Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Measuring Agricultural Drought And Uncertainty In Future Drought Projections, Junyu Lu

Theses and Dissertations

Drought is a devastating, recurring, and widespread natural hazard that affects natural habitats, ecosystems, and economic and social sectors. Within the agricultural sector, droughts can reduce soil-water availability, affect water and soil quality, contribute to crop failures and pasture losses, and severely reduce crop yield. Effective drought quantification and early warning are critical for drought risk adaptation. Moreover, future drought risks could be exacerbated due to climate change. Modeling how climate change might influence future drought risks is of great importance in natural resources and water resources planning management. This dissertation has three parts. 1) The first part compares and …

Advancing Understanding Of Dynamic Mechanisms In Onset To Event Models: Discrete Time Survival Mediation With A Time Variant Mediator, Heather Lasky Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Integrating discrete time survival and mediation analytic approaches, discretetime survival mediation models (DTSM) help researchers elucidate the impact of predictors on the timing of event occurrence. Though application of this model has been gainful in various applied developmental and intervention research contexts, empirical work has yet to consider how DTSM models operate with a mediator that has a varying effect over time. The importance of examining this situation has important impacts for application of the model, given more complex statistical models are required, and subsequent interpretation of model parameters differ from the basic DTSM model. The overarching purpose of this …

Everyday Occupations: Traffic, Hazards, And Mobility In The West Bank, Alice Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Mobility in the West Bank is inherently tied to the Israeli military occupation. Each new stage of the decades old conflict comes with new implications for the way Palestinians move around the West Bank. The past years have seen a transition during which the severe mobility restrictions that constituted the closure policy of the second intifada eased and intercity travel has increased. In this study I examine day-to-day experiences of mobility in the West Bank in the post-closure period. In doing so I highlight the ways in which routine experiences of mobility, those with traffic, road hazards, and infrastructure, bring …

The Role Of Cohesion In Second Language Reading Comprehension, Alisha Biler

Theses and Dissertations

Reading in a second language (L2) is a critical aspect of language acquisition, yet gaps remain in the literature regarding the extent to which textual factors impact reading difficulty. There is consensus that complex vocabulary and grammar affect L2 comprehension (Koda, 2005), and this is evidenced through the numerous traditional readability formulas, such as Flesch-Kincaid (FKGL). However, critics argue that discourse-level features, such as cohesion, also impact reading difficulty and must be included in difficulty analyses (Carrell, 1987).

One aspect of cohesion is content word overlap, or the number of content words repeated in a text; this measure is included …

Questioning The Modality Of The Occipital Lobe, William J. Brixius

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the occipital lobe’s response to non-visual inputs, and whether this responsivity partitions into separate localization and identification pathways as seen with visual inputs. We hypothesized that occipital areas may merely prefer visual inputs, while maintaining similar task-based sensory recruitment in response to other senses. Our secondary hypothesis was that the robust occipital activation seen in late-blind participants stems at least initially from standard connections present even in the typically sighted, and that these standard connections are functionally utilized by the typically sighted in spatially relevant non-visual analyses. Our initial literature review supported our hypotheses that the occipital …

Internal Gravity Wave Detection During The 21 August 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, Michael J.W. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

Total solar eclipses supply both visual captivation and a controlled meteorological experiment through a sudden decrease in solar radiation. However, along with commonly expected changes in weather conditions, prior research suggests an adjustment of atmospheric dynamics caused by both a decrease in local incident solar radiation and the Moon’s sweeping shadow across the Earth at supersonic speed. The result is the potential production of internal gravity waves, which transfer both energy and momentum vertically to and from the upper levels of the atmosphere. A series of radiosondes were launched before, during, and after the 21 August 2017 eclipse in Batesburg, …

Evaluative Conditioning Of Product Preferences: An Eye-Tracking Perspective, Christine E. Weber

Theses and Dissertations

In evaluative conditioning, the affective response toward a neutral stimulus is altered by pairing it with a positive or negative stimulus. One behavioral and two eye tracking studies were conducted to investigate how evaluative conditioning operates on consumer preferences by pairing neutral products with valenced music and using multiple product exemplars and test trials in order to test evaluative effects at the individual level. Study 1 showed an overall positive effect of evaluative conditioning on choice and liking ratings, although there were individual differences in the magnitude and direction of the effect. Study 2 found significant results at the individual …

Adhd Diagnosis In University Settings: The Utility Of Quantitative Eeg Coherence, Rachel M. Bridges

Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated the utility of EEG coherence parameters in the diagnosis of ADHD. Quantitative EEG (qEEG) analyses were performed in 35 college students with an ADHD diagnosis and 35 control students. Differences between groups were examined and the diagnostic significance of EEG coherence parameters was assessed by means of stepwise logistic regression analyses. The relation between inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, as measured by the current symptom scale (CSS) and EEG coherence parameters was also assessed. Analyses assessing group differences using individual electrode pairings detected increased interhemispheric frontal beta-wave coherence in individuals with ADHD. Together, alpha, beta, delta, and …

Domestic Extension Of Public Diplomacy: Media Competition For Credibility, Dependency And Activation Of Publics, Yicheng Zhu

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation connects theories of political communication, public relations and international relations to conceptualize a new model of public diplomacy, where boundaries between distinct types of actors are drawn. It proposes an ecological model and a competition model of public diplomacy. Based on these conceptual models, it empirically supports the academic rationalization of governmental interference in foreign media effects among its domestic citizens: Using a quota sample of 560 survey respondent from mainland China, the empirical part of the dissertation illustrated: 1. Governmental control on foreign media accessibility has significant effects on perceived media credibility and thus dependency on it; …

Measuring The Effects Of A Mindfulness Intervention On Counselors’-In-Training Dispositions, Strength Of The Therapeutic Relationship, And Client Outcomes, Therese Louise Newton

Theses and Dissertations

Using a multiple baseline single case research design, the present study sought to measure the effects of a mindfulness intervention on counselors’-in-training facilitative dispositions of: (a) empathetic understanding, (b) level of regard, (c) unconditionality of regard, and (d) congruence (as observed through weekly in-session engagement with clients), and client outcomes (as measured by the Personal Growth Initiative Scale-II; [Robitschek et al., 2012] and the Outcomes Questionnaire-45.2; [Lambert et al., 1996]). In addition, the investigation examined the influence of counselors-in-training participation in a brief mindfulness intervention on clients’ perception of the strength of the therapeutic alliance (as measured by the Barrett-Lennard …

Neurochemistry, Physiology, And Behavior In A Model Of Gulf War Illness, Victoria A. Macht

Theses and Dissertations

Upon returning from the first Gulf War, soldiers cited a plethora of unexplained physical and cognitive deficits which have since been termed Gulf War Illness (GWI). Presentation of GWI is positively correlated with pyridostigmine bromide (PB) use, which was prophylactically administered to soldiers in response to threats of chemical warfare. To test the overarching hypothesis that PB interacted with stress of deployment to alter neural, endocrine, and immune systems, the following studies used a 2×2 rodent model with 14 days of drug treatment (vehicle; PB) and 10 days of repeated restraint stress (stressed) or non-stressed-control conditions. Results indicate that PB …

The Walking Debt: Surviving An Outbreak Of Predatory Lending, Arya Novinbakht

Theses and Dissertations

The Walking Debt provides first-hand accounts of predatory finance and financial literacy. This thesis displays how low- and middle-income earners afford their cost of living in times of stagnant wages and rising costs, through face-to-face interviews with payday loan recipients. Payday loans are short-term, high interest loans whose clients typically “rollover” to afford the cost of credit and their cost of living. Although these loans are not new, they came to thrive following a series of neoliberal reforms beginning in the 1970s that ultimately undermined the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) of 1977. Due to the nature of neoliberalism, responsibility for …

Multi-Scale Flow Mapping And Spatiotemporal Analysis Of Origin-Destination Mobility Data, Xi Zhu

Theses and Dissertations

Data on spatial mobility have become increasingly available with the wide use of location-aware technologies such as GPS and smart phones. The analysis of movements is involved in a wide range of domains such as demography, migration, public health, urban study, transportation and biology.

A movement data set consists of a set of moving objects, each having a sequence of sampled locations as the object moves across space. The locations (points) in different trajectories are usually sampled independently and trajectory data can become very big such as billions of geotagged tweets, mobile phone records, floating vehicles, millions of migrants, etc. …

The Relation Between Early Adolescent Physical Activity And Internalizing Problems: Variations In Exercise Motivations As A Critical Moderator, Stephen Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Although research suggests there is a bidirectional relation between Physical Activity (PA) and internalizing symptomology, there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding this relation for early adolescents and little research exists that investigates potential moderators that may account for these discrepancies in underserved (i.e. low SES and minority status) populations. The current study was the first to utilize a Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework to investigate the main effects five key motivations to exercise and their moderating effects between PA and internalizing problems in an underserved sample of early adolescents (N = 167; M age = 12.19 years; 58.1% female and …

Evangelicals, Perceived Marginalization And Expressive Mobilization, Christin E. Mcmasters

Theses and Dissertations

Expressive forms of collective and individual mobilization of the evangelical population in the United States have been understudied in both social movement theory and religion and politics literature. While these forms of mobilization are not the only form of mobilization, they are important to understanding what specific issues evangelicals are feeling aggrieved about. Current research such as Wong (2018a; 2018b) and Sides, Tesler, and Vavreck (2018) have found that there is a growing sense of racial anxiety among the ranks of white evangelicals. Hence, it is likely that evangelicals, at least white evangelicals, are feeling a sense of marginalization.

I …

Analysis Of Evacuation Behaviors And Departure Timing For October 2016’S Hurricane Matthew, Erika O. Pham

Theses and Dissertations

During a hurricane, an individual’s risk perception does not remain static. Spatial and temporal variations of a hurricane will shift perceptions of risk, and complicating this dynamic are information-seeking processes increasingly reliant on the individual’s self-motivated interpretation of information sources. Initial evacuation resistance or willingness could change even after evacuations are ordered, affecting evacuation preferences and departure times. Because Hurricane Matthew’s continually shifting track had virtually nonstop coverage, evacuation decisions were also being modified as residents either grew more or less certain of their safety.

This research investigates the evacuation behaviors associated with Hurricane Matthew in October of 2016. It …

Rod Library Strategic Plan, 2018-2023, Rod Library. University Of Northern Iowa.

Library Documents & Reports (entire collection)

No abstract provided.

A Continuum Of Care: School Librarian Interventions For New Teacher Resilience, Rita Reinsel Soulen

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

School librarians occupy a unique position to offer supports for first year teachers to build resilience, reduce burnout, and ensure retention. The researcher used the psychology theory of resilience to develop the Continuum of Care model which initiates in mentoring and moves toward a collaborative partnership. Fifteen school librarians in one urban district recruited 26 new teachers in their schools to form the treatment group. All new teachers in the district were surveyed to establish their initial level of resilience and collect demographics. A comparison group of 26 new teachers were matched by scores on a resilience scale at the …

Exploring Critical Success Factors Of Community Development Projects, Kevin Wanjama Muchiri

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The utilization of Community Development Projects in developing nations continues to increase in significance. In the wake of the latest Sustainable Development Goals, developing nations are working towards eliminating poverty, promoting sustainable cities and communities, gender equality, and health and well-being. Although Community Development Projects have become prevalent, the challenge has been that some are successful, while others fail. This dissertation investigates what makes Community Development Projects successful.

This dissertation implemented a comprehensive quantitative analysis using data collected from over one hundred community development projects obtained from The World Bank database. These projects took place in developing nations around the …

The Effects Of Risky Alcohol Use And Type Of Hook Up Behaviors On The Relationship Between Hooking Up To Cope And Negative Affect, Leah E. Stevens

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Hook up behaviors are sexual behaviors that participants engage in consensually without the expectation of a romantic commitment, and occur frequently in the college context and often co-occur with binge drinking. Research indicates several factors (i.e., alcohol intoxication, type of sexual behavior, specific motives for hooking up, gender) are predictors of negative emotions associated with hook up experiences, such as regret, shame, confusion, and disappointment. Using hooking up as a coping mechanism coupled with experiencing negative emotions due to hook up experiences are associated with aspects of poor mental health such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, the present sought: (1) …

Predictors Of Medical Students’ Attitudes Towards Abortion And Their Changes Overtime, Rebecca Elizabeth Morales

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

As new legislation is regularly being introduced to minimize Roe v. Wade’s protection of women’s right to choose in a medical setting, it is imperative to study what predictors may have an impact on abortion attitudes within the demographic of medical students, as well as how these predictors impact one’s willingness to provide the service in the future. The current study then, uses data collected in 2000 and 2015 from a medical school located in Virginia, and in collaboration with a research university in the state to examine what factors are associated with a willingness to provide an abortion, as …

Cohabitation Transitions Among Low-Income Parents: A Qualitative Investigation Of Economic And Relational Motivations, Tyler B. Jamison Phd

Faculty Publications

At the intersection of the cohabitation and residential mobility literatures is an opportunity to better understand the factors that shape cohabitation choices for low-income couples. By investigating push and pull factors associated with cohabitation, this study aimed to identify linkages between cohabitation transitions and the broader socioeconomic context within which they occur. Collecting data from both members of low-income couples and carefully tracking all residential and cohabitation transitions made it possible to identify a wide range of push and pull factors that motivate couples to move. The findings suggest that cohabitation transitions were often motivated by economic necessity. Romantic partnerships, …

From Exemptions To Censorship: Religious Liberty And Victimhood In Obergefell V. Hodges, Calvin Coker

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This article analyzes the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, showing that a subset of the dissent constructed devout religious groups as victims to re-articulate power relations between the state, LGBT groups, and religious entities. This re-articulation is possible as a consequence of ambiguity in the legal concept religious liberty, which is explored in depth. That ambiguity is employed to mount an argument against the decision, moving LGBT individuals from oppressed to oppressor of religious groups. The study contextualizes this inversion against the material and symbolic conditions of both the LGBT, and devout Christian, communities in the United …

Feeling Good, Being Green: The Emotional Drivers Of Proenvironmental Action, Matthew T. Ballew

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Addressing environmental problems like climate change requires substantial collective action. The power of emotions in driving proenvironmental action is receiving increased research attention; however, less is known about which distinct emotions most strongly influence behavior. Emerging research suggests that anticipating positive emotions, such as pride, for performing proenvironmental actions may especially impact sustained and broader forms of environmental engagement, or the extent to which people persist in their behavior over time and take action in a variety of different ways. The present research conceptualizes emotions across three dimensions: the valence of the emotion (i.e., positive or negative), whether the emotion …

Analyzing Stakeholders’ Workshop Dialogue For Evidence Of Social Learning, Amanda L. Bentley Brymer, J. D. Wulfhorst, Mark W. Brunson

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

After much debate and synthesis, social learning scholarship is entering an era of empirical research. Given the range across individual-, network-, and systems-level perspectives and scales, clear documentation of social learning processes is critical for making claims about social learning outcomes and their impacts. Past studies have relied on participant recall and concept maps to document perceptions of social learning process and outcome. Using an individual-centric perspective and importing ideas from communication and psychology on question-answer learning through conversational agents, we contribute an expanded conceptual framework and qualitative analytical strategy for assessing stakeholder dialogue for evidence of social learning. We …

The Implications Of Group Norms For Adaptation In Collectively Managed Agricultural Systems: Evidence From Sri Lankan Paddy Farmers, Arielle Tozier De La Poterie, Emily Burchfield, Amanda R. Carrico

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

A growing literature seeks to explore the factors shaping adaptation to climate change. In collectively managed common pool resource systems, there is often a tension between behavior that benefits the individual and actions that benefit a larger group. Resource users in sustainable systems must therefore work together to ensure outcomes that are beneficial to the group as a whole. However, in the face of changing social, political, and environmental conditions, community norms may change, leading to the emerging of new behavioral patterns. Understanding when and why people decide to act in ways that benefit the group as a whole can …

Making Medicaid Work In The Mountain State? An Assessment Of The Effect Of Work Requirements For Medicaid Beneficiaries In West Virginia, Simon F. Haeder

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the nation, and West Virginians face some of the highest rates of illness and disability. One of the few bright spots for the health of West Virginians have been government-funded programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the expansion of Medicaid under Governor Tomblin in 2014, has brought health coverage and access to care to hundreds of thousands of West Virginians. Today, about a third of West Virginians rely on Medicaid, and the program has become the backbone of the state’s health …

Model Matching Theory: A Framework For Examining The Alignment Between Game Mechanics And Mental Models, Rory Mcgloin, Joe A. Wasserman, Andy Boyan

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The primary aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review and elaboration of model matching and its theo- retical propositions. Model matching explains and predicts individuals’ outcomes related to gameplay by focusing on the interrelationships among games’ systems of mechanics, relevant situations external to the game, and players’ mental mod- els. Formalizing model matching theory in this way provides researchers a unified explanation for game-based learning, game performance, and related gameplay outcomes while also providing a theory-based direction for advancing the study of games more broadly. The propositions explicated in this article are intended to serve as the …

Police Interrogation, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Communication Surrounding Estrangement: Stereotypes, Attitudes, And (Non)Accommodation Strategies, Christine Rittenour, Stephen Kromka, Sara Pitts, Margaret Thorwart, Janelle Vickers, Kaitlyn Whyte

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

To address Americans’ general attitudes and behavioral intentions toward adult children who are estranged from their parents, the current study employed online survey data from 151 Americans recruited through Amazon MTurk. Their responses revealed negative stereotypes (e.g., childish, ungrateful) and positive stereotypes (e.g., independent, strong) of the adult child who is estranged, as well as negative assessments of the parent who is estranged. Generally, participants perceived the adult children as more competent than warm. Compared to other participants in this sample, those participants who were estrangers or estrangees themselves held more positive attitudes overall, including more positive perceptions of estranged …