Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Why Do Populists (Promise To) Close Borders? Contemporary Populism And Immigration Control In Net Migration Countries, Tyler J. Rapisarda

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Populism has become prevalent worldwide as more politicians embrace it. My thesis aims to study the campaign promises of populists worldwide, regarding a reduction of immigration, and to see if they followed through on those promises. I focused on populists from Europe and the United States. A comparative analysis of Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Slovakia revealed that populist candidates who had promised closing borders or otherwise reduce immigration, did so, once elected. My research reveals different approaches, methods and strategies in border and migration control, across all countries studied.

The Effect Of Mating Pheromone 2,6-Dichlorophenol On Gene Expression In Male Lone Star Ticks (Amblyomma Americanum), Mitchell E. Dyen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) are tick species known for their generalist feeding habits, pursuing blood meals with little preference for specific host species. They are found in the southern and midwestern United States but have been rapidly expanding northward due to climate change and white-tailed deer population expansion. Since they are a zoonotic disease vector, their increased abundance has caused the concurrent increased prevalence of a variety of tick-borne illnesses such as tularemia, heartland virus disease, alpha-gal syndrome, ehrlichiosis, and southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), which effect both humans and animals alike. This increased prevalence of tick-borne …

Threats To The United States, Elyssa R. Barna

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research goes over various threats that the United States may deal with in the future, how severe they may be, and what policy implications and further research could be done. This research is done by case studies, looking into different previous threats to the United States including the Cold War, the September 11th, 2001, attacks, the anti-western or jihadist terrorist groups, and the usage of biological and chemical weapons in terrorist attacks. After detailing the changes that have occurred in recent times, such as the evolution of technology and social media, it is explained how this can influence terrorism …

Poisoning The Blood Of Our Country: Donald Trump And The Rhetorical Dehumanization Of Migrants, Cy Conley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Donald Trump has made various claims and statements throughout his campaigns targeting migrants to the United States, specifically those entering illegally. From phrases that nearly replicate ones made by individuals who have led mass-dehumanization efforts in the past, such as Adolf Hitler, to policies that will displace millions of individuals and rip families apart. It can be determined that Donald Trump is dehumanizing immigrants with his rhetoric and plans for action. If Donald Trump is elected to be President of the United States, he plans to enact mass deportation efforts, removing illegal migrants who have been residing in the United …

Coping With Creativity - The Relationship Between Depression/Anxiety And Creative Coping In College-Aged Students, Nelly M. Dragu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The relationship between creativity and mental illness has been established in the literature. There are multiple possible explanations for how mental illness and creativity are connected, and creativity has shown to be an effective treatment for different mental illnesses (for example, through art therapy). Despite this, there is limited research on which creative activities those with mental illnesses naturally use to cope. Information on the type of creative coping that the mentally ill naturally gravitate to and find most effective can further inform possible treatment plans and suggestions. This study aims to address gaps in the literature concerning how college-aged …

The Role Of Parental Attachment In The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Depression In Emerging Adult Males, Kerstin Gracia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Experiencing adversity during childhood can impact mental health throughout adolescence and into adulthood. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are comprised of different types of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Children who experience ACEs are more likely to display internalizing (e.g., depression) and externalizing (e.g., acting out) behavior problems in adolescence. Those with insecure attachment styles are more likely to have grown up in a disorganized, inconsistent environment and have an increased chance of experiencing ACEs. The current study examined the relationships among ACEs, depression, and parental attachment in emerging adult men, with parental attachment tested as the mediating factor. It was …

Investigating Various Personality Factors As Predictors Of Poor Belief Updating Regarding Controversial Political Issues, Eric E. Haseman Jr

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Belief updating is a research area investigating how individuals refine or fail to refine their preexisting beliefs when confronted with corrective sources. Understanding the various drivers of poor belief updating in a political context is essential to maintaining an informed democracy, as the ideal voter in a democratic nation updates political misconceptions and false beliefs when presented with corrective sources. Despite the importance of this topic, the literature examining potential factors that could contribute to poor belief updating in a political context remains particularly limited. I aimed to address this limitation by recruiting undergraduates from the University of Central Florida’s …

The Role Of Multiteam Systems In Prescribed Fire Operational Incidents, Kevin Llanos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to study how multiteam systems (MTS) are implicated in prescribed fire operations and enhance an interdisciplinary understanding of occupational demands in the industry to mitigate worsening environmental challenges. We study publicly accessible sources through a mixed-methods approach applying I/O psychology and discuss relevant literature. Land management plan documentation is reviewed to explore the structural and functional components of prescribed fire teams. We apply theory-driven coding to analyze prescribed fire incident documentation as we study MTS system processes and develop thematic findings. Lastly, industry job listing content and occupational demands are reviewed. Through this archival …

Co-Occurrence Of Autism Spectrum Disorder And Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Idiopathic Hypersomnia: Data From The Hypersomnia Foundation Registry, Sophie Sevan Mikkelsen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, hypersomnia patients and researchers alike have increasingly discussed the possibility of heightened comorbidities, or co-occurrences, of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the central disorders of hypersomnolence: idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) and narcolepsy (N). While a few scarce studies have investigated a link between ADHD and N, there has been no research on the co-occurrence of these conditions with IH. This study, using data from the Hypersomnia Foundation’s CoRDS Patient Registry, is the first to identify self-reported rates of ASD and ADHD diagnoses by people with idiopathic hypersomnia. Four chi-square tests were conducted to determine …

The Quest For Racial Equality After The Revolution: How Black Intellectuals Envision The Struggle For Equality After Jim Crow And Apartheid, Shelby Morgan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper examines the ideas presented by Black public intellectuals from South Africa and the United States regarding their solutions on how to achieve real racial equality after the achievement of equality under the law. It will provide a historical comparative analysis of the two countries by examining the works of George Fredrickson, as well as some contextual background on the existence of racial disparities in the modern day. It will then present various publications by American intellectuals Ibram X. Kendi, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Cornel West, and South African authors Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, Songezo Zibi, and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi that discuss their …

Assessment Of Forensic And Clinical Criteria Of Orbital Blowout Fractures For Use In Bioarchaeological Analysis, Dylan E. Ornot

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Orbital blowout fractures are a particular facial fracture occurring within the inner eye orbits of the face caused by blunt force trauma to the eyeball or the lower orbital rim. This fracture is common in modern clinical contexts due to physical assaults, but examining this fracture in skeletal material can also provide insights into the patterns of interpersonal violence within the fields of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. Issues with analyzing this fracture in skeletal material arise due to the clinical assessment practices of blowout fractures, where medical practitioners are highly focused on the soft tissue presentations of the fracture in …

Sex Education Experiences Of Lgbtq+ College Students In Florida, Uma Sriram

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Existing research has identified negative impacts of state-level policies on sexual and gender minorities, yet minimal research has assessed the impact of recent anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Florida. This study explored the sex education experiences of LGBTQ+ college students who attended public middle and high schools in Florida and their attitudes towards the “Don’t Say Gay” Law, which was passed in 2022 and has since prevented the inclusion of diverse sexual and gender identities within K-12 school environments. Data consisted of 11 in-depth, qualitative interviews with undergraduate LGBTQ+ students attending Florida public universities. Thematic analysis of the interview data was conducted, …

Investigating Influences On Muslim-American Identity Development, Ruqayyah Adam

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand how the childhood experiences, perceived discrimination, and Islamophobia experienced by Muslim-American college students have played a part in their identity development and overall well-being. Participants completed the RYFF Psychological Well-being Scales, Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale, Centrality of Religiosity Scale, GAD7, Identity Distress Survey, Multi-Ethnic Identity Scale, as well as a narrative questionnaire that asked about their childhood experiences. After carefully analyzing the results of my study, results indicated that while Muslim-Americans faced extra difficulties due to discrimination, Islamophobia, and the integration of multiple cultural identities, they still experienced higher well-being and self-esteem despite …

The Comparative Efficacy Of Ketamine And Esketamine In Treating Anhedonia And Suicidal Ideation: A Meta-Analysis, Yanyi Wu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This meta-analysis examines the efficacy and effectiveness of racemic ketamine (RS-ketamine) and esketamine in reducing depressive symptoms such as suicidal ideation and anhedonia in patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder. This review comprehensively looks at six studies: three clinical studies focusing on suicidal ideation and three looking at anhedonia. Across the studies, RS-ketamine and esketamine were associated with a higher resolution of suicidal ideation, risk, and anhedonia. Significant improvements were noted in the suicidal desire and ideation subscale of the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation. The pooled effect size for suicidal ideation (d = 0.533) and pooled …

Does Attention Control Mediate The Negative Effects Online Usage Exerts On College Students' Gpa, Carolina Rodriguez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Online media, especially social media, is a continuously growing area of research which has raised questions about its impacts on academic outcomes. Many previous studies have established a negative relation between social media use and academic performance; however, the mechanism behind this finding is still unknown. The present study investigated whether level of attention control mediates the relation between an individual’s propensity for online usage and grade point average (GPA). Undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida (N=226) were recruited for this study, and their levels of online vigilance and attention control were measured. College GPA was self-reported by …

Financial Literacy In The Era Of Artificial Intelligence. Towards Financial Inclusion. Opening Remarks, Łukasz Kurowski, Anna Szelągowska

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

Financial Literacy in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. Towards Financial Inclusion. Opening Remarks

Entire Volume Journal Of Banking And Financial Economics 2024, 1(21)

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

Entire Volume Journal of Banking and Financial Economics 2024, 1(21)

Betting On The Market: The Influence Of Match-Day Odds On Price Reactions Of European Football Clubs, Pascal Alterauge, Marc Mehlhorn

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

This research investigates the relationship between football match outcomes, betting odds and the stock prices of publicly traded European football clubs, spanning from 11 February 2004 to 7 April 2022. Drawing data from 12 major European and publicly traded clubs, the study utilised betting odds as a key metric. These odds, aggregated from the Odds Portal, serve as a gauge for expected versus unexpected match outcomes. Preliminary findings showed a market value increase of 0.44% after a win and a decrease of 1.08% post-defeat. Moreover, deviations from betting odds predictions significantly influenced stock prices, with unexpected wins and losses resulting …

Euro-Denominated Credit Liquidity: Tracing Cyclical Phases In Global Finance, Mateusz Mariusz Mierzejewski

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

In the past few years, set against the backdrop of pandemic mitigation efforts and the resultant inflationary spike, the macrofinancial landscape has undergone significant transformation. The tightening of monetary policy by global central banks in response to these phenomena has notably affected global financial liquidity, particularly within the realm of foreign currency lending. This article delves into the shifts in credit liquidity, centering on the Global Liquidity Index for euro-denominated loans across European Union nations over the last two decades. Through the application of the Fourier Transform, we analyse the cyclical patterns within the index and delineate the primary phases …

European Union Sanctions Impact On The Sector Stock Prices – The Ukrainian War Effect?, Patrycja Chodnicka, Piotr Jaworski, Marcin Kot

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

The aim of this paper is to analyze the current impact of the implementation of the European Union sanctions related to the Ukrainian War on the abnormal rates of return on the stock prices of companies listed on the stock exchanges. It was hypothesized that the implementation of the European Union sanctions related to the Ukrainian War is causing the varied abnormal rates of return on the stock prices of companies listed on the stock exchanges, taking into consideration the type of sector and the geographical proximity to the military conflict. The analysis used panel data event studies prepared using …

Government Subsidy In The U.S. Mortgage Market: A Structural Analysis With Bunching, Bowen Shi, Yunhui Zhao

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

It is crucial to better understand the U.S. residential mortgage market, where the global financial crisis originated. In this paper, we develop an infinite-horizon continuous-time structural model to study the effects of the longstanding and widespread Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) mortgage default insurance subsidy on U.S. mortgage underwriters’ equilibrium lending behaviour. Despite the richness of the model, we obtain analytical solutions for the equilibrium loan size and interest rate. We then employ truncated loan-level data to estimate the subsidy’s magnitude using maximum likelihood by exploiting a distinctive data feature that many borrowers bunch at the subsidy eligibility cutoff. We find that …

Indirect Measure Of Financial Constraints: Evidence From Unquoted Innovative Smes, Katarzyna Prędkiewicz

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

This paper examines whether companies’ innovativeness affects the availability of capital and, therefore, whether this group is financially constrained. It uses an objective, indirect way of measuring financial constraints based on the assumption that financially restricted firms only invest when internal cash flow allows them to do so. Therefore, the research was based on the investment-cash flow equation, more precisely the adjusted ECM model adapted to the SME sector. The companies’ innovativeness was measured based on a proprietary synthetic indicator covering a broad range of information on innovation activity. The research was conducted on a sample of 403 firms, including …

The Planned Reforms Of The American And European Deposit Insurance Systems: Similarities And Differences, Konrad Szeląg

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

Last year, at around the same time, two reforms of deposit insurance systems were announced – one in the United States and the other in the European Union. The American proposal of the reform was triggered by the banking crisis of March 2023 (bank runs and failures) and it was put forward by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in May 2023. In Europe, the European Commission published in April 2023 its legislative proposal to reform the current EU framework for crisis management in the banking sector (including both deposit insurance and bank resolution). The EU proposal for the reform was …

Journal Of Banking And Financial Economics 2024, 2(22)

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics

Journal of Banking and Financial Economics 2024, 2(22)

Predictors Of International Students' Acculturation Processes In The United States, Somaya Eissa

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

International students have unique acculturation experiences. There are several factors that can play a role in their acculturation process. This topic has not been widely investigated in midwestern middle sized universities in the United States. This study had four specific hypotheses. The first was that the assimilation model is going to be correlated to a stricter upbringing of the individual. The second was that the separation model is going to be correlated with higher religiosity. The third was that the integration model will be correlated with higher

levels of outgoingness. Lastly, that marginalization will be correlated with lower levels of …

Into The Activism: An Exploration Of Gen Z'S Political Participation, Nia J. Davis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gen Z is a considerably politically active generation. However, Gen Z differs from previous generations in their methodology, campaigning for change through both in person and digital activism. While both forms of activism are effective in their own way, digital poses a unique challenge. When people can be activists from the comfort of their phone, they become “slacktivists”. People whose activism does not contribute to any significant action outside of the internet (Serup Christensen).

Through interviews and focus groups, my documentary explores how Gen Z participates in activism, and what that means for the future of activism. After these discussions, …

Impacts Of Sex Work Criminalization On Sex Workers In Oregon: A Pilot Study, Stephanie Wahab, Katie Shammel

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Executive Summary

Context for the Study
In July, 2023, Oregon legislators voted to fund research exploring the impacts of the criminalization of sex work in Oregon. Unfortunately, the Governor vetoed the budget item, stating that the private sector should fund this type of public health research and noting the need for additional public discussion about the issue. To date, there have been no attempts to study the impacts of prostitution laws on the people most impacted by them in Oregon. The research presented in this report seeks to address this gap.

This qualitative pilot study was designed to better understand …

Justice As Fairness Or As Inclusion: Putting Rawls In Conversation With The Bans On Transgender Athletes, Nicole Player

Pomona Senior Theses

The last decade has seen a flurry of anti-transgender bills introduced and passed in the United States, and the topic that has likely been the most hotly debated regards the dozens of state bans on transgender athletes. While most discussions of these bans go straight to a debate about physiology, this thesis centers instead on a question of justice. In the debate of whether to allow a transgender girl to compete in girls’ sports, is it more “just” to prioritize fairness in women’s sport, as these bans do, or is it more just to prioritize inclusion? This thesis, in finding …

Lis Journals' Lack Of Participation In Wikidata Item Creation, Eric Willey, Susan Radovsky

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

There are many items in Wikidata representing scholarly articles. However, these items have been created mostly by volunteer Wikidata editors and not systematically by journal publishers or editors, which can lead to gaps and inconsistencies in the datasets. This article presents findings from a survey investigating practices of library and information studies (LIS) journals in Wikidata item creation. Believing that a significant number of LIS journal editors would be aware of Wikidata and some would be creating Wikidata items for their publications, the authors sent a survey asking 138 English-language LIS journal editors if they created Wikidata items for materials …

Consulting With An Embedded Librarian: Student Perceptions On The Value Of Required Research Meetings, Susan Franzen, Caitlin Stewart, Mallory Jallas, Joshua Newport

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Objective: This qualitative research project was undertaken to discover how students perceive the embedded librarian in their nursing class. The researchers determined how a required group research meeting was valued by students and whether that value warranted the necessary time and energy by an embedded librarian.

Methods: Researchers conducted focus groups with twenty-three students from two different sections of the same nursing research methods undergraduate course. Students’ responses to a series of five questions were recorded within Zoom and supplemented by handwritten notes. Data was coded by hand and patterns that emerged from the five focus groups were …