Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Dynamic Cultural Specificities: Mediation Of Culture And Emergent Gay Identity In China, Lynam Brandon

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Barriers To The Provision Of High-Quality Early Childhood Education In The Mississippi Delta, Mackenzie Poole

Honors Theses

High-quality early childhood education has been shown to enhance the development of social, emotional, cognitive, language, and literacy skills in young children (Burchinal, Peisner-Feinberg, Bryant, & Clifford, 2000; Loeb, Fuller, Kagan, & Carrol, 2004; Peisner-Feinberg et al., 2001). Barriers encountered when attempting to provide high-quality early childhood education in the Mississippi Delta were investigated by analyzing the opinions and perceptions of early childhood educators. Requests for participation in the study were mailed to 92 child care facilities, and individuals from three licensed child care centers in the region participated. Opinions were gathered using questionnaires (n = 20) and interviews (n …

Argentina's Contemporary Multiculturalism And Its Implications For Chinese Identity In Buenos Aires, Madeleine Achgill

Honors Theses

How has Chinese immigration to Buenos Aires challenged contemporary Argentine multiculturalism? This thesis examines the arrival and integration of Chinese immigrants through a qualitative discourse analysis of Chinese and Spanish-language sources relating to immigration to Argentina, Argentine perceptions of Chinese immigrants, and the Chinese community's self-representation in Argentine spaces. I answer three questions: 1) What is Argentina's new multiculturalism and how does it impact Chinese immigrants? 2) How has the Argentine public responded to new Chinese immigration? And 3) How has the Chinese community responded, establishing their own Sino-Argentine identity? I find that Chinese immigration to Argentina has placed the …

Confederate Symbols And Media Coverage: A Look At Mississippi Newspapers Over Time, Madison Elizabeth Heil

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to examine how the media coverage of Confederate symbols in Mississippi has changed over time by focusing on the following events: the banning of flag sticks at the University of Mississippi athletic events in 1997, the removal of the Mississippi state flag from campus in 2015, the modification of the song Dixie at football games in 2009, and the banning of the song from athletic events in 2016. A sample of news articles featured on the front page of three different Mississippi-based newspapers were reviewed through content analysis by two trained coders for changes …

Water Policy In Chile And Bolivia: A Comparative Case Study, Margaret Cartner

Honors Theses

This thesis addresses three questions: why has universal potable water access not been achieved with the water policy changes made in Bolivia between 1990 and 2000? What can be learned from the water policy changes implemented in Chile between 1980 and 1999? Finally, what changes can be made to both countries' water policies to ensure the sustainable use of water resources? To answer these questions, this thesis reviews water policy changes in Chile as a result of World Bank loans before privatization in the 1980s and compare them to the water policy changes in Bolivia as a result of World …

The United Nations Cluster Approach To Humanitarian Aid: A Critical Analysis And Reform Proposal Based On Focused Mitigation Efforts, Mary Margaret Gagnet

Honors Theses

Overlap and gaps in assistance within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee's Cluster Approach for humanitarian aid is a major issue plaguing the international community and its response to emergencies. The inefficiencies within the cooperative effort of involved agencies leads to prolonged suffering and death within the countries in need of humanitarian aid. With these dire consequences riding on the ability of this mobilization system to function effective, it is imperative that steps be taken to ensure competent humanitarian response. There is no clearly outlined path to assist those experiencing humanitarian crisis, but there is a particular objective in mind. This goal, …

When State Systems Fail: A Qualitative Analysis Of Child Protection Services, Mary Catherine Harvey

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to conduct a qualitative study examining cases of abuse in the child welfare system and offer policy recommendations to limit cases of abuse. After chronicling several cases of child abuse within the State of Mississippi's foster care system the following recommendations are offered. First, increased awareness and public knowledge on this issue and its causes is vital for the continuation of improvements in both the state and federal foster care systems. Second, proper funding is key to maintaining a functional state child welfare and protection department. This paper concludes with a recommendation of policy …

Price Controls In Argentina: A Case Of Urban Bias, Megan Freveletti

Honors Theses

Towards the end of 2016, President Mauricio Macri of Argentina announced that he would be re-enacting a program of price controls that had been introduced by his predecessor, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, called Precios Cuidados. However, this time the list of items would contain a greater amount than the previous program, almost 400 more products than before, the variety of them falling under agricultural products. This thesis looks to examine whether or not the implementation of a price control program by President Macri, that has failed in the past, can be explained by the theory of urban bias. After a …

Effects Of The Senkaku/Diaoyu Island Dispute On Sino-Japanese Relations, Meredith Cuilik

Honors Theses

Sino-Japanese relations have long been characterized by the saying "cold politics, hot economics." Poor political relations are an accepted aspect of Sino-Japanese relations, but are good economic relations necessarily the norm? This thesis seeks to question how nationalism and nationalist sentiment in Japan and China affect economic relations following a key "cold political" dispute (the Senkaku/Diaoyu Island dispute of 2012-2013).

Fighting Extremism: Efforts To Defeat Online Isis Recruitment Methods, Michael Howell

Honors Theses

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its sympathizers utilize social media platforms to disseminate propaganda, radicalize audiences, and recruit foreign fighters. Some Western social media users are susceptible to these efforts. Although personal privacy and freedom of speech is largely protected by complex governmental limitations, the social media use of extremists sparked a national debate on how to protect American citizens. This thesis will discuss the history of ISIS and its social media use, the terrorist group's target audiences, ISIS recruitment strategies, and policy decisions and options aimed at reducing the effectiveness of pro-jihadist propaganda. This paper …

Far Right, Left Out: European Far Right Parties And The Implications For Refugees, Michelle Miller

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Grove: Stories Of Cultivating Connections, Mitchell A. Dowden

Honors Theses

This thesis studies the University of Mississippi's tailgating area known as the Grove. While it explores the logistics and preparation for home game activities, this thesis looks beyond the image and into aspects not so obvious to the weekend visitor: its history, its environmental impact, the economics, and even its reflection of the progress and challenges surrounding race. This is not intended to be a supreme authority or academic analysis of the Grove, but instead a journalistic piece reflecting the stories and personal anecdotes I encountered. To gather information, I conducted live interviews with people familiar to the Grove in …

Psychosocial Care In The Syrian Refugee Crisis, Miller Richmond

Honors Theses

The Syrian civil war created millions of refugees who are internally displaced across Syria and in surrounding host countries. The use of violence and forms of warfare against the Geneva Convention make this crisis particularly traumatic for civilians, leading to high rates of PTSD and depression among the refugee population. Relying on concepts of structural violence and the ecology of health, I justify the use of a psychosocial framework to build refugee crisis response in Jordan. I performed ethnographic fieldwork to collect data in the form of stakeholder and care provider interviews and training manuals, and I analyzed and critiqued …

Cognitive Biases And Reflexive Control, Natalie Minton

Honors Theses

Manipulating an opponent is nothing new to warfare, but what is new is the understanding behind modern tactics, psychology, and the how the two intertwine under real world circumstances. One modern tactic, particularly used by the Russian government, is called reflexive control. This hybrid warfare tactic is used to manipulate an opponent into unknowingly making decisions benefiting the manipulator while harming the opponent. Though executed through many outlets, reflexive control is aimed at flaws within the opponent's decision making process. Many such flaws are categorized as cognitive biases derived from mental shortcuts that can lead the brain to misjudge information. …

Celebrity Protest And Media Consumption: A Comparative Analysis Across Media And Cultural Context, Paxton Williams

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I performed a comparative case study between the United States and a foreign country, particularly Australia, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom, in each of the media ages that I defined. I defined these media ages as the Pre-24 Hour News Cycle Age, the Internet Age, and the Social Media Age. For the Pre-24 Hour News Cycle Age, I examined Muhammad Ali and his refusal to be inducted into the Armed Services in 1967 after being drafted for the Vietnam War and Peter Norman, an Australian Olympic medalist, and his decision to take a silent stand for equality …

Beauty In The Eye Of The Producer: The Role Of Appearance In The Careers Of Hispanic Female Broadcasters, Rachel E. Anderson

Honors Theses

This paper explores the pressures of beauty and appearance on a selected group of female Hispanic broadcast journalists. Ten broadcasters who identify as female and Hispanic were interviewed about their experiences in the industry. A careful analysis indicated that there are pressures for adopting ultra-feminine looks for hair and makeup and sexy clothing for on-air appearances based on consumer feedback. News stations also manage employees' appearances to maximize favor with audiences and to increase ratings.

Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Cosmetic Procedures In Latin America And East Asia, Rebecca Vorisek

Honors Theses

This paper explores the factors that influence women's decisions to undergo cosmetic procedures, including: globalization, westernization, patriarchy, empowerment, and endogenous factors. It specifically focuses on East Asia and Latin America focusing on South Korea, China, Brazil, and Argentina and offers a cross-cultural comparison between these regions and countries as well as between the world and the West. I compiled and analyzed data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) 2011 annual report to create profiles of the most common cosmetic procedures performed for each region and country, and these profiles were then compared to one another. Through my …

The Effect Of Demographic And Clinical Factors On The Performance Of The Abbreviated Scoring Algorithm For The Baby And Infant Screen For Children With Autism Traits, Paige Elizabeth Cervantes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction and social communication as well as the presence of restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (RRBIs; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Individuals with ASD experience lifelong and pervasive impairments across many domains of functioning. Early identification of ASD is imperative as earlier intervention is associated with greater gains in numerous areas. In regards to early identification efforts, routine screening is important. However, screening often fails to be conducted within early childhood care settings. To encourage greater rates of screening by offering a …

Spatio-Temporal Modeling Of Louisiana Land Subsidence Using High-Resolution Geo-Spatial Data, Hanyu Xiang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Land subsidence, defined as a land sinking or a gradual inward caving of land, presents a common disturbance observed in many areas of the world. In Louisiana, this specific problem posed a serious threat to the populace living there. Considered by denizens to be an adverse impact of land use, the extant Louisiana subsidence causes serious problems that tend to worsen, such as excessive wetland formation or land loss. Unless researchers find appropriate treatments to address this increasingly serious problem, the present issues will be exacerbated. To visualize the spatio-temporal subsidence patterns, this study used data collected by high-precision GPS …

Essays In Health And Public Economics, Sara Oloomi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I present three distinct essays in health and public economics. In chapter 2, using Vital Statistics data from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and a Difference in Difference methodology, I investigate the impact of the Paid Family Leave (PFL) of California on birth delay, infant health, and labor market outcomes of mothers after first childbirth. I find that PFL of California reduces birth delay by encouraging women to have their first child earlier. Results are more pronounced for older women who are over the age of 35. This policy also improves infant health by reducing incidence …

Factors Associated With Parental Treatment Attitudes And Information-Seeking Behaviors For Childhood Adhd, Lea Elizabeth Taylor

Theses - ALL

Abstract

Background: Childhood ADHD is an impairing neurodevelopmental disorder with associated long-term negative outcomes in a variety of domains. Despite this, there is a significant delay to treatment and a low rate of lifetime treatment contact for individuals with ADHD. Barriers to child treatment include parental poor symptom recognition, attitudinal barriers, evaluative barriers, fear of stigma, and structural barriers. These barriers are important to consider in the context of the family system, as parents serve as gatekeepers to mental health treatment for their children. In addition, parents’ perceptions of the quality and type of their children’s symptoms may also inform …

Intelligence Dissemination Among Local, State, And Federal Law Enforcement: The Necessity, Gaps, And Recommendations, Emily Holcomb

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine how intelligence is gathered in the Southern State Region, identify perceived gaps in the current policies used with this communication and offer potential solutions to intelligence communication flaws. An interview-based research of Southern State Region officers and agents and the support of peer-reviewed academic articles shaped the research in this paper. The results of this research indicated that (a) personal connections between law enforcement agents and federal agents are the backbone of the current process utilized in information sharing, (b) there are gaps when personnel leave their position in office because of …

The Effects Of Terrorism On Public Opinion Of Gun Control In The United States, Emily Mckee

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between terrorist activity and public support for gun control. This thesis tests three hypotheses: 1) that out-group violence causes greater support for gun control than in-group violence, 2) that the method of violence determines support for gun control, and 3) that the results of the first two hypotheses are dependent on the conditional variables of gender, fear of Muslims, and residence in an urban or rural area. To analyze these relationships, a survey experiment was conducted to determine if out-group violence and method of violence had an affect on public …

Multi-Generaltional Marketing: Variations And Implications Of Nonprofit Approaches, Emily Alexandra Lindstrom

Honors Theses

Research reveals that today's nonprofit organizations have shifted their longtime marketing efforts away from Baby Boomers to target the younger Millennial and Generation Z audience. In their effort to reach the new audiences, nonprofits have been forced to change their marketing strategies, including the adoption of new and more effective social networking media. Despite their shift in focus, nonprofits remain in a battle for funds with their for-profit competition. Using past and present nonprofit marketing strategies, this thesis isolates the difference between nonprofits and for-profits and identifies the influence that nonprofits have on society today. It further analyzes the current …

Parental Influence On Weight Biases In School-Age Children, Emily E. Wasson

Honors Theses

Obesity rates have rapidly increased in America over the past few decades, and with this rise comes an increase in the negative psychosocial consequences experienced by victims of weight bias. Although a fair amount of research on weight bias (i.e., the negative attitudes or beliefs one holds toward overweight individuals) has been done in adults and adolescents, limited research has been done in young children. This study worked to fill gaps in the literature by investigating if children between the ages of five and nine would show weight biases, if the biases against individuals would vary by the ethnicity and …

Close Relationships, The Self-Concept, And Health Behaviors In College Students, Erin Davis Fowler

Honors Theses

This study investigated whether romantic, parental, and peer relationship satisfaction influence eating behaviors and alcohol consumption through the self-concept. To test this hypothesis, 251 undergraduate students from the University of Mississippi completed an online survey in return for class credit. Participants first answered questions regarding their relationships with their parents, romantic partners, and close friends. These questions were adapted from the Couple's Satisfaction Index (Funk & Rogge, 2007). Next, to assess the self-concept, self-esteem, and objectification participants completed the Robson Self Concept Questionnaire (Robson, 1989), The Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (Rosenberg,1965), and The Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (McKinley, & Hyde, …

A Qualitative Process Evaluation Of A Meal Service Program, Grace Marie Sullivan

Honors Theses

This study serves to evaluate the process of a meal service program, local to Northeast Mississippi, in response to the need to evaluate methods of alleviating food insecurity as it continues to be a growing and evolving issue in the American South. The researcher chose to employ qualitative research methods in order to understand the program guests, volunteers, and board members' perceptions of the program's processes using data from interviews with members of each group, a focus group composed of program guests, and photovoice projects completed by program guests. The researcher used thematic analysis to interpret the data and defined …

Are Chinese Firms Attracted To Political Risk? Locational Determinants Of Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment, Grant Depoyster

Honors Theses

This study evaluates the foreign direct investment (FDI) location choices made by Chinese firms from 1996 to 2015 and investigates the extent to which Chinese firms are attracted to investing in countries with high levels of political risk. Using new Chinese data, the study categorizes Chinese firms into Central State-Owned Enterprises and Other Chinese Firms to see the relationship between investment location and political risk for firms with varying levels of Chinese government control. Additionally, the data is divided between investments made from 1996 to 2003 and investments made from 1996 to 2015 to measure the effect that important changes …

Memory Retention Rates Of Gossip-Related Information, Hannah R. Rogers

Honors Theses

The aim of this study is to determine if gossip-related information produces higher memory retention rates than scientific information. Participants completed a two-part survey. During the first part of the survey, participants read nine paragraphs, separated into three categories. Three were scientific, three were non-celebrity gossip, and three were celebrity gossip. After reading each article, participants rated each on a scale of 1-10 based on both personal relevance and how interesting they found each article. After a week delay, participants completed a multiple-choice memory test about the articles read the week before. The study found that while scientific articles were …

Community Engagement Strategies For Civic Participation In Youth Development: The University Of Mississippi's Fight Against Poverty, Henry Lang-Vanderlaan

Honors Theses

This thesis examined civic participation and community engagement strategies by the University of Mississippi to fight poverty through education in Mississippi. In 2014 the McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement started an innovative approach to fight poverty through education in Mississippi. The center began a Catalyzing Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) program to establish community-university partnerships for university students to engage in communities beyond campus. I served in the program as a CEED scholar from 2015-2017. In this thesis I explored the state of an afterschool program to determine its success, and to evaluate the community engagement strategy …