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Description
This interdisciplinary thesis examines the possible relationship between the public speaking experience for women and the gender gap in political ambition. First, a historical analysis of women public speakers ranging from the 1800s to the Suffragettes to female politicians in the 1900s reveals a pattern of female public speakers in politics receiving extreme criticism for their communicative behavior. The thesis then turns to the socialization of young girls, highlighting how gameplay in children translates into gendered communicative behavior in adult women. Next, an examination of the pedagogy of public speaking showcases how the public speaking experience is different for women than it is for men, and how public speaking traditionally is taught in a masculine style. Then, through a review of the literature on the gender gap in political ambition, it is seen that not only are women severely underrepresented in political office in the United States, but women have far less political ambition than men. And a case study of the 2008 presidential primaries and elections, highlighting modern women in politics, demonstrates that the few women who are politically ambitious in the 21st century face criticism that mirrors those faced by political women decades and centuries prior. Finally, the thesis offers possible solutions to changing the experience of women as public speakers and fostering political ambition in women.
ContributorsPatton, Ashley Crystal (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Wentzel, Bonnie (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis will be to outline the different tactics involving social and digital media that film studios currently use to market their films. Before that is done, a brief history will be provided about the ways the film industry has promoted itself in the past, as well as a brief history of the development of social media. After the history is provided, the marketing tactics that studios use that involve digital and social media will be listed and explained. In addition to discussing the tactics used by studios, there will also be a discussion of the shifts that have occurred in the marketing of films at a strategic level. After the explanation of all the tactics mentioned, there will be an analysis of the ways two major Hollywood blockbusters, The Hunger Games and Gravity, used some of those tactics to promote themselves. Through all these sections, the reader will be able to comprehend how big of an impact social media has made on the film industry and understand exactly how it is used to promote films.
ContributorsRamirez, Alvaro R (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the relationship between mental illness and capitalist consumer society. Many Americans are suffering from mental illness and there has to be something causing it besides a chemical imbalance in the brain. A capitalist society creates a set of expectations that conflict with human desires. The thesis takes a historical, economical, and psychological approach to answering the following question: Does a capitalist society make its citizens mentally sick? A brief history of capitalism over the past century is discussed, as well as a more in depth look at capitalism and the creation of neoliberalism during the 1980s. The psychological effects capitalism has on human beings is discussed for the majority of the thesis and focuses on ideas from the 1950s as well as the early 2000s. To show the effect capitalism has on modern day society, an analysis of a psychopharmaceutical drug commercial is given. The concluding thoughts attempt to offer solutions to the problems of human unhappiness in a consumer culture.
ContributorsSerki, Aisling Erin (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Ramsey, Ramsey Eric (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This thesis takes four modern dance genre films — Footloose (1984), Save the Last Dance, Take the Lead, and Step Up 2: The Streets — and analyzes them through the psychological concepts of trust, self-esteem, and prejudice. This thesis begins by identifying the cinematic elements of the dance film genre. It then explores and explains the underlying psychological elements and the impact they have on the film viewers. This thesis contains three chapters that will explore the significance of this new genre. Chapter One will describe how documentary dance films differ from fictional dance films. This will be followed by a history of the fictional dance films beginning with foundational films Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Dirty Dancing (1987) as a gateway to the modern dance film storylines. Chapter Two identifies the genre elements of modern dance films in regards to the typical characters, settings, and filmic devices. Chapter Three provides an in-depth view of the psychological concepts of trust, self-esteem, and prejudice, showing how they are integrated in the lessons the characters and audience learn throughout the films. The purpose of the thesis is to educate readers that dance films not only have an entertaining element, but also the ability to offer a deeper psychological understanding through the audience identification with the characters.
ContributorsFlack, Desirae Adele (Author) / Ramsey, Ramsey Eric (Thesis director) / Gruber, Diane (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
The portrayal of those with mental health disorders in film and television, particularly those with disorders that label them as psychopaths, have often been overlooked. It is all too common for mental health disorders to be romanticized, dramatized, or simply depicted incorrectly. The historical fiction films Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile and My Friend Dahmer depict serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer respectively, and while depict historical events to a degree of accuracy, still take creative liberties. The proper definition of psychopathy must be analyzed more and the reason why films about psychopaths are popular with audiences must be as well.
ContributorsCompanik, Noah (Author) / Arce, Alma (Thesis director) / Gruber, Diane (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
For the sake of this thesis, two scholarly collections edited by Dr. Robin S. Rosenberg – Our Superheroes, Ourselves (2013) and The Psychology of Superheroes: An Unauthorized Exploration (2008) – were reviewed. From these two collections and the multitude of psychological theories they cite, those most relevant to adolescent character development are considered. Three broad theories are examined first: positive psychology, equity theory, and attachment style. Then, six additional specific theories that define temperament (behavioral activation system and behavioral inhibition system), personality theory, duel identity, media identification, parasocial interaction, and comparison theory are reviewed. After reviewing each theory, Heroes in Crisis (2019) , a recent bestselling DC offering that addresses superhero trauma, is analyzed through the lens of these psychological theories in order to provide insight into the psychology or both superheroes and their adolescent fans.
ContributorsGutierrez, Jairo Gerardo (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Amparano, Julie (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05