Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Social Web: Leveraging Social Capital To Maximize Relationships And Minimize Churn In The Telecommunications Industry, Kristen Ellis

Honors Theses

As innovation in technology continues to be a driving force in the telecommunications industry, companies are left struggling to provide services of equal caliber to maintain satisfaction and remain relevant in the eyes of consumers. Because of this, a common misunderstanding many companies have is thinking that the best way to retain or acquire new consumers is solely through innovation. While still very important, companies must also strive to better understand the needs of their customers with regard to the cultivation and maintenance of social capital. The purpose of this thesis was to examine how social capital is becoming a …

Someday My Prince Will Come: How Are Gender Roles Enabled And Constrained In Disney Music, During Classic Disney, The Disney Renaissance, And Modern Disney?, Lauren Hughes

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to study how Disney has promoted gender roles through its music over three different Disney eras: Classic, Renaissance, and Modern Disney. While Disney movies have been criticized in the past for having characters with unattainable bodies and unrealistic views on love and life, the role that Disney music plays in promoting gender roles has not been as thoroughly researched or as widely criticized. With the immensity that children learn and are surrounded by Disney music, it is imperative that the message that the children take in is a healthy one. Through the analysis of …

Opportunities And Challenges For Socially Responsible Business In China, Liana Tai

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to demonstrate the unique circumstances that China poses for the development of socially responsible business in China. Socially responsible business is a concept that has emerged in Western nations in recent years, due to the growing environmental and social consciousness of consumers and their increasing demands for companies to meet higher standards in this regard. Socially responsible business refers to those corporate entities that use the market to stimulate change in peoples' awareness of and attitudes toward a certain social issue and, ultimately, consumer behavior and habits. China's irresponsible corporate environment has resulted in harmful and threatening …

The Impact Of Survival Processing And Collaborative Inhibition On Memory Performance, Lindsey Hardin

Honors Theses

This study examines the effects of survival processing and collaborative inhibition on memory performance. The purpose of this research is to determine whether survival processing produced more accurate memory recall than pleasantness processing, as well as determine the impact of collaborative inhibition when compared to nominal groups. In this experiment, participants were given the instructions to rate a given list of words based on survival or pleasantness depending on which scenario they were assigned to. Then, the participants recalled the list of words in either collaborative groups or nominal groups. The results indicated that the survival condition did produce better …

The Role Of Pharmacists In Prenatal Healthcare Concerning Obesity, Hypertension, And Diabetes, Madeline Ott

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the role of pharmacists in prenatal health care for women with chronic diseases. This study consists of a systematic review of Medline and Academic Search Premier listed articles concerning pregnant women and obesity, hypertension, or diabetes and pharmacy, focusing special attention on 40 articles. The second part of the study consisted of pharmacist interviews with thirteen pharmacists on how they view the current role of pharmacists in caring for pregnant women who are obese, hypertensive, and diabetic. The literature review suggested that chronic diseases can have a detrimental effect on children, and that there were many gaps …

The Attitudes And Awareness Of Sexual Assault, Relationship Violence, And Bystander Intervention Of Undergraduate Students, Megan Stidd

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Nondepository Credit Intermediation And Its Effects On The Financial Well-Being Of Consumers, Nathan Simpson

Honors Theses

This paper investigates whether the availability of consumer loans has a positive or negative effect on the indicators of financial well being for consumers in the same area. By observing the number of consumer lending establishments and regressing those numbers on financial indicators, such as percent in poverty and median household income, this paper observes any statistically significant correlations that arise out of the presence of these establishments as well as the sign (positive or negative) of the correlation. The data period is 2007 to 2013. This process is used for nationwide numbers as well as six selected Southern states. …

The Effect Of State Capacity On Civil Conflict In India, Rimen Brar Singh

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to study the relationship between state capacity and civil conflict in India. This thesis provides insight on concepts such as state capacity, intrastate rebellious conflict, and greed and grievance, but the main focus of this thesis is on sub-national differences. The thesis attempts to demonstrate how sub-national differences may affect state capacity and influence intrastate conflict. Two aspects of sub-national differences are investigated: topography and roads. Specifically, data for topography and roads are confined within India. India is chosen to be a case study due to its diverseness in people and geography. The methods used to record …

A More Perfect Union? An Analysis Of Schuette V. The Coalition To Defend Affirmative Action And Minority Group Rights In Multicultural Democracies, Robert Barber

Honors Theses

In 2006, the State of Michigan passed Proposal 2, an amendment to the Michigan Constitution which effectively banned affirmative action and race-conscious admissions policies at Michigan's public universities. Despite arguments that this policy placed an undue burden on certain ethnic and racial minorities by suppressing their participation in the American political process, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Proposal 2 as constitutional in the 2014 case Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. This thesis seeks to argue for the necessity of restoring the access to political participation removed with the passage of Proposal 2, as well as present a convincing …

Cultural Implications Of Starbucks Consumption In China: Why Do Chinese Have A Latte On Their Mind?, Garrett Hersh

Honors Theses

The aim of this thesis was gain a more comprehensive understanding concerning the Chinese consumers understanding of coffee and Starbucks in China as a luxury good. Considering China's recent history, as well as the introduction of a capitalist, consumer economy, examining the Chinese consumers' consumption pattern of this foreign, arguably luxury, good, is reflective of Chinese consumer ideals. A literature review analyzing the relationship between Chinese consumer ideals and the introduction of global consumerism, in addition to a set of interviews and surveys were conducted in attempts to understand the current Chinese consumption patterns of Starbucks coffee. After conducting the …

Tortoise And The Hare: A Case Study Of Quota Laws And Women's Representation In Congress In Argentina And The United States, Hannah Arrington

Honors Theses

Given recent political tension between political parties in both the United States and Argentina, there has been an increased demand for improved and more accurate congressional representation, specifically women's substantive representation in Congress. As the first nation to institute a legislative candidate gender quota law, Argentina has been the leading Latin American nation to confront anti-feminist politics. Under the cupo de ley femenino, the quota mandate of 1991, all major political parties and certain governments cabinets in Argentina are required to fill a set thirty percent of positions on party candidate lists with women (Ley No 24.012). Whereas in the …

Programmed Shifts In Reward Quality And Quantity: A Planned Positive And Negative Contrast Analysis, Michael Schafer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Two experiments were conducted in an attempt to occasion both positive and negative contrast effects. The primary purpose was to occasion both decrements and increases in responding following planned shifts in quality or magnitude of reinforcement. Participants were children ages 7 to 16 years who were receiving therapy using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and had a prior diagnosis of autism. In Experiment I, changes in responding were measured following manipulations of reinforcer quality. Results indicated response patterns consistent with negative contrast effects following shifts from high quality to low quality reinforcers, and positive contrast effects following shifts from low quality …

The Bread She Earns With Her Own Hands: An Examination Of Lincoln's Political Economy, Rodolfo K. Hernandez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on how Abraham Lincoln’s idea of “liberty to all” affected his political thought about the intersection of government and the economy. It is a search for Lincoln’s political economy. While contemporary economists focus on a single aspect of the person such as self-interest, Lincoln following thinkers such as Francis Wayland viewed economics as a moral science. I do this by examining the speeches and deeds of Abraham Lincoln. I explore topics such as what he meant by “liberty to all”, his valuing of a commercial society over an agrarian one, and his understanding of the importance of …

Telling Our Story: A Case Study Of A Collaborative Departmental Blog, Stephanie J.H. Mcreynolds, Anne E. Rauh

Libraries' and Librarians' Publications

This case study will take readers through the planning and publication process of a collaborative departmental library blog at Syracuse University, which is a large private, non-profit research intensive university located in central New York State. It will provide an overview of the history of the project and the mission of the blog. It will describe the technical aspects, developing a publication schedule, and the editorial responsibilities of maintaining the blog. The impact of the blog is documented. The blog has raised awareness of the librarians’ expertise and this is explored alongside how posts have contributed to a number of …

An Examination Of Response To Intervention Development And Implementation Relative To Best Practices, Paul W. Austin Phd

All Student Scholarship

For the past 30 years, public education in the United States has been under fire for its failure to address a long decline in student performance. Education reform has been a focal point of the country, calling for improved student performance, and a reduction of the achievement gap for students struggling to meet academic standards. Following the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the U.S. Department of Education reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 (U.S. Department of Education, 2006). One important issue addressed in the reauthorization was the criteria needed to identify children under the …

The Effects Of Sceletium Tortuosum In The Chick Anxiety-Depression Model, Emily Mae Fountain

Honors Theses

Sceletium tortuosum (S. tortuosum), known colloquially as Kanna, is a natural botanical that is thought to reduce anxiety, elevate mood, and produce euphoria. This study explores S. tortuosum's properties in the chick anxiety-depression model, a pre-clinical drug efficacy screening model that shares many features to clinical stress-related disorders and has high predictive validity. Socially-raised male Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks age 4-6 days were given intraperitoneal injections of either a vehicle, imipramine, or S. tortuosum fraction (10, 20, 30, 50, 75, or 100mg/kg) 15 minutes prior to being placed in a stress-inducing isolation chamber for 60 minutes and distress vocalizations were …

Providing A Prescription Of School Choice To Improve Mississippi's K-12 Educational System: A Dose Of Education Savings Accounts Mixed With Charter Schools And Private School Vouchers, Eric Bennett

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the research surrounding school choice programs, such as charter schools, private school vouchers, and education savings accounts (ESAs). My research investigates academic effects, fiscal effects, impact upon low-income and minority students, parental involvement and satisfaction, and public opinion of school choice programs. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to answer my central research question of, What is the ideal school choice picture for Mississippi, with two goals in mind: 1.) To rescue children currently trapped within underperforming schools without the means to transfer to a higher quality school. 2.) To reform the K-12 educational system in …

Political Underrepresentation And Domestic Terrorism: The Deficiency Of Minority Descriptive Representation As A Causal Factor Of Violent Radicalization In Western European Democracies, Erica Shannon Mcgraw

Honors Theses

Electoral systems are vital in controlling the levels of minority descriptive representation in a government because each system contains characteristics that make it easier or more difficult for a member of a minority group to be elected to office. Because of this power, I focus on the role of electoral systems in Western European democracies as a possible, causal factor of domestic terrorism by way of their effect on the level of a country's minority descriptive representation, and therefore, levels of minority inclusion. To test my hypotheses, I use both quantitative and qualitative data in linear regression models, and a …

Urbanization And Exclusion: Examining The Wages Of Migrant Workers In The Chinese Urban Labor Market, Evan Heitzmann

Honors Theses

This work is primarily an examination of the economic effects of the Hukou system on migrant workers who live in cities. By endeavoring to control for any differences in background and human capital, I will attempt to isolate any premium attached the possession of urban Hukou. What, if any, benefit or advantage do urban citizens have over rural migrant in cities? Will they be favorably treated and will migrants be discriminated against? These are all questions that my project seeks to answer through the construction of a linear regression model that estimates the wages of both urban and migrant workers. …

Millennials' Civics Inclinations: A Study Of Civics Education's Impact On Millennials' Political Knowledge And Political Participation, Hannah Haley

Honors Theses

This thesis researches the impact civics education has on Millennials' political participation and political knowledge levels. The focus is on civics education's impact on Millennials' political participation and political knowledge because civics education to the American governing system. Two political socialization agents, parents and teachers, represented the actors teaching civics education. Thus, this thesis provides insight into the role of civics education, as taught by parents and schools, on the newest generation of American voters. In order to understand civics education's impact on this new generation, prior background research on Millennials, importance of civics education, parents, and schools is included. …

Psychological And Environmental Predictors Of Test Anxiety: A Structural Equation Model, Meredith Taylor Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Test anxiety is a construct that includes cognitive, physiological, and behavioral symptoms occurring in response to anxiety prior to, during, or following examinations. The current literature on test anxiety has evaluated a number of possible predictors, including demographic variables, academic indicators, and self-perceptions. The movement toward school accountability and higher academic expectations of students has increased the severity of consequences occurring as a result of poor academic achievement. Thus, test anxiety is a critical concern that may impact student academic success. The current study evaluated a structural equation model to determine the strength of associations between trait anxiety, academic achievement, …

Perceived Barriers To Autism Spectrum Disorder Services, Lindsey Willis Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder with hallmark symptoms that can be severely impairing to both the individual and the overall family dynamic. The path to diagnostic and therapy services is often lengthy and complex. Despite various state and federal efforts to improve service access, disparities remain evident across ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic lines with caregivers reporting financial, cultural, geographic, and practical (e.g., transportation, scheduling) barriers. For those able to access treatment, several interventions have been proven efficacious in addressing ASD symptoms, problem behaviors, and adaptive skills deficits. Other often-used interventions include those without established merit for …

Participation In Active And Passive Music Interventions By Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias: Effects On Agitation, Robert J. Prattini

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The ability of music to produce calming effects on us is well documented, and its use is becoming an increasingly accepted intervention with populations displaying agitated and disruptive behaviors, such as people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other dementias. One reason for its widespread use is because research has demonstrated music’s efficacy in reducing agitation, and consequently disruptive behaviors, in those with AD. Prior studies on music’s effects on agitation in older people with AD have utilized either recorded music used passively, or active sessions with a music therapist or musicians, but none have compared the effects of each type …

Board Member Perceptions Of Small Nonprofit Organization Effectiveness, Laura L. Maurer

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

In contemporary American society, the nonprofit board is accountable for ensuring that an organization has sufficient resources to carry out its mission. Filling the gap between demands for services and the resources to meet them is often a struggle for small nonprofit organizations, a problem of nonprofit organization effectiveness. I conducted a hermeneutic phenomenological study that examined how board members of small local nonprofits in the focal community perceived nonprofit organization effectiveness. A review of the literature revealed that nonprofit organization effectiveness involved the action of contributing to the organization and the motivation behind the action, both of which were …

Acceptability Of Aggression Among Children Who Reside With Substance-Abusing Parents: The Influence Of Behavioral Dysregulation, Exposure To Neighborhood Violence, And Interparental Violence, Michelle L. Kelley, Abby L. Braitman, Robert J. Milletich, Brittany F. Hollis, Rachel E. Parsons, Tyler D. White, Cassie Patterson, Brianna Haislip, J. Matthew Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined how interparental violence, neighborhood violence, behavioral regulation during parental conflict, and age predicted beliefs about the acceptability of aggression and the acceptance of retaliation against an aggressive peer among youths. Participants were 110 families (mothers, fathers, and children) in which one or both parents met criteria for substance use disorder. Results of a bootstrapped multivariate regression model revealed higher exposure to neighborhood violence predicted greater acceptability of general aggression, whereas higher father-to-mother violence perpetration predicted lower acceptability of general aggression. Higher exposure to neighborhood violence, behavioral dysregulation during parental conflict, and older child age predicted greater …

Behavioral Couples Treatment For Substance Use Disorder: Secondary Effects On The Reduction Of Risk For Child Abuse, Michelle L. Kelley, Adrian J. Bravo, Abby L. Braitman, Adrienne K. Lawless, Hannah R. Lawrence

Psychology Faculty Publications

Risk for child abuse was examined prior to and after behavioral couples treatment (BCT) among 61 couples in which one or both parents were diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD). All couples were residing with one or more school-age children. Mothers and fathers completed pretreatment, post-intervention, and 6 month post-intervention follow-up assessments. Results of piecewise latent growth models tested whether the number of BCT sessions attended and number of days abstinent from drugs and alcohol influenced relationship satisfaction and its growth over time, and in turn if relationship satisfaction and change in relationship satisfaction influenced risk for child abuse. For …

College Student Dating Partner Drinking Profiles: Differences In Relationship Functioning And Relationship-Specific Alcohol Expectancies, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Michelle L. Kelley

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Although the majority of research on partner drinking styles has examined married couples, dating partners may influence one another's problem behaviors including alcohol use.

Objectives: This study identified patterns of at-risk alcohol use in college women and their dating partners using a person-centered statistical approach (i.e., latent profile analysis). Methods: Participants were 286 college student women in dating relationships. They completed questionnaires regarding their own and their partners' drinking, alcohol use severity, intimate partner violence (IPV), relationship satisfaction, and relationship-specific alcohol expectancies. Data were collected in 2012 through 2013.

Results: Results revealed three distinct, latent classes based on both …

Differences In Weekday Versus Weekend Drinking Among Nonstudent Emerging Adults, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abby L. Braitman, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Amy L. Stamates

Psychology Faculty Publications

In the current investigation, we sought to examine "day-of-the-week" drinking of an at-risk sample of nonstudent emerging adults and whether specific factors are associated with differential drinking patterns. Our study aims were to (a) identify differences in weekday versus weekend drinking, and (b) examine specific expectancies (i.e., sociability, tension reduction) and demographic factors (e.g., age, sex) relating to weekend versus weekday drinking after controlling for harmful drinking and holiday drinking. Participants were heavy-drinking noncollege attenders recruited from the community (N = 238; 63.4% men, 35.7% women; M age = 21.92 years). They reported daily drinking for the previous 30 days …

Identifying Patterns Of Situational Antecedents To Heavy Drinking Among College Students, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Abby L. Braitman, Amy L. Stamates

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background- Emerging adults have the highest prevalence of heavy drinking as compared to all other age groups. Given the negative consequences associated with such drinking, additional research efforts focused on at-risk consumption are warranted. The current study sought to identify patterns of situational antecedents to drinking and to examine their associations with drinking motivations, alcohol involvement, and mental health functioning in a sample of heavy drinking college students.

Method- Participants were 549 (65.8% women) college student drinkers.

Results- Latent profile analysis identified three classes based on likelihood of heavy drinking across eight situational precipitants. The High Situational Endorsement' group reported …

Molly Users Versus Non-Users In A Sample Of College Alcohol Drinkers: Differences In Substance-Related Harms And Sensation Seeking, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Amy L. Stamates, Brynn E. Sheehan, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Molly is one form of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) that is touted to be more pure and potentially less harmful than other forms, such as ecstasy. Media reports and case studies suggest that this drug is popular among college students and is related to adverse health problems. The current study sought to address the knowledge gaps about Molly by examining whether users differ in substance use outcomes and sensation seeking than nonusers. Specifically, this study tested whether Molly users engaged in heavier use of other substances and experienced more substance-related harms in general than nonusers. Further, the current study investigated whether …