Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

(Ab)Normality, Adolescence And The Politics Of Need Interpretation In Three American Sex Education Programs, Analiese R. Dorff

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

The Politics Of Distinction And Exchange In Displacement: How Aesthetics Become Ethical, Joy Huda Al-Nemri

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Energy Transition In Saudi Arabia: Oil, Solar And Vision, Zak William Rawle

Senior Projects Spring 2018

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College.

Benchmark Assessment Of Orphaned And Vulnerable Children In Areas Of The Zambia Family (Zamfam) Project—Brief, Michael Mbizvo, Paul C. Hewett

HIV and AIDS

The US Agency for International Development and US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are supporting the Zambia Family (ZAMFAM) project to strengthen comprehensive, integrated service delivery and support to children living with, affected by, or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS (OVC) in the Lusaka, Copperbelt, Southern, and Central Provinces of Zambia. To inform that effort, Project SOAR conducted a benchmark survey among beneficiaries in the four provinces of the ZAMFAM program. The benchmark survey measured the status and conditions of OVC and their families. This brief provides a summary of the findings outlined in the final report on the needs …

Benchmark Assessment Of Orphaned And Vulnerable Children In Areas Of The Zambia Family (Zamfam) Project, Michael Mbizvo, Paul C. Hewett, Nkomba Kayeyi, Lyson Phiri, Saziso N. Mulenga, Bwalya Mushiki, Mwelwa Chibuye

HIV and AIDS

The US Agency for International Development and US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are supporting the Zambia Family (ZAMFAM) project to strengthen comprehensive, integrated service delivery and support to children living with, affected by, or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS (OVC) in the Lusaka, Copperbelt, Southern, and Central Provinces of Zambia. To inform that effort, Project SOAR conducted a benchmark survey among beneficiaries in the four provinces of the ZAMFAM program. The benchmark survey measured the status and conditions of OVC and their families. The findings provide a deeper understanding of the needs of OVC families and the gaps in …

Engaging Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Hiv Services In Malawi: Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

Important contributors to adolescent girls' and young women's (AGYWs') vulnerability to HIV are the power differentials in their sexual relationships with male partners. Therefore, engaging male partners of AGYWs is important in reducing HIV incidence among these women. Project SOAR, in collaboration with the Center of Reproductive Health at the University of Malawi College of Medicine, conducted qualitative research in the districts of Zomba and Machinga in Malawi to: 1) identify and locate the types of men who have sexual relationships with AGYW; 2) understand the challenges to and facilitators of accessing HIV services among AGYWs’ male partners; and 3) …

Health And Socioeconomic Well-Being Of Young People Living With Hiv In Zambia: Evaluating The Zamfam Project, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

The US Agency for International Development and US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief are supporting the Zambia Family (ZAMFAM) project to strengthen comprehensive, integrated service delivery and support to children living with, affected by, or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in the Lusaka, Copperbelt, Southern, and Central Provinces of Zambia. Project SOAR is conducting a three-year prospective cohort study of young people living with (YPLHIV) and their primary caregivers/guardians in Central Province where the ZAMFAM project is being implemented, and in Eastern Province where there are no ongoing ZAMFAM activities for comparison. The information collected in the study focused on key …

Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Relationship Characteristics And Hiv Risk—Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa, as in many countries, are particularly vulnerable to HIV for a variety of reasons, including economic disadvantage and unequal power dynamics in sexual relationships with their male partners—many of whom are older and engage in high-risk behaviors. In an effort to learn more about men’s relationships with AGYW and how HIV services can better engage them, the Population Council is conducting implementation science research in KwaZulu-Natal Province. This brief reports findings from a 2017 baseline survey with nearly 1,000 men. An endline survey is planned for mid-late 2018, and will focus …

Modeling The Expected Cost-Effectiveness And Impact Of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis In Uganda And Swaziland, Project Soar

HIV and AIDS

Clinical trials have shown that oral antiretrovirals (ARVs) containing tenofovir/emtricitabine used by HIV-negative individuals to prevent HIV acquisition, called oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), are safe and effective in several populations. Prior modeling work has demonstrated that oral PrEP is most cost effective when targeted to populations at very high risk of infection, with risk dependent on a combination of individual behavior and epidemic contexts. This brief describes a study Project SOAR is conducting to assist Uganda and Swaziland in making critical decisions about oral PrEP introduction and scale up by modeling the expected cost effectiveness and impact of oral PrEP …

What Do We Know About The Hiv Risk Characteristics Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Kenya? Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

The Population Council is conducting implementation science research in Kenya to build needed evidence to inform community-based, girl-centered interventions. DREAMS programs in Kenya are implementing a core package of interventions in the highest HIV-burden areas to address HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)—a population in which AIDS is the leading cause of death in the region. This brief summarizes key findings from a survey of 1,778 AGYW, more than half of whom are enrolled in DREAMS programming.

What Do We Know About The Hiv Risk Characteristics Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Zambia? Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

The Population Council is conducting implementation science research in Zambia and other countries across sub-Saharan Africa to build needed evidence to inform community-based, girl-centered HIV-prevention programming. Critical to this process is understanding adolescent girls’ and young women’s (AGYWs’) knowledge, attitudes, sexual behaviors, and characteristics of their sexual partnerships that may put them at risk of HIV acquisition. This results brief summarizes key findings from a cross-sectional survey of 1,915 AGYW, half of whom were 15–19 years old and the other half 20–24 years old, residing in urban districts of Lusaka and Ndola. The findings in this brief were shared at …

The Evolution Of Communication Pedagogy, Jerry D. Feezel

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

This article is an overview of the major developments in the field of communication in education. From the history of the national association over 100 plus years, specific attention is paid to changes leading to the advent of this publication. Changes in nomenclature, conferences, publications, research, and educational trends are discussed. The essay is intended to provide a view of history as setting for inauguration of the Journal of Communication Pedagogy. It also is intended to invite and stimulate other scholars’ reflections on the nature and evolution of the field.

Instructional Communication Scholarship: Complementing Communication Pedagogy, Alan K. Goodboy

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Instructional communication and communication pedagogy are complementary areas of inquiry; that is, communication instructors will not be effective educators without strategically considering--for each course taught in a given semester--both pedagogical techniques (e.g., writing accurate course objectives; choosing or creating activities that align with the objectives; teaching communication skills using proven pedagogical strategies) and instructional communication practices (e.g., communicating with students clearly; confirming students; integrating appropriate humor). These disciplines offer micro (i.e., communication pedagogy) and macro (i.e., instructional communication) perspectives on teaching that both deserve close attention as instructors strive to be the best educators (and communicators) in the communication courses …

Making A Difference: The Launch Of The Journal Of Communication Pedagogy, Scott A. Myers

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Communication pedagogy is the systematic study, reflection, and identification of teaching practices across communication course curricula that results ultimately in effective classroom instruction, gains in student learning, and the establishment of a supportive learning environment. Systematic study focuses on the teaching, the assessment, or the scholarship of teaching and learning of a specific communication course, extra-curricular activity (e.g., forensics), or curriculum (e.g., internships, concentrations/areas of emphases, undergraduate programs). Reflection centers on a pedagogical problem or issue encountered by instructors when teaching a specific communication course. Best practices offer tips for teaching or assessing a specific communication course, extra-curricular activity, or …

Relational Storytelling And Critical Reflections On Difference, Laura Russell

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

This essay explores unique practices for teaching relational ethics through storytelling. Drawing from my experiences teaching an advanced undergraduate Narrative Ethics seminar, I explain how my students responded to a storytelling unit through which they examined their values and storytelling ethics. I interweave observations from my teaching with insights gathered from my students’ in-class discussions and written reflections to demonstrate the pedagogical aims, outcomes, and challenges encountered when engaging this material. I focus particularly on offering suggestions for encouraging students to (a) embrace limits to their understandings of others and (b) recognize how listening for, and expressing, difference plays a …

Using Freewriting In Public Speaking Courses To Remedy Student Apathy: An Unconventional Solution To A Common Problem, Flora Keshishian

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Student apathy—a lack of motivation or mental presence in the classroom—is common in many academic institutions and courses of study. In Public Speaking courses, speech anxiety can be a factor that contributes to student apathy. To solve this problem, I suggest implementing an unconventional approach—in-class unguided longhand freewriting—that requires students to write nonstop about anything that comes to mind, without censoring or editing, during the first five minutes of each class session. I base this recommendation on my own observations of the students’ body language during the freewriting period, as well as my qualitative analysis of 95 students’ written feedback …

Assessing Students’ Writing And Public Speaking Self-Efficacy In A Composition And Communication Course, Terrell K. Frey, Jessalyn I. Vallade

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

One avenue for assessing learning involves evaluating self-efficacy, as this psychological beliefis a strong predictor of academic achievement. As such, the purpose of this study was to evaluate writing self-efficacy and public speaking self-efficacy in a composition and communication course. This course is structured to develop both writing and public speaking competencies; the research sought to determine whether students believed they were leaving the course feeling more confident in their capabilities within each respective academic domain. Results (N= 380) from pre- and post-test data suggest that students’ reported writing and public speaking self-efficacy significantly increased over the semester. Additionally, students’ …

Best Practices For Training New Communication Graduate Teaching Assistants, Melissa A. Broeckelman-Post, Kristina Ruiz-Mesa

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are often the first college instructors who new students meet when they arrive for their first day of class, and as instructors and as students, GTAs are the future of the discipline. As such, GTAs need to receive comprehensive training in a variety of pedagogical, procedural, and professional areas to help graduate students continue to develop as instructors and, eventually, into full-time faculty. To assist basic course directors, department chairs, and faculty in creating and supporting a comprehensive and ongoing GTA training program, this article provides 10 best practices for training new GTAs who will be …

Taking Interest In Students’ Disinterest: Best Practices For Mitigating Amotivation In The Basic Course, Electra Gilchrist-Petty

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

As a general education requirement, basic communication course instructors are afforded the unique opportunity to reach a variety of students. Because many students often are enrolled in the basic communication course out of necessity, student amotivation can transform what should be a dynamic and interactive classroom experience into a daunting challenge that stifles the pedagogical process. To assist in engaging students, 10 best practices for mitigating amotivation in the basic course are presented. By following these best practices, instructors can help cultivate a more engaged and interactive classroom experience for both themselves and their students.

Computational Model For Behavior Shaping As An Adaptive Health Intervention Strategy, Vincent Berardi, Ricardo Carretero-González, Neil E. Klepeis, Sahar Ghanipoor Machiani, Arash Jahangiri, John Bellettiere, Melbourne Hovell

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Adaptive behavioral interventions that automatically adjust in real-time to participants’ changing behavior, environmental contexts, and individual history are becoming more feasible as the use of real-time sensing technology expands. This development is expected to improve shortcomings associated with traditional behavioral interventions, such as the reliance on imprecise intervention procedures and limited/short-lived effects. JITAI adaptation strategies often lack a theoretical foundation. Increasing the theoretical fidelity of a trial has been shown to increase effectiveness. This research explores the use of shaping, a well-known process from behavioral theory for engendering or maintaining a target behavior, as a JITAI adaptation strategy. A computational …

Benchmarking The Educational Progress Of African American And Latino Students In Arkansas, Mervin Jebaraj

Urban League of the State of Arkansas

The Urban League of Arkansas partnered with the Center for Business and Economic Research in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas to produce a report providing data to identify twelve key areas of need in the African American and Latino communities in Arkansas and to assist in the development of programs and policies to address them. The twelve indicators are enrollment, expenditure per student, fourth grade literacy and math achievement levels, eighth grade literacy and math achievement levels, disciplinary actions, dropout rates, graduation rates, college going rates, educational attainment for the population over the …

Development And Assessment Of The Korean Author Recognition Test, Hyosun Lee, Eunjin Seong, Wonil Choi, Matthew W. Lowder

Psychology Faculty Publications

This research reports the development and evaluation of a Korean Author Recognition Test (KART), designed as a measure of print exposure among young adults. Based on the original, English-language version of the Author Recognition Test (ART), the KART demonstrates significant relationships with offline measures of language ability, as well as online measures of word recognition. In particular, KART scores were related to participants' responses on the Comparative Reading Habits (CRH) checklist, suggesting that KART is a valid measure of print exposure. In addition, KART scores showed reliable correlations with offline measures of vocabulary knowledge and language comprehension. Finally, results from …

Assessing The Suitability Of The Division Exercise Training And Review System (Dxtrs) To Support Sustainment Training, Jacob Naylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The military has used simulations to train Soldiers for several decades. Army Commanders use live, virtual and constructive training to prepare troops for combat and to improve their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) skillset. During training and other military operations, the Army Battle Command Systems (ABCS) provide Army commanders with a Common Operational Picture (COP) which typically includes a real-time status of personnel, supplies, munitions, and equipment. In 2016, the Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) divested the Battle Command Sustainment Support System (BCS3) due to data latency issues. The sustainment Warfighting Function (WfF) used BCS3 as a dual-purpose system for real …

The Real Winner Of The Second World War: Patriotic Consumption And The Formation Of A Society Of Spin, Jordan T. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unique circumstances in the United States during the Second World War allowed for business to continue as usual on the home front. Advertisers, public relations experts, and big business all worked for the government to promote the war effort. For a period of time major companies in the United States were producing advertisements that persuaded citizens to support rationing, buy war bonds, hate the enemy, and keep their brand names in mind in the post-war years. Companies who supported the war effort had their brands connected with ideas of patriotism and enjoyed the success of brand loyal consumers in …

Makeup Changes The Apparent Size Of Facial Features, Alex L. Jones, Aurélie Porcheron, Richard Russell

Psychology Faculty Publications

Makeup is a prominent example of the universal human practice of personal decoration. Many studies have shown that makeup makes the face appear more beautiful, but the visual cues mediating this effect are not well understood. A widespread belief holds that makeup makes the facial features appear larger. We tested this hypothesis using a novel reference comparison paradigm, in which carefully controlled photographs of faces with and without makeup were compared with an average reference face. Participants compared the relative size of specific features (eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth) of the reference face and individual faces with or without makeup. Across …

When Nobody “Likes” You: Perceived Ostracism Through Paralinguistic Digital Affordances Within Social Media, Rebecca A. Hayes, Eric D. Wesselmann, Caleb T. Carr

Faculty Publications - Communications

This research explores the processes of perceived ostracism ensuing from a lack of feedback via paralinguistic digital affordances (PDAs), the one-click tools (e.g., Likes and +1s) which are one of the most used features of social media, provided to an individual’s posted social media content. The positive and negative psychological outcomes of social media communication have been well-documented. However, as social media have become entrenched as some of our most common communication channels, the absence of communication via social media has been underexplored and may have negative psychological and communicative outcomes. We utilized focus groups (N = 37) to examine …

Media Narratives Of Gender In The Contentious Conservative Age Of Trump, Pam Creedon

All Works

© 2018 Taylor & Francis. Trump’s (s)election 1 has reinvigorated feminism around the globe. He has ignited the fourth wave of feminism - a “rebirth” of the movement for equality, gender equity, and the abolishment of discrimination. 2 Jodi Enda, assistant managing editor for special projects at CNN Politics, described Trump’s election as both the best and worst time for the future of feminism: The election of a president whom detractors view as misogynistic and backward-thinking has done nothing less than spark a wholesale resurgence of feminism. His defeat of the first woman who might have been president - coupled …

When The Tables Are Turned: The Effects Of The 2016 Us Presidential Election On In-Group Favoritism And Out-Group Hostility, Burak Oc, Celia Moore, Michael R. Bashshur

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The outcome of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election was a big surprise to many, as the majority of polls had predicted the opposite outcome. In this two-stage cross-sectional study, we focus on how Democrats and Republicans reacted to this electoral surprise and how these reactions might have influenced the way they allocated resources to each other in small groups. We find that, before the election, Republicans showed greater in-group favoritism than Democrats, who treated others equally, regardless of their political affiliation. We then show that Democrats experienced the election outcome as an ego shock and, in the week following the …

Essays In Commodities And Freight Markets, Nelson Yap

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Chapter 1: Structural Changes in Functional Curves: Estimation and Testing

Abstract: This paper considers the estimation and testing of structural changes in functional curves that occurs at an unknown date. The functional principal component analysis is applied to the random functional curves, decomposing them into interpretable simple latent functions and random scalars. We model the random scalars using a simple autoregressive model and test for a change in parameters that occur at an unknown date. This method is applied to the crude oil futures market to estimate and date possible structural breaks during OPEC announcement periods from 1984 to 2017.

Three Essays On Social Insurance, Jessica Ya Sun

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation consists of three chapters on the economics of social insurance. Each chapter explores an aspect of the evaluation and design of social insurance in terms of nutrition, healthcare and unemployment.

The first chapter, Kim, Fleisher and Sun (2016) report evidence of long-term adverse health impacts of fetal malnutrition exposure of middle-aged survivors of the 1959-1961 China Famine using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. We find that fetal exposure to malnutrition has large and long lasting impacts on both physical health and cognitive abilities, including the risks of suffering a stroke, physical disabilities in speech, …