Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Feeling At Home: Learning, Law, Cognitive Science, And Narrative, Lea B. Vaughn

Articles

What is the "how and why" of law's affinity for narrative? In order to explain why the use of stories is such an effective teaching and presentation strategy in the law, this paper will consider theories and accounts from cognitive as well as evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and, briefly, cultural anthropology. This account seeks to address "how" narrative helps us learn and use the law as well as "why" we are so compelled to use stories in teaching and in practice.

Brain science, simplified here, suggests that the first task is to grab someone's attention. Emotionally charged events are more likely …

A Recipe For Relationships: A Qualitative Investigation Of Couples' Relational Interactions During Meal Preparations., Katherine Maya Hermann

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

"A Dress Of The Right Length To Die In": Mortuary And Memorial Practices Amongst Depression-Era Tenant Farmers Of The Piedmont South, Zoey Alderman-Tuttle

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

I'M Really Just An American: The Archaeological Importance Of The Black Towns In The American West And Late-Nineteenth Century Constructions Of Blackness, Shea Aisha Winsett

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Death Of John Pierce And The Political Culture Of The Early Republic, Jennifer Leigh Petrafesa

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Development Of Children's Understanding Of Incarceration, Johanna B. Folk

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Deficits In Emotional Experience, Perception, And Clarity In Pre-Schizotypal Individuals, Nicole Renee Karcher

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Bonefolder: An E-Journal For The Bookbinder And Book Artist, Vol 8, 2012, Peter D. Verheyen

Libraries' and Librarians' Publications

No abstract provided.

Performance, Preference, Promotion: Political Mobility Of Chinese Regional Leaders, Liang Qiao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As a study exclusively on the political elites, the dissertation studies the Chinese regional leaders and their political career mobility controlled by the central government from 1949 to 2010. The Chinese Communist Party controls its regional leaders by controlling their career movement (political mobility). This study explains why some regional leaders were promoted while some others were demoted or dismissed while most of them shared similar personal background and career experience. By providing empirical evidence with quantitative analysis, this study shows that in post-Deng Chinese politics (1997-2010) there are certain patterns and manipulated by the CCP center in demoting and …

Children Serve Too: An Investigation Of The Impacts Of Military Family Life On Adult Relationships, Karena Heyward

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Military involvement in Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn and Enduring Freed 3131 brings a focus on military families to the forefront of public and governmental attention. The military family represents a distinct cultural context, as each family is immersed in "the prevailing values, norms, philosophies, customs and traditions of the armed forces" (Collins, 2000, p. 213, i.e., military culture). Thousands of families live within these unique communities, but little is known about the role of such family experiences upon the development of children and their transitions into adulthood or the impacts of military family life throughout adulthood. Specifically, few studies …

The Consequences Of Shoreline Development For Near-Shore Communities In Chesapeake Bay, Usa: A Before-After Control-Impact Study, Theresa M. Davenport

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Hardened shorelines and their construction introduce stressors to a system by altering near-shore habitats. They can reduce biodiversity and abundance of benthic infauna and marsh-edge nekton and epifauna. In this study, I investigated the impacts of shoreline development on near-shore communities using a temporal and spatial approach, by use of a before-after control-impact (BACI) study design at four sub-estuaries within Chesapeake Bay that represent three different types of shoreline change. The BACI study was used to examine infaunal density, biomass, and diversity for two size classes of infauna (3-mm: larger species and adults, 500-!m: smaller species and juveniles), as well …

Student Affairs Turned Inside--Out: Evaluating Communication Satisfaction, Identity, And Values From Within An Organization, Stacey L. Reece

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"How well individuals relate to their assigned organization is vital to the organizations' success. The lack of communication within an organization is often to blame for the shortcomings of the organization. Other associated factors that lead to the dysfunction of an organization are the lack of understanding or acceptance of the values of the organization and the lack of being able to identify with the mission or values of the organization. This thesis examines how organizations internally communicate and assess the satisfaction levels of individuals within an organization in how well the organizational communication performs within the organization. In addition, …

Fisher V. Grutter, Girardeau A. Spann

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

There is no reason for the Supreme Court to have granted certiorari in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin. Unless, of course, the Court plans to overrule Grutter v. Bollinger—the case on which the Texas affirmative action plan at issue in Fisher was based. If that is its plan, the Court can invalidate the Texas program on some narrow ground that masks the magnitude of what it is doing. Or it can explicitly overrule Grutter—a case that no longer commands majority support on a Supreme Court whose politics of affirmative action has now been refashioned by …

Training Evaluation In Virtual Worlds: Development Of A Model, Richard N. Landers, Rachel C. Callan

Psychology Faculty Publications

Many organizations have adopted virtual worlds (VWs) as a setting for training programs; however, research on appropriate evaluation of training in this new setting is incomplete. In this article, we address this gap by first exploring the unique issues relevant to evaluation faced by training designers working in VWs. At the macro-organizational level, the primary issue faced is an organizational culture unreceptive to or otherwise skeptical of VWs. At the micro-organizational level, two major issues are identified: individual trainees unreceptive to VWs and general lack of experience navigating VWs. All three of these challenges and their interrelationships may lead to …

Drinking Buddies And Their Prospective Influence On Alcohol Outcomes: Alcohol Expectancies As A Mediator, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abbly L. Braitman, Kenneth E. Leonard, Miguel Padilla

Psychology Faculty Publications

The process by which peers or the social network influence individual alcohol use, particularly among adults, remains a necessary area of research. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal influence of "drinking buddies" on alcohol outcomes (i.e., alcohol use, heavy drinking, and alcohol-related problems) as mediated by alcohol expectancies of social facilitation. Participants were 1347 (men = 660, women = 687) newly married individuals recruited from the community. They were assessed at the time of marriage and through the fourth wedding anniversary. Longitudinal mediation across time was evaluated using latent growth modeling. Overall, the prospective association …

Investigating Insight As Sudden Learning, Ivan K. Ash, Benjamin D. Jee, Jennifer Wiley

Psychology Faculty Publications

Gestalt psychologists proposed two distinct learning mechanisms. Associative learning occurs gradually through the repeated co-occurrence of external stimuli or memories. Insight learning occurs suddenly when people discover new relationships within their prior knowledge as a result of reasoning or problem solving processes that re-organize or restructure that knowledge. While there has been a considerable amount of research on the type of problem solving processes described by the Gestalt psychologists, less has focused on the learning that results from these processes. This paper begins with a historical review of the Gestalt theory of insight learning. Next, the core assumptions of Gestalt …

The Oxford Handbook Of The Economics Of Poverty, Philip N. Jefferson

Economics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Payday Lending: New Research And The Big Question, John P. Caskey

Economics Faculty Works

Payday lending is controversial. In the states that allow it, payday lenders make cash loans that are typically for $500 or less, and the borrower must repay or renew the loan on his or her next payday. The finance charge for the loan is usually 15 to 20 percent of the amount advanced, so for a typical two-week loan the annual percentage interest rate is about 400 percent. This article describes the payday-lending business and explains why it presents challenging public-policy issues. It surveys recent research that attempts to answer the “big question,” one that is fundamental to the public-policy …

What We Can Learn From The Lived Experience Of Asperger's Syndrome, Craig Allen Talbot Edd

Dissertations

The overall purpose of this study was to survey the personal experiences of individuals with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), analyze and combine them into a shared lived experience in order to provide information pertinent to treatment and intervention, particularly in educational and extra-curricular settings. Those teaching, volunteering or working with individuals with AS must consider their behavioral propensities and natural inclinations in both characteristics and individual personality traits when guiding them in schooling, career preparation, life skills, social interactions and other responsibilities. The goal of the study was to identify common interventions, including technology interventions, or patterns of behavior used by …

Miteri Gaun (Let Us Live Together): The Life And Work Of Radha Paudel Of Nepal, Sigrid Tornquist

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

In the following pages, you will find narrative stories about a Woman PeaceMaker, along with additional information to provide a deep understanding of a contemporary conflict and one person’s journey within it. These complementary components include a brief biography of the peacemaker, a historical summary of the conflict, a timeline integrating political developments in the country with personal history of the peacemaker, a question-and-answer transcript of select interviews, and a table of best practices in peacebuilding as demonstrated and reflected on by the peacemaker during her time at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice.

Radha Paudel, the …

The Right To Speak: The Life And Work Of Nancy Sánchez Of Colombia, Sara Koenders

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

In the following pages, you will find narrative stories about a Woman PeaceMaker, along with additional information to provide a deep understanding of a contemporary conflict and one person’s journey within it. These complementary components include a brief biography of the peacemaker, a historical summary of the conflict, a timeline integrating political developments in the country with personal history of the peacemaker, a question-and-answer transcript of select interviews, and a table of best practices in peacebuilding as demonstrated and reflected on by the peacemaker during her time at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice.

A journalist by …

A Leopard’S Tail: The Life And Work Of Alice Nderitu Of Kenya, Stephanie Chiu

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

In the following pages, you will find narrative stories about a Woman PeaceMaker, along with additional information to provide a deep understanding of a contemporary conflict and one person’s journey within it. These complementary components include a brief biography of the peacemaker, a historical summary of the conflict, a timeline integrating political developments in the country with personal history of the peacemaker, a question-and-answer transcript of select interviews, and a table of best practices in peacebuilding as demonstrated and reflected on by the peacemaker during her time at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice.

A commissioner in …

Parasocial Interaction Between Latino Newscasters And Their Viewers: A Cultural Pluralism Perspective, Laura A. Alvardo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Latino identity is in a hybrid state that is continuously evolving to include many factors. Latinos no longer feel the need to assimilate and renounce their cultural identity. Multiculturalism proposes the maintenance of Latino identity to include many variables. A Latino today can maintain their identity as well as include many factors to compose a multi-faceted identity. Therefore, a Latino today can listen to both Spanish-language and English- language radio programs. The present study investigates parasocial interaction between Latino respondents and Latino/White newscasters. Parasocial interaction serves as a medium to study the strength of ethnic identification in Latinos. This study …

Correlates Of Marijuana Use In A Hispanic College Sample, Joseph Ephraim Charter

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Currently there is a dearth of literature regarding marijuana and its correlates of use, particularly in Hispanics. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug, and its use has increased in recent years. This study aimed to assess correlates of marijuana use in a Hispanic college student sample. Data were collected from 549 participants from University psychology courses. Participants completed a comprehensive survey packet consisting of: demographics, marijuana use history, tobacco and alcohol use, depression, anxiety, stress, and acculturation. Descriptive analyses were used to provide a characteristic profile of Hispanic college student marijuana use. Eight percent reported past 30-day marijuana …

Deaf Culture: The Creation Of Self And Socialization Through The Use Of Sign Language, Marisela Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

There is a strong perception of the physicality of disabilities. The review of literature in this project shows that there is a large number of disability related studies in the field of communication that focus primarily on physical and/or visible disabilities. The purpose of this study is to incorporate research on hidden and/or invisible disabilities, specifically deafness. The literature in the field of communication relating to hidden disabilities is limited and much more limited in deaf related research. There are an estimated two thousand deaf individuals in El Paso. Their participation and integration in the community is hindered by societal …

Disparities In Park Availability, Features, And Characteristics By Social Determinants Of Health Within A U.S.-Mexico Border Urban Area, Amir Kamel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Parks have been shown to be a key feature in the built environment that promote physical activity and positively influence health. However, a number of studies have highlighted that park availability, park features (e.g., park facilities, amenities, and aesthetic features), and park characteristics (e.g., quality/safety concerns of the park and surrounding neighborhood) are not equally distributed across neighborhoods in the U.S, specifically areas of low socioeconomic status and diverse racial/ethnic composition. The overall aim of this study was to examine and describe park availability, park features, and park characteristics, and determine their association with two social determinants of health …

The Rhetoric Of Construction: A Comparative Case Study Of The Language Of The U.S. - Mexico And Israel - Palestine Border Walls, Jesse Adam Kapenga

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research examines the language and rhetoric of fear used to justify the walls and fences built by the American government along the U.S. - Mexico border, and by the Israeli government around the Occupied Palestinian Territories. It focuses specifically on the rhetoric used by the head of government of each country (the American president and the Israeli prime minister) during the years 2001-2011 to explain and justify the construction of a physical barrier as a measure of national defense and self-preservation.

Alternatives To Piloting In Bracksih Waters: Accuracy And Precision Of Commerical Reverse Osmosis Membrane Design Model Projections, Erika Mancha

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In a time of economic recession and drought, the Texas Water Development Board is reviewing alternatives to the current Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requirement of demonstration-scale pilot testing membrane desalination to decrease permitting costs and project construction delays. One alternative is to use engineering judgment with membrane manufacturer's software models to predict membrane performance and ensure that product water quality requirements will be met. To comply with state permitting requirements, the first few months of successful full-scale operation can be submitted in lieu of pilot demonstration.

The goal of this research is to characterize the accuracy and precision of …

Adult Witness Credibility: Evidence For A Two-Factor Model, Abigail E. Moore

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Previous research in the areas of social, expert witness, and child witness psychology has found evidence for a multiple factor model of witness credibility. While a multiple factor model has not yet been tested with adult witnesses who are not experts, results from previous credibility research suggest that there may be at least two components of adult witness credibility: perceived cognitive accuracy and perceived honesty. The current study utilized a 3 x 3 (Perceived Cognitive Accuracy [neutral, medium, low] x Perceived Honesty [neutral, medium, low]) design to assess effects on witness credibility, verdicts, and likelihood of commission scores. Participants were …

The New Mexican Migration: Remembering Violence, Connecting, And Living In The Third Space, Uriel G. Posada

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The concept of identity has become a topic of discussion in the last few decades, especially with the growing immigration across several countries. Countries such as the United States and Canada are receiving people who arrive from different parts of the world and who are changing the composition of these countries. In this thesis I explore how a group of Mexican journalists are adjusting their identity as they live in countries outside of Mexico. Five of the journalists are now living in the United States, and one of them is in Canada. They were forced to leave Mexico after they …