Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Filling Time-Series Gaps Using Image Techniques: Multidimensional Context Autoencoder Approach For Building Energy Data Imputation, Chun Fu, Matias Quintana, Zoltan Nagy, Clayton Miller

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Building energy prediction and management has become increasingly important in recent decades, driven by the growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the availability of more energy data. However, energy data is often collected from multiple sources and can be incomplete or inconsistent, which can hinder accurate predictions and management of energy systems and limit the usefulness of the data for decision-making and research. To address this issue, past studies have focused on imputing missing gaps in energy data, including random and continuous gaps. One of the main challenges in this area is the lack of validation on a …

Corporate Governance Through Social Media, Christina M. Sautter

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Retail investors and other stakeholders are vigorously and loudly taking positions regarding corporate governance issues on social media. They are gathering on social media to discuss which stocks to invest in and to debate and collectively act on corporate governance-related matters. Propelled by new technologies and social media, retail investor engagement has shifted away from traditional venues like corporate voting and shareholder proposals. Retail investors have opened tens of millions of new brokerage accounts since 2020. These new retail investors, primarily Millennials and GenZ’ers, are adept at using technology and naturally gather and obtain information on social media. A co-author …

Yes, Low-Income People Do Move, Michael Lewyn

Scholarly Works

One answer to the American housing affordability crisis is for municipalities to allow more housing to be built. Some argue, however, that new housing does not benefit people who seek to remain in their current residence, and that this group is disproportionately poor and/or minority. This article critiques the latter view, pointing out that lower-income households are actually more likely to move because of financial instability.

Incomplete Streets, Michael Lewyn

Scholarly Works

Over 1700 complete streets policies have been adopted by state and local government; these policies typically provide that streets shall be designed to benefit all users, not just motorists. This article analyzes some complete streets policies, and concludes that even above-average policies are often too vague and underfunded to significantly change the status quo. The article suggests a variety of reforms that might make complete streets policies more effective.

Biophilic Design And Biophilic Cities: An Explainer, Kincaid Brown

Law Librarian Scholarship

The COVID-19 pandemic brought into focus that outdoor activities in natural settings have a positive impact on mental health, and individuals participating in outdoor activity report higher rates of emotional well-being than individuals who do not participate in such activity. Biophilic design is an architectural practice that aims to connect people to nature through design concepts with one of the benefits being psychological. Other benefits of biophilic design include improvements to environmental quality, physical health, support of animal species and habitats, and more resilient and energy-efficient cities.

Analysis Of Traffic Conflicts With Right Turning Vehicles At Unsignalized Intersections In Suburban Areas, Abbas Sheykhfard, Farshidreza Haghighi, Sarah Bakhtiari, Sara Moridpour, Kun Xie, Grigorios Fountas

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Right-turn collisions at intersections are one of the most dominant crash types in suburban areas, especially at unsignalized intersections. There is, however, a lack of comprehensive research on the speed patterns of vehicles during right-turn manoeuvres and their impact on crashes. To provide an in-depth investigation of the factors determining the safety of right-turn manoeuvres, driving behaviour data were collected through an instrumented vehicle study. Using this data, binary logistic regression models were developed to identify the factors affecting the probability of Vehicle-Vehicle (V-V) and Vehicle-Pedestrian (V-P) conflicts at six suburban intersections in Babol, Iran, during right-turn stage manoeuvres. In …

Review Of Still Life With Bones: Genocide, Forensics, And What Remains, Mack Cristino

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of Still Life with Bones: Genocide, Forensics, and What Remains by Alexa Hagerty. 2023. Crown Publishing Group, New York. xvi + pp. 228. $28.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-593-44313-2. Review by: Mack Cristino, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Alexa Hagerty pours her entire heart into this book in both recounting her own personal experiences and passions in contributing to the repatriation of these victims and in bringing about awareness of such governmental corruption. Millions of innocent people are dead at the hands of greedy figureheads, and it is in the marriage of forensics and empathy that we will solve these crimes and …

Review Of The Marginalized In Death: A Forensic Anthropology Of Intersectional Identity In The Modern Era, Dakota L. Taylor

Nebraska Anthropologist

Review of The Marginalized in Death: A Forensic Anthropology of Intersectional Identity in the Modern Era by J. F. Byrnes and I. Sandoval-Cervantes. 2022. Lexington Books. Reviewed by Dakota Taylor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

This book is a compilation of articles that explore the representation of marginalized populations in the forensic anthropological record. The primary focus of this book is on the need for more research to be conducted in this field regarding marginalized populations. Some of the main takeaways from this book is the urgent need to train or educate forensic anthropologists about all these issues. Additionally, this book …

Do Americans Support More Housing?, Michael Lewyn

Scholarly Works

An analysis of opinion poll data on housing issues. The article finds that Americans generally believe that their community needs more housing of all types, but are more closely divided about whether such housing should be in their own neighborhoods. The article further finds that members of minority groups, lower-income Americans, and younger Americans are more pro-housing than older, affluent whites.

Green Amendments Land Use And Transportation: What Could Go Wrong?, Michael Lewyn

Scholarly Works

Numerous states have amended their constitutions to include a green amendment (that is, an amendment providing that the state's citizens have a right to a healthy environment). Unfortunately, the vagueness of these amendments leaves an enormous amount of interpretative power to courts. This article examines how some courts have interpreted green amendments and how these interpretations risk the misuse of green amendments. Additionally, this article examines how such misuse may be avoided.

A Grounded Theory Investigation Of Basic Psychological Needs Theory As A Framework For Effective Mental Health Referrals In Collegiate Sport, Luna Ugrenović

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using a grounded theory approach, this study explored collegiate athletes’ mental health referral experiences and identified mechanisms explaining those experiences based upon perceptions of psychological need fulfillment and thwarting according to Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT). Interviews were conducted with a purposive, maximum variation sample of 14 current and former collegiate athletes who were referred to mental health services by support personnel or other athletes. Analyses yielded three overarching theoretical categories/properties: pre-referral factors, proactive and reactive referral conversations, and referral outcomes. Referral is often understood as an isolated conversation in which athletes are provided mental health resources in response to …

From Trails To Triumph: Documenting Two Decades Of Impact With Adventure Wv, Sean Lowdermilk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper and accompanying short film (https://youtu.be/gTnXbvkX0MA) examines the impact of experiential learning through the lens of Adventure WV, an outdoor orientation program at West Virginia University. Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory as a foundation for the research, this study explores how outdoor and expeditionary learning fosters personal and professional growth, builds a community, and deepens students' connection to the state and the institution. Through interviews with the program's founder, as well as current students and administration paired with archival footage and modern video, the research highlights Adventure WV's role in student retention, professional development, and student …

Three Essays On Externalities Of Energy And Agricultural Production, Taiwo Foluso Akinyemi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation consists of three essays exploring the externalities that arise from energy production and development in a developing country, Nigeria, and agricultural production in a developed nation, the United States (US). The research examines the benefits of energy development in terms of its impact on local wealth and the associated costs, including the health effects on communities living near energy production sites. Additionally, the dissertation analyzes the opportunity costs of policies aimed at preventing the relocation of nutrients, particularly nitrogen fertilizers, within the agricultural sector and their impact on the producer and consumer surplus.

The first essay examines the …

A Multidisciplinary Approach To Identify Postoperative Delirium In Geriatric Patients Using A Brain Health Screening Tool, Ashlyn Mccartney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common occurrence, effecting nearly 61% of the surgical population recovering from anesthesia. POD increases risk of morbidity and mortality leading to prolonged hospital length of stay by 0.8 to 7.3 days and increased costs by $1,551 to $23,698 (Masharaf et al., 2022; Sethi, 2021). An academic medical center in northern West Virginia (WV) lacks a structured practice/protocol to identify high risk patients and assess POD. An evidence-based solution was developed based on the PICO question: Does a multidisciplinary approach to perianesthetic care utilizing a brain health screening tool, compared to lack of a screening tool, …

Utilizing Arcgis Storymap To Raise Awareness: Double Dispossession Of The Gullah Geechee On Sapelo Island, Noah A. Moulton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the Sea Islands of the Atlantic Coast, represent a resilient community whose heritage and practices have endured despite centuries of systemic oppression. This research examines the intersection of history, land dispossession, and environmental threats to the Gullah Geechee community, particularly on Sapelo Island. By exploring the enduring agricultural knowledge, language, and practices, this work underscores the significance of the Gullah Geechee's connection to their ancestral lands, which have been essential for the preservation of their identity. The dual forces of gentrification and climate change present pressing challenges, manifesting as both …

Symptoms Of Anxiety, Trauma, Depression, And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders In A Subsequent Pregnancy Following A Previous Pregnancy Loss, Juliana Lynn Restivo Haney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pregnancy loss is a common and intense personal event that has been found to be a risk factor for increased symptoms of mood, trauma, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders in subsequent pregnancies. Using a self-report online survey, the current study hypothesizes that levels of anxiety, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms will be higher in pregnant individuals who had a pregnancy loss in their most recent previous pregnancy (n= 61) when compared to pregnant individuals whose most recent previous pregnancy resulted in a live birth (n= 62). Participants responded to an online questionnaire asking about reproductive and mental health history, symptoms of perinatal …

A Graphic Novel About Housing Policy, Michael Lewyn

Scholarly Works

A review of Build, Baby, Build by Bryan Caplan

Demonstrating The Need For Intergenerational Trauma-Specific Substance Use Treatment For Mothers Receiving Substance Use Treatment And Their Children, Brittany Ti-Esha Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For decades the United States has faced substance use epidemics that have devastating public health consequences, with the most recent epidemic being the opioid epidemic. While the substance that is the center of the epidemic’s changes over time, one factor that has been found to be positively related to substance use has remained consistent, that preventable risk factor is adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Those who experience ACEs are at elevated risk for developing SUD. If the trauma that is a result of experiencing ACE is not treated it can complicate recovery and impact the individuals’ families. The children of individuals …

Multidisciplinary Approach To Injury Rehabilitation: The D1 College Athlete Perspective, Lindsey Leatherman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sport injuries continue to be unavoidable disruptions in student-athletes’ athletic careers with over 200,000 injuries estimated to be reported each year in college sport (Kerr et al., 2015). Researchers continue to emphasize the importance of an interprofessional approach to rehabilitation to help athletes manage the adverse psychological and emotional reactions to injury (Appaneal et al., 2009; Gervis et al., 2020; Putukian, 2016). The purpose of this study was to extend and replicate the research of Clement and Arvinen-Barrow (2021) by incorporating perspectives of Division I US student-athletes. The current study describes 321 NCAA Division I collegiate athletes’ experiences of receiving …

Breaking The Silence: International Students’ Communication About Sexual Assault And Opportunities For Improved Prevention Messaging, Samaha Ghani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The beginning of college campus life is one of the most exciting phases of student life. However, for some students, it might pose a threat in the form of sexual violence. In the United States, sexual violence is highly pervasive, placing college students at a greater risk of victimization. Currently, there is a lack of data on sexual crimes within the international student population on U.S. college campuses due to cultural and language barriers. As such, the purpose of this study is to explore international students’ communication needs around the topic of sexual consent and sexual violence. This vulnerable and …

Three Essays On Energy Related To State Policies And Low Carbon Transitions, Pinky Thomas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation consists of three essays on energy-related state policies and energy transition. Each paragraph below refers to the three abstracts for the three chapters in this dissertation, respectively.

The first essay is entitled: “Impacts of State Tax and Resource Ownership Policies on Extraction: Evidence from U.S. Natural Gas Production”. The innovation of combined use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies during the 2000s has allowed natural gas producers in the United States to extract natural gas and liquids from deep shale formations in a cost-efficient manner. This essay evaluates whether unconventional gas production responds to tax changes, and …

Making Something Out Of Nothing: Immobility As An Operant, KaʻAla K. Bajo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The tradition of research in the experimental analysis of behavior generally emphasizes the analysis of overt, discrete responses such as lever presses or key pecks. Reflecting this emphasis, definitions of behavior involve the observable action or movement of an organism through space. Although continuous responses involving little to no movement, such as “holding still” or “immobility”, fall outside these definitions, immobility is a form of continuous, operant responding that can be learned and experimentally controlled. Three experiments were conducted to investigate parameters surrounding immobility as an operant. In Experiment 1, immobility in the form of platform-standing bouts was shaped and …

Policy Dynamics In Young Democracies: Attention, Electoral Change, And Responsiveness In Ghana And South Africa, Christiana Bugri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My dissertation is a collection of three essays that assess the nature of government attention in young democracies. Theories of the policy process focus on policy dynamics in Western democracies with little application to non-Western democracies. This dissertation bridges this gap by studying policy dynamics in the neopatrimonial democracies of Ghana and South Africa. The dissertation sheds light on how the unique features of young democracies (centralization, clientelism, and powerful executives) shape government attention, responsiveness to public opinion, and the importance of elections in policy change. The first essay examines the dynamics of government attention and how the neopatrimonial nature …

An Appalachian Perspective On Suicide: A Focus On West Virginia’S Unique Context, Erin Delaney Caswell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

INTRODUCTION: The Appalachian region, spanning 13 states from New York to northern Mississippi, experiences the suicide rates in the United States (U.S.), underscoring a public health crisis exacerbated by persistent socioeconomic challenges. West Virginia (WV), the only state entirely within Appalachia, serves as a focal point for understanding the broader suicide crisis in the region, as WV has the highest suicide rates in the region. Moreover, the state has several unique socioeconomic factors, like increased poverty, lower educational attainment, limited access to healthcare, and a high prevalence of chronic pain and substance that may contribute to elevated rates of suicide. …

Investigating The Effect Of Sign-Tracking On Attention And Perceptual Inference, Maria C. Potts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous research has shown that animals vary in the degree to which they attribute incentive salience to reward predictive cues. In Pavlovian conditioning, two behavioral phenotypes emerge: goal-tracking (GT), in which animals approach the site of the reward, and sign-tracking (ST), in which animals approach the conditioned stimulus and interact with it as if it has become a reward in its own right. ST has been associated with higher rates of impulsivity, drug reinstatement, and relapse, and is thought to confer addiction vulnerability. Though some studies have suggested that similar phenotypes exist in humans and are possibly related to addiction …

An Investigation Of Relations Between Developmental Stage, Impulsivity, And False Confessions, Madison G. Gallimore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current study examined relations between developmental stage, impulsivity, and false confessions. Based on the findings from Tervo-Clemmens et al. (2023), participants were divided into two groups based on age; ages included those who had not yet reached executive functioning maturation (12-to-20-years-old) and those who had reached executive functioning maturation (21-to-37-years-old). Impulsiveness was determined by performance on a delay-discounting task based on Mok et al. (2020) and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 (BIS-11) Self-control subscale. False confessions were measured based on whether participants orally admitted to a minor wrongdoing. All participants experienced the same study procedure. The false confession paradigm utilized …

The Kaleidoscope Effect: A Solution Focused Approach To Hazing Prevention A Mixed Methods Study, Akeya Shonte Simeon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examined the complexities surrounding hazing behaviors within the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Association (PHA) student populations, as well as the perspectives of college administrators. Harmful health behaviors, such as hazing, sexual violence, and substance misuse, continue to plague these organizations, impacting over 750,000 undergraduate students across more than 770 campuses in the United States. The research employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, starting with an analysis of IFC and PHA responses from the What Works for Fraternity and Sorority Safety and Success survey, focusing on five institutions: Baylor, James Madison, Louisiana State, Penn State, and Washington State …

From Measurement To Performance: Psychometric Validity And Psychological Predictors Of Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets’ Performance On The Army Combat Fitness Test, Ari Joseph Sapinsley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding the psychological and physical readiness of future military leaders is crucial for improving recruitment and retention. The U.S. Army faces increasing obesity rates and declining physical fitness among recruits, reducing the pool of eligible candidates and raising costs. The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), which commissions 59% of officers, has higher attrition rates than other sources, underscoring the need to identify psychological predictors of performance. This dissertation examines the psychometric properties of psychological instruments used to assess ROTC cadets and their relationship with Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) performance. Two research questions were explored: (1) What are the psychometric …

The Sociology Of Bail Reform: Crime, Social Interaction, And Offender Experiences In Rurality., Scott Kevin Turner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study sought to explore the impact of the New York State “Bail Reform Act of 2019,” in rurality. It examined some of the legislative goals of the law, the claim that it caused crime, and offender experiences in rurality. Secondary data was used to map the rural crime landscape and primary data was collected from offenders during face to face interviews. The study was framed using deterrence and opportunity approaches and situated within the broader field environments; legislative, courtroom, and community. The research failed to find support for the claim that bail reform caused crime. Instead, it revealed that …

Effects Of Probabilistic Win-Paired-Cue Delivery On Loss Trials On Risky Choice In Rats, Connor M. Lambert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Problem gambling, or Gambling Disorder, is a behavioral disorder that affects 2.5% of the U.S. population and can result in detriments to physical, mental, and financial well-being. Electronic gambling machines (e.g., slot machines, video poker, pachinko) may be more addictive than other forms of gambling (e.g., table games, sports betting). Electronic gambling machines present a series of audiovisual stimuli concurrently with winning and some losing outcomes. Previous research in human and non-human animals has found increased levels of risky choice when audiovisual stimuli are presented with wins compared to their absence. The present study was arranged to evaluate how a …