Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Physiological Adaptations To Training And Associations With Performance In Division I Cross-Country Runners, Kailyn Renae Sanchez

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Proposing The Mindful Check-In: A Brief Mindfulness Exercise, Michael Viveiros

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

This study investigated the effectiveness and adherence rate of the mindful check-in compared to a traditional mindfulness exercise. This study compared the effects of a traditional mindful breathing exercise and a no-treatment control condition to the mindful check-in on measures of mindfulness, psychological flexibility, affect, compassion, and adherence to the proposed practice schedule. Statistical analyses showed that the mindful check-in reduced negative affect compared to the other two conditions, increased mindful ability on one of the two measures of mindfulness, had a marginally-significant increase in psychological flexibility, and reduced fear of receiving compassion from others and giving compassion to yourself. …

Feminazis And Social Justice Warriors: Gender And Rhetoric Is Superhero Film Fan Culture, Shelby Miksch

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

'Amageddon': The Unholy Trinity Of Class Monopoly Rent In The Emerald City, Elijah Connor Hansen

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Intense redevelopment has steamrolled across Seattle’s South Lake Union and Belltown neighborhoods, home to the headquarters of the world’s largest ecommerce corporation, Amazon. After the corporation established a presence in what is now referred to as ‘Amazonia’ in 2007, the surrounding urban landscape underwent a colossal metamorphic overhaul as high-tech and biotech industries, along with bourgeois luxury high rises, replaced old warehouses and empty parking lots. These new industries have attracted tens of thousands of people to the city, resulting in an oversaturated housing supply and an ensuing housing affordability crisis as rents have continued to skyrocket year after year. …

“There Is Subjectivity, There Is Bias”: Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions Of Equity In Data Literacy For Teaching, Heather Whitesides, Jori S. Beck

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Research on equity in data literacy for teaching has lagged yet is of critical importance to ensuring new teachers are prepared to serve diverse students. Our multiple case study conveyed four elementary teacher candidates’ understandings of this construct and their reaction to instruction in this domain. Data collection included interviews, item analysis, and concept maps. Our participants developed a broader view of data by the end of the course, but often did not recognize inequitable data practices like tracking which conveys a misalignment between beliefs and practices. We explored implications for policy and practice based on our findings.

Sports Leadership And Administration Program Annual Report 2019-20, Joseph N. Cooper, Shantal Petrie, Tara Parker

Sports Leadership and Administration Publications

The SLA Program is designed to foster critical consciousness among future leaders in sport and preparation for successful pursuits in sport administration, marketing, finance, management, and recreation.

Mission of the Program: The mission of the SLA Program is to cultivate equity-minded, character-driven, and transformational leaders who will positively improve society through sport.

Vision Statement: The vision of the SLA Program is to be the premier space and place for producing life-changing and society-shifting leaders in sport.

Examining The Moderating Role Of Coping Strategies In The Relationship Between Team Role Alignment And Employee Well-Being Outcomes, Justine Moavero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Individual well-being outcomes like engagement and burnout can have a major impact on employees and their performance. As a result, the organization itself may experience serious repercussions, financial and otherwise. Teams have become ubiquitous within modern organizations, with operations largely consisting of workers that engage in various levels of teamwork. As such, factors of team dynamics might influence well-being outcomes by either improving or exacerbating the occupational health of the employee. Research has demonstrated that team roles are foundational and enacted within every team; however, there is little existing literature assessing the impact of team role alignment on employee well-being. …

Two Pink Lines: Exploring Florida's Pregnancy-Associated Intimate Partner Homicides, Sonya Spence

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Pregnancy-associated Homicides (PAHs) are homicides committed while a woman is pregnant, and recent reports from Florida's Pregnancy-associated Mortality Review (PAMR) suggest that it is a leading cause of unnatural deaths for pregnant women. However, a study has not examined the motives, characteristics, and underlying factors behind these homicides. Therefore, this study explored Florida's Pregnancy-associated Intimate Partner Homicides (PAIPHs) using a sample of women that were reportedly pregnant at the time of their mortality (n=33), as well as a comparison group of not-pregnant women (n=33). To conduct the study, reported homicide data from news sources, police reports, and other public records …

The Precariat And The Pandemic: Assessing The Wellbeing Of Metro Orlando's Hospitality Workers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Caroline Austin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

In 2018, the Orlando metro area was visited by 126.1 million tourists, a new record which the area has broken for its eighth year (Sanata 2019). As the number of visitors to the area continues to rise, so has the number of people employed by the hospitality industry which currently makes up the largest sector of the area's job market, employing 280,000 workers as of December 2019 (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Consistent growth in various insecure and unstable jobs of this kind have prompted the development of theory regarding the emergence of a new class known as the precariat. The …

A Person-Centered Approach Of Dynamic Needs: Demographic Characteristics, Static Factors, And Justice-Related Outcomes Among Juvenile Offenders In Florida, Caitlin Brady

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Prior research examining criminogenic risk and need suggests that dynamic factors (i.e., criminogenic needs) are best suited for intervention and treatment as they are changeable over time. Thus, dynamic factors can be targeted to reduce the likelihood of recidivism among youth in the juvenile justice system. The assessment of needs is critical as it allows for the prediction of future delinquency and the ability to provide appropriate services/treatment for juvenile offenders. Several studies have shown that youth present with multiple needs and that these needs differ by gender. Therefore, the current study utilized a sample of adjudicated youth under community …

Cute Panda Or Evil Dragon? Market Economy, Conflict Behavior And China's Peaceful Rise, Xiongwei Cao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

China has two contrasting images in the West: a cute panda and an evil dragon. In recent years, a near-consensus seems to be forming among policy makers in Washington that the People's Republic of China (PRC) is more of an evil dragon than a cute panda, using "sharp power" to threaten U.S. interests and world peace. The PRC is regarded by the current U.S. administration as a "strategic competitor," and a new Cold War seems to be looming between the world's two largest economies. Is the rise of China destined to cause conflicts or even war? After analyzing the conflict …

In Sickness Or In Health: The Impact Of Disease Burdens On The Likelihood Of Violent Conflict, Devyn Escalanti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This paper expands on the relationship between disease burdens and the onset of violent conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1990-2012. Most studies have focused on conflict as a cause of HIV transmission, while some suggest that HIV infection rates, by substantially reducing life-expectancy, increase the onset of violence by lowering the opportunity cost of rebelling for HIV-positive individuals. This paper argues that to the degree that life expectancy is important to opportunity costs, it is more likely driven by other factors. First, I argue preventable diseases that are less connected to individual decision-making, and the presence of poor health infrastructure …

Neurophysiological Correlates Of Trust In Robots, Theresa Kessler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This work is designed to address the questions as to what drives and collapses trust between a human and a robot. Such information is needed to properly design automated decision aids. Human-robot trust (HRT) has traditionally been measured by questionnaires, which can be subject to lack of participant understanding, disengagement, and dishonesty. Therefore, implicit measures of trust are needed to measure HRT. The goal here is to identify neuro-physiological underpinnings (implicit measures) for HRT to assist designers in the development of automated robotic aids. More specifically, experiment one, looked to determine the effects of witnessing robot error on skin conductance …

The Effect Of Economic Conditions On The Prevalence Of Abusive Supervisory Behaviors: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis, Xinyue Zhao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The antecedents of abusive supervisory behaviors have been largely examined at the individual and organizational level. Hardly any attempts have been made to investigate abusive supervisory behaviors in a context broader than the organization. I try to answer the question "does a recession really unleash abusive supervisory behaviors?" by conducting a cross-temporal meta-analysis to examine the effect of economic conditions on the prevalence of abusive supervisory behaviors. Considering economic conditions as an antecedent to abusive supervisory behaviors provides a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomena. I proposed four reasons to explain how economic conditions affect employee's perception of abusive supervisory …

Comparing Human And Machine Learning Classification Of Human Factors In Incident Reports From Aviation, Claas Tido Boesser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Incident reporting systems are an integral part of any organization seeking to increase the safety of their operation by gathering data on past events, which can then be used to identify ways of mitigating similar events in the future. In order to analyze trends and common issues with regards to the human element in the system, reports are often classified according to a human factors taxonomy. Lately, machine learning algorithms have become popular tools for automated classification of text; however, performance of such algorithms varies and is dependent on several factors. In supervised machine learning tasks such as text classification, …

Increasing Latino Participation Rates In The 2020 Census In Chelsea, Ma, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Daniela Bravo, Franklin Ortiz

Gastón Institute Publications

Having an accurate count of the city of Chelsea’s Latino population will require strategic organizing by government officials and community leaders. If there is an undercount of the population, especially of immigrants who live in Chelsea, there will be long-term and potentially devastating effects on the city’s political power and less federal funding to address the needs of its Latino majority. We hope the results from this qualitative study will inform policies and recommendations to increase the participation of Chelsea residents in the upcoming 2020 Census. We hope the results will aid in developing culturally specific outreach strategies to inform …

From Active Duty To Agriculture: Engaging Veterans In Farming And Gardening, Daria Domin

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Second in a series of Innovative AT Practices briefs, From Active Duty to Agriculture: Engaging Veterans in Farming and Gardening describes a long standing initiative by the Kansas Assistive Technology Program that aids veterans and active duty soldiers transitioning into civilian life by providing them with opportunities in agriculture.

Using Data-Enabled Performance Feedback And Guidance To Assist Employment Consultants In Their Work With Job Seekers: An Experimental Study, John Butterworth, Alberto Migliore, Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Oliver Lyons, Amy Gunty, Jill Eastman, Paul Foos

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

BACKGROUND:The success of job seekers with disabilities in achieving their employment goals depends in large part on the quality of employment supports that they receive from employment consultants. OBJECTIVE:To test the effectiveness of data-enabled performance feedback to assist employment consultants in implementing standards of effective employment supports. METHODS:A total of 187 employment consultants in 30 states were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. The intervention group received data-enabled performance feedback and guidance for 12 months, whereas the control group continued with business as usual. Both groups completed baseline and quarterly surveys throughout the intervention. RESULTS:One year after baseline, the …

Urban Informality, Environmental Xenophobia, And Infrastructures Of Citizenship: The Political Lives Of Nicaraguan Migrants In The Informal Settlement Of La Carpio, Costa Rica, Nikolai Alexander Alvarado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines urban politics, environmental justice, and infrastructure from the vantage point of South-South migration. It focuses on the work of Nicaraguan migrants living in the informal settlement of La Carpio in San José, Costa Rica, as they negotiate rights in the form of urban services. Nicaraguans in La Carpio have organized politically since 1993 to self-install, demand, and negotiate services such as potable water and electricity. In the process, they successfully compel local authorities to allocate these services and grant them an implicit recognition of their right to remain and live a decent life, regardless of their status. …

Psychological Flexibility As Shared Process Of Change In Acceptance And Commitment Therapy And Exposure And Response Prevention For Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Singe Case Design Study, Brian L. Thompson, Michael P. Twohig, Jason B. Luoma

Psychology Faculty Publications

Changes in psychological flexibility were tracked in a combined protocol of exposure and response prevention (ERP) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for adults with OCD to assess if changes in psychological flexibility processes were unique to ACT intervention (e.g., not impacted by ERP). Using a non-concurrent multiple baseline design, four participants received sessions of ERP and ACT while data was collected on psychological flexibility processes of change and OCD symptom severity. Results indicate treatment response for three of four participants based on OCD scores. Contrary to predictions, data suggest both ERP and ACT have positive effects on psychological flexibility. …

Utilizing Act Daily As A Self-Guided App For Clients Waiting For Services At A College Counseling Center: A Pilot Study, Jack Haegar, Carter H. Davis, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Considering increasing demands for mental health services at college counseling centers (CCCs), there is a need for cost-effective solutions that avoid depleting stressed CCC resources. This study examined if ACT Daily, a mobile application based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), could serve as an effective self-guided intervention.

Participants: 11 individuals on a CCC waitlist suffering from anxiety/depression participated in the study over 2 weeks.

Methods: This study implemented a pre-post, open trial design of ACT Daily. Assessments were completed at baseline and 2-week post assessment.

Results: Results indicated that ACT Daily was acceptable and that participants improved on …

Connecting To Nature: Mindfulness And Desire To Engage In Pro-Environmental Behaviors, Mikayla L. Shea

WWU Graduate School Collection

The present set of studies used a brief mindfulness induction with an active control group to examine how mindfulness affects connectedness to nature and desire to engage in pro-environmental behaviors. Additionally, phone use was included as another variable to test how technology may change the effect of mindfulness practice. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2(mindfulness vs. control) x 2(phone use vs no phone use) design. Results indicated that participants in the mindfulness condition experienced higher levels of mindfulness than those in the control condition. Correlational analyses showed an association between state mindfulness and being …

A Case Study Of A Moderate-Sale Small Family Farm In King County, Washington: An Example Of Social Capital, Socioemotional Wealth In The Context Of Civic Agriculture, Kayanne J. Sullivan

WWU Graduate School Collection

This case study used a multi-method research design including online surveys, personal interviews, and participant observation to generate data organized into two major themes: psychological sense of community and valuing of direct and local food systems. These themes refer to the community connections of social capital, the social ties and emotional connection of socioemotional wealth, and in the context of the local food systems of civic agriculture. In the discussion, I highlight the importance of direct engagement with the owner-operator of a farm to cultivate engagement with the community as an example of the importance of social capital and socioemotional …

Sun, Sand, & Afternoon Showers: Creating Nature-Based, Outdoor Classroom Curriculum For A Central Florida Preschool, Ali Burdick

WWU Graduate School Collection

This project was completed as part of Western Washington University's graduate requirements, and has been presented in a website format. The project centered around the creation and revision of a nature-based preschool curriculum. This curriculum is integral to the school programming at St. Luke’s Lutheran Preschool in Central Florida, where the project was completed. During this project, I evaluated the curriculum already in place and worked with the school’s administration to outline changes that were to be made. These changes mirrored the school’s need and desire for a curriculum that reflected our ever-changing cultural and natural world. Lessons that may …

Does Text Messaged Social Support Attenuate Cardiovascular And Psychological Reactivity To A Laboratory Stressor?, Tabitha C. S. Caley

WWU Graduate School Collection

The current research examined the effects of text-messaged and in-person social support on cardiovascular and psychological stress responses. Of particular interest to this thesis was the question of whether text-messaged social support offered benefits similar to that of in-person social support. Female undergraduates (N = 49) and their female friends participated in an anticipated speech task. The participant’s friends provided either in-person (n = 14), text-messaged (n = 17) social support, or no social support (n =18). Cardiovascular and psychological outcomes were tested by incorporating a series of theoretically driven planned contrasts using HLM piecewise growth curve modeling. In-person social …

The Role Of Relational Mobility In Cultural Expression Of Social Anxiety In Context, Jerry T. Geffre-Barnett

WWU Graduate School Collection

In the U.S. social anxiety is commonly recognized as idiocentric, meaning it focuses on the fear of causing embarrassment to one’s self. In Japan an allocentric type of social anxiety, Taijin Kyofusho, is commonly recognized. Taijin Kyofusho is the fear of offending others with one’s actions or presence. This study examined the role of relational mobility and self-construal in explaining cultural differences in social anxiety. In societies with lower relational mobility and independent self-construal, such as Japan, people tend to value maintaining harmony in friend groups. The current study measured idiocentric and allocentric social anxiety after participants in Japan ( …

Electrification And Decarbonization For Mid-Sized Municipalities: A Case-Study Marginal Abatement Cost Analysis, Patrick Shive

WWU Graduate School Collection

This project provides a marginal abatement cost curve analysis for the City of Bellingham, based upon the recommendations provided by the City’s Climate Action Plan Task Force. A bottom-up methodology for performing the marginal abatement cost analysis is provided, including the relevant data and assumptions used in the analysis. The results show the massive potential emissions impacts of electrification and driving down the electric grid emissions intensity. The shortcomings and improvements of the resultant cost curves are discussed, and advice on future iterations is given. This project offers a pathway for Bellingham and other mid-sized municipalities to develop marginal abatement …

Dropout In Individual Psychotherapy From Adult Male Clients’ Perspectives, Karen L. Springer

WWU Graduate School Collection

The present study investigated what incidents adult males believed to have led them to drop out of individual, outpatient psychotherapy within the past four years, utilizing the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique with audio-recorded, Skype interviews and Qualtrics. Participants were 18 men from Bellingham, Seattle, Vancouver (Canada), Houston, Austin, Dallas, Indiana, and Tennessee. Critical Incidents and Wish List items were extracted via structured, open-ended questions. The incidents were organized into categories by two research team members and confirmed from feedback provided during follow-up interviews. The finalized categories of why the men dropped out were labeled the following in descending order of …

Dendrochronological Assessment Of The Easton Glacier's Terminus Position Over The Last 150 Years, Monica A. Villegas

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Easton glacier on Mt. Baker, Washington has been the focus of several studies looking at ecological succession, glacier recession, and glacier mass balance. Several of these studies have noted a gap in the literature regarding the Easton glaciers terminus position in the early twentieth century. This study has refined the glacier's terminus position by using dendrochronological methods and identified the latest Little Ice Age end moraines. A chronology of the Easton glaciers terminus position overtime was created showing its recession and advancement since 1879. The rates of recession and advancement were calculated during this time highlighting the unpredictable behavior …

Applying The United States Forest Service National Framework For Sustainable Recreation To The Entiat Ranger District: From Theory To Implementation, Katherine Galambos

WWU Graduate School Collection

Recreation managers in the United States Forest Service (USFS) across the country face reduced budgets, increased visitation, and costly infrastructure problems . In the West especially, increased frequency and severity of wildfires has led to the closure and/or extreme damage to recreation opportunities. To address these issues, the USFS released the Framework for Sustainable Recreation in 2010 to guide recreation planners using principles of sustainability. Sustainable planning theory has existed in the literature since the 1980s as an approach to the consequences of climate change that incorporates economic, environmental, and social equity (Brundtland, 1987). Since 2010, some National Forest …