Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Assessing The Precision Of Cranial And Mandibular Morphoscopic Traits From 3d Surface Scans, Sarah Thomas Schwing

Masters Theses

Virtual anthropological (VA) methods have been successfully used to capture metric data in the form of standard caliper measurements as well as volumetric data from various human skeletal elements. Virtual anthropological investigations of morphoscopic traits have increased over the past two decades, however, greater attention has been paid to investigations of metric data and to the use of CT technologies. Few studies have focused on morphoscopic data and fewer have employed 3D surface scans in data collection. Morphoscopic VA studies largely pertain to age estimation using the os coxa; fewer pertain to sex estimation and, to the author’s knowledge, no …

Examining The Bidirectional Relationships Between Maternal Intrusiveness And Child Anxiety: A Longitudinal Study From Infancy To Middle Childhood, Hannah Hunter

Masters Theses

Myriad parenting behaviors have been linked to the development of internalizing disorders in children. Intrusive parenting, which is characterized by autonomy-limiting behaviors that hold the parent’s agenda above that of the child, seems to uniquely contribute to the onset of child anxiety. In laboratory tasks, anxious mothers demonstrate greater levels of intrusiveness when compared to nonanxious mothers, suggesting that intrusive behaviors may be one mechanism through which anxiety is transmitted from parent and child. Other studies suggest that parental intrusiveness is evoked in the presence of an anxious child, providing evidence for bidirectionality. The current study investigated the bidirectional effects …

Self-Identity And Risk Mitigation Behavior: Self-Protecting Masks Mandate, Mallory L. Denning

Masters Theses

A nation’s reaction to health risk in the wake of a pandemic reveals ample supply of data potentially highlighting the thematic schemes linking self-identity to risk mitigation behavior. The following thesis proposes an assessment of the self-identify themes motivating the choice to adhere to the self-protection masks mandate, providing discernment for practitioners and academics interested in revealing the diverse idiosyncrasies contributing to health-behavior habits. Literature surrounding risk communication, risk perceptionand self-identity intertwine to form a lens to interpret the gathered data. Seven qualitative interviews gleaned from a purposeful snowball sample conducted at a Southeastern University from individuals at least 18 …

Born To Help, Alison Lloyd

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation was to ascertain (1) the level of readiness for hospital social work roles as perceived by Master of Social Work (MSW) graduates from Council on Social Work Education accredited programs, (2) the extent to which MSW level social workers felt prepared for their hospital roles by their MSW education, and (3) the quality of life perceived by social workers, with self-efficacy as a possible mediator variable. A critical literature review was completed. Surveys were sent using social media. One empirical study examined the level of self-efficacy felt by social workers as they worked in …

Spatio-Temporal Modeling Of Crime In Chicago, Illinois, Shelby Scott

Doctoral Dissertations

Gun crime is a major public health concern in the United States. In Chicago, Illinois, gun crime incurs a significant cost of life along with monetary costs and community unrest. Due to past legislation, there is limited research applying quantitative methods to gun crime in Chicago. The overall purpose of this work is to create a cellular automata model to observe and project the epidemic spread of gun crime in Chicago. To create that model, t-test analyses of temporal patterns, a Bayesian point process model, a negative binomial Bayesian subset selection, and a k-selection algorithm are used. The cellular automata …

National Sex Offender Registration Policies And The Unintended Consequences, Sydney J. Selman

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Creaky Voice: Interactional Effects In Production And Perception, Victoria Anita Voorhees

Masters Theses

My thesis investigates creaky voice and how it functions interactionally within social situations, as well as how it is perceived by others. “Creaky voice” happens when a person speaks at their lowest range, also known as their “vocal fry.” This causes “a vocal effect produced by a very slow vibration of only one end of the vocal cords” (Crystal 1997, 98). I am interested in knowing which populations utilize creaky voice most. Additionally, I aim to explore how creaky voice is perceived by others. To conduct this investigation, I have conducted both a production and perception study. Within the production …

Perceived Effects Of Music On Mood And Focus For Underserved, School-Aged Children, Kayla Morgan Miller

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Viability Of Investment In Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (Smrs): Mitigating Climate Change Through Advancements In Energy Generation, Alec V. Apostoaei

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

"A Tale Of Twinned Cities": A Comparative Analysis To Predict Potential Twinning On The Us-Mexico Border, Katherine Fulcher

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Origins And Perpetuation Of Stigma Against Mental Illness, Audrey K. Barkeloo-Carter, Kirsten A. Gonzalez Ph.D.

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Green Gap: How Consumers Value Sustainable Fashion, Alexandra K. Richey

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Pterion And Broca’S Area: An Exploration Of Asymmetry In The K-S Distance, Bryn R. Dalrymple

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Leadership Knoxville Scholars: Community Action Project With Raising A Voice, Madison Marie Woods

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Studying Levels And Perceptions Of Severe Weather Preparedness In University Of Tennessee, Knoxville, Students, Anna E. Franklin, Matthew T. Kerr Phd, Kelsey N. Ellis Phd

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Attention Bias In Youth In Response To Maternal Behaviors: A Mobile Eye Tracking Study, Elizabeth A. Cousins

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

On The Paleoethnobotanical Significance Of Cherokee Farm, Hattie Alexis Ruleman

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Free Trade Agreements And Women’S Employment Likelihood: The Case Of Malaysia, Lexie A. Judd

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Contemporary Black Civil Rights Activism Strategies In East Tennessee: Gaining Economic And Political Power In The Black Community, Lily Joy Crosby

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the contemporary Black civil rights movement in East Tennessee to gain a better understanding of the strategies being employed to mobilize publics. Though an important aspect of the public relations field, in public relations academia there is a lack of research centering on activism. Little has been explored outside of organizational settings, especially since the rise of technology and increased interconnectedness of the world. To learn more about the movement in East Tennessee, the researcher interviewed eight leaders of the contemporary Black civil rights movement across the East Tennessee region. The researcher …

“There Are Not A Lot Of Providers Who Look Like Me”: Identity And Therapy For Sexual Minority Black, Indigenous, And Other People Of Color, Saumya Arora

Masters Theses

Research suggests that sexual minority Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color (BIPOC) generally experience higher levels of psychological distress and depression, leading to poorer mental health outcomes (e.g., Sutter et al., 2017; Lim & Hewitt, 2018). However, little is known about how sexual minority BIPOC individuals cope and support their mental health. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand the various and nuanced narratives of sexual minority BIPOC in seeking mental health support, including any barriers to accessing therapy as well as other identified sources of support. Fifteen sexual minority BIPOC individuals were interviewed about …

The Effect Of Inputs On Poultry Production Output, Ty M. Wolaver

Masters Theses

To combat poverty and malnutrition, Feed the Future Tworore Inkoko, Twunguke (TI) has set out to teach Rwandan farmers how to grow broilers as additional income for the farmers and an additional protein source within the community to combat malnutrition. Throughout this program, the inputs and outputs of the farmers were recorded, and the goal is to determine an efficiency score for each flock raised and use that information to determine what factors contributed to a higher flock efficiency. A data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to determine the efficiency score of each flock. Using these efficiency scores, a regression …

How Divergent Risk-Characters Rewrite The Anti-Vaccination Narrative, Shelby C. Luttman

Masters Theses

The modern narrative originates in 1998, when a paper by a British medical journal The Lancet alleged that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine may cause autism and bowel disease (Wakefield, Murch, Linnell, & Casson, 1998). The funding of the publication was deemed erroneous, yet the research sparked a connection between vaccines and disorders that would soon undermine public confidence in vaccines. Still today, the debate on vaccines poses a threat to public health in the United States of America as “opt-out” rates, particularly in states with recent outbreaks are increasing (Ratzan, 2011).

This study sought to examine what factors contribute to divergent …

Whose Voices Are Heard? Sources Quoted In Media Coverage Of Amateurism And Nil Rights In College Sport, Peyton L. Woods

Masters Theses

While there is an ample amount of research surrounding student-athlete amateurism and name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights in collegiate athletics, there is a lack of research concerning the influence of the mass media when it comes to these same issues. The purpose of the current study was to examine how quoted sources (e.g., coaches, administrators, athletes) are used to frame the issue of amateurism and NIL when covered in the media. Out of the 113 sample articles that were analyzed, sources such as the NCAA and politicians were most frequently cited. These two sources were quoted a combined 191 …

The Cadillac, The Camry And Everything In Between: A Qualitative Investigation Of Marital Attitudes Among First-Generation South Asian Immigrants, Zahra Amer

Masters Theses

Previous research suggests that there is a significant generational divide between first- and second-generation South Asian immigrants (henceforth “SAIs”) around the issue of marriage and indicates this divide is causing psychological distress among the SAI population in the domain of marriage (Samuel, 2010; Zaidi & Shuraydi, 2002). The present study explores the current nature of this potential divide and both expands upon and updates the extant literature surrounding first-generation SAIs’ attitudes towards marriage. Analyses were conducted with a sample of ten first-generation SAIs residing in the US. Participants were recruited using the snowball sampling technique and were interviewed individually by …

Association Between Stream Impairment By Mercury And Superfund Sites In The Conterminous Usa, Karessa L. Manning

Masters Theses

Mercury is a natural element that can cause harm to the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system, especially to fetuses developing in the womb. Many natural and anthropogenic factors contribute to mercury in the environment, such as geologic deposits, landfills, gold and silver mining operations, cement production, and atmospheric deposition. Mercury has been identified as a contaminant of concern at many National Priority List (NPL) sites, however, studies on contamination at NPL sites are often only conducted on a local level. This study was to analyze the potential connection between mercury-contaminated NPL sites and the presence of mercury impaired …

Is The “Red-Zone” White?: Associations Between Racialized Identity, Sex Assigned At Birth, And College Sexual Assault Experiences, Jenae Bluhm

Masters Theses

Guided by Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989; 1991) and using data from the Online College Social Life Survey, we investigated whether the concept of the “red-zone” (i.e., the idea that first-year students are more likely than older students to be sexually assaulted; Cranney, 2015) was a universal concept or if it was relevant to only White students. Additionally, we sought to determine whether Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Color (BIPOC) students were more likely to report having been sexually assaulted than White students. We conducted three logistic regressions to examine overall sexual assault experiences and three logistic regressions to examine whether reported …

Queer Spaces, Religious Places: Sharing Risk And Making Kin Within A Queer Church Amidst A Pandemic, Sadie V. Counts

Masters Theses

This thesis aims to explore the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic on a queer, Christian congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church in Knoxville, TN and the impacts of the pandemic queer kinship and intimacy within the church setting. The thesis explores the ways in which queer kinship manifests within the church and how those relationships have been disrupted and altered by COVID. It also compares the long-term effects of the AIDS epidemic on the church congregation and they ways in which they may be experiencing COVID in a similar manner. Finally, the project explores the ways that intimacy has …

Social Inequity In Memories Of Shakespeare: The Fetishizing Power Of The Globe Theatre, Reagan A Yessler

Masters Theses

William Shakespeare’s works are widely regarded as the pillar of English literature in Western society. An understanding of Shakespearean literature is a form of symbolic or cultural capital, and a lack thereof signals that a person is uncultured, uneducated. However, in his own time, Shakespeare was not so highly regarded. To fully understand the evolution that Shakespeare and his works have undergone, one must consider the modern memory politics that reify the contemporary interpretation of Shakespeare in the Western world at liex de memoire (places of memory), which are shaped by the tumultuous sequence of historical movements that formed Shakespeare’s …

The Role Of Athletic Trainers In The Mental Health Care Of Student-Athletes, Dominic J. Palumbo

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of athletic trainers (ATs) in the mental health care of NCAA Division I student-athletes. Previous research has explored the current experiences of both student-athletes and ATs, along with the current models of care that are prevalent in Division I athletic training rooms. Research described the student-athlete population as unique. According to Beauchemin (2014) the life of a student-athlete “presents challenges and stressors related to athletic status that can lead to a compromised well-being.” This compromised well-being could potentially lead to mental health diagnoses among the student-athlete population. Along with student-athletes, …

Emotional Labor: Teachers’ Understandings Of Their Emotional Lives In Preschool Classrooms, Kylie B. Larkin

Masters Theses

This study examines how early childhood teachers understand their emotional lives and explores the research question: How do early childhood teachers understand emotional labor in the daily life of the preschool classroom? More specifically, an emotional labor theoretical framework was used to analyze how preschool teachers self-regulate and manage their emotions. This framework suggests that we all do some amount of “acting” or “performance” of emotion in the workplace. A qualitative methodology was used to gather data from three semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. Participants were three preschool lead or assistant teachers and one preschool administrator working in a University …