Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The State Of The Death Penalty, Ankur Desai, Brandon L. Garrett

Faculty Scholarship

The death penalty is in decline in America and most death penalty states do not regularly impose death sentences. In 2016 and 2017, states reached modern lows in imposed death sentences, with just thirty-one defendants sentenced to death in 2016 and thirty-nine in 2017, as compared with over three hundred per year in the 1990s. In 2016, only thirteen states imposed death sentences, and in 2017, fourteen did so, although thirty-one states retain the death penalty. What explains this remarkable and quite unexpected trend? In this Article, we present new analysis of state-level legislative changes that might have been expected …

Detention As Deterrence, Emily Ryo

Faculty Scholarship

Does immigration detention deter unauthorized migration? This is a pressing question with critical policy implications given that the U.S. government has detained tens of thousands of migrants in reliance on this deterrence rationale. Briefly described, the federal government has argued that “one particular individual may be civilly detained for the sake of sending a message” to others “who may be considering immigration. In recent times, the potential migrants to whom the federal government has sought to send such a message are, by and large, from Mexico and Central America. Emerging empirical research, however, provides little to no evidence that detention …

Resting Cerebral Blood Flow After Exercise Training In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alfonso J. Alfini, Lauren R. Weiss, Kristy A. Nielson, Matthew D. Verber, J. Carson Smith

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background:

Exercise training has been associated with greater cerebral blood flow (CBF) in cognitively normal older adults (CN). Alterations in CBF, including compensatory perfusion in the prefrontal cortex, may facilitate changes to the brain’s neural infrastructure.

Objective:

To examine the effects of a 12-week aerobic exercise intervention on resting CBF and cognition in CN and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We hypothesized individuals with MCI (vs. CN) would exhibit greater whole brain CBF at baseline and that exercise would mitigate these differences. We also expected CBF changes to parallel cognitive improvements.

Methods:

Before and after a 12-week exercise intervention, …

Being Dishonest About Our Prejudices: Moral Dissonance And Self-Justification, Kris Vasquez, Debra Oswald, Angela Hammer

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

We applied the moral dissonance reduction framework, used to explain the maintenance of a positive self-concept in dishonest behavior, to understand self-justification of prejudice. Participants identified ambiguously negative intergroup behaviors, then evaluated those behaviors when performed by others and themselves. As predicted by moral dissonance reduction, participants were less critical of their own behavior when considering others' behaviors before their own. In a third study directly comparing prejudiced and dishonest behavior, participants' responses showed the greatest self-justification in the initial question about their behavior regardless of the content of the question, whereas subsequent questions showed more stability, consistent with the …

York County League Of Women Voters - Accession 161, League Of Women Voters, York County

Manuscript Collection

The York County League of Women’s Voters is a political organization active in encouraging citizen participation in the electoral process and the government in general. The collection consists of bylaws, constitutions, correspondence, membership lists, newsletters, publications, program notes, minutes, annual reports, model cities information, project information, and questionnaires concerning the creation, activities and early history of the League.

Implementation Of A Multi-Phase, Trauma-Focused Intervention Model Post-Hurricane Maria In Puerto Rico: Lessons Learned From The Field Using A Community Based Participatory Approach, Rosaura Orengo-Aguayo, Regan W. Stewart, Michael A. De Arellano, Freddie A. Pastrana, Bianca T. Villalobos, Karen G. Martínez-González, Joy Lynn Suárez-Kindy, Melissa Brymer

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017, becoming the most devastating storm to impact the island in almost a century. Natural disasters have been shown to adversely impact children’s emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning and schools provide an ideal setting in which to implement wide-reaching interventions that can bolster resiliency and promote psychological recovery. Yet there is limited-to-non existent literature describing the actual implementation process of an evidence-based, trauma-informed intervention model within a school system after a natural disaster. This paper describes the process by which our team established a partnership with the Puerto Rico Department …

Exploring Typology Categorizations Of Male Perpetrators: A Methodology Study, Emilyl N. Weber, Ashely R. Taylor, Arturo L. Cantos, Barbara G. Amado, K. Daniel O'Leary

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators were categorized based on whether they were generally violent (GV) or family only violent (FO) using self-report or arrest records. Classification criteria to assess recidivism in perpetrators of IPV were evaluated herein to determine the incremental validity of using a perpetrator’s criminal history in addition to their self-report information for categorization purposes. The concordance rates for categorizing subtypes of male perpetrators were compared for two methods, namely, self-report versus criminal history data. Categorizations were made based on self-reported history of violence and federal criminal records separately. Between measures consistency was defined as whether or not …

Doing Business And Increasing Emissions? An Exploratory Analysis Of The Impact Of Business Regulation On Co2 Emissions, Annika Marie Rieger

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Since 2005, the World Bank has released a data set titled "Doing Business: Measuring Business Regulations." These data have become an important set of indicators of the international business climate. However, the impacts of pro-business regulation on the environment have generally been overlooked. To help resolve this problem, I estimate a time-series cross-sectional Prais-Winsten regression model to test the relationship between business climate—represented by the World Bank’s Doing Business data set—and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in developing nations over 10 years, from 2005 to 2014. The results show that there is a statistically significant and positive association between business climate …

Conflict Management Training In Video-Based Teams, Alexis Ward

Master's Theses

In the wake of an emerging economy that demands organizational agility, globalization and an increasing number of independent contractors, corporations have exponentially incorporated virtual teams in their organizations. However, despite their financial and geographical convenience, research has indicated that virtual teams have consistently experienced more conflict and lowered performance and satisfaction levels than that of their traditional counterparts. The present study sought to examine whether conflict management training could help video based virtual teams demonstrate more positive conflict handling techniques and less negative techniques, which would result in higher group process and group outcome satisfaction. This study did not find …

Assay Development For The Identification Of Species And Bioactive Compounds Of Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) In Dietary Supplements By Rt-Qpcr, Dna Sanger Sequencing And Spectroscopy (Uv-Vis/Ftir), Ricardo L. Fernandez Walker

Master's Theses

Regulation standards for dietary supplements lack greatly. Due to this, fraud during the manufacturing of these products might be committed. Previous investigations on herbal dietary supplements have shown that the main ingredient was not present in most of the herbal supplements tested and that these products also contained other substances not stated in the label The purpose of this study was to develop a fluorescent qPCR assay for the identification of Morinda citrifolia herbal species in dietary supplements. Primers for genetic regions rbcL and matK of M. citrifolia were designed. The potential of novel matK primer showed discrimination potential …

The Economic And Psychological Determinants Of Sleep Among Adults In The United States, Caroline Jackson

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Caribbeanomics: Assessing The Effectiveness Of U.S. Foreign Aid In The English-Speaking Caribbean, John Keane

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

An Experimental Test Examining Preferable Romantic Characteristics As Displayed Through Social Media, Marcus A. Joyner

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

The Rent Gradient: Effects From Proximity To A Major Business District, Salome Gudishvili

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of The Online Experience On Household Consumption Expenditure In The European Union, Mark Gallo

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Music Marketing For Digital Natives, Allison K. O'Donoghue

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

A Woman's World: Gender Discrimination In The Entertainment Industry, Veronica Weinstein

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Is An Open-Floor Office Plan The Right Decision For Your Company? An Analysis Of Traditional Office V. Open-Floor Office Environments, Marc Kirchner

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Quantitative Analysis Of Xylene Mixtures Using A Handheld Raman Spectrometer, Lauren Reilly

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

“I Need This Job ”: A Comparative Study Between A Student Leader’S Sense Of Socioeconomic Status And Their Sense Of Job Security Within Student Affairs, Servando Martinez

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Student Success: Lessons From The Center For Student Enterprise, Harshini Rajkumar

Honors College Theses

Student success is critically important to students, universities, and society. Measuring outcomes of programs is essential in determining what works and what doesn’t. Programs that improve outcomes should be analyzed and adopted by educational institutions at large. Research suggests that business schools prioritize case analysis over practical application leading to ‘low-integrative thinking’ (McCord and Michaelsen, 2015), a lack of practical knowledge, and effective communication. Experiential learning opportunities have been shown to overcome these challenges faced by business school students as it engages students intellectually and emotionally. Furthermore, experiential learning opportunities develop students holistically and effectively, preparing them for the competitive …

How Childhood Traumatic Experiences Shape Elements Of Adult Personality And Mental Health, Ashley Aiosa

Honors College Theses

Mental illness can guide the path an adult chooses to take in their life. This paper will explore that having adverse childhood experiences can heighten the risk of PTSD and suicide risk in adulthood. Adults can develop disorders, and personality changes, because of events that happened in their childhood. The current research compiled examines “How Childhood Traumatic Experiences Shape Elements of Adult Personality and Mental Health”. This statement raises many important ideas, as there is a stigma that surrounds mental illness. Due to these stigmas, many people who suffer from mental illness are neglected or refuse to seek help. This …

Burnout And Self-Stigma Of Seeking Psychological Help In Military Healthcare Providers, Odelia N. Mcfadden

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Military healthcare providers (HCPs) are tasked with maintaining the military’s mission readiness while balancing the roles of being providers and military members themselves. As such, military HCPs serve in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, ships, and austere environments. Military HCPs may experience a host of occupational stressors, such as long deployments, being in the line of fire, seeing dead or injured comrades, responding to mass casualty events, having excessive caseloads, and working prolonged hours. These factors make military HCPs susceptible to burnout. Unfortunately, stigma of seeking psychological help is prevalent in the military and may deter individuals from seeking the …

Student Participation In School Sponsored Extra-Curricular Activities At The Elementary School Level And The Impact Of Student Engagement, Kirsten D. Myers

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Getting students involved in their day to day educational processes is often challenging and, in some schools, systems appear almost unrealistic. Students in school do not often see the value of or make the connection with the importance of education. Students see movie stars such as Jennifer Lawrence drop out of school at fourteen, singers, rappers and others in the entertainment industry who are successful and make millions without an education. The potential of a YouTube posting, turning someone into a star looms in their imaginations and they think it could happen to them. Students today are even more enticed …

Does Early Screening Predict Special Education Placement By Age Five?, Samuel Josef Friedman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The Early Screening Inventory-Revised is an early childhood assessment used to screen three and four-year-olds entering preschool. This screener assesses basic skills and one’s level of functioning as he or she begins to learn in an academic environment. The purpose of this screener is to alert the school district about students who may struggle academically in a school- based setting. Based on the results of the assessment, students can receive academic or behavioral support from the school if the teacher and parents of the child deem the support necessary. Students who receive support from the school may or may not …

Examining The Impact Of Educational Modules On Self-Care, Burnout, And Professional Impairment On Graduate And Medical Students, Samantha Giangrande

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Graduate school is a time of academic rigor, personal growth, stress, change, fear, and confrontation. It is important for medical and other graduate students to prepare themselves to serve and treat their patients effectively. An important part of this involves learning skills to better manage challenges and demands through ongoing self-care. However, little research has examined what knowledge students have of self-care strategies and burnout or whether education about these constructs is lacking in higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of self-care and impairment modules for medical and other graduate students enrolled in an …

Family Cohesion And Perceived Stress As Predictors Of Quality Of Life In Maternal Caregivers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emily Henry

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The present study investigated factors that predict maternal caregivers’ quality of life in 115 mothers (25 - 55 years old) who had a child aged 5 to 12 years old with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Caregivers’ perceived stress and family cohesion were assessed to determine each factor’s predictive ability in predicting four domains of quality of life: physical health, psychological health, relationships, and environment. Results indicate that perceived stress significantly predicted all four quality-of-life domains. When adding in family cohesion, modest increases in predictive strength were observed for two domains of caregiver quality of life (i.e., psychological health and relationships). …

Describing The Impact Of Low Socioeconomic Status On School Performance, Barry Linden Cropp Ii

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study used archival school data compiled during the 2017-2018 school year to analyze the impact of family income, as determined by student eligibility for free- or reduced-lunch benefits, on several measures of school performance. This study was based upon an investigation of the effects of income on three dependent variables: academic performance, school attendance, and need for behavioral management interventions. Participants included 165 male students in third through fifth grade who attended a single elementary school in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Indicators of school performance were derived from data routinely collected and maintained in students' cumulative …

Sleep, Communicative Ability, And Diet As Predictors Of Aggression In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rafat Omar

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Aggression is a common behavioral issue in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Aggression is often treated with evidence-based behavioral treatments, such as applied behavioral analysis and functional communication training. Another form of intervention that has grown in popularity is to alter the child’s diet. The most popular dietary intervention, the autism diet, has been used as a form of behavior management by parents and guardians for children diagnosed with ASD to address aggressive behavior; however, its use has not been strongly supported by research. The authors proposed that a more beneficial way of understanding aggression in ASD is to …

Long-Term Use Of Beta-Blocker Medication In Pediatric Long Qt Syndrome Patients: Neuropsychological Profiles, Kara J. Rudisill

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a heart rhythm disorder characterized by a disruption of the heart’s electrical activity that may cause accelerated and uncontrolled heartbeats referred to as ventricular fibrillation. LQTS is primarily treated with beta-blocker medications, which reduce the risk of experiencing an arrhythmia through regulating the heart rate. However, the potential neuropsychological side-effects associated with the use of beta-blocker medication may impact the executive functioning skills, mental health, and behavior of the affected pediatric population at home. As a result, a child’s academic performance and emotional regulation etiology may be misunderstood by his or her parents, caregivers, and …