Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Commensality And Connection: How Shared Food Experiences Connect Characters In Philip Pullmans His Dark Materials, The Book Of Dust And ‘Lyra’ Stories, Susan Anna Grace

Articles

Commensality is an inherently social activity that shapes society and enacts social dynamics. Consequently, these shared exchanges can reveal much about the society and the individuals who engage in the act. This thesis explores commensality in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, The Book of Dust Series and companion texts to the novels. The research investigates how commensal exchanges create and maintain connections between characters across the collection. In doing so, it considers how literary characters differ from real-life humans and how the existing body of knowledge on commensality can be applied to literary figures. A qualitative approach was …

Why Now? Examining Antecedents For Substance Use Initiation Among African American Adolescents., Tamika Zapolski, Tianyi Yu, Gene Brody, Devin Banks, Allen Barton

Psychology Faculty Works

Current adolescent substance use risk models have inadequately predicted use for African Americans, with limited knowledge on differential predictability as a function of developmental period. Among a sample of 500 African American youth (ages 11–21), four risk indices (i.e., social, attitudinal, intrapersonal, and racial discrimination) were examined in the prediction of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette initiation during early (ages 11–13), mid (ages 16–18) and late (ages 19–21) adolescence. Results showed that when developmental periods were combined, racial discrimination was the only index that predicted initiation for all three substances. However, when risk models were stratified based on developmental period, variation …

Impact, Prevalence Of Cognitive Overload And Athlete Burnout: Division Ii Athletics, Luke Teague

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to explore how collegiate coaches and student athletes contribute to cognitive overload and athlete burnout.

Leadership Strategies: Developing Millennial Entrepreneurs For Start-Up Micro-Gyms, Esdeina Gonzalez

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose for this study is to explore the experiences of small business owner’s best practice strategies leading to successful business operations. Learning about these experiences will permit the millennial generation to understand what is needed for their business to start up their micro-gym. This study may be used as an introduction to millennial entrepreneurs for the survival of their own micro-gym setting a priority of importance in leadership development since research have explored the lack of development in the leadership area.

Managing Change To Impact Training And Affect The Experience Of Physicians Using Speech Recognition Technology, Tom Endrizzi, Rick Fricker

Leadership Education Capstones

To better understand and contribute to the research in the areas of Impact of training method (online versus in-person) on use of speech recognition technology (SRT) and Affect of training and support resources on the experience of physicians using speech recognition technology (SRT).

Sustainable Journalism Education: A Curriculum Review And Revision Of The Winona State Journalism Program, Doug Westerman

Leadership Education Capstones

This report seeks to understand the current state of the journalism program at Winona State University (WSU). Through faculty interviews, a survey of students, and a review of journalism curriculums throughout the country, the report concludes with curriculum recommendations, in the hope of assuring, maintaining and sustaining the WSU journalism program in the ever-changing news ecosystem.

Influences Of Coach Leadership Related To Nutrition On Collegiate Student Athletes Dietary Choices, Maria Fruechte

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to better understand how coach leadership related to nutritional information influences collegiate student athletes’ acquisition and application of nutrition. This will be followed up to consider how the information and expectations of coaches influences athletes’ knowledge and dietary choices.

Participation In The Belt And Road Initiative: Who Joins And Why?, Patrick Groening

Honors College

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a large-scale, global infrastructure project introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. The primary goal is to invest in infrastructure projects across Eurasia and Africa in an effort to improve regional connectivity. This research explains who participates in the BRI through cross-country quantitative analysis and two in-depth qualitative case studies. Through a logit analysis of political economy factors such as GDP per capita, FDI inflows, aid data, and others, I find that economic need is a significant predictor of membership as well as previous involvement in Chinese organizations such as the AIIB. …

Adolescent Depressive Symptoms, Co-Rumination, And Friendship: A Longitudinal, Observational Study, Raegan Harrington

Honors College

Depressive symptoms and positive friendship quality are typically inversely correlated across numerous past studies, with most studies involving only two time points. At the same time, co-rumination (Rose, 2002), the mutually encouraged, speculative, repetitive, and negatively focused discussion of problems between friends, has been linked to increased depressive symptoms and increased friendship quality concurrently and over time (Calmes & Roberts, 2008; Rose et al., 2007, 2014). Yet unclear is how co-rumination impacts associations of depressive symptoms and friendship quality over time and the nature of these relations over more than two time points. Additionally, understudied are observations of co-rumination, with …

2019 Nonresident Visitation, Expenditures & Economic Impact Estimates, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

A collection of 2019 full year and quarterly estimates of nonresident visitation, expenditures by nonresident travelers, and economic impact estimates, including expenditures by purpose of trip, airport of arrival, and international visitors.

Executive Ability Difficulties In Everyday Contexts Among Children With Sickle Cell Disease, Neco Johnson

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Executive Ability Difficulties in Everyday Contexts among Children with Sickle Cell Disease Objective: The present study investigated the utility of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in identifying executive ability difficulties in everyday contexts among children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Method: Participants were 243 children with SCD and 409 typically-developing control children ranging from 5.0 to 18.3 years of age (M=10.5, SD=3.4). The primary outcome, reported executive ability difficulties, was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Parent Form. IQ was estimated using the Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). Sociodemographic information was obtained …

Perceptions Of Bipolar Disorder In The Entertainment Media, Haleigh Resnick

Honors Projects in Communication

This is a literature review of empirical research. This literature review provides an overview of how mental health conditions, specifically bipolar disorder, are depicted in the media (television and movies) by examining relevant empirical research. The review also includes how stigmas are perpetuated in these media depictions.

This literature review included an extensive review of published literature in the past 50 years about mental health and bipolar disorder depictions in media (television and movies). Studies were included for their relevance on mental health conditions generally, and any specifics related to bipolar disorder. Studies were read for key statements about stigmas, …

Sexual Health And Hpv Vaccine Conversations: Enhancing Provider Communication For Young Women, Meaghan Angers

Honors Projects in Communication

Young women (ages 18-26) face a multitude of difficulties when choosing to disclose information regarding their sexual health to their provider. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the quality of patient-provider communication and the patient’s likelihood to receive the HPV vaccine with an explicit recommendation. Interviews were conducted with 11 young women (M = 21.36; SD = 2.46), with the majority identified as Seniors (n = 4; 36.4%), non-Hispanic (n = 10; 90.9%) and White (n = 9, 81.8%). Interviews were also conducted with two providers, one male and one female (M = 43.5; SD …

Millennials And The Alcohol Industry: Expenditure Variations Among Generations, Anthony Murray

Honors Projects in Economics

This paper explores the relationship age cohorts, or generations, have had with regards to alcohol expenditure over time. Articles from popular publications such as Business Insider claim Millennials are “killing” the alcohol industry due to their lack of consumption (Taylor, 2017), but provide little empirical analysis of any academic rigor to make such claims. These claims do matter, as they have implications for the alcohol industry itself as well as investors, law enforcement, the healthcare industry, and policy makers. This paper uses four cross-sectional decadal datasets spanning from 1986 to 2016 from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer …

The Benefits Of Alternative Therapies On Adult Mental Health, Sara Bryan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the following descriptive pre and post study was to collect and analyze data to determine if there are benefits to alternative therapies on adult mental health. Three types of alternative therapies were studied: aromatherapy, recreation therapy, and yoga. A literature review was conducted and pre and post questionnaires were administered. Frequencies and averages were run which showed that participants were mostly Caucasian, with an average age of 31 years and most diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Participants showed decreased levels of anxiety and depression after attending both aromatherapy and yoga classes. Participants showed decreased anxiety levels after …

Exploring The Relationships Of Social Media Usage And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression In Adolescents, Morgan Culpepper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social media is a popular form of communication and entertainment among youth. Inconsistencies are present in the literature on the potential effects it can have on mental health. Depression and anxiety disorders are common among all age groups in the US, and this study aimed to determine the relationship social media has on symptoms of anxiety and depression. The Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS) and the GAD-7 were used to measure symptoms of anxiety, as well as the CES-D scale to evaluate depressive symptoms in adolescents. The number of social networking sites and number of hours spent on social …

Book Review: Politik Und Gesellschaft Im Kaukasus: Eine Unruhige Region Zwischen Tradition Und Transformation, Paul Crego

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Olaf Leiße, editor, Politik und Gesellschaft im Kaukasus: Eine unruhige Region zwischen Tradition und Transformation. Wiesbaden: Springer Verlag, 2019. x, 490 pages 978-3-658-26373-7; 978-3-658-26374-4 (eBook)

Redesigning Our Conception Of Local Food Utilizing A Value-Based Approach, Heather Riesenberg

Sustainability and Social Justice

The goal of this study was to design a new method of evaluating and building local food systems which is based on a new conception of how we view local food. Beginning with a review of the current literature on how local food is defined and its apparent goals, I begin to pick apart the dated idea that local needs not be more complex than the 400-mile limit offered by the USDA. Utilizing the literature review, I bring together a host of values that local food seems to (want to) embody and use these to form a pathway toward the …

Purchasing For A Better Future: Sustainable Procurement In The County Of Santa Clara, Mariah Teal Lindberg

Master's Projects

In brief, this study aims to address sustainable procurement in SCC and its Procurement Department (PRC). A multi-varied analysis and discussion of market industries and the vendor community, present SCC policies and programs, and the overarching feasibility and environmental impact of sustainable procurement is provided to assist SCC in meeting its vision of sustainability. Procurement is a dynamic process, and for that reason, requires transformation and "strategic decision-making about how to best pursue and achieve long-term sustainability aims and goals" through SCC's purchasing vehicles (SCC OOS, 2018c, para. 4). Today, SCC, like many other governments, is grappling with the problems …

Cost Effectiveness And Hospitalization Rates Of Those With Mental Health Issues Using On-Site Versus Off-Site Job Coaching, Jerry Dattilo

Master's Projects

The State of California’s Department of Rehabilitation has established a goal of reducing the rate of unemployment for people suffering from mental illness (Department of Rehabilitation, 2020). Sheltered workshops and short duration employment efforts have proven to be less effective than the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) or other supported employment models. Provided that they have the right support and strategies, those suffering from mental illness can maintain competitive employment and reduce their incidences of hospitalization, dependency, boredom, and lack of fulfillment. The alienation one suffers from lack of social connection and employment cannot be understated. Participants in supported employment …

Looking Beyond Batson: A Different Method Of Combating Bias Against Queer Jurors, Anna L. Tayman

William & Mary Law Review

On November 27, 1978, Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California’s history, was murdered. He was shot five times, twice in the head. His murderer, Dan White, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and served only five years in prison.

The Dan White trial is the most famous example of queer juror exclusion in American history. While White’s defense attorney, Douglas Schmidt, could not directly ask the jurors about their sexual orientation, he had another strategy: find the gays and allies and keep them out, and find the Catholics and keep them in. Schmidt struck a woman who …

Testing The Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation In Reducing Music Performance Anxiety As Measured By Cortisol And Self-Report, Anya E. Shorey

Honors Program Theses

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a debilitating and career-threatening phenomenon that occurs for many musicians in a public performance setting. As a hormonal measure of stress, cortisol has been shown to increase in musicians who are about to perform in front of an audience. It is important to study ways to keep stress within an optimal range before public performance to help musicians keep their cognitions, behaviors, and autonomic arousal at levels that help rather than hinder their performance. Mindfulness in the form of a brief guided meditation and as yoga has been shown to reduce self-reported anxiety in musicians. …

The Unintentional Gerrymandering Of America: How Population Shifts In Congressional Districts Contribute To The Wasting Of Votes, As Measured By The Efficiency Gap, Hannah Sharp

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Thanks to the foresight of our Founding Fathers we are required by law to redraw legislative boundaries every ten years, after the decennial census. These boundaries create districts at both the state and federal legislative level, and there are many guidelines which govern how districts can be drawn in order to provide for fair competition and accurate representation. Population distribution is key to how electoral districts are drawn at all levels. In recent decades, increasing concentrated populations of Democrats in urban areas and decreasing population in rural, more Republican areas has made it harder to draw competitive districts at the …

The Feasibility Of Creating And Sustaining Charter Schools In The Rural United States, Mcallister Hall

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Many parents in rural areas desire to make a choice for their child to have an education different from what the local TPS can provide, but the choice is not available (McCarthy, 2016, Bagley, Woods, & Glatter, 2001). Communities play a large role in the success of both TPSs and charter schools, especially in rural areas (Johnson & Howley, 2015, Stuit & Doan, 2012). In many cases, community characteristics impact student performance as much as the school characteristics (Bodine et al., 2008, Reeves, 2012). The research presented in this study acts as a feasibility study of the potential for rural …

Development And Evaluation Of A Brief, Bystander Bullying Intervention For Low-Income, Ethnically-Blended Middle Schools, Molly Elizabeth Moran

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation includes three individual articles that examine a brief bystander bullying intervention (STAC) culturally adapted for low-income, ethnically-blended middle schools. Chapter One provides a brief introduction to the three articles that comprise this dissertation, the theoretical framework, and the rationale and purpose of this dissertation. Chapter Two includes a mixed-method study examining the development of the culturally adapted intervention. Qualitative data was used to inform the intervention adaptations. Quantitative data provides preliminary support for the cultural validity of the adapted intervention. Chapter Three includes a mixed-method study examining the appropriateness of the culturally adapted intervention. Qualitative data was collected …

Overcoming Stigma With Dialogue: My Experiences As A Parent Of An Opiate Addict, Melissa Dee Lemar

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Opioid addiction has reached crisis levels in the United States. While as many as 20 million Americans have Substance Use Disorder (SUD), often drug addiction is seen as an immoral choice rather than a medical condition. Little research has been done from the perspective of the parent with an addicted child, and thus there is an absence of scholarly literature on how parents might negotiate the challenges faced when seeking help for a child with SUD. In this thesis, I use autoethnography as a method to tell the story of my eight-year journey with my daughter’s addiction. I reveal my …

Opportunities And Obstacles In The Transition To A Distributed Network Of Rooftop Solar: A Multi-Method Approach, Steve M. Hall

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This paper investigates the feasibility and viability of providing power to Ada County, Idaho, using a distributed network of rooftop solar photovoltaic panels. Using a multi-disciplinary and multi-method modeling approach, a detailed simulation is performed where existing structures are retro-fitted with grid-tied solar photovoltaic systems using currently available technology. Feasibility is determined using simulated supply and demand per building, while viability is determined through standard financial metrics used in the energy sector. A major critique of solar energy comes from the vast amounts of space required to efficiently capture solar power, along with the inefficiencies created by transmission loss and …

Girl’S Education In Africa: The Importance Of Culture And State Capacity, Hadley Olivia Hobbs

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Why is girls’ education participation notably below average in countries throughout both North and Sub-Saharan Africa? Previous research has concluded that the low rates of girls’ education in Africa are attributed to economics and more specifically wealth. While wealth needs to be addressed as a part of the discussion of issues surrounding girl’s education, it does not seem to be the primary cause of low participation outcomes. I argue that culture and governance are the primary factors effecting girls’ education in Africa. Moreover, government effectiveness and female genital mutilation are primary causes of the outcomes of girl’s education and appear …

How Water Level And Irrigation Practices Affect Waterbird Community, Nesting, And Foraging Habitat Use On The Duck Valley Indian Reservation, Jamie L. Burke

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Loss of habitat continues to threaten all bird populations. Despite efforts for conservation of wetlands, waterbirds continue to face habitat threats especially in western North America where water resources are limited across the landscape. The White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) is a colonial nesting waterbird of conservation concern that builds nests in emergent vegetation of freshwater wetlands throughout the western United States. An ibis breeding colony site located at the Blue Creek Wetland complex on Duck Valley Indian Reservation may face habitat threats in the future due to plans intended to increase irrigation water use efficiency. Plans include manipulation …

The Effects Of South Africa's Unexpected Monetary Policy Shocks In The Common Monetary Area, Bonang N. Seoela

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The Common Monetary Area (CMA) is a multilateral agreement that provides a framework for a fixed exchange rate regime between the South-African Rand and the currencies of Lesotho, Eswatini, and Namibia (LEN). The nature of the arrangement restrains the LEN countries from exercising independent discretionary monetary policy. As a result, they must rely on the South African authorities for policy formulation and implementation. Interest rates in the LEN countries cannot deviate too far from those in South Africa. Given this limited scope for monetary policy in the LEN countries, this study investigates how each member country adjusts to shocks to …