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Perceptions of Identity and Blame Attribution in Sexual Harassment Scenarios
Full text linkSexual harassment is a widespread issue influenced by societal attitudes that stem from victim blaiming and rape myth acceptance. These perceptions are often shaped by the identities of the parties involved, however there is limited research on how gender and race influence blame attribution. The purpose of this study is to examine how different identities shape public perceptions of victims in sexual harassment scenarios. Through using a nationwide sample and survey experiment, participants were randomly assigned to receive one of eight different hypothetical scenarios that differed by the race and gender of the victim, and the gender of the perpetrator. Respondents were also asked to evaluate the blameworthiness and irresponsibility of the victims. The results indicate that scenarios where the victim was harassed by someone of the same gender were blamed significantly less than those harassed by a different gender. Although the effect is more modest, Black victims were shown to receive less blame as well. The findings suggest that social attitudes and public perceptions of sexual harassment are shaped by the act in addition to the identities of those involved. This highlights the need for more research on biases related to identities in sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. It is important to understand these patterns to inform more equitable legal, educational, and support systems for survivors
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exoenzyme Y Enzymatic Activity Inhibits Exoenzyme S-Induced Caspase Activation but not Cytotoxicity in Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Full text linkPseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is the most common cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia in intensive care unit patients. P. aeruginosa utilizes a type III secretion system that injects exoenzymes U, S, T, and/or Y into the host cell cytosol. A majority of clinically isolated P. aeruginosa strains express ExoY often in combination with ExoU and ExoT, or ExoS and ExoT. Host signaling mechanisms in response to intoxication with individual exoenzymes have been extensively studied, yet little is known about host cell response to co-intoxication. In this study, pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were infected with P. aeruginosa strains expressing different combinations of exoenzymes S, T, and Y. ExoS alone induced significant caspase activation and cell death in PMVECs. Importantly, ExoY significantly decreased ExoS-induced caspase activation, but not cell death. ExoY is a nucleotidyl cyclase; its activity is measured via cNMP production. ExoY-induced elevated intracellular cAMP is ablated by the presence of ExoS. Despite this, ExoY inhibits ExoS-induced caspase activation regardless of cAMP production. To determine whether ExoY enzymatic activity was necessary to inhibit ExoS-induced caspase activation, recombinant P. aeruginosa strains were generated to express ExoS in combination with either catalytically active or inactive ExoY. Enzymatically active ExoY inhibited ExoS-induced caspase activation whereas enzymatically inactive ExoY did not. Thus, we conclude that ExoY enzymatic activity inhibits ExoS-induced caspase activation but not cell death in PMVECs
Digital Marketing and Communications for Non-Profit Organizations on the Gulf Coast
No full textNon-profit organizations depend on the support of their donors and volunteers to make an impact on their community. By analyzing the current efforts and strategies of Gulf Coast non-profit organizations, we can understand the most effective digital communication and marketing methods. This project’s primary research question is the need for funding, volunteerism, and community awareness for non-profit organizations. Unlike consumerism, when it comes to this type of donation or volunteerism, it is often not a tangible benefit. Non-profit organizations do not need to be left in obsolete marketing practices. This research uses an online form surveying organizations’ methods, strategies, and investments for websites and social media. Additionally, organizations’ annual reports provide insight into volunteerism and donations to consider the current condition of digital communications through a sample of Gulf Coast Organizations
Comparing Online and In-Person Social Support and its Effects on Suicidal Ideation
Full text linkThe interpersonal theory of suicide states that thwarted belonging and perceived burdensomeness are proximal causes of suicidal ideation (Van Orden et al., 2010). One of the biggest influences on these variables is a lack of social support (Sparks et al., 2023) There are two ways a person can receive social support: in-person via face-to-face experiences and online via social media or online communication Studies have shown that there is a difference in the quality of support between online and in-person interactions (Hultzman et al., 2017). The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of in-person and online support on the interpersonal theory of suicide.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/honors_college_posters/1044/thumbnail.jp
Digital Marketing and Communications for Non-Profit Organizations on the Gulf Coast
No full textNon-profit organizations play a vital role in the social and economic conditions of South Alabama and the surrounding areas. From providing essential social services to fostering cultural enrichment to supplying disaster relief efforts, these organizations equip society to care for our communities and encourage our economy. In an increasingly digital world, digital marketing and communication strategies give non-profit organizations the ability to communicate their mission, engage with stakeholders, and mobilize resources. This study aims to identify the current digital marketing strategies for Gulf Coast non-profit organizations.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/honors_college_posters/1035/thumbnail.jp
Freedom Rider Joan Browning Presentation at University of South Alabama
No full textMs. Joan Browning was invited to speak at the University of South Alabama\u27s Marx Library on April 29, 2025. She shared her experiences as one of the original Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights Movement. This event was sponsored by the Marx Library and the Doy Leale McCall Rare Book and Manuscript Library, with support from the Student Government Association.
Between May and December 1961, 436 Freedom Riders participated in sixty different Freedom Rides across the South and succeeded in taking down the “white” and “colored” signs in transportation waiting rooms and on trains and buses. Four of the Freedom Riders were white southern females, Joan Browning being one of them.
Browning, a 1959 graduate of Lumber City High School in rural Georgia, was the first in her family to attend college, enrolling at Georgia State College for Women (GSCW) at the age of 16, hoping to complete a B.S. as a pre-Med major, with a minor in English. Her college plans were cut short when she was forced to leave GSCW in 1961 after worshipping at Wesley Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church across from the college campus in Milledgeville, and subsequently attending an interracial conference in Augusta, Georgia. The Paine College Student Christian Conference introduced Joan to the Freedom Movement, and she participated in picketing a store and a lunch counter sit-in while in Augusta.
After leaving GSCW, Browning moved to Atlanta and became involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), working with Casey Hayden, Julian Bond, and others involved in the Civil Rights Movement. On December 10, 1961, Browning was among eight Freedom Riders who traveled in a segregated railroad car from Atlanta to Albany, Georgia, where they were arrested and jailed.
Browning earned her bachelor’s degree at age 52 from West Virginia State College, a historically black institution. In 1996, she published “Invisible Revolutionaries: White Women in Civil Rights Movement Historiography” in the Journal of Women’s History. In 2000, her memoir “Shiloh Witness” appeared in the autobiographical collection Deep In Our Hearts: Nine White Women in the Freedom Movement, published by The University of Georgia Press. In 2000, she received the West Virginia Governor’s Living the Dream award for exemplifying the characteristics of justice, scholarship, sharing of self, human and civil rights, and advocacy for peace. Ms. Browning received an honorary doctorate from Marshall University in 2024.
Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library holds the Joan C. Browning papers. Ms. Browning was interviewed by the University of Mississippi as part of the Freedom Riders 40th Anniversary Oral History Project in 2001.https://jagworks.southalabama.edu/freedom-rider-browning_presentation/1000/thumbnail.jp
Exploring the Influence of Social Media Communication on Destination Branding: A Study of Saudi Arabia
Full text linkTourists now find social media important in forming their perceptions and decision criteria when traveling. This Research investigates the impact of destination marketing organizations -generated content and tourist-generated content on tourists\u27 inspiration to visit Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the mediating role of destination image dimensions (cognitive, affective, and sensory) and the moderating role of cultural distance. Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model, Hofstede Cultural Dimension Theory; the research analyzed a dataset of 237 responses using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that destination marketing organizations -generated content and tourist-generated content significantly enhance perceived advertising value, which in turn influences cognitive image and affective image. Furthermore, both cognitive image and affective images significantly shape sensory image, which strongly predicts travel inspiration. Additionally, cultural distance moderates the relationship between sensory image and travel inspiration, indicating that tourists from culturally distant regions may require stronger sensory stimuli to feel inspired to visit. These findings provide theoretical contributions by integrating sensory image as a critical mediating construct and highlighting cultural adaptation in tourism marketing. From a practical standpoint, the research can guide destination marketers and policymakers in Saudi Arabia on how to design social media xii strategies to maximize engagement and travel inspiration. Future research should explore the role of emerging digital technologies such as augmented reality (AR) technology and artificial intelligence in shaping destination image perceptions.
Keywords: Social media marketing, destination image, cultural distance, tourist-generated content, travel inspiration, PLS-SEM
Cross-Cultural Comparison of Mother-Child Interactions During Shared Reading
Full text linkThe quantity and quality of maternal interactive behaviours during shared reading were compared for mothers from China and mothers from the US.Ten Chinese mothers from Fuzhou City in Fujian Province, China and 10 mothers from four US states video-recorded themselves reading two storybooks, one selected by the families and one by investigators, to their typically developing 4-year-olds. Videotapes were transcribed in Mandarin and English, respectively, and analysed using investigator-developed codes. Chinese mothers had a higher percentage of extra-textual talk than US mothers and attention to print (i.e. English letters or Chinese characters) was uncommon among mothers in both groups. Chinese mothers had more frequent use of question prompts, acknowledgements, extensions, and explanations compared to US mothers. Only Chinese mothers elaborated on the moral of the story. Chinese mothers\u27 frequent use of a question-give-answer pattern was consistent with Chinese culture which prioritises assertiveness and education. Generalisation would require an investigation of within-culture variation as well as an increased sample size. Understanding shared reading as a culturally valid context can support emerging speech-language services in Chin
Empowering Learners and Expanding Access with Open Educational Resources
Full text linkGo beyond Open Educational Resources (OER) to understand the broader landscape of Open Educational Practices (OEP). This session will provide an overview of key OEP principles and demonstrate practical applications for fostering learner agency, enhancing cost-effectiveness, and expanding the reach of educational content. Participants will gain insights into integrating OEP into their own teaching and institutional strategies