsidies In The United States, Sawyer J. Knox

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The motivation for researching this topic comes from an interest in public policy and public health. In this paper, we will examine the impact of farm subsidies on the health of citizens, look at who benefits financially and economically from these subsidies, and examine the environmental impact of these programs. The paper will be structured as follows: Section II, the wealth distribution results from farm subsidies; Section III, the disproportionate impacts on health from farm subsidies; Section IV, the impact on global economies from farm subsidies; Section V, the environmental impact from farm subsidies; and Section VI, conclusions and policy …