Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Ouachita Circle Winter 2022, Ouachita Baptist University

The Ouachita Circle: The Alumni Magazine of Ouachita Baptist University

Momentum: Applying The Science to Our Lives: Drs. Angela and Matt Douglass bring their physics and philosophy expertise to bear on momentum.

New Student Apartments Rising for Fall 2022: Ouachita broke ground on new housing to support residential life and beautify campus.

First Cohort in M.ED. Program Begins: New online grad program emphasizes teaching as a calling alongside skill development.

Alumni Milestone Awards Announced: Alumni from the classes of 1970, '71, '80, '81, '90, '91, '00, '01, '10, & '11 were honored this fall.

Campus Update: Plans for engineering program in progress.

Faculty Profile: Dr. Terry DeWitt seeks to elevate …

Raj Soin College Of Business Newsletter - January 2022, Raj Soin College Of Business, Wright State University

Raj Soin College of Business Newsletter

A three page newsletter created by the Raj Soin College of Business at Wright State University. This newsletter includes a upcoming events, message from the dean, and more.

Amjambo Africa! (January 2022), Kathereen Harrison

Amjambo Africa!

In this Issue

Editorial ....................................6

Translation

French/Portuguese ...............8

Swahili ...................................9

Somali ..................................10

Kinyarwanda........................10

Spanish ................................11

Liberation Farms ....................12

Equity in education ................13

Cross-racial conversation ......13

Special feature....................15-18

History of Medieval Africa Contributed by USM student authors

Finance Advice for the New Year .... 19

Poetry ......................................20

Contributed by South Portland student poets

Legislative Updates Permanent Commission ....21

Priority bills for the 130th

session .................................21

Mental health: home begins in the body ..................................24

Columns ..................................27

Maine Equal Justice

ILAP

IntWork

Let’s Talk

New Voices ........................28/29

Zabrina Richards

Nsiona Nguizani

Gashi

Bénédicte Wonganombe

Rupal Ramesh Shah

Coco McCracken

Mayor Deqa Dhalac of …

The Implications And Concerns Of Algorithms In The Modern World, Melody Scott, Isabella Kear, Camden Morris, Michaela Dolph

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

In an ever emerging world of technology and advancements, there should be an increase in the importance and awareness of what each user is allowing and agreeing to on the Internet. Algorithms are becoming a part of everyday life, and many individuals don’t know just how much of their data, personal information, and privacy is being violated and collected from different companies and applications that they use. There needs to be an increase in the awareness and acknowledgement of algorithms and the “F.E.A.T” principles that companies should be following. New technologies from companies, like Google and Nimo, that are considered …

User Experience In The Visual Notifications On Smart Devices, Young Ae Kim

Dissertations and Theses

Notifications on smart devices have a crucial role for the end-users to help decide their action to the information. Despite the flexible customization of notifications for the intuitive user experience, users feel overwhelmed by the number of notifications they receive daily. The nature of notifications is short-lived, but they are extremely intrusive and disengaging. While user experience and user interface are advanced, notifications have remained broken despite their complexity. In fact, the notifications have the poorest usability that users may struggle to customize notifications in their smart devices and choose to ignore them. Irrelevant notifications not only get ignored, but …

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Dei): Interconnecting Dominant And Subdominant Culture To Understand The Language Of Marginalized Groups In A Corporate Setting, Alexia L. Knox

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

This research task will aim to understand the language of marginalized groups within the social construct of the dominant culture, which spans into the corporate sector, to assert an interconnection between dominant and subdominant groups using observational data, the muted group theory, and intersectionality frameworks. Also, an analysis of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives will be examined to interrelate corporate culture and dominant culture based on the cultural dimensions theory. Social categories such as race, gender, and class that intersect with characteristics of the dominant group are generalized to infer a new communications theory referred to as, the Triangular …

Promoting Covid-19 Vaccines Among Communities Of Color: An Analysis Of U.S. Minority Serving Higher Education Institutions’ Message Framing Strategies, Najma Akhther, Khairul Islam

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

This study examined how Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States used framing as an issue management strategy in promoting COVID-19 vaccine. A content analysis of HBCUs’ (N = 268) COVID-19 vaccine-related messages showed that institutional leaders primarily used thematic frames over episodic frames. In other words, the COVID-19 vaccination was promoted as a community issue by emphasizing safety and well-being of the community. Black leaders’ vaccine communication mostly focused on background information, research data, and statistics related to vaccination and vaccine effectiveness. Such use of framing strategies may indicate black leaders’ trust and openness in vaccine …

The Perils Of The Boomerang Effect: White House Messaging To Deter Border Crossing Backfires, Mariely Valentin-Llopis, Jessica Delgado

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

The Boomerang Effect explains how a given persuasive message produces attitude change in the direction opposite to that intended. We seek to explain how the convergence of Central American migrants at the southwest border since 2014 is, in part, produced by the United States (U.S.) White House messaging misstep. We propose a bottom-up persuasive approach to effectively spread awareness of the dangers of unauthorized border crossing. Instead of state authority voices, local native voices can effectually convey the message. The bottom-up approach of persuasion is a foundational strategy to effectively design a public awareness campaign focusing on ethos. The objective …

Covid-19 News Frames In Sports Headlines In England: A Content Analysis, Yazeed Aljasser

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

This study examined the nature of sports reporting of COVID19 in England by employing framing analysis on a sample of five newspapers. Through a quantitative content analysis, this study revealed how sports news coverage framed the COVID19 virus in these newspapers: The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail, and the Sun. The findings revealed that Competition and Players and Staff frames were the Major frames in the headlines media news organizations reported on COVID19. Implications and future research needs are discussed.

2022 International Crisis And Risk Communication Conference Program, Conference Organizers

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Program to the to the 11th Annual International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference sponsored by the Nicholson School of Communication and Media.

Evolution And Effectiveness Of The Governmental Risk And Crisis Communication On Twitter In The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Case Of Switzerland, Albena Björck, Audra Diers-Lawson, Felix Dücrey

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged the risk and crisis communication capabilities of governmental authorities: A new global phenomenon had to be managed and explained on a national and local level to protect public health. In the form of a single case study, the current research investigates this complex event as a cumulative crisis, the evolution of the communication strategies, and the effectiveness of messaging using Twitter in the context of Switzerland. The study identifies improvement potential in existing theoretical frameworks and provides a method for governmental authorities to track and assess their communication efforts.

Racial Norming In The National Football League’S Concussion Settlement: A Nested Approach To Addressing An Ongoing Crisis, Terry L. Rentner, Cory Young, Annemarie Farrell

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

For more than two decades, the National Football League (NFL) has been in the spotlight over the concussion crisis, resulting in a lawsuit by 5,000 NFL players and a subsequent 2013 settlement of more than $765 million. In 2020, a new crisis emerged out of the settlement, one of perceived inequities in criteria used to allocate settlement funds. The practice of racial norming, adjusting test scores for race, created another headache for the NFL during a time in which racial injustices in the U.S. spawned public and media discourse. Our case study explores this crisis through the Nested Theory of …

Reputation Management At The Intersection Of Information Seeking And Government Transparency, Robb Lauzon

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Over the past few years, a controversial public works project in Winter Park, Florida has been the center of debate in the city. At the end of 2021, the new Winter Park Library, against the wishes of its opponents, was dedicated to the citizens. Although controversial land use issues are unremarkable, it is the tensions caused by the local government’s opacity surrounding this major project that has become notable. Here, reputation management, specifically the reputation management of municipal administrations, at the intersection of information seeking and government transparency is explored. Transparency means little without demand for the information in question. …

Heir To The Throne: Ron Desantis’S Inheritance Of A Trumpian Covid-19 Ideology, Monica Mayer, Walker Talton

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Despite the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, a surprising number of Americans remain skeptical of vaccines and other preventative measures. This variance in attitude may be explained in part by the diverse pandemic responses of state governors and their political ideologies. Using Florida governor Ron DeSantis as a case study, we analyze an October 2021 press conference using the rhetorical method of ideological criticism to explore the governor’s ideological stance towards public health, personal liberty, and the balance between safety and economic concerns. We find he embraces an ideology of “Trumpism” that emphasizes personal choice over public health and economic …

Spillover And Cascading Crises In Public Health And Water Systems: The Orlando Liquid Oxygen Shortage, Ronisha Sheppard, Shawn P. Mcelmurry, Matt W. Seeger

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

In August 2021, COVID cases spiked in Florida with over 24,000 breakthrough cases per day making Florida the state with the highest increase at the time. Florida saw an increase in hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the last two weeks of August and became the 3rd state in the U.S. to exceed 3 million COVID cases. Not only did this impact public health, but it also created an unforeseen impact on the municipal water system. The surge in COVID cases created a surge in demand for treatment, one in which included liquid oxygen, used for respiratory therapy. Without liquid oxygen, ozone …

Bridging The Gap For Online Deception Detection: Uncovering Methodology To Identify Deceptive Content In Mediated Communication, Margaret C. Stewart, Christa L. Arnold

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Detecting deception online and in mediated communication is complex and has gained recognition due to misinformation. Traditionally most deception detection in communication relies on analysing nonverbal cues in body language and facial expression; mediated communication prohibits many of these cues from influencing the interpretation of message meaning. Given the ability for deceptive information to thrive online it becomes necessary to develop an effective method for digital deception data analysis. A method called Statement Analysis (SA) is commonly utilized in law enforcement and may be suitable for use as is or with modifications in mediated communication research. The goals of our …

Public Opinion In A Pandemic: Four Surveys Conducted With Americans Throughout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lauri M. Baker, Chen-Xian Yang, Angela B. Lindsey, Ashley Mcleod-Morin, Ricky W. Telg, Anissa Zagonel, Sydney Honeycutt, Naik Wali, Shelli Rampold

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

The UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) conducted a series of national public opinion surveys to examine the perceptions of Americans related to COVID-19. The PIE Center conducted four surveys with ~1,500 Americans per survey from mid-March 2020 to January 2021. The surveys sought to understand Americans’ perceptions of a range of topics including health and communication concerns, vaccination perceptions and acceptance, mask understanding and willingness, and compound disasters and stress. Presentations in this panel highlight key areas of research from this survey series and share how communicators can use this research to …

2022 International Crisis And Risk Communication Conference Proceedings Table Of Contents, Conference Organizers

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Table of Contents to the to the proceedings of the 11th Annual International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference sponsored by the Nicholson School of Communication and Media.

The Role Of Emotions On Stakeholders’ Perceptions During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lisa Bergson, Thomasena Shaw

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

Using Integrated Crisis Mapping (ICM) model, the researchers explored the role of emotions on respondents' perceptions of a university during the COVID-19 pandemic by examining the perceived level of engagement by the organization, the primary coping strategies of the stakeholders and the type of crisis and level of responsibility of the organization. This qualitative, phenomenological study explored how emotions experienced by faculty during the pandemic impacted their perception of the university. This study fills a gap in the crisis communication literature by focusing on stakeholder perspectives and proposes the addition of several emotions to the ICM model. It also details …

Nonprofit Narratives: Faith-Based Organizations, The Gospel Mission, And You, Jennifer Myers

Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate

This study involved an in-depth investigation into how overtly Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations incorporate the use of storytelling into their external communications through the lens of Walter Fisher’s narrative paradigm theory. Key theoretical streams examined as a part of the literature review include organizational mission communication with an emphasis in faith-based nonprofits, as well as organizational storytelling. This research study explored the following questions: “How do faith-based nonprofit organizations use narrative storytelling via social media to communicate their organizational missions within their circle of influence?” and “How do faith-based nonprofit organizations use narrative storytelling via social media to invite their …

Skin Deep: Body Positivity And Brand Authenticity, Camilla Guimaraes

Honors Program Theses

This experiment explores the influence of a plus-size model’s dress (modest or revealing) and skin condition (perfect or imperfect) on participants’ responses to branded body positive Instagram posts. Specifically, participants were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions (i.e., modest-perfect; modest-imperfect; revealing-perfect; revealing-imperfect) to compare their (a) ratings of the model’s attractiveness, (b) emotional responses, (c) perceptions of the sponsoring brand’s authenticity, and (d) purchase intentions. In addition to the four treatment conditions, responses were also compared across participants with varying attitudes toward society’s beauty standards and with high or low body images. The results indicate the condition, the …

Anti-Abortion Crisis Pregnancy Centers In Central Florida, Isabel Adamus

Honors Program Theses

Anti-abortion pregnancy centers, also known as crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), are nonprofit organizations that target pregnant women and aim to dissuade them from considering abortion. In the U.S., CPCs are increasing in prevalence, accumulating government/state funding and support, and becoming more medicalized. Medicalization includes offering limited medical services, such as pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). CPCs are largely unlicensed and unregulated, frequently advertising in misleading ways and providing inaccurate health information. The goal of this research is to (1) understand how CPCs in Central Florida utilize rhetorical strategies to frame their services and health …

Disinformation About Mental Health On Tiktok, Dani Graber, Anne Perrotti (Mentor)

Computer & Information Science: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Disinformation Detection and Analytics

No abstract provided.

Perhabs I Will: A Content Analysis And Media Production Focusing On Contemporary Comedy And Comedians, Abs Anderson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research examined the comedy talk shows Billy on the Street (2011-2017), The Eric Andre Show (2012-present), and Ziwe (2021-present) in order to discover the specific types of humor incorporated within their programs. This study searched for the presence of cringe, stand-up, surreal, sketch, and improvisational comedy in each show. The study analyzed each program using the benign violation theory and the hierarchy of influences model. A content analysis of 15 episodes selected across every program found at least three of the five genres present in their content. An additional purpose of this study was to produce a comparable program …

Discovering The Traces Of Disinformation On Instagram, Haley Bragg, Michele C. Weigle (Mentor)

Computer & Information Science: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Disinformation Detection and Analytics

Disinformation, which is fabricated, misleading content spread with the intent to deceive others, is accumulating substantial engagements and reaching a vast audience on Instagram. However, the temporary nature of the platform and the security guidelines that remove malicious content make studying this disinformation a challenge. The only way to access removed content and banned accounts that are no longer on the live web is by searching the web archives. In this study, we set out to quantify the replayability and quality of past captures of Instagram accounts, specifically focusing on a group of of anti-vax content creators known as the …

Using Poultry To Enhance Food Security In Stann Creek, Belize, Emily Spatz, Lisa S. Wood

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Food insecurity is a growing issue in developing and developed countries alike, and in countries like Belize, the prevalence of hunger has soared in recent years. Not having access to diets with sufficient calories and nutrients leads to a host of developmental issues, including stunting and cognitive delays. The purpose of this work was to create an all-encompassing manual for small-scale poultry production in order to provide nourishment for the students and staff of a school in Belize. After determining that the best way to meet the school’s needs was through dual-purpose birds, background research was conducted to determine small-scale …

The Use Of A Pediatric Palliative And Hospice Education Module To Enhance The Knowledge And Practice Of Emergency Room Providers, Morgan Garrett

DNP Projects

Background: Palliative and hospice care resources are underutilized in pediatric patients with chronic and life-limiting illnesses. One contributing factor is the lack of formalized education for medical providers regarding the differences and scope of palliative and hospice care models. Without adequate education about these services, providers are not able to effectively utilize otherwise available resources to provide holistic care.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the current perception of knowledge among providers pertaining to pediatric palliative and hospice care. The study investigated improvements in educational outcomes in ten categories after participation in a web-based training. A secondary …

Counter-Narratives: The Importance Of Our Stories In Adult Educational Research, Cindy Peña, Esther S. Pippins, Sonia Rey Lopez, Humberto De Faria Santos

Adult Education Research Conference

We propose the development of counter-narratives as a research methodology in adult education to increase the visibility of Ph.D. professionals and merit the educational equity this field aspires to reach.

Perception Differences Between Russia And The United States: Changes Since 2009, Deborrah Uecker, Jacqueline J. Schmidt

2022 Faculty Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Strategies That Improve Ux (User Experience) Design Through Product Innovation, Jibing Zhao

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

User Experience (UX) design improvement can alter business results. Information technology (IT) company leaders are concerned with UX design improvement, as it is the number one indication of product innovation success and user satisfaction. Grounded in Christensen’s disruptive innovation theory, the purpose of the qualitative single case study was to explore strategies IT company leaders and UX designers used to identify critical UX design elements that lead to improved product innovations. The participants were five IT company leaders and a focus group of four UX designers employed by a sizeable telecom organization in Beijing, China. The data were collected from …