Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender And Physiological Effects In Connecting Disgust To Political Preferences, Amanda Friesen, Carly M. Jacobs

Political Science Publications

Sensitivity to disgust predicts social attitudes, but this relationship can shift depending on gender and whether response to disgust is measured through surveys or physiological tests. We are interested in exploring the relationship between gender, political preferences, and different measures of disgust. Methods We systematically evaluate these interrelationships by comparing self-reported disgust sensitivity and changes in skin conductance while viewing disgusting images, accounting for gender and attitudes toward gay marriage. Results We find that although there is no physiological difference between genders, opponents of gay marriage conform to gender-role expectations in self-reports, with women reporting higher levels of disgust than …

A Little Essay On Big: Towards A History Of Canada's Size, Alan Maceachern

History Publications

No abstract provided.

Women & Language: Essays On Gendered Communication Across Media, Melissa R. Ames

Melissa A. Ames

The present volume of essays examines women's communication as it has evolved historically across multiple mediums. Part I explores how women became "gossip girls" and the important role of gossip in the perception and practice of female communication. Essays in Part II cover the convergence of oral and written communication in women's literature. Gendered performance in such arenas as salsa dance, Dr. Phil and the Internet is examined in Part III, and essays in Part IV discuss women's communication in the technology-rich 21st century. This excerpt features the introduction and one essay from the co-editor.

As God As My Witness: A Contemporary Analysis Of Theology's Presence In The Courtroom As It Relates To The "Oath Or Affirmation" Requirement Within The Florida Rules Of Evidence, Nicholas Scott Gurney

HIM 1990-2015

The existence of the oath in the courtroom can be traced back thousands of years throughout history, but the use, meaning, and effect of the oath in law has changed dramatically. The oath as we know it was once a powerful truth-telling instrument that our ancestors used to call upon a higher power. It was the belief of many that the oath itself was not sworn to man or state, but rather directly to a deity. The oath has since then evolved as a result of ever changing beliefs, fueled by increasing tolerance, shaping the oath into more of a …

H-Index, Travis Bartosh

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The h-index is a metric that uses both the number of an author’s publications along with the number of times those publications have been cited by other authors in an attempt to gauge an author’s perceived academic authority in their given fields of research. Balandin and Stancliffe explain how the h-index functionally operates: “If all of a researcher’s total of N publications are listed in order of the number of times they have been citd – from most to least – then that researcher’s h-index is the number of papers (h) that have been cited h or more times.” For …

Scimago, Getachew Dinku Godana

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The degree to which a scholar’s work is cited by others has been regarded as an indicator of its scientific impact relative to other researchers in the web of scholarly communications. Likewise, various metrics based on citation counts have been developed to evaluate the impact of scholarly journals. Recently there has emerged a new research trend aimed at developing impact metrics that consider not only “the raw number of citations received by a scientific agent, but also the importance or influence of the actors who issue those citations.” These new metrics represent scientific impact as a function not of just …

Scholarly Books, Sarah Jones

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As an academic’s career progresses, there are many landmarks: teaching that first class, completing the dissertation, publishing the first article, getting a tenure-track position, publishing that first book, and receiving the first promotion, among others. Tracking a scholar’s progress often apears to be linear and cumulative. Charles Bazerman and his colleagues point out that “publication of a scholarly book is frequently a central part of the evidence offered in support of tenure and promotion cases.” In fact, a brief review of tenure and promotion requirements for three prominent communication studies departments—University of Iowa, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University …

Web Of Science Citation Data, Rachel Stohr

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The unprecedented challenges of “information overload” in the digital age have prompted academic institutions to develop new approaches to gauge scholarly authority and productivity, and disseminate research. The goal of this chapter is to consider the strengths and weaknesses of one such metric, and to speculate on the implications of its continued use for the academy, the communication studies discipline, and society. Specifically, I explore Web of Science citation patterns, a contemporary metric of scholarly authority that measures scholarly impact and influence via number of author and/or article citations over time. This report is comprised of four sections: (1) a …

Internet Usage Data, Adam Knowlton

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Interest in quantifying the the amount of traffic directed to specific websites grew soon after the rise of the internet in the early-to-mid 1990s. Drawing from scholarly metrics such as citation analysis, Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed a ranking system for the internet that would apply numerical value to a website based on the number of hyperlinks contained within, and linked to, that same website. This measurement tool opened the door for academic scholars to learn more about how their work circulates online. However, personal websites are not the only way that scholars have been able to make public …

Single-Parent Families In Bangkok, Thailand: Factors Affecting Children Living In Single-Parent Families, Waruesporn Jiumpanyarach

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

There has been a transformation in family structure in Thailand due to the changes in economic and social structures over time. Though not recorded in census data the rise in single-parent families can be expected due to a rise in divorce rates, that have been recorded, over the past decades. However, the literature on single-parent families is limited and little is known about the experiences of single-mothers and children of singlemother families in Thailand. This study examines the factors that have major impacts on the well-being of children of single-parent families in Bangkok, Thailand.

A qualitative methodology was employed to …

Lenition, Naomi Gurevich

Naomi Gurevich

No abstract provided.

Perceptions And Their Role In Consumer Decision-Making, Raman Khaddaria

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an empirical investigation into the roles that different quantifiable and measurable perceptions play in defining individual behavior across a variety of decision-making contexts. In particular, the focus lies on smokers and the choices they make with regard to smoking and beyond. Chapter 1 analyzes a nationally representative sample of adults (23 years and older) in the United States, pertaining to the Annenberg Perception of Tobacco Risk Survey II (1999-2000). It is observed that three dimensions to smoking behavior viz., risk, temporality and addiction, interact to determine the smoking status of an individual. Although previous studies mostly looked …

Three Essays On Applications Of Intrahousehold Resource Allocation Models, Santikorn Pamornpathomkul

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three chapters on the topic of intrahousehold resource allocation models. The first chapter tests the unitary and general collective models of intrahousehold resource allocation for various household compositions. I find that, for the quasiquadratic Engel curve specification, the overall results support the previous findings in the literature that the unitary model fails to explain how resources are allocated for all household types. However, when using the QUAIDS specification, the results can reject the unitary model only for smaller-sized households. The general collective model, on the other hand, cannot be rejected in either quasi-quadratic or QUAIDS and …

Exploring The Gender Gap In Computer Science Education In Uganda, James R. Ochwa-Echel

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The purpose of this study is two-fold: to investigate the nature of the gender gap in computer science education in Uganda and to understand the factors that influence gender differences in computer science education in Uganda. The findings of the study indicate that there is a gender gap in computer science education. The reasons for the gap were revealed in the interviews, surveys and focus group discussions. The study concluded that several policy measures need to be taken to address the gender gap in computer science education in Uganda.

Art Of Representation: Portraits Of The Founding Fathers, Ellen Corrigan

Ellen K. Corrigan

Text panel from “The Art of Representation: Portraits of the Founding Fathers,” a local exhibit in support of the Booth Library installation of the ALA-PPO/NEH traveling exhibition Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, on display January 12-February 25, 2011.

Review Of No Shelf Required: E-Books In Libraries, Kirstin Duffin

Kirstin Duffin

What is the next generation of reading? Adult e-book reader ownership doubled in the United States between November 2010 and May 2011 from 6% to 12%, according to a June 2011 Pew Internet & American Life Project survey. Librarians understand the need to provide the material their patrons want via the medium their patrons desire. The e-book medium, however, is relatively new, and it is taking librarians and publishers time and practice to understand how to incorporate e-books into library collections.

Review Of Open Access: What You Need To Know Now, Kirstin Duffin

Kirstin Duffin

The scholarly publishing crisis is by no means a new concept. The rising cost of journals has been pricing libraries out of subscriptions for years now. This crunch on libraries’ acquisitions budgets has led many people to rethink the traditional publishing model. Enter the open access (OA) movement. Use of the term “open access” dates back almost a decade, but the field continues to evolve. In this new work, Walt Crawford organizes a clear and succinct introduction to and overview of OA, covering concepts related to OA journals, publishing, and repositories. Now retired, Crawford was a senior analyst at Research …

Adapting An Evidence-Based Intervention To Improve Social And Behavioral Competence In Head Start Children: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Teacher-Child Interaction Training, Christopher Campbell

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Empirical studies indicate that as many as 35% of Head Start children meet the diagnostic criteria for oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder (Webster-Stratton & Hammond, 1998). Without early intervention, these problematic behaviors may become stable across childhood and adolescence (Campbell, 1995), increasing the likelihood of academic problems, school drop-out, substance abuse, delinquency, and violence (Snyder, 2001). Head Start children are also more likely to enter school with significant deficits in social-emotional readiness, with a many as 40% demonstrating delays in social competencies and communication abilities (Kaiser et al., 2000). Longitudinal research indicates that early gaps in social competence for …

The World Is Not Flat: Can People Reorient Using Slope?, Daniele Nardi, Nora S. Newcombe, Thomas F. Shipley

Daniele Nardi

Studies of spatial representation generally focus on flat environments and visual input. However, the world is not flat, and slopes are part of most natural environments. In a series of 4 experiments, we examined whether humans can use a slope as a source of allocentric, directional information for reorientation. A target was hidden in a corner of a square, featureless enclosure tilted at a 5° angle. Finding it required using the vestibular, kinesthetic, and visual cues associated with the slope gradient. In Experiment 1, the overall sample performed above chance, showing that slope is sufficient for reorientation in a real …

Relations Among Academic Enablers And Academic Achievement In Children With And Without High Levels Of Parent-Rated Symptoms Of Inattention, Impulsivity, And Hyperactivity, Michelle Kilpatrick Demaray, Lyndsay N. Jenkins

Lyndsay N. Jenkins

This study examined the relationships among academic enablers (i.e., engagement, interpersonal skills, motivation, study skills) and academic achievement in children with and without high levels of parent-rated symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (Symptoms of IIH Group). The study included 69 participants (29 [42%] in the IIH Group and 40 [58%] in the Comparison Group), with 33 boys and 36 girls in the third through fifth grades. The researchers found significant differences on the measure of academic enablers, including engagement, interpersonal skills, motivation, and study skills, in which participants in the Comparison Group received higher scores. In addition, several academic …

Exploring The Gender Gap In Computer Science Education In Uganda, James R. Ochwa-Echel

James R. Ochwa-Echel

The purpose of this study is two-fold: to investigate the nature of the gender gap in computer science education in Uganda and to understand the factors that influence gender differences in computer science education in Uganda. The findings of the study indicate that there is a gender gap in computer science education. The reasons for the gap were revealed in the interviews, surveys and focus group discussions. The study concluded that several policy measures need to be taken to address the gender gap in computer science education in Uganda.

Radio Spectrum And The Disruptive Clarity Of Ronald Coase, Thomas W. Hazlett, David P. Porter, Vernon L. Smith

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

In the Federal Communications Commission, Ronald Coase exposed deep foundations via normative argument buttressed by astute historical observation. The government controlled scarce frequencies, issuing sharply limited use rights. Spillovers were said to be otherwise endemic. Coase saw that Government limited conflicts by restricting uses; property owners perform an analogous function via the “price system.” The government solution was inefficient unless the net benefits of the alternative property regime were lower. Coase augured that the price system would outperform. His spectrum auction proposal was mocked by communications policy experts, opposed by industry interests, and ridiculed by policy makers. Hence, it took …

Reading, Writing, And Religion: Institutions And Human Capital Formation, Latika Chaudhary, Jared Rubin

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

In this paper, we empirically test the role that religious and political institutions play in the accumulation of human capital. Using a new data set on literacy in colonial India, we find that Muslim literacy is negatively correlated with the proportion of Muslims in the district, although we find no similar result for Hindu literacy. We employ a theoretical model which suggests that districts which experienced a more recent collapse of Muslim political authority had more powerful and better funded religious authorities, who established religious schools which were less effective at promoting literacy on the margin than state schools. We …

Non-Partisan ‘Get-Out-The-Vote’ Efforts And Policy Outcomes, Dan Kovenock, Brian Roberson

Economics Faculty Articles and Research

This paper utilizes a simple model of redistributive politics with voter abstention to analyze the impact of nonpartisan ‘get-out-the-vote’ efforts on policy outcomes. Although such efforts are often promoted on the grounds that they provide the social benefit of increasing participation in the electoral process, we find that they have a meaningful impact on policy outcomes and are an important political influence activity for nonprofit advocacy organizations. In equilibrium, nonpartisan gotv efforts are more likely to arise in those segments of the electorate that are sufficiently small and disenfranchised (as measured by the ex ante voter abstention rate). Among those …

Male Vs. Female Emotional Expression In Text Messaging, Stephanie Gruner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study focused on gender differences in emotional expression in text messaging. It sought to discover whether men or women use more emotionally expressive tools and words in texts and whether the gender of the person receiving the message affects a person’s emotional expression when creating text messages. Fifty female and fifty male college students completed a two-part study in which they created text messages displaying particular emotions according to given scenarios. The participants were instructed to create each message as if they were texting a member of the same sex, and then a member of the opposite sex. A …

A Framework For Monitoring Local And Regional Food Systems, Heather Victoria Davis

Capstone Collection

The US food system has been experiencing gradual, yet significant, changes in recent years - with many people recognizing that conventional approaches are not only unsustainable, but also detrimental. As an alternative paradigm, the development of local food systems has been flourishing because of the benefits they bring to us: more local control over our food; supporting the local economy and entrepreneurs; healthier food options; fewer “food miles” and the related benefits of lowered use of petroleum; stronger community bonds; job creation for our rural communities; more gentle on the environment; and a more secure food system overall. Monitoring the …

Energy Management And Governance In Vermont: A Case Study, Nicole Davis

Capstone Collection

Environmental management has always been important for global sustainability and has becoming even more critical in the face of climate change, the expansion of the global economy, and explosive population growth. Energy resource management is one of the critical areas that need to be address on the international, national, state and local levels. This paper presents a case study of the state of Vermont’s efforts towards energy management. Special attention is paid to governance of its energy systems and the ensuing results. The research looked at the energy supply and consumption profiles of the state, how those factors influenced policies, …

Three Sisters Exchange: Building Alliances And Promoting Justice From The United States To Ecuador, Ariel Climer

Capstone Collection

This paper presents a proposal for a social justice and action-based study abroad program with foundations in the short-term reality tours of the education and human rights-based NGO, Global Exchange, a far-reaching non-profit with friendships built on solidarity against the spread of elite globalization. The program is called the Three Sisters Exchange to honor the sustainable design of indigenous crop planting prevalent around the world. The design comes at a time when international educators offer few programs with foci in social justice. The international education field needs more sustainable programs that take into account global systems. A propagation of such …

Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program: Toward A Critical Framework Of Community Peacebuilding; Individual And Community Transformation Through Service And Discourse, Benjamin Valentine Leiker

Capstone Collection

In the form of a case study of the training and implementation of the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (JYSEP) by the Magdalene Carney Bahá’í Institute (MCBI), this study contributes to the development of critical youth empowerment which emphasizes community building and sociopolitical transformation rooted in a worldview that recognizes the oneness of humanity. The underlying philosophy upon which the JYSEP organizes its structure, action, reflection, and materials is the idea that our view of reality, human nature, human relationships, and purpose of life shape mold individuals’ and humanity’s state of being. This study, therefore, sought to explore: 1) how …

Discovering The Potential Of Service Learning In Perugia, Italy: An Evaluation Of The Umbra Institute’S La Famiglia Italiana Project, Julie Falk

Capstone Collection

Today, American study abroad programs are increasingly shifting their focus to students’ community engagement efforts, one approach of which is service learning (Stone, 2008). Service learning principles and approach, however, are not always quickly and easily transported into other cultures. As an American pedagogical export, service learning in the study abroad context has the potential to overlook essential factors such as reciprocity, sustainability, and evaluation of student, faculty, and community partner experiences. This type of learning remains unexplored territory in many countries including Italy (Tosi, 2000). As the only American study abroad program of its kind in Perugia, Italy, The …