Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Truth As A Victim: The Challenge Of Anti-Trafficking Education In The Age Of Q, Bond Benton, Daniela Peterka-Benton

School of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

The QAnon conspiracy threatens anti-trafficking education because of its broad dissemination and focus on a range of myths about trafficking. These myths are rooted in historic and ongoing misinformation about abductions, exploitation, and community threats. This article examines the extent of QAnon’s co-optation of human trafficking discourses and evaluates its connection to trafficking myths, particularly related to gender, race, class, and agency. From this perspective, the article considers how anti-trafficking education can respond to these myths and build a pedagogy in the age of Q.

Traditional Healing Beyond The Homeland: Yezidi Shamanic Healing In The Diaspora, Sophia G. Griemert

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The goal of this qualitative study is to evaluate whether shamanism, practiced by koçeks and faqrya (the Yezidi terms for traditional shamanic practitioners), continues as a practice among diasporic Yezidis, and, if so, in what manner. I accomplish this through a series of oral, remote interviews with Yezidis living in Germany. The interview subjects comprise a cross-sectional sample that includes men and women from the three Yezidi castes (Sheikh, Pir, Murid). Through the multiple testimonies these interviews garnered regarding shamanic praxis in the context of Germany, I determine that, in spite of the disruptions of forced migration and geographical distance, …

Democratization As A Peacekeeping Strategy: A Comparative Analysis Of The United States And The European Union, Gabrielle Orphali

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether democratization should be utilized as a method of peacekeeping. This is determined by studying both the United States and the European Union's efforts to spread democracy globally. The historic framework is studied to understand the unique perspective each body has formed in defining democracy, and the method through which it should be spread. The definition of power, democracy, and the state are studied. The concepts are applied to the case studies of Iraq and Turkey in order to make a determination.

Relating The Big Five Personality Factors And The Method Of Dog Obtainment In Female Dog Owners, Julia Rifenberg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Dog ownership is highly common in the United States and has a large impact on the U.S. economy due to dogs' required expenses. Thus, it is important to assess dog owners' method of dog obtainment, as it is the first step to canine companionship. Dog owner personality traits and their relationship with where dogs are obtained has not yet been studied. To assess this relationship, we reached current dog owners through an online survey containing the Donnellan et al. (2006) Mini-International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) scale and asked participants where they obtained their dog. Results indicated 90% of participants were …

A Woman Of Power: The Leadership Of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Hannah F. Anton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) was elected to the House of Representatives in 1987 and was the first female Speaker of the House, originally elected to the position in 2007. Despite the length and significance of her career in the House, there is very little academic literature devoted to the effectiveness of her leadership. In an attempt to fill this research gap, this thesis will raise the following questions; Is Nancy Pelosi an effective Speaker of the House, and has her effectiveness changed significantly over her term as Speaker? For purposes of this research, leadership effectiveness is defined as the Speaker's ability …

Examining The Role Of Protests In South Korean Democratization, Abigail J. Bass

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research examines how relative deprivation theory can be applied to study the success of protest movements and their subsequent impact on the process of democratization of the South Korean state. This study hopes to provide a more comprehensive approach to how the role of protests in the development of a democratic state is explained within the field of political science. Utilizing both a quantitative and qualitative research design, this work applied a case study analysis as well as a supplemental data analysis regarding the success of Korean protest movements and their impact on democratization as well as global views …

The Referendum For Independence In Catalonia And Newspaper Coverage: The Importance Of Regional And Political Factors, Sofia N. Julien

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis analyzes the role of the news media in the Referendum for Independence in the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia. More specifically, I seek to shed light on if a newspaper's geographical location or political views result in biased media coverage. Based on communications theory, I argue that news coverage can shape the public's political opinion and attitudes. My research analyzed the reporting of two core newspapers by sampling articles from a major newspaper based in Madrid, El País, and a newspaper based in Catalonia, La Vanguardia. My results suggest that the newspaper's location and distribution had …

Constitutional Camouflage: How Constitutional Methodologies Act As Smoke Screens For Supreme Court Justices, William J. Lijewski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Supreme Court Justices of the United States sit on the highest court of the land. The justices have the ultimate say as to the meaning of the Constitution, and their role could aptly be summarized as interpreters of the Constitution. They decide what the words of the nation's founding document mean and therefore help to determine the rule of law for the social, political, and economic areas of society. To help them analyze the text of the Constitution and decide what it means and subsequently apply it to cases, justices use constitutional methodologies. Constitutional methodologies are algorithms or ways …

The Usage Of Social Media To Fulfill Social Needs In Introverts, Nathaly Rayo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between being introverted and the need to affiliate with others. Specifically, I sought to find out whether social media can be used as a replacement for face-to-face interactions. Previous studies have remained inconclusive on whether social media can be seen as a beneficial tool for individuals who tend to be more introverted. In the study, multiple measures were utilized to determine the correlation between social media usage and need fulfillment. The results indicated that individuals with social anxiety had a propensity towards being more introverted and having an increased amount …

Correlations Of Head Injuries In Criminal Offenders Of Sex Crimes Against Children, Emily D. Rohlf

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this research study, the correlation and significance of head injuries in adult sex offenders that have committed crimes against children were measured and compared to a group of criminal offenders that have committed non-sex-related criminal offenses. Data on 30 randomly selected individuals from each of the two groups (60 individuals total) were collected to measure and compare the number of individuals with a head injury in each group. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of why criminally deviant behaviors occur in adults. This research also hoped to encourage further research on this topic or …

Antihaitianismo Analyzed: The Development Of A Community And Underlying Social Issues In The Dominican Republic, Raphael J. Merritt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Discrimination manifests itself in an unending variety of forms and can be observed in nearly every society the world has seen up to the present. What is often overlooked, however, are the ways in which discriminatory behaviors form as a result of complex history and cultural relations. This is no less clear than it is with the case of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, two countries that share a small island in the Caribbean. This thesis places its focus in breaking down the complex history and attitudes that have, in turn, led to the creation and espousing of antihaitianismo in …

Prosthetic Identity: Understanding The Relationship Between The Self, Prosthetic Design, And Society, Remy Marasa

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This manuscript will explore the intersection of perceived disability due to limb loss and self-identity. The research is centered around the work in the Limbitless Solutions laboratory, where clinical research is providing children with customized prostheses. This research applies a focus on how customization can lead to positive identity construction. By facilitating active engagement in the design process a stronger connection is formed between the participant and their prosthetic device.

Strategic Culture And Cyber Strategy, Andrew S. Olejarski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this paper is to explore the relationship between strategic culture theory and how it interacts with war-parallel usage of cyber methods. Cyber methods, at times incorrectly classified as "cyberwarfare", as a means of statecraft are becoming increasingly prevalent, and developing an understanding of how states use them, particularly during conflicts, would be a great boon to the field of security studies. Strategic culture theory, an international relations theory focusing on the relationship between culture and strategy, may be an effective means to analyze conflict-parallel use of cyber methods. This paper will consider the relationship between strategic culture …

Gender Ideology, Gender Consciousness, And Identity Among Conservative Baptist Women: An Intersectional Perspective, Marina I. Rivera Ramos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this qualitative study, I interviewed 13 women from two separate conservative Baptist congregations in Central Florida, one English-speaking and the other Hispanic. The purpose of this research was to explore the ways in which conservative Baptist women develop their identity as women, the gender ideologies they espouse, their experiences in ministry, and the possibility that they can achieve gender consciousness without aligning with feminist principles. In addition, my research employs an intersectional perspective to demonstrate differences in the experiences of white women and women of color in the church. This study consisted of semi-structured interviews with women from both …

People, Places, And Things: The Relationship Between Presence, Demographic Factors, And Self-Concept On A University Campus, Lydell E. Kerbo Jr

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Within the framework of ecological psychology, environments are places, defined as landscapes of affordances, or the array of potential actions that can be executed. The feedback between direct perception-action and use of affordances results in the sense of presence in place. According to previous research, increased presence has been correlated with greater attachment and connectedness with the place as well as beneficial psychological states in a campus setting. However, it is unclear what factors, such as demographics, may influence differences in engagement with campus affordances, and hence, presence among individuals. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship …

Does Medical Racism Influence Medical Mistrust In The Black Community?, Danielle Forrest

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Mistrust in the medical field can be generated through experiences of racism and discrimination during interactions with members of the medical community. Black and African American individuals find themselves facing increased rates of morbidity including heart disease, and diabetes, and increased rates of mortality as compared to White individuals yet are treated less frequently and to a lesser extent. This thesis examines the mistrust black people have towards the medical field, as well as differences within the black community in terms of experiences with medical racism. In order to collect this information, I created a survey that enquires about race …

Construction Of The Social Distance Scale And The Relationship Between Trait Empathy And Social Distancing, Michaela Prachthauser

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper describes the development of a brief self-report screening measure of adherence to social distancing and self-protective behaviors in pandemic situations. It provides initial statistical evaluations of correlations between social distancing behaviors and two trait measures (social desirability and trait empathy). Items measures were designed to quantify behaviors recommended by the CDC as primary strategies to prevent and reduce the spread of the COVID-19 infection. An item pool of 29 questions was generated with the aim of estimating the frequency of specific behaviors and were written to avoid confounding the description of behavioral actions with evaluative judgements. Responses were …

An Anthropological Analysis Of Ancient, Historic, And Modern Anatolian Cities, Genevieve S. Hall

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis proposes a model for the comparison of cities as settlement patterns, based primarily on the works of Monica Smith, Michael E. Smith, and V. Gordon Childe. The Tripart Stage-Based Model proposed here examines city proportions, internal specialization, and external specialization, as well as variables within each characteristic. It is intended for use in both the individual study of a settlement's form and function as well as comparative analysis. The Tripart Stage-Based Model operationalizes Monica Smith's triaxial model and creates a progression of analysis beginning with the form of the city before moving through its individual and larger context. …

Fake News And Women: Fake And Real Media's Impact On Sexism In Consumer Attitudes, Alexandra C. Oropallo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gender-based discrimination is an issue that permeates many aspects of today's society and is influenced by numerous factors, including the presence of fake news, or emotionally driven, factually inaccurate, and misleading media. This study aimed to examine fake news' impact on consumer attitudes regarding women and to investigate how certain demographic factors relate to consumers' attitudes towards women. The current study had two main hypotheses: (1) participants exposed to fake news materials will report higher levels of both old-fashioned and modern sexism than those in other conditions and (2) participants with higher levels of sociodemographic factors such as right-wing authoritarianism …

Self-Affirmation Intervention On Eating Disorders, Stephanie Kaine

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research studied the feasibility of a self-affirmation identity technique as an intervention in the treatment of eating disorders patients. Self-affirmations have been proven successful among various problems so this research examined the effectiveness it'd have on participants with eating disorders.

The Association Of Cultural Orientation With Identity Development And Psychological Adjustment, Madison M. Cooper

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current study aimed to examine possible relationships between cultural orientation and identity formation. Late adolescent college students (N = 480) completed an anonymous survey online. Measures included the Cultural Orientation Scale, the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire, and the Identity Distress Survey. Contrary to predictions, neither identity exploration nor identity distress were found to be related to cultural orientation. However, identity commitment was significantly correlated with both individualism and collectivism. Further, a ONEWAY ANOVA suggested differences between identity statuses. An LSD post-hoc analyses found that the two committed statuses, Achievement (high in identity commitment after extensive identity exploration) and …

Investigating The Role Of Trust And Self-Confidence In Automation, Daniela R. Miele

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A proper calibration of trust in automation is imperative to achieve optimal overall performance in human-machine systems. Previous research has suggested that human operator trust could be influenced by various situational and dispositional factors, as well as operator self-confidence. It is critical to examine what traits and factors will influence how likely a person is to trust autonomous vehicles as they become more prevalent on today's roadways. The goal of this study was to further examine the relationship between individuals' level of self-confidence in their own driving abilities and their reported trust in automation when driving semi-autonomous cars. It was …

Dating App Facilitated Sexual Violence: The Prevalence And Mental Health Effects, Samantha G. Echevarria

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Dating apps are in growing popularity, with 48% of dating app users in the United States being adults under 30 (Pew Research Center, 2020, Figure 5). While dating apps can provide a faster and easier way to meet or message a potential partner, they are also a relatively new platform to experience sexual violence. This thesis aims to explore the frequency of sexual violence experienced via dating apps as well as the specific effects this subtype of sexual violence has on the mental health of college students. Technology facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) includes unwanted sexual advances, sexual harassment, gender/sexuality-based abuse, …

"To Love Or To Loathe": The Impact Of Childhood Bullying On The Quality Of Adult Romantic Relationships, Richelle M. Cruz Quetell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current study explored whether childhood bullying has a lasting impact on the quality of adult romantic relationships. A complete case analysis of 86 participant responses examined the association between bullying, insecure attachment, romantic relationship satisfaction, and trust. The findings partially supported study hypotheses. Specifically, a significant positive correlation between social manipulation, a type of bullying, and avoidant attachment was found. Physical victimization was also positively correlated with trust. However, no significant association between bullying and relationship satisfaction was found. Exploratory multiple regression analysis showed that both physical victimization and romantic relationship satisfaction predict the level of trust experienced in …

Gastrointestinal Symptoms And Belly Pain During The Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle In Healthy Young Females, Preethashree Anbukkarasu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are significant differences between the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms between males and females. A recent review found that females report having more severe GI health problems compared to males. One explanation for the higher reporting rates of GI symptoms in females could be attributed to menstrual cycle influences rather than GI processes.

This research aims to examine the relationship between how gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms experienced by women covary with the different stages of the menstrual cycle. Additionally, a secondary purpose is to determine the moderating effect of health anxiety on the severity of menstrual and GI symptoms.

Responses …

Parallel Systems Of Health Care: How Grassroots Organizations And Health Care Practitioners Perceive Farmworker Health, Andrea Ocasio Cruz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Socioeconomic and citizenship barriers prevent farmworkers from accessing public health care; thus, grassroots organization members and health care practitioners collaborate to create community health clinics that provide care for farmworkers and low-wage immigrant workers. Such community clinics are known as parallel health care systems, yet the concept's existing literature lacks comprehensive studies on the parallel systems operating within farmworker communities. To fill this research gap, I conducted nine semi-structured interviews to collect the perceptions of key community stakeholders involved in providing accessible health and financial aid to farmworker communities in Florida. I analyzed the interviews through the qualitative grounded theory …

Student Perceptions Of Instructor Support In Remote Learning Environments During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Christopher F. Sellas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present study explored student perceptions of instructor support in remote learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic to better understand inequities in their learning experiences. Participants self-reported perceptions of instructor support, online learning experiences, mental health symptoms, and wellbeing. Bivariate correlation testing and linear regression modeling were used to analyze the data. Results indicate that students' student-instructor rapport is associated with higher perception of instructor support. Further, higher perceptions of instructor support were associated with significantly lower symptoms of depression, anxiety, and academic-related stress. Higher degrees of students' self-regulated learning behaviors were associated with lower perceived instructor support. There were …

Applying Usability Methods To Categorization Of Phishing Emails, Oshin T. Thomas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Phishing emails are a continuing threat in today's society—this study aimed to unpeel the layers on why certain people are prone to phishing emails than others. Participants were presented with twenty legitimate emails as well as twenty phishing emails in random order and were asked to be phishing or not. They were also asked to explain why they chose the answer they believed was right in a couple of sentences. Data was compiled and collected via a Qualtrics survey and analyzed using JASP. Results obtained indicated little to no correlation between the number of features mentioned in the study and …

Examining The Relationship Between Mental Health Conditions And Risk Perception In Determining Covid-19 Preventative Health Behaviors, Krupali Patel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Depression and anxiety are relatively common among college students and research suggests that risk perceptions may be modulated by these mental health conditions. In addition, studies have demonstrated that higher perception of risk predicts more frequent practice of preventative health behaviors, and this relationship may also be modulated by depression and anxiety. The present study examined the relationship between these factors in the context of COVID-19. Using survey data from undergraduate students, risk perceptions about COVID-19, self-reported practice of COVID-19 preventative behaviors, and their relationship were compared between those with and without the common mental health conditions of Major Depressive …

Exploring The Relationship Between Personality And Moral Reasoning During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Niti Contractor

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Morality has been a subject of study for centuries, though there is still much that is not understood about the factors that dictate moral decision making and moral identity. This study examines the relationship between the Big Five Personality traits (agreeableness, openness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and extraversion) as well as empathy and moral decision making. However, we use a slightly different methodology than previous studies on morality and personality by incorporating more relevant moral dilemmas related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in addition to the purely hypothetical dilemmas used in previous research (referred to as standard dilemmas). Additionally, rather than considering …