Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Visitors And Enrichments On Behavior Of Captive Red Wolves’ (Canis Rufus) At The Great Plains Zoo, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Kylee S. Shotkoski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Red wolves (Canis rufus) are the first animals to maintain a wild population from captive, released individuals. A captive breeding program for red wolves was started before complete extirpation, and 4 breeding pairs were released in Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (North Carolina) in 1987 and a small wild population still exists there. Currently, there are several captive breeding facilities for red wolves within the Species Survival Plan (SSP) program. The Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota participates in the SSP program. My study was initiated to create a natural history background and evaluate interaction between …

Asylum In Crisis: Structural Violence And Refugees In Siracusa, Italy, Adam Kersch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, unprecedented numbers of migrants have arrived in Italy due to political, religious, ethnic and economic instabilities in West and North Africa and the Middle East. Simultaneously, the Eurozone Crisis and neoliberal austerity measures left the Italian government struggling to administer healthcare and legal services to all migrants. This study investigates the provision of essential services by the Italian state and two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Emergency and ARCI, respectively providing free medical and legal services, to incoming migrants in Siracusa, Italy. It analyzes migrants' perceptions of these services and evolving goals in Europe. Building upon preliminary fieldwork conducted …

The Crossed Bands Motif: What Does It Mean?, Brittany Luther

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The crossed bands motif is an iconographic symbol that appears among many Mesoamerican cultures' art including Olmec, Izapan and Maya spanning from the Early Pre-Classic to the Classic periods in Mesoamerica. Pierce explains in his theory on signs that icons, symbols and indices all contain meaning. This meaning was given to the signs by the one who commissioned the medium on which the sign is placed; therefore it is important to understand the meaning of these signs to learn more about the person or people who built them. The crossed bands motif has previously been studied based on individual pieces …

Navigating New Relationships During Recovery From Intimate Partner Violence: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Female Survivors' Experiences, Paulina Flasch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much of the extant literature on intimate partner violence (IPV) centers on immediate needs and crisis interventions for victims and survivors, and limited emphasis is placed on the long-term recovery process. Researchers have identified post-IPV romantic relationships as a topic in need of further investigation, but to date, little to no research has focused on romantic relationships post-IPV. The present investigation provides a thorough literature review on the topic of recovery from IPV, introduces a phenomenological investigation of survivors' experiences of considering or navigating new relationships during recovery from intimate partner violence, and discusses findings and implications for counselors and …

Cerebrovascular Burden And Depression: Examining A Process Model Of Geriatric Developmental Psychopathology, Rosanna Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression is the second leading cause of disability worldwide, and is associated with substantial functional impairment and poor health implications in older adults. These adverse outcomes are exacerbated in older adults who exhibit comorbid depression and cerebrovascular burden (CVB). Given that the population of older adults is projected to double by year 2050, a process model of the development of depression in later-life and a subsequent clear delineation of the relationship between CVB and depression is paramount. One explanation of this process of disease development is the vascular depression theory, however alternative hypotheses have not been exhaustively falsified and the …

Interactive Amusement Park Queues: Examining The Indirect Effect Of Task Work Load On Guests' Perception Of Wait Duration Through Task Immersion, Jonathan Ledbetter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing attendance across amusement and theme parks worldwide, it is not surprising that minimizing the impact of large crowds and long attraction waits on the guests' experience has received much focus by park operators in recent years. Although effective in the short term, attempting to eliminate or reduce wait times by simply increasing capacity cannot be sustained long term. A recent trend in amusement park design is to theme the queue with interactive elements to engage guests and occupy their wait time with the intent of making the wait queue part of the attraction itself. Much of the …

Food Insecurity, Social Inequality, And Social Policy, Sara Strickhouser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that food insecurity rates and experiences vary by subpopulation. This dissertation examines the rates and experience of food insecurity rates across subpopulations using a wide variety of sociodemographic factors expanding the current research on de terminants of food insecurity. Subtopics surrounding the current food insecurity research are explored. These topics include determinants of food deserts, SNAP (or food stamps) utilization, and household adaptation strategies. This research shows that current measurements of food insecurity lack the detail needed to understand why households are food insecure besides lacking income. Using Bourdieu's four forms of capital, this study considers factors beyond …

A Meta-Analytic Integration Of What Matters In Training Transfer, Ashley Hughes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Estimates demonstrate that 52- 92% of acquired learning is lost within a year following training (Arthur, Bennett, Stanush, & McNelly, 1997; Saks, 2002), wasting billions in organizational spending on training each year (Miller, 2012, 2013, 2014). As such, research on training transfer has garnered attention from theoretical and empirical research alike (e.g., Baldwin & Ford, 1988; Blume, Ford, Baldwin, & Huang, 2010; Ford & Weissbein, 1997; Tracey, Tannenbaum, & Kavanagh, 1995) to better understand the factors which enhance the process of training transfer. Among the various factors that have been identified as important, factors of the work environment have received …

Relationships Between Information Adequacy, Illness Perceptions, And Distress Among Survivors Of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer, Chelsea Wiener

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patients and survivors of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) report experiencing significant distress despite excellent disease prognosis. Predictors of distress in this population, however, are largely unexplored. Two factors that relate to distress in other cancer populations are patient subjective experiences with information provision and patient illness perceptions. Thus, evaluation of information experiences and illness perceptions among survivors of DTC is warranted. In particular, the unique prognosis and treatment associated with DTC invites investigation of the relationship between patient subjective experiences with information quantity (termed "information adequacy" in this study) and distress in this population. Thus, the primary goals of this …

An Investigation Of Information Literacy Of International Graduate Students: Skills, Challenges, And Needs, Yousef Ayoub

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Information literacy at higher education institutions is an important issue at the local and national levels. In 2000, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) created a set of information literacy standards and asked academic institutions to incorporate them into their college curricula (ACRL, 2000). The ACRL states that, to be considered information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and be able to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information (ACRL, 2000). Academic institutions follow these standards to teach their students information literacy skills and assist them to become lifelong learners. Library …

Cardiac Autonomic Control In Patients With Metabolic Syndrome, Jonathan Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) encompasses metabolic abnormalities that substantially increase risk for chronic illnesses. MetS and stress are closely related; the pathophysiology of MetS involves dysregulated stress response in both the physiological and psychological domains. In an effort to further clarify the relationship between metabolic abnormalities and autonomic dysregulation, we used ambulatory impedance cardiography to examine indicators of cardiac autonomic control (CAC) in a sample of 50 adult primary care patients with and without MetS. Indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic influences on cardiovascular functioning were assessed in the context of psychological stressors and compared across experimental groups and examined in relation …

The Gold Wrapper Standard: An Investigation Into The Preference For Larger Sized Condoms, Diego Plaza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research looking into the relationship between masculinity and condoms has typically centered on how masculinity ideology acts as a deterrent toward condom use. The current study focuses on the social pairing between larger sized condoms and masculinity by examining the factors that predict the preference for larger sized condoms. Specifically, the current analysis uses survey data collected from a sample of 398 University of Central Florida students to examine the predictive role of gender, race/ethnicity, gendered-identification, relationship status, perceived penis size, condom malfunction experience, the opinion that men would be less reluctant to use condoms if offered a larger option, …

Mathematical Modeling Of Infectious Diseases With Latency: Homogeneous Mixing And Contact Network, Keith Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In mathematical epidemiology, the standard compartmental models assume homogeneous mixing in the host population, in contrast to the disease spread process over a real host contact network. One approach to incorporating heterogeneous mixing is to consider the population to be a network of individuals whose contacts follow a given probability distribution. In this thesis we investigate in analogy both homogeneous mixing and contact network models for infectious diseases that admit latency periods, such as dengue fever, Ebola, and HIV. We consider the mathematics of the compartmental model as well as the network model, including the dynamics of their equations from …

Extracurricular Activities And Substance Use Among Adolescents: A Test Of Social Control And Social Learning Theory, Lynnette Coto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current research examines correlates of adolescent substance use with a focus on extracurricular activities. Given that marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug, and binge drinking can have an early onset the examinations of these two substances were important. Many studies have researched the correlation between substance use and sports, but have not included other extracurricular activities such as academic and fine art clubs. The current research fills this gap in the literature by using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and by testing Hirschi's (1969) Social Control Theory and Aker's (1985) Social Learning Theory. …

Transparency In Human-Agent Teaming And Its Effect On Complacent Behavior, Julia Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how transparency of an intelligent agent's reasoning affected complacent behavior in a route selection task in a simulated environment. Also examined was how the information available to the operator affected those results. In two experiments, participants supervised a three-vehicle convoy as it traversed a simulated environment and re-routed the convoy when needed with the assistance of an intelligent agent, RoboLeader. Participants were randomly assigned to an Agent Reasoning Transparency condition. Participants received communications from a commander confirming either the presence or absence of activity in the area. They also received information regarding potential events along their route …

Characterization Of Post-Fire Priming Cup Residue Using Scanning Electron Microscopy Coupled With Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry, Molly Terry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ammunition is most often comprised of a lead-based priming mixture which contributes to the traditional characteristics of gunshot residue (GSR). Due to the health risks often associated with lead, lead-free primer alternatives are becoming increasingly more popular. Thus, it is becoming more difficult to determine the presence of GSR based on traditional means, i.e. the presence of lead (Pb), barium (Ba), and antimony (Sb). Eight different ammunitions were purchased which consisted of one lead-based and one lead-free from four different manufacturers, including Winchester, Federal, Liberty, and Sellier & Bellot. Half of the rounds from each manufacturer and chemical composition (i.e. …

Re-Conceptualizing Compassion Fatigue: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Madeline Marks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Those who are not directly in danger themselves can and do experience negative effects, sometimes at higher rates than those directly exposed. These individuals who experience indirect exposure are often those who work in "helping" professions. Helping professionals include psychologists, physicians, nurses, social workers, and first responders, among others. Joinson (1992) described a phenomenon unique to helping professionals, which was termed compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue describes these negative affects experienced by helping professionals as a cumulative process. These negative changes can be related to mood and/or a transformation in cognitions. Further, these changes are the result of the empathy and …

Examination Of Attitude-Behavior Discrepancy In Familism And Its Relation To Symptoms Of Depression Among Latinos, Andel Nicasio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the discrepancy between attitudinal and behavioral familism and its relation to depressive symptoms. The overarching hypothesis was that discrepancy between family values and the actual experiences of those values influences psychological health. Previous research has primarily focused on self-report measures of familial attitudes, and not whether these values are actually experienced by the individual. To address this gap in the literature, this study developed a new behavioral familism scale. A total of 431 Latinos and non-Latino Whites from a large university in Florida participated in this study. Overall, the new behavioral familism scale demonstrated good psychometric properties. …

Analysis Of Alternative Convoy Route Patrol Procedures For Countering Improvised Explosive Devices Deployed During Asymmetric Warfare In Afghanistan-Like Rural Settings, Larry Baca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are the greatest casualty producing and costly weapon system employed by the enemy on the asymmetric battlefield of today. Despite Billions of dollars spent on technological devices to counter the IED threat, IEDs are still responsible for roughly 50% of battlefield casualties. A tremendous amount of effort and resource has and continues to be levied in the pursuit of a technological solution to the IED problem. By contrast, little research has been done on Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) procedures. This paper explores the potential of CIED procedures as a casualty reduction mechanism by comparing two …

The Russian Connection: How Russia Became A Leader In The World's Human Trafficking Market, Anthony De Mauro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis assesses how the history of the USSR and its collapse affected the human trafficking market. By conducting a historical analysis of the Soviet Union, key aspects of Soviet society were determined that allowed for the human trafficking market to establish and operate extremely lucratively; a focus on some of the established factors of human trafficking including corruption, law enforcement, the economy, organized crime, and the dissolution of the Soviet government. While this thesis highlights the historical factors of Russian human trafficking, this thesis does not determine why human trafficking exists beyond the surface exploitation that human trafficking consists …

Evaluation Of An Interdisciplinary Chronic Arthritis Pain Group Intervention In An Outpatient Healthcare Setting, Natasha Depesa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that often results in inflammation, pain, fatigue, functional impairment, and psychosocial difficulties. The current study examines the effectiveness, feasibility, and sustainability of an interdisciplinary chronic pain intervention for patients with RA. Wearable fitness trackers were incorporated into the intervention and objectively measured participant physical activity. A total of 44 participants received the intervention and completed outcome measures. Results supported improvements across multiple domains at the end of treatment and at 4-week follow-up compared to treatment baseline. Mixed multilevel repeated measures modeling revealed significant overall improvements in many primary (i.e., self-efficacy for managing …

Diet And Migration In Coastal Oaxaca: Identifying Effects Of Political And Social Collapse Through The Utilization Of Stable Isotope Analysis, Jacklyn Rumberger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study involves the investigation of diet and mobility among people living in the lower Río Verde Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico, during the Late Classic (AD 500-800) and Early Postclassic (AD 800-1200) periods. Specifically, this research focuses on how political and social collapse affected subsistence practices and diet, particularly maize agriculture and consumption, as well as human migration. Archaeological evidence suggests that Río Viejo, the region's largest urban center before AD 800, experienced multiple periods of political fragmentation and instability during its long history, specifically during the Early Classic (AD 250 - 500) and Early Postclassic periods, making it an ideal …

Combat Related Guilt And The Mechanisms Of Intensive Exposure Therapy, Benjamin Trachik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in military populations, and is associated with significant medical costs. Due to these high costs and corresponding health infrastructure required to meet the needs of military service personnel, it is essential that the most effective and efficient treatments be implemented. Exposure therapy (EXP) is one of the most widely used and empirically supported treatments for PTSD; however, some researchers have questioned its efficacy with specific populations and in targeting specific symptoms. One such symptom, guilt, has garnered increased attention in the PTSD treatment literature, as it is associated with worse symptomatology and outcomes. …

The Contribution Of Adult Attachment Style On The Experience Of Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Kristina Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the directional relationship between adults' attachment styles and perceived impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) with their experience of posttraumatic growth. This investigation tested the theoretical model that adults' (N = 292) attachment styles as measured by the Experiences in Close Relationships-Short Form ([ECR-S] Wei et al., 2007) and impact of childhood sexual abuse as measured by the Impact of Event Scale-revised ([IES-R] Weiss & Marmar, 1997) contributed to their experience of posttraumatic growth as measured by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory ([PTGI] Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996). Specifically, this investigation tested the …

Dining With The Cyborgs: Disembodied Consumption And The Rhetoric Of Food Media In The Digital Age, Maggie Cotto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explores digital media productions based specifically on food and cooking in order to demonstrate that new communication technologies are increasingly incorporating all five of the bodily senses. In doing so, they contribute significantly to the emergence of new ideological apparatuses appropriate for a global community. These apparatuses – including the formation of a posthumanist subject, the use of technology to support embodied cognition, and the establishment of entertainment as an ideological institution – have become the harbingers of a rhetorical evolution. Based on the work of Gregory Ulmer, along with Jacques Derrida, N. Katherine Hayles, Donna Haraway, and …

The Role Of The Judiciary And The Rule Of Law In Democratization: The Case Of Turkey And The Chances Of Democratic Consolidation, Semih Oktay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the role of the judicial system in democratic consolidation using Turkey as a case study. It reviews the theoretical literature on this topic and identifies the role played by such key elements of the political system as the legislature, the executive, civil-military relations, and party politics. The role of these factors in the development and functioning of the Turkish judicial system is then analyzed over time.

The first aspect of investigation comprised an overview of Turkish governmental development since 1920. The second period of focus was on the reforms from the foundation of the Turkish Republic to …

The Adoption Of Feminist Policies Under Conservative Governments, Malliga Och

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation sheds light on the role conservative governments play in promoting feminist policies despite an inherent tension between conservative principles and feminist claims. It is critical to focus on the process by which conservative governments adopt or reject feminist policies not only because we know little about the process, but also because conservative governments represent the least likely case. As such, we can learn more from the case of conservative governments than from the experience of leftist parties as it allows us to understand the influence of variables beyond an egalitarian ideology. Specifically, the dissertation will consider feminist policies …

Crafted Places: The Use Of Place In Wisconsin Craft Beer Marketing, Joseph A. Quintana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines place-related themes used in craft beer marketing initiatives in Wisconsin. "Place" describes the emotions and perceptions individuals hold in certain locations. Place theory, despite being universally experienced, is relatively understudied. Furthermore, this project is grounded in the recent neolocal movement - a movement towards local culture, and away from national homogenous culture. Broadly, this paper aims to understand the perceptual linkages between people and "their" place. In order to understand place and neolocal themes within these linkages, this project analyzes how individual beer names, beer-label imagery, and beer-related advertisements use familiar places to link products with a …

Aid Effectiveness In Afghanistan: The Role Of Local Human Capacity In Explaining The Health Sector's Success, Ahmad Najim Dost

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effectiveness of development assistance is one of the most contested debates in international development studies. While some of its most ardent supporters consider aid as the key to solving the plight of the developing world (e.g. Sachs 2006), its opponents consider it as part of the problem rather than the solution (e.g. Moyo 2009). By investigating the case of Afghanistan as one of the world's largest aid recipients from 2002 to 2014, I show that one reason for arriving at such diametrically opposed conclusions lies in the narrow definition of aid effectiveness as income growth rates. When this definition …

Mongodb Incidence Response, Cory Morales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

NoSQL (Not only SQL) databases have been gaining some popularity over the last few years. Such big companies as Expedia, Shutterfly, MetLife, and Forbes use NoSQL databases to manage data on different projects. These databases can contain a variety of information ranging from nonproprietary data to personally identifiable information like social security numbers. Databases run the risk of cyber intrusion at all times. This paper gives a brief explanation of NoSQL and thoroughly explains a method of Incidence Response with MongoDB, a NoSQL database provider. This method involves an automated process with a new self-built software tool that analyzing MongoDB …