Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Taxing Externalities Without Hurting The Poor, Mallesh Pai, Philipp Strack

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

We consider the optimal taxation of a good which exhibits a negative externality, in a setting where agents differ in their value for the good, their disutility from the externality, and their value for money, while the planner observes neither. Pigouvian taxation is the unique Pareto efficient mechanism, yet it is only optimal if the planner puts higher Pareto weights on richer agents. We derive the optimal tax schedule for both a narrow allocative objective and a utilitarian objective for the planner. The optimal tax is generically nonlinear, and Pareto inefficient. The optimal mechanism might take a “non-market” form and …

Enhancing Graduate Student Onboarding To Strengthen Graduate Student Sense Of Belonging And Ease The Transition Into Graduate School, Shannon Patiño

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of this action research was to study graduate students' sense of belonging enrolled in programs within the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) at the University of San Diego (USD) and their transition experience. This study was guided by the question: How can I improve new student onboarding programming to increase graduate student sense of belonging during the early stages of our graduate students’ onboarding experience? How can I also create a resource to help ease the graduate student transition into graduate school?

Quantitative and qualitative data was collected through a survey and one-on-one interviews with graduate …

The Doors Of Perception: Theory And Evidence Of Frame-Dependent Rationalizability, Gary Charness, Alessandro Sontuoso

ESI Working Papers

We investigate how strategic behavior is affected by the set of notions (frames) used when thinking about the game. In our games, the action set consists of visual objects: each player must privately choose one, trying to match the counterpart’s choice. We propose a model where different player-types are aware of different attributes of the action set (hence, different frames). One of the novelties is an epistemic structure that allows players to think about new frames, after initial unawareness of some attributes. To test the model, our experimental design brings about multiple frames by varying subjects’ awareness of several attributes.

Does Anxiety Sensitivity Mediate Age-Related Differences In Anxiety In Middle-Aged And Older Adults?, Katherine F. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is a mental illness that can have significant deleterious impacts on an individual’s functioning. Although anxiety has been studied in older adults, there is conflicting evidence on differences in anxiety as a function of age. Anxiety sensitivity is a construct that is positively related to anxiety but has limited research in older adults. Extant literature suggests that older adults experience less anxiety sensitivity than do younger adults. According to Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, this may be due to older adults letting go of the things that make them anxious. The current study proposed that age impacts self-rated anxiety such that …

Beyond The Pta: Mothering Work And Women's Education Activism In The Deep South, Emily L. Tingle

Theses and Dissertations

It has long been established that women play unique roles within schools, volunteerism, and school-based community work (Griffith and Smith 2005; Calarco 2020; Lewis and Diamond 2015; Posey-Maddox 2014). Additionally, research suggests that the work done surrounding the institution of education primarily falls on mothers (Griffith and Smith 2005; Haley-Lock and Posey-Maddox 2016; Lareau 2000; Lareau 2011). However, little research has been done that explores how gender dynamics play out in education activism that lies outside of schools. This study seeks to understand how women view gendered expectations of mothering work in regard to education and if/how they perceive that …

Assessment Of Postural, Locomotor, And Physical Fitness Status In Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Alana J. Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Postural control and locomotion deficits can be observed during the early years of childhood development and throughout life. For those with disabilities, these deficits can advance past the development years and into adolescence and adulthood while affecting the quality of life and daily activity. Finding interactive rehabilitative activities to delay or limit these deficits is essential for people with disabilities to improve their quality of life, inclusion, and overall movement. Adapted physical activity/sports like badminton and virtual reality could promote improvements in postural and locomotor status for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities like cerebral palsy (CP), intellectual …

Examining The Barriers To Building Multicultural Competence Of School Psychology Graduate Students, Jasmine C. Gray

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, school aged students from diverse backgrounds have experienced detrimental effects as a result of school psychologists who fail to consider cultural differences when providing services. The demographics of students in K- 12 schools have increasingly become more diverse which only exacerbates the need for multiculturally competent school psychologists. Research has identified graduate programs as an area to intervene and ensure future school psychologists are receiving training necessary for developing multicultural competence. Within the literature, graduate student attitude towards multiculturalism and program climate have been identified as barriers to developing multicultural competence in graduate students. Therefore, the purpose of the …

How And With Whom You Spend Your Time Matters: An Examination Of Familial Relationships, Leisure Activities, And Dementia Development, Erika Cooksey Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Dementia is an interminable disorder characterized by a decrease in cognitive functioning behavioral and emotional changes, and an overall diminishment in quality of life that usually affects the older population. In the coming decades, scientists estimate that the number of sufferers will reach over 100 million worldwide. Though there is currently no cure for any form of dementia, the theory of cognitive reserve posits certain lifestyle characteristics (i.e., educational attainment, SES, and/or career path) can mitigate the risk of dementia by improving cognitive resilience over an individual’s lifetime. The current study sought to discover what, if any, effects familial relationships, …

Examining The Impact Of Financial Stress On Affect And Eating Behaviors, Ellen Hunt Steele

Theses and Dissertations

Economic pressure and concomitant financial stress have been associated with mental and physical health problems, conflict, and poorer education and employment outcomes. Moreover, financial stress can be seen in specific hardships (e.g., food insecurity) and lead to maladaptive attempts to regulate emotions stemming from financial stressors. Women may be more vulnerable to consequences of food insecurity and attempts to regulate emotions with eating than men. Thus, the current study examined the impact of a randomized financial stress induction on affect and snack food choice while accounting for the influence of food insecurity and gender. Participants included 269 validly responding individuals. …

A Test Of The Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide In Black College Students Using Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Anisha L. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS) has garnered much attention in the literature. Studies that have examined ITS among Black and other racially/ethnically diverse populations continue to be met with inconsistent results. This suggests the need to confirm measurement equivalence across populations to improve accuracy in identifying individuals who are at increased risk for suicide. This study examined measurement invariance of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) and Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale (ACSS) across White and Black racial groups using two college student samples. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were conducted from Sample 1, a group of 1,019 (86.8% White) students …

Becoming A Trauma-Informed School: Teacher, Administration, And Support Staff's Perception To Handle Trauma In The School Setting, Jaime Baas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma is an increasing issue that families, children, and schools face. Schools are often restricted to specific protocols when handling undesired behaviors that could overlook or perpetuate trauma. Teachers, administration, and support staff could lack the skills to handle trauma and crisis in the school setting. This research used a single case study in a Title 1 school district focused on the perception of preparedness to address crisis using trauma-informed care— the district supports approximately 4,000 individuals including students, teachers, administration, and support staff. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived ability of teachers, administration, and …

Personality Traits And Forgiveness After Infidelity, Tammy Porter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This correlative phenomenological study aims to discover the relationship between personality traits and forgiveness, specifically when infidelity has taken place. The purpose is to identify personality traits that are positively associated with forgiveness after infidelity. The research analyzed responses from both married and divorced couples that participate in a Facebook event. The theory guiding this study is the Big Five personality traits model with the analysis of those traits related to forgiveness, specifically for infidelity. The study took a close look at each personality trait within the Big Five Personality Model as it relates to forgiveness for the couple for …

Scholarworks@Gvsu Policies, University Libraries

Library Reports and Communication

This document describes operational policies for ScholarWorks@GVSU content and related services. ScholarWorks@GVSU is Grand Valley State University’s institutional repository and library publishing platform, using the Digital Commons software from bepress.

The Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Food Security Of Mississippians, Hannah Noel Irwin

Theses and Dissertations

Mississippi leads the United States in food insecurity, with 15.3% of Mississippians experiencing food insecurity in a given year. To determine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food insecurity of Mississippians, a survey containing the USDA Household Food Security Questionnaire was distributed to adult Mississippi residents. By employing the USDA Household Food Security Scale and the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke Methodology, this study finds that the food insecurity rate, food insecurity gap, and squared food insecurity gap have worsened in Mississippi since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this study finds that households which were food insecure prior to March …

Natural Capital Value Of Fisheries Under Environmental Stressor: A Case Of Blue Crab Under Hypoxia In The Gulf Of Mexico, Shelby Leigh Brewer

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental threats to fisheries are a rising concern for fishery managers. Gulf of Mexico hypoxia is particularly concerning. In order to properly manage Gulf fisheries, the sustainability of species stock and its natural capital values should be analyzed. As an empirical effort, I use blue crab in Louisiana waters as a case study to build a bioeconomic model of blue crab under hypoxia. I apply the natural capital valuation approach to estimate the blue crab value function under hypoxia in order to assess blue crab sustainability. I find that blue crab management in Louisiana under hypoxia is not sustainable, being …

U.S. Financial Literacy: Does Urban-Rural Residency Matter?, Mckenzie Leanne Carvalho

Theses and Dissertations

Financial illiteracy broadly affects people’s financial and economic well-being. The purpose of this thesis is to identify how the magnitudes of financial literacy determinants change under different residency settings. A county-level calculation of financial literacy is created, and logit and negative binomial regressions are employed to compare the relationship between demographic variables and financial literacy in metro/non-metro and urban/rural counties. Data on individual’s financial knowledge and personal characteristics is obtained from the FINRA National Financial Capability Study. Urban and rural residency is determined using USDA ERS Rural-Urban Continuum Codes and the Index of Relative Rurality. These results provide an improved …

Library Committee Report, 2022-08-09, Elizabeth Mamo

Rochester Regional Health authored publications and proceedings

The Library Committee is a requirement of the RGH Medical/Dental Staff and is facilitated by Dr. Scott Schabel. After RGH and Unity merged, the Libraries formed one department and expanded access and services to all RRH sites. The Library committee, composed of staff from across the health system, provide feedback and share library news with their teams. The committee meets 2x/year via Zoom.

This report is an update of library activity for 2022.

Sharenting: A Phenomenological Study Of Sharenting Through The Lens Of The Presentation Of Self, Evie Simmons D'Amico

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe and interpret the sharenting of moms who post to Facebook. Sharenting is a term to describe the practice of parents sharing about their children on social media. The theory that guided this study was Erving Goffman’s presentation of self. More specifically, the phenomenon was analyzed to understand how moms use their appearance, setting, and mannerisms to construct motherhood with their performance team on social media. This study used a scroll back interview method to gather data to co-create the essence of sharenting and interpret its meaning. Twenty moms who had elementary-aged …

Corporate Social Responsibility Engagement Levels And Employee Performance, Omotola Idowu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizations have always practiced social responsibility in many forms, but in recent years the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a forefront subject, frequently addressed at the strategic levels. Employee performance has always been a subject of interest and concern for organizations because employees are an organization’s most important asset. CSR has an impact on both internal employees and the external community. Studies have shown CSR has an impact on employee performance, but a lack of proper CSR implementation has a negative effect on them. In this qualitative study, the researcher explored the leadership behaviors that affect CSR …

The Effect Of Pastoral Care On The Direct Patient Care Staff Of The Bethany Children’S Health Center, Bethany, Ok, Job O. Ozovehe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action project in the field of pastoral care and counseling is designed to determine the effect of pastoral care services of the Bethany Children’s Health Center, Bethany, OK, on the direct patient care staff. The project utilized a video intervention approach to provide needed support to the care team of the Bethany Children’s Health Center. Chapter one discusses the pastoral context of the pastoral care department. It presented the problem and the purpose statement. Chapter two examined the historical context of pastoral care and counseling. It explored the theological and theoretical foundations. Chapter three discusses the entire processes involved …

Cognitive Abilities Of Criminal Justice Leaders, Dustin Joe Addison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to help in the understanding of how stress has a significant impact on criminal justice leadership. The research design with the applied study was multimethod. The multimethod design correlated interviews, surveys, and archival data to understand the correlation between stress events and perceived cognitive abilities. The central questions within this study were related to prolonged exposure to high stress and whether criminal justice leaders have a lower cognitive ability than those not exposed to high-stress situations. With the malleability of the human brain allowed by neuroplasticity, do criminal justice leaders have altered abilities …

Hbcu Proud And At Risk: Evaluating The Relationship Between Aces And Academic Performance In Black First-Year College Students, Courtney Janell Loyd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Few studies have studied the impact of trauma on academic performance and even fewer have studied Black students. Black college students are usually from a lower socioeconomic class which puts them at a greater disadvantage and a higher risk for dropping out of college. This study is a mixed-method research design. Participants included 44 undergraduate students recruited from a university in the Southern U.S. Phase 1 included paper-pencil surveys, and Phase 2 consisted of an open-ended questionnaire, which allowed for a deeper understanding of the lived experiences. This study used a Spearman Correlation to measure the strength of association between …

Exploring African American Males' Experiences With Police In Southern California: A Phenomenological Study, Barbara R. Ray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black males are treated unfairly and killed more by law enforcement than any other group. The current study sought to explore how Black males in San Bernardino County, CA, describe their lived experiences with law enforcement as framed by the tents of critical race theory. To achieve this aim, a phenomenological research study was conducted, using semistructured interviews with Black males. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The key themes identified included (a) centrality of bias in experiences negatively shaped regard of police, (b) as tools, body-worn cameras do little to increase security or legitimacy, (c) limited interactions-limited law …

Towards A Model Of Support: Redefining The Focus Of Early Parenting, Keancelar E. Birge

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the meanings and perceptions of social support and analyzes support received during and after pregnancy among Black women early parents in Mississippi. Ten online and ten in person, in-depth interviews were conducted with Black early parents in Mississippi who either had support from outside organizations like Baby University or who had not. These interviews questioned the participants' understanding and ideas about support and how they perceived their own support to evaluate how having support impacts the livelihood of Black early mothers in Mississippi and their children. Findings demonstrated that there are not real differences in outcomes …

Information And Communication Technology Skills And Digital Preservation Practices By Library Personnel In Some Selected University Libraries In South-West, Nigeria, Azeez Adekunle Akintonde, Olalekan Abiola Awujoola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

As part of the resources in university libraries are digital information resources, these libraries therefore need to undertake digital preservation practices to protect the lifespan of their digital resources. Personnel in these libraries need to possess ICT skill to effectively involve in the digital preservation practices. The study investigates ICT skill and digital preservation practices among library personnel in nine university libraries in South-west, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey design, the study population comprised 262 library personnel from nine university libraries in South-west, Nigeria. All personnel in the nine university libraries were sampled, while the questionnaire was the …

A Bibliometric Analysis Of Research On Resource Description And Access (Rda) In Library And Information Science Journals In Web Of Science (2006-2020) Using Vosviewer, Zao Liu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the Resource Description and Access (RDA) research in library and information science journals in Web of Science. Two hundred and fifty-eight journal articles related to RDA were extracted from Web of Science for analysis for the period between 2006 and 2020. A descriptive analysis of the most productive authors, institutions, countries, and journals and the most cited authors was conducted. To illuminate the major themes, the selected articles were also subjected to a co-word analysis and a document co-citation analysis using the visualization tool VOSviewer. The co-word analysis …

Native American Mental Health: Adding Culture To The Conversation, Margaret Rose

Population Health Research Brief Series

American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) experience higher rates of depression, suicide, and psychological distress compared to other communities in the United States. Despite this, they are less likely to receive mental health services due to barriers such as lack of resources, limited mental health service access, stigma, and mistrust of providers. This issue brief describes the influence of colonialism on AI/AN mental health and discusses how barriers to mental health treatment can be addressed by integrating AI/AN culture into traditional mental health services and increasing AI/AN presence in mental health occupations.

Assessing The Functional Impacts Of Acquired Syphilis In Industrial England, Cassandra Marie Seda Degaglia

Theses and Dissertations

This work identifies and describes pathological skeletal changes associated with and attributable to acquired syphilis and which potentially caused functional impairment within eleven skeletal individuals recovered from five industrial-era London cemeteries. In eight (72.73%), functional impairment was likely or very likely, based on type and distribution of lesions across their skeleton. These impairments likely impacted the individuals’ ability to engage in various forms of physical activity, potentially limiting their economic potential. These results expand our still highly limited understanding of syphilis’s functional impacts within past populations, especially within industrial-era societies, querying longstanding characterizations of tertiary gummatous involvement as benign, while …

Evaluating Math To Mastery Using Brief Experimental Analysis Procedures, Gianna Gambera

Theses and Dissertations

Math to Mastery (MTM) is a multi-component math intervention that has demonstrated effective results in building math fluency and skill acquisition. Few studies have explored the use of brief experimental analysis (BEA) procedures to create an individualized, abbreviated MTM intervention to address skill deficits in basic math. The purpose of this current study is to analyze the utility of randomizing BEA procedures to effectively identify necessary mathematic components to create a more efficient intervention that will yield the highest math gains among participants. Researchers used an alternating treatment design with an extended analysis phase to address basic math skills. Participants …

Let’S Talk: The Dual Process Model Of Supportive Communication In Peers, Erica Marie Szkody

Theses and Dissertations

Supportive messages occur within most relationships. Researchers have found strong relationships between social support and various physical and psychological health outcomes, but the specific mechanisms at work have yet to be fully explored. Many factors contribute to whether a supportive interaction is processed as helpful or supportive by the recipient including relational factors, message content, past experiences, etc. For peer dyads, the context and supportive messages individuals provide their peer may inhibit or contribute to their perception of their peer’s supportive behavior. The current study examined the impact of contextual factors (such as family communication patterns and relationship quality) on …