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Social Influence and Strategic Interaction: Observational and Experimental Studies of Decisions in Groups
No full textIndividuals make choices with personal costs and social impacts in a broad range of environments. This dissertation explores the role of social interaction in decision-making in two settings with this structure using both administrative voter records and experimental social dilemmas in the lab. The first chapter, Homophily Turnout, develops a framework for the role of residential homophily networks, networks of similar neighbors, in the decision to vote. The empirical approach leverages a methodological improvement in geographic observational data that allows both the spatial granularity of nearest neighbors approaches and the through-time variation in panels. This makes it possible to test five hypotheses from the Homophily Turnout framework, showing that neighbors who support the same political party lead voters to turnout at higher rates, especially in lower turnout elections, a relationship that is negative for neighbors who support an opposing party, is stronger for nearer neighbors, and when the neighbor is of the same race. The second chapter, Panel Nearest Neighbors, discusses this new panel nearest neighbors approach and applies the algorithm to voter registration records. This methodological contribution offers researchers a deeper look at geographic residential networks by combining the spatial granularity of nearest neighbors and the through-time consistency of panels, making it newly possible to observe the evolution of a nearest neighborhood. Applying this approach to North Carolina voter registration records uncovers new dynamic relationships in how residential moves and political reaffiliations change the political composition of residential neighborhoods. This makes it possible to approach new questions in the geographic relationships between individual’s in residential networks through time. The third chapter, Testing Models of Strategic Uncertainty, develops an index for cooperative behavior in a broad class of social dilemma games in which multiple equilibria are possible. Using experimental lab data, a generalization of an index summarizing the strategic uncertainty from game primitives organizes the level of cooperation across the number of players. Together, these studies advance our understanding of how individuals use their social context to make individually costly choices
Essays on Public Resistance to Rapprochement
No full textThe realm of international politics remains marked by longstanding conflicts between state actors. These intense rivalries often result in adverse outcomes for their citizens, including direct threats to physical safety, reductions in civil liberties, and the promotion of aggressive public behaviors. Throughout history, numerous state leaders including Yitzhak Rabin of Israel, Barack Obama of the United States, and Moon Jae-in of South Korea, have endeavored to break the cycle of international rivalry. Yet, their peace initiatives encountered fierce domestic backlash fueled by public resistance, ultimately failing to establish enduring peace. Then, why does the public resist rapprochement with a foreign adversary? Under what political contexts can a state leader secure public support for a conciliatory policy? Through a series of three papers, this dissertation aims to answer these questions with different analytical approaches. In the first paper, I examine the heterogeneous effects of reciprocated cooperation between international rivals on enhancing public support for rapprochement. I find that the peace-making role of reciprocated cooperation depends largely on the individuals’ partisan affiliation with the ruling party, as well as their identification of the adversary as the same ethnic group. In the second paper, I advance a theory on how interstate behaviors involving third-party states can change the public perception of a foreign adversary and a conciliatory policy. This research demonstrates that interstate cooperation that encompasses a third-party state, such as engagement between an ally and a rival and between an ally and a rival’s ally, can alleviate the sense of confrontation between in- and out-groups at the international level, thereby reducing the adversary’s negative image and public resistance to rapprochement. Finally, in the third paper, I explore domestic conditions under which a state leader can secure public support for rapprochement, specifically by introducing an enemy’s reciprocal cooperation. I find that, within a polarized environment, reciprocated cooperation significantly increases public backing for a conciliatory policy by increasing the perceived competence of the ruling party. Taken together, these three papers provide novel theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence to evaluate under what political contexts citizens support or resist reconciliation with a foreign adversary
TRANSITIONING IDENTITIES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE SOCIAL TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE OF FORMER ARMED GROUP MEMBERS REINTEGRATING INTO COLOMBIAN SOCIETY (2002-2018) FROM A SOCIAL IDENTITY PERSPECTIVE
No full textThe transition of ex-combatants from military to civilian life is a multifaceted psychological journey that necessitates adaptation and time. Despite undergoing demobilization processes designed to facilitate their transition, ex-combatants often struggle to align their identities with civilian norms. This dissertation challenges the assumption that completing reintegration programs equates to seamlessly adopting a civilian identity. Instead, it determines that ex-combatants undergo a three-phase psychological process—separation, transition, and incorporation—running parallel to their reintegration before fully embracing civilian life through the redefinition of their social identity. Drawing on social identity theory, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with 32 former combatants who reintegrated into Colombian society between 2002 and 2018. The aim was to elucidate the psychological process experienced by these individuals as
they reintegrated into society post-demobilization. Given the broad scope of the analysis, the proposed model is also relevant to understanding the experiences of other individuals undergoing analogous reintegration processes. Separation from armed groups entails more than physical demobilization; it requires individuals to disengage psychologically to transition effectively to civilian life. This leaves ex-combatants in a state of limbo before they fully embrace civilian life. Those whose groups were disbanded found the transition comparatively smoother through their new roles. Conversely, participants whose groups evolved into political entities grappled with identity reassessment, leading some to disengage entirely and others to redefine their political activism
apart from their group. Ex-combatants who establish psychological ties through social identities often find support and a sense of belonging, eventually incorporating themselves back into society. This support can also be derived from others undergoing reintegration as they reconsider the factors that bind them together beyond their former combat group. The sample demonstrated how some ex-combatants leverage their rural identities to collaborate with local communities, including victims, in addressing shared experiences of violence and trauma, as well as meeting basic needs. Nonetheless, their experiences show that this process can extend over several years. By successfully disengaging from armed group affiliations and fostering a sense of belonging within society, ex-combatants can integrate into alternative social groups. This research illuminates the intricacies of the social transition process and underscores the pivotal role of social identity in facilitating reintegration into civilian life
Martin Heidegger and the Inventive Destruktion of the Corpus Aristotelicum: Addressivity, Receptivity, and Synchronicity in the Archival Politics of SS1924
No full textThough critical assessments of Martin Heidegger’s existential phenomenology are nothing new, there have only been piecemeal efforts to grasp the scope and influence of Heidegger’s rhetorical politics on his attempt to rethink the scholastic and enlightenment images of man. With only a few notable exceptions, interest in the specifically rhetorical character of Heidegger’s philosophical commitments has yet to become a commonplace in debates about the value of Heidegger’s philosophy for the development political theory. In this dissertation, I contribute to this growing body of scholarship by presenting an account of Heidegger’s rhetorical politics that may serve as a critical response to the more optimistic readings of his existential phenomenology as a wellspring of communitarian being-with-others. I advance the case that we can articulate a specifically rhetorical character of his philosophical commitments by examining his inventive use of the Corpus Aristotelicum as an archival site of collective identity formation. Specifically, I examine how Heidegger’s development of a distinctively phenomenological approach to philological-hermeneutic practices of archival interpretation participates in a broader political strategy aimed at the “destruktion” of a culturally salient metaphysical image of man as subject. This “de-structured” image of man, I illustrate, is positioned by Heidegger to serve as the ground upon which he can, subsequently, construct a concept of “the people” that does not succumb to his critical ascription of averageness, inauthenticity, and falleness to “everyday” being-in-the-world. I advance the claim that we ought to characterize this move as a politics of populist (anti)metaphysics, yielding valuable insight into the rhetorical dimensions binding his philosophical ambitions with the role that he believed education ought to serve in the cultural and political maintenance of national identity. This, I conclude, ought to give pause in our more optimistic interpretations of the priority he gives to listening and silence over speech by considering these moves as part and parcel of a broader rhetorical politics articulating a nationalistic and proto-fascistic vision of collective identity, destiny, and belonging
An Ethnotheatrical Approach to Teaching the History of the Lebanese War
No full textThis research delves into the intersection of history education and ethnotheater, with a specific focus on the Lebanese Civil War. The study aims to fill the gap left by the absence of a comprehensive written historical narrative of the conflict by drawing from diverse artistic artifacts and conflicting historical views.
The study introduces an interdisciplinary approach, shifting away from traditional rote learning. It explores how theater devising can effectively convey historical events, fostering empathy and critical thinking skills among students. By engaging with underrepresented voices, the research advocates for a more holistic understanding of history, challenging dominant narratives and encouraging students to approach the past with a critical lens.
In summary, this study bridges the gap between history and theater education, emphasizing the importance of ethnotheater in shaping informed and empathetic learners
Three Essays in Economic History
No full textThis dissertation contains three essays that contribute to the field of economic history with a focus on the determinants of local policy and urban inequality in the United States during the early twentieth century. Chapter 1 explores the initial spread of comprehensive zoning ordinances among American cities. Using land available for urban expansion as an instrument for low-density, fringe development, I show that the growth of such development contributed to the adoption of zoning. Among non-Southern municipalities, I also show that the arrival of Southern black migrants increased the likelihood of zoning using a shift-share instrumental variables strategy. Finally, I present correlational evidence on the importance of proposed determinants of zoning adoption. Chapter 2 investigates the role of air pollution in the establishment and maintenance of racial inequities in US cities prior to World War II using newly digitized data on air pollution in Pittsburgh. Race and nativity were stronger predictors of pollution exposure than income, and that racial inequity in exposure increased significantly between 1910 and 1940, with black Pittsburghers exposed to more than half a standard deviation more pollution than their white counterparts by 1940. Air pollution was salient in Pittsburgh's housing market, with a 5% drop in housing price associated with a standard deviation increase in air pollution. The findings suggest that air pollution contributed to the establishment and maintenance of racial disparities in US cities prior to World War II. Chapter 3 examines how women’s suffrage impacted the election of women to local office, the characteristics of female officials, and whether the presence of female officials was associated with policy changes. I digitize rosters of municipal and county officials in Ohio from 1910 to 1940 and find the presence of women in local office increased following suffrage. Female officials were more highly educated than male officials, and, congruent with norms against married women working outside the home, less likely to be married. Using a difference-in-differences strategy, I find measures of women’s political power did not consistently increase female office holding. Similarly, the presence of women in government is largely uncorrelated with changes in local government finances
Untethered displays: the effects of mixed reality on split-attention in fine-motor tasks
No full textAugmented reality presents new affordances for users to interact with information without limitations of the physical world. For instance, a surgeon in the operating room may want to adjust a monitor without breaking the sterile field, or a military technician may need to reference information from an immovable screen. These environments currently use either large displays or personal tablet devices to present this information to the user. We have developed a system allowing users to segment a physical display, virtualize the segments as holograms in mixed reality, and position the elements around the task space. We also conducted a user study to understand the effects of display modality (mixed reality, tablet, or large display) on participant performance and preferences. We chose Lego construction as our experimental task, as it is reinforced by the literature and mirrors the critical interaction challenges that exist in constrained environments. We found no significant difference in performance between the three modalities, indicating mixed reality may provide a drop-in solution to places where displays or tablets are disadvantaged. The tablet modality was subject to familiarity bias, which may have affected participant rankings. Participants were likely to recommend mixed reality for hypothetical people completing tasks with more restrictions than the experimental task, regardless of their personal ranking order. Overall, these findings present design implications for replacing large displays and personal tablets with mixed reality in information-rich environments
The Affective Geography of Chinese Improvisational Theater: Movement, Event and Flow
No full textIn the 2010s, large Chinese media organizations sought to incorporate innovative, locally sourced content for cinema, television, and stage productions by collaborating with the emerging trend of improvisational theater groups in Mainland China. From 2009 to 2020, participant observation and a quantitative analysis were undertaken to map the geographic space of improvisational performance as influenced by certain Daoist, Confucian, and structural factors. It was found that among Chinese improvisational performers there is a sense of both individual and group flow leading to the enactment of a Deleuzian event marked by a singularity of latent potential. The relational movement of bodies within this space forms an affective atmosphere within which shared flow was heightened by Daoist variables and moderately inhibited by both Confucian and structural variables. This suggests that a culturally modified variation of Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of flow tailored to Mainland China’s cultural and structural factors may be advantageous for group story and media content generation through improvisation
An Examination of SEP-1: The Effectiveness of the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Management Bundle Measure
No full textIn 2023 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid decided the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Management Bundle, SEP-1, will be a pay-for-performance quality measure. This decision is the result of two decades of sepsis care being protocolized. As SEP-1 becomes a pay-for-performance measure the effectiveness of the policy can be viewed with higher scrutiny. This paper will address the effectiveness of the policy through a literature review. In addition, SEP-1 effects for healthcare organizations will also be explored through a PEST (Political, Economic, Social, Technological) Analysis. The public health significance starts with sepsis being a leading cause of death in the United States. The public health relevance is the SEP-1 policy aims to reduce the burden of disease attributed to sepsis. The role of evidence and ethics on policymaking as well as measure and evaluate the impact of a health policy on population health will be discussed
Design, Synthesis, and Structure Validation of Sultam Analogs as Potential Allosteric Modulators of Cannabinoid Receptor Subtype 2 (CB2)
No full textThe cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptor is a class A GPCR in the endocannabinoid system. It is a promising target for treating neurodegenerative diseases, immune disorders, and neuropathic pain. CB2 receptors are highly distributed in the immune system and less abundant in CNS compared to its homologous subtype CB1. The adverse effects of CB1 ligands can be avoided by selectively targeting CB2. Allosteric modulators (AMs) can help achieve the selectivity between the subtypes by binding to less conserved allosteric binding sites. Moreover, developing allosteric modulators can lower the risk of overdosing and side effects caused by other downstream signaling. There is only one reported novel synthetic small molecule that acts as a CB2 positive allosteric modulator (PAM) and derivates of natural products as a negative allosteric modulator (NAM). We designed and synthesized a series of sultam compounds to develop potential CB2 allosteric modulators based on existing CB2 PAM, EC21a. As an initial study, we performed the docking study to verify the affinity of our newly designed sultams at the potential allosteric binding site. Our novel sultam compounds can be synthesized through multiple steps, including methylation using methane sulfonyl chloride, benzylation on the nitrogen, Dieckmann-like cyclization to construct the sultam ring, and isocyanate coupling reaction to afford diverse sultams with different substituents on the rings. The final sultam compounds were purified using flash column chromatography and trituration, and their purity was measured by HPLC and LC/MS. After that, we verified all compound structures using 1H and 13C NMR. The X-ray data shows the amide-bond orientation of the sultam compound. Using a cAMP function assay, we identified 4.2 as a potential CB2 NAM compound