Impostor Syndrome and Self-Respect

In this paper, I offer a Kantian account of what goes wrong when we fail to properly respect ourselves. In particular, I argue that failures of appraisal self-respect are often rooted in damage to our deeper self-conception; they are due to damage to our recognition self-respect. At the fundamental level, to respect yourself in this way is to know that you are a rational agent who has the capacity to rationally reflect and act on reasons in all areas of your life. To fail to respect yourself properly is to begin to question this capacity. It is to doubt that you are capable of living up to a role or a life project that is particularly important to your sense of who you are. I focus on impostor syndrome as a key instance of damaged self-respect, but my account has broader implications for understanding how external pressures can undermine our self-respect and how failures of adequate positive self-appraisal are connected to a damaged sense of rational agency. I will first argue that a person with damaged recognition self-respect will not be fully capable of adequate appraisal self-respect. Drawing on Korsgaard’s account of reasons as essentially shareable, I then demonstrate how our recognition self-respect (particularly recognition respect for ourselves qua bearers of a certain identity) can become damaged when others treat us with implicit bias. I will conclude by showing that this way of understanding the dynamics of self-respect has some important normative implications

IDENTIFYING THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG FUNCTIONAL MOTOR COMPETENCE, THE ARMY COMBAT FITNESS TEST, AND VERTICAL JUMP PERFORMANCE IN ROTC CADETS.

Context: Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets are at high risk of injury, which results in high medical costs and affects the longevity of our future soldiers’ careers. Functional motor competence (FMC), defined as the coordination and control required to perform a wide range of motor skills, may be an underappreciated aspect of performance and injury in ROTC cadets because of how FMC is developed. Higher FMC has been speculated to be positively associated with better physical and neuromuscular fitness (power, dynamic balance, etc.), better performance on the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the Army’s standardized physical test, and protective biomechanics. However, the evidence to support these relationships in ROTC cadets is limited. The majority of the evidence on FMS is from child populations and not adult tactical athletes. The overall goals of FMC in child populations is very different than that of utilizing FMC in the ROTC. Evidence is needed to support FMC and its relationships to physical and neuromuscular fitness components, physical military readiness, and biomechanics existence in adult ROTC populations to support future investigations utilizing FMC for screening and intervention protocols. Objective: The first purpose of this study was to determine if power and dynamic balance were predictors of FMC and to determine if the relationship was moderated by previous sport participation. The second purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between performance on the ACFT and FMC composite score. The final purpose of this study was to identify if FMC is related to landing biomechanics.Participants: 70 (49 males and 21 females) cadets were recruited from the Army ROTC Golden Eagle Battalion (GEB) which consists of 5 schools: Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI) which hosts the GEB, UW-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI), UW-Parkside (Kenosha, WI), Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) (Milwaukee, WI), and Concordia University (Mequon, WI). Procedures: Data collection was scheduled for two-hour sessions across four days which allowed for five flights of cadets (25 cadets total) to get through the protocol. Cadets performed a short warmup then were provided with questionnaires (demographics, previous sport participation since the age of five, and previous military experience) and the data collection sheet on a clipboard. Cadets rotated between five stations which included 1) check in/out & questionnaires 2) standing long jump (distance), 3) ball throw (velocity) and ball kick (velocity), 4) maximal vertical jump (height), and 5) Y-Balance. Station 1 involved describing the study, collecting written consent, providing participant IDs, putting cadets through the warm-up, providing all questionnaires and data collection sheets, and checking out cadets at the end of the collections. Station 2 involved cadets performing a standing long jump for maximal distance. Station 3 involved cadets throwing a tennis ball for maximal velocity at a target on a net followed by kicking an eight-inch diameter playground ball for maximal velocity. Station 4 involved cadets performing a maximal vertical jump in which 2-Dimensional (2D) video and accelerometer data were collected. Station 5 involved cadets performing the modified Y-balance which involved only completing the anterior reach portion of the protocol. The ACFT was conducted over a two-day period involving six events (maximal dead lift, standing power throw, hand release pushup, sprint drag carry, plank, and 2-mile run). ACFT data were collected by Army leaders as per standard protocol. The cadre provided height, weight, and the sex and age adjusted ACFT total and individual event scores to the research team in an excel file. Main Outcome Measures: FMC composite score was calculated by summing the standardized best attempts of the four tasks in the FMC test battery (long jump distance, ball throw and kick velocity, and vertical jump height). Previous sport participation was collected with a self-report questionnaire and was separated into total number of years participated in sport and total number of sports participated in since the age of five. Reactive strength index (RSI) was calculated by dividing maximal jump height by time to takeoff for the vertical jump task. Dynamic balance was measured using the modified Y-balance utilizing only the anterior reach portion and the right/Left difference (R/L Diff) was used for analyses. ACFT individual event scores and total score were provided by the cadre. 2D sagittal plane angles of the trunk, hip, and knee were identified by importing 2D video into the Dartfish program. Pelvic and tibial acceleration was collected with MyoMotion IMUs to identify jump phases and to collect peak landing acceleration that was then used to calculate peak landing force in N. Results: When added into the model with sex, RSI explained a significant amount of the variance in FMC composite score (change in R2=.341; p\u3c.001) whereas dynamic balance did not (change in R2=.004; p=.382). Previous sport participation did not moderate any of the relationships between the fitness factors and FMC, but previous sport performance did have a non-linear relationship with FMC composite score. Five of the six events had significant correlational relationships with FMC however, SDC was the only event that was included in the model with sex and explained a significant amount of the variance in FMC score (change in R2 = .210, p \u3c .001). ACFT total score was also a significant predictor of FMC composite score when entered the model with sex, explaining a significant amount of the variance in FMC composite score (change in R2 = .156, p \u3c.001). Significant correlational relationships were found with all the biomechanical variables however knee flexion angle was the only biomechanical variable included in the final model with sex and accounted for a significant amount of variance in FMC score (change in R2 = .082, p \u3c .001). Conclusions: This study identified relationships among physical and neuromuscular fitness factors, sport participation, and FMC which prior to this study were speculative in nature. This study confirmed the relationship between FMC and ACFT total score following the revisions to the ACFT scoring protocol and found significant positive relationships among FMC and the individual ACFT tasks which had never been investigated before. The results of this study provide valuable support for the initial phases of research investigating the relationship between FMC and ACFT in ROTC cadets. The solidification of the relationship between FMC and ACFT supports the future utilization of the easily assessed FMC as a mechanism to understand how a cadet may perform on the ACFT. Finally, this study investigated how biomechanics were related to FMC which had never been directly compared. These results open avenues for exploration into FMC and its direct relationship with injurious biomechanics. Since FMC is often described as one’s ability to move their body through space safely and effectively, there are opportunities to investigate what that truly means within the ROTC population

INVESTIGATIONS OF THE PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUORESCENT PROTEINS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR ANALYSIS OF FÖRSTER RESONANCE ENERGY TRANSFER MEASUREMENTS

Understanding the photophysical properties of fluorescent proteins (FPs), such as emission and absorption spectra, molecular brightness, photostability, and photoswitching, is critical to the development of criteria for their selection as tags for fluorescence-based biological applications. My overall goal has been to study the photophysical properties of FPs under various excitation conditions, quantify the contributions that photophysical effects make to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements, and provide appropriate experimental guidelines for FRET studies.Over the past two decades, we have witnessed a mounting interest in the study of protein localization and interactions using two-photon excitation (TPE) of fluorescently labeled proteins. While there is a plethora of information available regarding the photophysical and photochemical properties of commonly used fluorescent proteins when subjected to single-photon excitation, unfortunately, there is still very limited information regarding these properties under TPE. Therefore, I started my research by investigating the photophysical properties of several widely used fluorescent proteins using two-photon microscopy with spectral resolution in both excitation and emission. The results provided in the first part of this dissertation indicate that a number of properties, including the excitation and emission spectra, the relative brightness, and the extent of photobleaching and photoswitching, are markedly different under TPE when compared to single-photon excitation. The second part of this dissertation describes a detailed study of the nature and degree of the contributions to FRET of the photophysical effects exhibited by FPs used as fluorescent tags for the proteins of interest. FRET is a widely used technique to study the quaternary structure of protein complexes (i.e., intermolecular distances and binding interfaces) in living cells. Critical to the interpretation of the results of such studies is the theoretical treatment of oligomers comprised of more than one donor and one acceptor that may exchange electronic excitations via FRET. The question has been theoretically addressed by developing the kinetic theory of FRET. However, there is no detailed analysis how FRET and the kinetic theory of FRET respond to photophysical effects such as photobleaching of the donor and acceptor tags. Herein, we have presented a comparative analysis of different protocols for calculation of the FRET efficiency. We studied the effects of changing the laser excitation power on FRET measurements by quantifying the deviations from the kinetic theory of FRET, which does not include photobleaching currently. We also used a simple but effective numerical method to estimate the degree to which photobleaching of donors and acceptors was responsible for the observed discrepancies between the two sets of FRET efficiencies. We found that under low excitation power, and with carefully selected excitation wavelengths, the FRET efficiency of an obligate trimeric construct, made by fusing one FRET donor and two FRET acceptors to one another, is in agreement within less than 2% with the FRET efficiency predicted by the kinetic theory of FRET. However, at higher excitation powers, the FRET efficiencies changed significantly, due to the photobleaching of both the donor, through direct excitation, and the acceptor, mostly through FRET-induced excitation. If ignored, these effects could cause systematic and random errors as large as 15% or more in the FRET efficiency values obtained from experiments, which would cause significant uncertainties regarding the quaternary structure to be determined. This study therefore provides critical information for selecting appropriate fluorescent proteins and experimental conditions for reliable FRET measurements in oligomeric complexes of associating molecules in living cells

SPIRITUAL CARE INCLUSION IN THE UNDERGRADUATE NURSING CURRICULUM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF FACULTY

Background/Significance: Nursing is the blend of art and science of caring as nurses provide care to their clients and their clients’ families through a holistic approach that encompasses the whole person; their mind, body, and spirit (Klebanoff & Hess, 2013). Research shows that caring for a client’s spirit is an essential part of holistic nursing practice because an individual’s spiritual self is central to their overall health and well-being (Ross et al., 2014). A barrier to providing spiritual care is nurses lack of knowledge and understanding on how to recognize and respond to an individual’s spiritual distress. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore nursing educators’ perceptions of curriculum content to prepare nurses to address the spiritual care of their clients. Methods: Thirty-three nurse educators teaching in baccalaureate nursing programs across the United States were interviewed via ZOOM utilizing a semi-structured interview guide. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants consisted of nurse educators (N = 33), who met the inclusion criteria. Nursing educators participating in the study emphasized they felt spiritual care content in the baccalaureate nursing curriculum needs to have more emphasis and be included in a structured manner. They felt spiritual care content should be threaded throughout the curriculum and be included in both didactic and clinical courses

CRITICAL MINDFULNESS IN THE SECONDARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM

This qualitative dissertation examines teachers’ perceptions of integrating mindfulness practices in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms, emphasizing urban schools with a significant number of Black and Brown students. The study addresses the gap in existing research examining if mindfulness is aligned with culturally-based pedagogies to support Black and Brown students effectively. The central research question is: What frameworks do ELA teachers use to deliver mindfulness within the curriculum and pedagogy to support Black and Brown students in urban secondary settings? Using a phenomenological intuitive inquiry research design, this research analyzed interviews of seven secondary ELA teachers across five cycles of analysis. The findings reveal the nuances of various mindfulness applications in the ELA classroom. Key themes emerged, such as the use of mindfulness to enhance social- emotional learning (SEL), and its impact on student well-being by providing strategies to manage stress and emotions. Teachers perceived improvements in student engagement, and a decrease in disruptive behavior attributed to mindfulness. In the final analysis cycle of the teachers’ interviews, two lenses were identified: the (in)visibility of white supremacy in mindfulness instruction and cultivating consciousness: the gap in culturally relevant mindfulness. Findings suggest teachers perceive mindfulness as a tool to enhance student achievement and well-being, but the implementation often lacked cultural-based frameworks, thus not fully supporting students. Instead, mindfulness was primarily used as a classroom management tool rather than leveraging its full potential. Additionally, findings show these teachers used deficit language that reinforced systemic biases by ignoring the socio-political factors that impact students experiences and needs. Further, the teachers in the study did not make any culturally relevant adaptations to the mindfulness curriculum and instead relied on generalized programs devoid of an acknowledgment of the unique cultures of Black and Brown students. This study emphasizes the need for an anti-oppressive framework that is culturally-based explicitly in the mindfulness curriculum. The implications of this study suggest that for mindfulness to positively impact Black and Brown students in secondary ELA settings, it must go beyond generalizable applications and be deeply ingrained with culturally-based teaching pedagogies

On the Processual Nature of Fetal Development: Taking the Subject Out of the Abortion Debate

The abortion debate has perpetually been discussed in terms of when the fetus may gain moral rights (i.e., become a person). Personhood is often discussed in conjunction with when a line should be drawn on the permissibility or impermissibility of termination. This is suggestive of a Substantival framework. Two camps are commonly considered within the metaphysics of pregnancy: the Containment View, where the fetus is viewed as a full person from 16 days, and the Parthood View, where the fetus is viewed similarly to an organ until birth. These views fail to account for the reality of contextual differentiation across pregnancies due to social, environmental, or biomedical factors. The disparity between accounts of the origin of personhood (be it at 16 days or birth) leaves the public mired in disagreement and in a constant battle for reproductive rights. This battle is solvable via a Process Realist Account of Fetal Development, which considers the measurable change and growth that occur in the fetus as the pregnancy progresses. Cases of fetal development are considered to be contextually differentiated, and the practical dependence relation between the pregnant person and the fetus is considered. The date of medical viability, at which the fetus is no longer practically dependent, may then be the cut-off date for abortion. Medical viability differs across countries, however, and each country will have a slightly altered timeline. The Process Realist approach provides a practical benefit to the field via an empirically and epistemically accessible account, wherein only information provided by our natural world is integrated into our problem solving. Medical viability approaches have shown historic success in regard to social, economic, and political rights (Roe v. Wade), and therefore one can expect a Process Realist approach to benefit societies while curtailing harms previously done by the Substance framework

Conceptual Understanding of Linear Relationships Across Various Mathematics Courses

This cross-sectional study investigated the conceptual understanding of linear relationships for 195 students enrolled in a single school in a large, urban district across five mathematics courses: Grade 7 Math (n = 24), Grade 8 Math (n = 52), Geometry (n = 43), Algebra 1 (n = 31), and Algebra 2 (n = 45). The following questions guided this study: (1) What differences exist in students’ conceptual understanding of linear relationships across mathematics courses? (2) What are common strengths and weaknesses in students’ conceptual understanding of linear relationships? An assessment was created to assess three constructs of conceptual understanding of linear relationships: (1) Identifying unit rates in proportional relationships, (2) Moving fluidly between representations of the same linear relationships, and (3) Interpreting different representations of linear relationships. The assessment contained eight multiple-choice items and seven free-response items, with five items assessing each construct. Each student completed the assessment in their regular mathematics course in a single class period. The assessment was scored and analyzed by mathematics course. The overall test score and the score on each construct were analyzed using an ANOVA with Tukey and Games-Howell post hoc analyses. A significant difference was found in overall understanding of linear relationships across courses. The difference existed between students enrolled in the follow mathematics courses: Grade 7 Math and Algebra 2, Grade 7 Math and Geometry, and Grade 8 Math and Algebra 2. Results also highlighted a significant difference between Grade 7 Math and Algebra 2 students in all three linear relationship constructs, with Algebra 2 students scoring significantly higher than Grade 7 Math students. Overall, students did not demonstrate a strong understanding of linear relationships, although Algebra 2 students were the most successful. The area in which students in all mathematics courses showed the greatest understanding was calculating unit rates in familiar contexts (e.g. speed, units per hour). Areas of weakness included interpreting linear relationships from any representation (e.g. table, graph, equation, verbal description) and moving fluidly between representations of linear relationships. The results of this study suggested that students need to be given more opportunities to engage in learning experiences where they are interpreting multiple representations of the same linear relationship across all mathematics courses. Students should be asked to translate between tables, graphs, equations, and verbal representations of linear relationships in all directions (e.g., table to equation, verbal to equation, equation to graph). Curricular materials and learning experiences that only ask students to translate in select familiar directions between representations (e.g., table to graph, equation to graph) may be contributing to inequitable mathematics learning experiences and outcomes. Engaging in learning experiences in all directions and with all representations of linear relationships should help increase students’ conceptual understanding of linear relationships. Effectively implementing conceptual-based curricular materials along with research-based best teaching practices will help provide a more equitable mathematics experience for all students

IMPROVEMENT OF CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS

Hearing loss is a universal healthcare issue and if left untreated, it has been associated with multiple serious conditions such as depression, dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, falls, social isolation etc. It has been estimated that approximately 15% of the adult population in the United States (which is estimated to be around 37.5 million) have reported some difficulty in hearing. Hearing Aids are the primary devices used to treat individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) estimates that about 28.8 million adults in the United States could benefit from using hearing aids. In the age group of 20-69, fewer than 1 in 6 individuals who could benefit from hearing aids have ever used the device. Typically, audiologist sourced hearing aids are the main source of treatment. It’s been scientifically and clinically validated that the established process used by audiologists works, but there are several problems with this solution. On average, a pair of hearing aids could cost between $2,400 to$5,800 which may have insurance coverage limitations. Additionally, getting the hearing aids customized and fit may require an average of 2.5 visits to an audiologist. Due to inequity in access to audiologists, lower-income and rural residents are particularly affected. To resolve these issues, this research presents the development of a low-cost, over-the-counter (OTC) Hearing Aid with Live Fitting features that can be independently and conveniently customized according to the user\u27s specific hearing requirements with a paired smartphone app. In cases of severe to profound hearing loss, cochlear implants (CI) are considered to be important treatment devices in children and adults. One of the key challenges with these devices is poor speech perception performance issues in noisy environments. To address this issue, this research presents a novel hybrid FSP-CIS-HRP (Fine Structure Processing - Continuous Interleaved Stimulation - High Rate Pulse) based stimulation strategy. This was tested among 12 adult MED-EL cochlear implant users at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In both quiet and noisy environments, 7 out of 12 subjects showed improved speech perception performance

A LARGE-SCALE INVESTIGATION OF AD-TO-AD SPILLOVER EFFECTS IN TELEVISION ADVERTISING

Television advertising remains a crucial component of many companies\u27 marketing strategies, as it offers a powerful platform to reach a broad audience and promote brand awareness. However, the effectiveness of television advertisements can be influenced by various factors. Content, ad characteristics, and airing characteristics play a vital role in marketing strategies, serving as powerful tools to engage and influence target audiences. In an era of information overload and short attention spans, compelling and valuable strategies have become essential for capturing and retaining viewer’s interest. Airing characteristics like the order in which different brands\u27 ads are displayed during commercial breaks. This phenomenon, known as the spillover effect, suggests that the presence of certain brands\u27 advertisements may impact the viewership or interruption rates of subsequent ads, potentially leading to significant consequences for advertisers and television networks.This dissertation investigates how the sequence of ads affects audience engagement, specifically focusing on the interruption rate of the following ad that could be influenced by the lead-in ad, while controlling for other factors. This phenomenon is referred to as the spillover effect of the lead-in ad. The study aims to examine how the content of the juxtaposed ads impacts viewer engagement of the following ad, considering the potential consequences for advertisers and television networks. Essay 1 examines the spillover effect of event-related advertising, such as political ads during election seasons, tax preparation ads during filing seasons, or promotional campaigns for highly anticipated movie releases, on subsequent brand advertising. The significance of these events can fluctuate over time, potentially altering the spillover effect on brand ads throughout the event cycle. It\u27s crucial to analyze how event-related ads influence viewer engagement and receptivity to brand advertising. The saturation of media with event-specific messaging risks causing information overload, diminishing attention spans for brand ads. For instance, the high frequency of political ads during elections may lead viewers to tune out subsequent brand messaging. Moreover, the messaging strategies employed in event-related advertising can spillover to impact viewer responses to brand ads. Political campaigns often utilize emotionally charged appeals, controversial claims, and negative attacks to capture voters\u27 attention. Similarly, tax preparation ads may play on anxiety or urgency around filing deadlines. Such tactics could positively or negatively influence how viewers perceive and respond to subsequent brand ads, affecting their effectiveness. Understanding these dynamics of how event-related ad frequency and messaging strategies spillover to impact brand advertising is vital for companies. It allows them to adjust their marketing approaches proactively during these periods, ensuring their brand messaging remains impactful and resonates with the target audience amid the cluttered media landscape. Essay 2 investigates the broader understanding of consumer behavior and advertising effectiveness, shedding light on the complex interplay between brand perceptions, ad sequencing, and viewer engagement. Our analysis, encompassing TV ads from 100 brands across diverse product categories, reveals a distinct shift in viewers\u27 behavior towards subsequent ads, with different brands exhibiting varying degrees of spillover effects. The study represents heterogeneity in the spillover effects across different brand campaigns. Interestingly, as viewer engagement with a specific brand ad decreases, subsequent brand ads tend to experience a more positive spillover effect. By quantifying these spillover effects, this study offers a data-driven approach to informed decision-making in the realm of television advertising. Advertisers and media platforms can leverage these insights to maximize the return on their marketing investments. The study provides a deeper understanding of how ad sequencing, brand perceptions, and viewer engagement interact, enabling more strategic ad placement and campaign planning. Furthermore, the findings highlight the importance of considering spillover effects when evaluating advertising effectiveness. Brand ads cannot be viewed in isolation, as their impact is influenced by preceding ads and the overall media environment. This study equips advertisers with a comprehensive framework to account for these spillover dynamics, leading to more accurate assessments of ad performance and better optimization of advertising strategies

COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS, EVALUATION, AND APPLICATION OF SAFETY SURROGATE MEASURES

This dissertation demonstrates a comprehensive analysis, evaluation, and application of safety surrogate measures. Through five distinct analyses, the research has made several key contributions.Firstly, the research developed a complete framework to process and analyze the large-scale safety Pilot Model Deployment (SPMD) connected vehicle data, allowing the extraction of meaningful safety insights. By building surrogate safety measures on the vehicle, trip, and link levels, the analyses have been capable of statistically relate those measures to real crash facts, validating their use as proxies for safety assessment. This technique avoids the limitation of conventional strategies that depend entirely on sparse crash data. The research additionally highlighted the significance of incorporating driver behavior, including but not limited to speed and braking behavior, into the safety evaluation. This enriched data allowed for more comprehensive models which can capture the complex interactions among driver behavior, traffic conditions, and safety outcomes. The findings show the value of using the wealth of information through connected vehicle technologies to enhance road safety evaluation. Statistical techniques, such as Negative Binomial regression and Extreme Value Theory (EVT) modeling, have been implemented to analyze the surrogate safety measures and predict the chance of extreme safety events. Implementation of these advanced methodologies offers a more rigorous and complicated technique to safety assessment. Furthermore, the incorporation of a safety index into a route-selection algorithm highlighted the potential for connected vehicle data to inform and optimize transportation decision-making. By guiding drivers toward safer routes, this technique shows how safety considerations could be systematically integrated into navigation systems. Despite the above contributions, the dissertation also recognized several obstacles that need to be addressed in future studies. These include but not limited to data quality and completeness issues, data processing algorithm issues, limited crash types in the safety measures, and the challenge of low connected vehicle penetration rates. Recommendations for future work include improving data collection methods, enhancing the data processing algorithms, expanding the scope of the safety measures and analysis, and developing effective strategies to address the low connected vehicle penetration rates. By addressing those obstacles and pursuing those future research directions, the field of surrogate safety measures in road safety studies, especially with more comprehensive connected vehicle data, can keep evolving, supplying increasingly robust and actionable insights to improve road safety