Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

After The Human: Theory And Sociology In The Age Of Fractal Ambiguity, Dromology, And Emergent Epi-Spaces, Joel Michael Crombez

Masters Theses

Modernity marks both a novel form of political and economic organization, and a transformation of reality through technological and spatial innovations. It marks a shift in the history of life on this planet, for the technological appendage—originally created by and for humans—has a cost that is shared by all life on the planet, whether it be ecological, biological, or mental. As a result, the weight of responsibility for the continuation of life itself can no longer be rationally displaced onto an omnipotent other. The knowledge that rational thought functions on fractal scales of space and time—which need not account for …

Factors Impacting Ffa Involvement After High School, Danielle Eve-Marie Sanok

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence FFA members to continue or discontinue with their FFA experience past high school. The specific objectives of this study were to determine the reasons why students discontinue with their FFA experience past high school, determine membership needs from the Collegiate and Alumni FFA Organization and ways to overcome membership attainment barriers.

Data collection methods included three sets of focus groups: (a) one for inactive FFA members, (b) one for current Collegiate FFA members, and (c) one for current and past State Officers. Data was analyzed using the thematic …

Visualizing The Historic Landscape Of Montserrat: Social Justice Through Community Mapping In A Post-Colonial Environment, Kevin Patrick Russell

Masters Theses

Scholars across the disciplines of geography, archaeology, and history argue for need to reconceptualize representations of history in post-colonial environments and to actively orientate scholarly research towards increasing the inclusion of local knowledge with 'expert' academic knowledge through participative methods. This thesis will show that the landscape surrounding the Little Bay Plantation contains cultural associations vital to a "socially just" interpretation of Montserrat culture that is not captured by existing archaeological research centered on ruins of the plantation infrastructure and European historical discourse. Through a participatory research methodology this thesis shows that there are many memories inscribed within and upon …

Moderating Effect Of Negative Peer Group Climate On The Relation Between Men’S Locus Of Control And Aggression Towards Intimate Partners, Megan Ryan Schmidt

Masters Theses

The present study sought to examine the interactive effects of an external locus of control and interaction in a negative peer group climate on men’s perpetration of physical aggression and infliction of injury towards their female intimate partners. Participants were 206 heterosexual males recruited from the metro-Atlanta community who completed self-report measures of external locus of control, involvement in a negative peer group climate, and physical aggression and infliction of injury against intimate partners during the past 12 months. Negative peer group climate was conceptualized as a peer group that displays behavior which may instigate aggressive norms, attitudes, and behaviors. …

The Preservation And Persistence Of Human Dna In Soil During Cadaver Decomposition, Alexandra Leah Emmons

Masters Theses

Recent decades have seen a marked increase in the amount of research concerning the impact of human cadaveric decomposition on the grave soil environment; however, despite such advances, the fate of important biological correlates in grave soil, including human DNA, have remained relatively understudied. This study redresses the current lack of knowledge regarding the preservation and persistence of human DNA in the soil during cadaveric decomposition, with the purpose of enhancing forensic identification efforts including the detection of primary burial sites. This study assessed the preservation (i.e., presence or absence) of human nuclear and mitochondrial DNA and evaluated the quantity …

A Study Of Colloquial Place Names Through Geotagged Social Media Data, Yuan Liu

Masters Theses

Place is a rich but vague geographic concept. Much work has been done to explore the collective understanding and perceived location of place. The last few decades have seen rapid expansion in the use of online social media and data sharing services, which provide a large amount of valuable data for research of colloquial place names. This study explored how geotagged social media data can be used to understand geographic place names, and delimit the perceived geographic extent of a place. The author proposes a probabilistic method to map the perceived geographic extent of a place using Kernel Density Estimation …

Making Meaning Of The Illness Experience: Narratives Of Partners Of Cancer Survivors, Heather Nicole Tidwell

Masters Theses

Receiving a cancer diagnosis not only uproots the life of the patient but also the lives of the patient’s family members and loved ones. Adjustments in communication and disclosure as well as in identity must be made at various stages of the cancer trajectory. Survivorship, specifically, poses its own set of challenges as both cancer survivors and their partners must cope with perpetual uncertainty as to whether the cancer is truly over (Fife, 1994; Lethborg, Kissane, & Burns, 2003; Miller & Caughlin, 2012). Furthermore, although partners report being significantly impacted by a cancer diagnosis, they are often understudied when it …

Cattle Producers East Of The 100th Meridian: A Study Of Afforestation Adoption And Use Of Pasture Management Practices, Hannah Sage Claytor

Masters Theses

This thesis explores two topics related to cattle producers: the adoption of afforestation on pastureland and the use of pasture management practices. Chapter 1 uses a triple hurdle model to analyze a decision process related to the adoption and acreage enrollment of afforestation in a hypothetical program. The results suggest that producers interested in afforestation are more likely to have a college degree, own woodland, attend extension workshops, and have previous experience with afforestation. Producers who were offered a lower incentive enrolled more acres in the hypothetical program. Producers who were offered a higher incentive enrolled fewer acres.

Chapter 2 …

The Relationship Between Parent Communication Orientations And The Self-Efficacy Of Student-Athletes, Sara Marie Erdner

Masters Theses

The influence of parent(s)/guardian(s) communication on a student-athlete’s self-efficacy has received limited attention despite its potential implications for the athlete’s sport performance. Student-athlete participants (N = 290) completed measures to report their level of self-efficacy along with the student-athlete perceptions of their parent(s)/guardian’(s) communication orientation. Further, efficacy-enhancing techniques were measured to report frequency-of-use and effectiveness as these strategies were administered by the parent(s)/guardian(s). Significant relationships were found between conformity- and conversation communication and a student-athlete’s self-efficacy. However, these communication orientations did not interact to influence a student-athlete’s self-efficacy. Mean scores are reported to demonstrate which efficacy-enhancing techniques are the most …

Locational Advantage And The Impact Of Scale: Comparing Local And Conventional Fruit And Vegetable Transportation Efficiencies, Charles Cate Grigsby

Masters Theses

Fresh produce in the United States often travels thousands of miles in diesel operated semi-trucks before arriving to market. Under a high fuel cost scenario, the current low-cost, efficient supply chain could become a high cost organizational structure for US food distribution. Rising transportation costs of food sourced from distant locations may provide competitive opportunities for small- and mid-sized local producers if transportation costs are a smaller portion of their total costs. Farmers selling fresh produce in east Tennessee farmer markets are surveyed to obtain baseline information on their transportation energy use to deliver their products to market. Local farmer …

Those Who Choose To Stay: Narrating The Rural Appalachian Queer Experience, Amy Michelle Jordan

Masters Theses

“Those who choose to stay” is a qualitative exploratory study compromised of four LGBT youth from rural towns in East Tennessee. These young adults were recruited through LGBT listservs, pride festivals, and word of mouth. Each young adult was interviewed over the course of one to three hours. The interviews were then transcribed and coded using Atlas.ti software, allowing codes to surface from the text. Four main themes were discovered: religious atmosphere, family, coming out, and peer networks.

Religious atmosphere was generally found to be a destructive part of these youths’ environments, making them fear for their safety and worry …

Deception Among Organizational Leaders: Impacts On Employee Perceptions Of Supervisor Credibility, Power, And Trust, Paisleigh Jo Kelley

Masters Theses

Deception is ubiquitous in day-to-day communication. While most deceptive acts are relatively minor in terms of interpersonal impact, lying in the workplace may result in negative organizational outcomes (Griffith et al., 2011). Moreover, business leaders who engage in deceptive communication may elicit similar behavior in their employees (Henrichs, 2007). The current study assesses how different deceptive messages spoken by organizational leaders (e.g., honest messages, messages that withhold information, and messages that distort information) impact employee perceptions of that leader’s credibility, power, and trustworthiness. The results of this study indicate that employees view business leaders as less credible and less trustworthy …

Collegiate Novice Rowers’ Motivations: An Application Of Self-Determination Theory, Amy Nicole Kuuskoski

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the reasons why novice rowers choose to join collegiate rowing teams. There is no existing research specifically analyzing this population, and the unique team structure in rowing makes previous sport participation research difficult to generalize to this population. The reasons for sport participation vary widely by age, gender, and level of competition.

This study integrates self-determination theory and organismic integration theory with scales to measure satisfaction and behavioral intentions, and data were collected through the use of a web-based survey. Schools competing in NCAA Division I and II rowing conferences were contacted …

America’S Lethal Dilemma: Legitimating Old Methods Of Execution In An Era Of Abolition, Kyle Ward Letteney

Masters Theses

American capital punishment has been facing new opposition from abroad. In 2011 the European Union (EU) placed an embargo on the export of the primary lethal injection drug, sodium thiopental. Since the 2011 embargo, the 32 American states with the death penalty have been unable to obtain additional quantities of sodium thiopental and have since depleted or nearly depleted their supply, prompting a discussion of alternatives. This study analyzes that discussion. Specifically, the analysis of pro-death penalty rhetoric used by Tennessee state politicians who have recently taken steps to retain the death penalty despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the death …

Ux Report: Heuristic Evaluation Of Search.Test.Dataone.Org, Uawg

DataONE Sociocultural and Usability & Assessment Working Groups

No abstract provided.

Dataone Personas, Ua/Sc Wg Personas Subgroup

DataONE Sociocultural and Usability & Assessment Working Groups

No abstract provided.

The Merry Death Collector, Benjamin Wade Murphy

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Documentary filmmaking puts life on lens and who knows what the outcome will be. The creative team chose Arnie Meredith to be the subject of the short documentary The Merry Death Collector. The oddball LaFollette, Tennessee resident collects and sells antique items from estate sales and recently purchased two buildings to house and run his business. The story follows Arnie’s struggle to open and maintain a small-town business. He attends a convention in Knoxville, Tennessee to raise funds, and even attempts to hang a biplane in one of his buildings. With his projected opening date around the corner, an exhausted …

Gendered Patterns Of Economic Marginalization And Its Implications On Women's Political Participation In Latin America, Alina Kathryn Clay

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Although women in Latin America have recently made impressive advancements in political representation by achieving high-ranking political positions, embedded economic inequalities persist and significantly hinder their political participation in activities such as voting and actively supporting political parties. Furthermore, widespread policy mechanisms are not set up and effective in fully engaging women in politics. Political and economic oppression of women in this region have historical roots and thus are deeply entrenched within society. Our research question explores how gendered patterns of economic marginalization affect the political participation and attitudes of women in Latin America. To answer this question, we have …

Using Gis To Identify At-Risk Populations Of Military-Generated Dust, Darcy Ann Ayers

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

This project uses GIS and an anthropological perspective to identify local populations surrounding Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) that are most at risk from military vehicle-generated dust. Using ArcGIS, the following data was analyzed in order to better understand impacts from dust on the local population: • Prevailing wind rose data from National Water and Climate Center under the USDA National Resources Conservation Service, • Digital Elevation Model (DEM) map of the island provided by National Elevation Dataset from USGS, and • The US Census data of the local population distribution surrounding the military base at PTA. When studying demographics, I …

Finding Work In America: Employment Outcomes Among Recent Immigrants, Catherine A. Arwood

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Finding employment is necessary for immigrants’ self-sufficiency. This study explores factors that influence successful employment among recent immigrants in the United States. Understanding these factors helps social service providers meet the needs of foreign-born clients. Methods: Outcomes were examined for 373 Latino and Asian respondents who immigrated to the United States within five years prior to the survey, and are working (n=330) or looking for work (n=43), as reported in the National Latino and Asian American Study. Surveyors conducted interviews at respondents’ homes in the respondents’ preferred language. Analyses compared employed and unemployed workers based on English language proficiency, education, …

Factors Associated With Successful Completion Of A Comorbid Substance Abuse And Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Group, Matthew Stephen Crescenzi

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

An East Tennessee community mental health center, specializing in co-occurring substance abuse and mental health services, has an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) that utilizes a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and relapse prevention. Currently, 50% of individuals who enter the IOP program fail to graduate. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors associated with successful program completion. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted on data from 116 participants in the IOP group. A logistic regression model was used to determine which factors were related to successful program completion. Results: The overall regression model was found …

Women In Agriculture: A Qualitative Study Examining How Women Have Sustained Their Leadership Roles In Agriculture In Australia, Amanda Elizabeth Dean

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Women are the minority in production agriculture and their leadership roles in agricultural industries are rarely explored. Therefore, the leadership development of five prominent agriculture leaders in Australia was chosen to be explored for this study. Connections were drawn between each case study, emphasizing the central research question of “How have women in agriculture sustained their leadership role in a male-dominated field?” Impacting their styles of leadership within farming and other agribusiness trades were the shared themes of their childhood dynamics, their individual support systems, and their current home life. This study used a constructivist paradigm, as reflecting upon the …

Municipal E-News: Issue 70: April 2015, Mtas

Municipal E-News

The “Municipal E-News” was created by MTAS in 2009 as part of our continuing efforts to meet our mission of providing timely, valuable information and assistance to Tennessee cities.

Ux Report: Menu Sub Headings And Links, Rachel Volentine

DataONE Sociocultural and Usability & Assessment Working Groups

No abstract provided.

Librarians Do Research Too!, Carol Tenopir

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Every year librarians and information professionals are advancing the field of Library and Information Science with research into new models, processes and services. LIS professionals are also contributing on research projects within the various academic disciplines and research units they support.

Are you interested in joining their ranks?

Librarians Do Research Too! is a 25-page ebooklet for LIS professionals who want to start their own research projects. This Library Connect Blueprint for Success provides inspiration, guidance and resources from a leading LIS researcher.

Municipal E-News: Issue 69: March 2015, Mtas

Municipal E-News

The “Municipal E-News” was created by MTAS in 2009 as part of our continuing efforts to meet our mission of providing timely, valuable information and assistance to Tennessee cities.

Data Sharing And Reuse: What’S New? Revisiting The Practices And Perceptions Of Scientific Researchers., Betsy D. Dalton, Ivanka Pjesivac, Dane Hughes, Danielle Elaine Pollock, Kristina Dorsett

DataONE Sociocultural and Usability & Assessment Working Groups

No abstract provided.

What Researchers Want From Publishers And How Data Fits In., Carol Tenopir

DataONE Sociocultural and Usability & Assessment Working Groups

No abstract provided.

Municipal E-News: Issue 68: February 2015, Mtas

Municipal E-News

The “Municipal E-News” was created by MTAS in 2009 as part of our continuing efforts to meet our mission of providing timely, valuable information and assistance to Tennessee cities.

Scoop Magazine Winter 2015, College Of Communication And Information

SCOOP

No abstract provided.