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“MY PAIN WAS NEVER MORE VALUABLE THAN HIS POTENTIAL”: A RHETORICAL THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF GASLIGHTING WITHIN SEXUAL ABUSE CASES
Get PDFThis thesis examines gaslighting within three prominent sexual abuse cases—Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, and Larry Nassar—uncovered during the #MeToo movement, to better understand the rhetorical function of gaslighting. Using a combination of rhetorical thematic analysis, critical discourse analysis, a feminist lens, and a gaslighting schema, this study identifies the rhetorical tactics, gendered discourse, and power-laden discourse deployed to gaslight victims and the public. I argue that gaslighting must be examined through a rhetorical lens, as discourse is the mechanism through which gaslighting operates, shaping perceptions of truth, credibility, and power. By highlighting how language is weaponized to deny, distort, and shift blame, this study contributes to ongoing discussions about power, gender, and the role of rhetoric in shaping public understanding of sexual abuse allegations
A New Theater for Age-Old Social Patterns: An Exploratory Study of Interpersonal Dynamics and the Overlay of Gender within AI Companionship
Get PDFThe emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) companions fundamentally shifts the landscape of interpersonal communication, introducing artificial entities as relational partners rather than mere facilitators of human-to-human interaction. This exploratory study examines the interplay of machine gendering, self-disclosure, perceived partner responsiveness (PPR), and interpersonal satisfaction within human-AI interactions. Participants engaged in conversations with gendered AI companions through the program Replika, completed structured surveys, and participated in qualitative interviews. Findings indicate that users\u27 willingness to self-disclose was influenced by their perceptions of AI responsiveness, while gendered characteristics of AI significantly shaped user expectations and communication patterns. Specifically, users often attributed distinct personality traits based on the gender presentation of the AI, reflecting broader societal stereotypes. Although some users experienced genuine emotional engagement with their AI companions, others found these interactions limited or unsatisfying. By highlighting how gender, self-disclosure, and perceived responsiveness collectively influence user experiences, this study advances theoretical understandings of human-machine communication and informs practical considerations in AI companion design. The findings underscore critical implications for the development of emotionally intelligent, gender-sensitive AI technologies, contributing meaningfully to the broader dialogue surrounding the integration of AI into everyday interpersonal life
Crystal Structure Analysis of 1, 4, 7-Trithia-10, 13-diazacyclopentadecane-9, 14-dione
Get PDFThe compound 1,4,7-trithia-10,13-diazacyclopentadecane-9,14-dione, 1, crystallizes in the space group P21/c with a = 9.3608(3) Å, b = 16.0333(5) Å, c = 9.5608(3) Å, β = 113.3521(14)°, and Z = 4. The title molecule forms chains via face-to-face N–H…O hydrogen bonds. The structure of 1 is also compared to the previously reported oxygen analog, 1,4,7-trioxa-10,13-diazacyclopentadecane-9,14-dione
Examining Equifinality and Multifinality Using Outcome-Partitioned Person-Centered Analyses: A Proof-of-Concept with Youth Developmental Assets and Health
Get PDFEarly general systems theorists proposed a key difference between living systems and physical systems is the widespread presence of equifinality and multifinality among living organisms. That is, in living systems, there are often variable pathways to the same outcomes (equifinality), or the same starting conditions can lead to disparate outcomes (multifinality). Family scientists, however, frequently use methods (adapted from the physical sciences) that fail to reflect these characteristics within their statistical models. In this paper, we propose and provide a preliminary proof-of-concept of how an outcome-partitioned set of person-centered analyses might be used to develop alternative models that more comprehensively capture equifinality and multifinality in living systems. This approach balances the needs for parsimony and utility in family theories and models of human development, relationships, and family systems while recognizing the diversity within which individuals and families navigate many pathways to success, difficulty, or something in-between
Connecting Classrooms to Communities: A Practical and Effective Guide for Involving Community Development Practitioners in Graduate Seminars
Get PDFThis article examines the pedagogical impact of a strategically structured guest speaker series in a graduate-level community development seminar. Drawing on four cohorts of qualitative student feedback and utilizing an inductive thematic analysis, the study explores how guest speakers influence student learning, professional development, and civic engagement. Findings reveal that guest speakers effectively bridge theory and practice, enhance classroom engagement, and foster critical thinking, career exploration, and long-term civic involvement. Students reported that interacting with diverse professionals helped clarify real-world applications of course content and inspired volunteerism, internships, and employment opportunities. The paper also identifies conditions that enhance the effectiveness of guest speaker sessions, including alignment with course themes, diversity of speaker backgrounds, and structured student preparation. The study concludes by offering guidance on adapting this model to online, hybrid, and large-enrollment courses. Recommendations include virtual guest integration, group-based assignments, and student-led facilitation techniques to maintain engagement across varied learning environments. This research contributes to scholarship on political science and community development pedagogy by demonstrating how guest speakers, when thoughtfully implemented, can serve as transformative tools for experiential learning and civic education
Trust in Personality Testing
No full textOne’s inherent trust in the perceived accuracy of personality test results may rely upon several culturally dependent variables of a population, including the need for cognition, skepticism, confirmation bias, pseudoscientific beliefs, and general self-awareness, which may be exhibited with several degrees of variance between cultures. The present study seeks to replicate the “Trust in Personality Test Results and Associated Factors” project conducted in a Turkish I/O Psychology workshop to discern cultural idiosyncrasies in their trust in personality testing, particularly between Turkey and the US. Participants (n = 250) responded to a personality inventory based on the MeyersBriggs Type Indicator framework, the NERIS Type Explorer or the “16Personalities Test”, before being randomly assigned to one of three conditions which determined the degree to which their MBTI type was accurate (accurate result, adjacent result, opposite result). Participants then responded to a form collecting data regarding their level of agreeableness regarding pseudoscientific beliefs. The present study seeks to determine if the results from the Turkish sample can be replicated within the US sample based upon potentially influential cultural variables between the two populations, and we expect response patterns to vary relative to the assigned condition (accurate result, high trust). We seek to explore two possible outcome explanations; If the Barnum effect, a variable influencing response patterns to be more agreeable to general descriptives is present, irrelevant of the accuracy of feedback, respondents will trust their results. Conversely, the trust of respondents will result from the accuracy of the feedback (no Barnum effect/well developed test). As the study is finalizing data collection, results are hitherto not available but will be for the symposium
Grace and Free Will: Comparing Thomisic Views
No full textMany struggle to reconcile our free will with God’s providence over everything. Understanding sufficient and efficacious grace lets us accept both a meaningful sense of free will and God’s omnipotence and omniscience. In this presentation, I will lay out the Thomistic principles of grace and compare two different interpretations of them, the first by Fr. Reginald Garrigou- Lagrange and the second by Fr. Francisco Marin-Sola. Grace is defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church as “favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life” (CCC 1996). Garrigou-Lagrange and Marin-Sola disagree on what sufficient grace is and what we can do by the aid of sufficient grace. Lagrange thinks that sufficient grace gives us the real power to do a good act, but that we cannot actually do any good act without the aid of efficacious grace. On the other hand, Marin-Sola thinks that sufficient grace really gives us an act, but an imperfect one. Sufficient grace begins the good action in us, but we may resist it of our own free will and so prevent the good action. Sola also thinks we can do some easy good works with sufficient grace only, such as a quick prayer. To Marin-Sola, efficacious grace differs from sufficient grace in that it is irresistible and infallible, necessary for completing difficult good works, while sufficient grace is still efficacious for the beginning of the action, but not for the perfection of the work, which requires efficacious grace that will be provided by God if the sufficient grace is not resisted. I argue that Marin-Sola\u27s view better protects a strong sense of free will while remaining consonant with the Thomistic principles. I first lay out the relevant principles that are accepted by all Thomists. I next outline Garrigou-Lagrange’s view on sufficient grace, then Marin-Sola’s. Finally, I argue why Marin-Sola’s view better protects free will and the real sufficiency of sufficient grace
Shipwrecks and Sunken Stone: The Roman Empire\u27s Economic Centralization
No full textEmperor Diocletian formed a fixed-rate economy in the year 301 CE. Using the Edict of Maximum Prices, which tells general prices around the year 300 CE, I have mapped the Roman marble quarry sites. Mapping these dig sites and knowing the estimated price value associated with different marbles raises a question of cultural significance and the use of marble. To navigate this, we are studying the significance of different marbles in the British frontier of the Roman Empire by focusing on the use and reuse of marble in villas
Quercetin’s Impact on Chicken Embryo Development Under Corticosterone Influence: A Comparative Study with Trolox
No full textThis study investigates quercetin, a natural antioxidant, for mitigating the negative effects of elevated cortisol levels on chicken embryo development compared to trolox, a vitamin E derivative known for its antioxidant properties. The hypothesis posited that quercetin would effectively modulate mitochondrial functions and lower plasma cortisol levels, thus promoting better embryo development under stress. This research serves a broader purpose by contributing to strategies that could counteract high cortisol levels during pregnancy and ultimately mitigate fetal mortality risks. The experimental design involved four treatment groups: trolox + oil, trolox + corticosterone (TroloxCort), quercetin + oil, and quercetin + corticosterone (QuercCort). An oil overlay was utilized to prevent evaporation and assess the isolated effects of the antioxidants. Corticosterone was introduced to simulate stress conditions and evaluate the protective capabilities of both antioxidants. Results revealed that quercetin did not surpass trolox in protecting embryos from the adverse effects of corticosterone. The QuercCort group had a survival rate of only 23%, and the surviving embryos were significantly smaller compared to those in other treatment groups. These findings indicate that while quercetin exerts some positive influence on embryo development in the presence of elevated cortisol levels, it does not provide superior protection compared to trolox. In conclusion, further research is essential to explore the underlying mechanisms through which these antioxidants operate and optimize their applications in alleviating the negative impacts of stress hormones on embryonic development. This study highlights the significance of strategically selecting antioxidants for therapeutic uses related to stress in embryogenesis while laying the groundwork for future studies in human pregnancy contexts