Stetson University

Many critics of higher education contend it has become infused with a radical progressive ideology (RPI).Critics of this ideology often focus on "Critical Race Theory" (CRT) and "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI).Broadly defined, CRT/DEI are a set of beliefs espousing that U.S. and Western societies are based on "white supremacy" and that social inequalities are due to raciallydesigned barriers to oppress non-Whites.These views are often accompanied by a deemphasis on classically liberal values such as free speech and due process.Advocates of CRT/DEI demand that society become more egalitarian, just, and inclusive.However, many ideas and tenets of CRT/DEI are debatable and are contested by critics due to the ideas' questionable empirical support.The purpose of this study was to examine select personality and attitudinal variables that may predict endorsement of CRT/DEI ideas that we call "radical progressive ideology" (RPI).Based on a sample of university students, three variables emerged significantly correlating with RPI: left-wing authoritarianism, anti-White attitudes, and anti-U.S. attitudes.Findings suggest that those embracing RPI may hold prejudicial views of Whites and of the U.S. as a country and may be desirous of punishing those not sharing their radical progressive ideology.Additional implications are discussed.

Recent work by Google DeepMind introduced assembly-optimized sorting networks that achieve faster performance for small fixed-size arrays (3-8). In this research, we investigate the integration of these networks as base cases in classical divide-and-conquer sorting algorithms, specifically Merge Sort and Quick Sort, to leverage these efficient sorting networks for small subarrays generated during the recursive process. We conducted benchmarks with 11 different optimization configurations and compared them to classical Merge Sort and Quick Sort. We tested the configurations with random, sorted and nearly sorted arrays.

In FY 2024, federal COVID-19 relief funds ended. Vermont increased its efforts to bolster special education, CTE, and rural education resources. Vermont continues its efforts to reduce tax burdens on vulnerable Vermonters with funding formula and pupil weight adjustments while proposing budget increases for FY 2025.

Many demonstrations of the speed of sound rely on specialized equipment and waveform visualizations in a laboratory setting. Is it possible to achieve similar results with minimal technical setup in an outdoor setting? Can it be done without graphs to make it more accessible for visually impaired students? Since late 2020, Young Sound Seekers has engaged blind and partially sighted youth in monthly outdoor educational excursions to national and state parks in Central Florida. Our lessons focus on natural soundscapes and field recording, while introducing acoustics and other scientific concepts whenever possible. The speed of sound was a topic that regularly came up in lessons, but we lacked a way to clearly demonstrate the phenomenon that fit the needs of our group. The goal was to design a demonstration using familiar equipment that the youth could help setup, and to make the speed of sound audible in real-time without visualizations. Our final design uses just one field recorder, two omnidirectional microphones, 150 feet of cabling, and stereo headphones. This presentation will summarize the design process, review feedback from the youth, and share generalized setup notes so that others can reproduce the demonstration.

PurposeSocial media addiction and stress are global phenomena, but little is known about how Facebook (Gen Y) and TikTok (Gen Z) users in the US experience these issues. For marketers, understanding social media stress sources is essential for effective marketing. Grounded in several theories, this study aims to test a model of psychological motivations – the need to belong and fear of missing out (FOMO) – and two moderators – gender and social media self-control – of addiction and stress.Design/methodology/approachThis study used an online survey to collect data from Facebook (n = 320 Gen Y) and TikTok (n = 230 Gen Z) users. Data analysis entailed statistical analysis: structural equation modeling, nonparametric tests and hierarchical multiple regression.FindingsResults show the need to belong increases stress among Facebook and TikTok users and social media addiction among Facebook users. On both platforms, consumers’ FOMO increases both addiction and stress. Facebook and TikTok use increases addiction. However, while TikTok does not directly increase stress, Facebook addiction does. Two moderators were found for Facebook users: gender and social media self-control. First, the need to belong-addiction link is stronger for male Facebook users. Second, consumers with a low need to belong and FOMO are less addicted to Facebook with high (vs low) self-control.Originality/valueUnderstanding the detrimental effects of social media on consumers’ mental health in the form of social media stress and addiction requires examining specific platforms like Facebook and TikTok. This study addresses three gaps in the literature on social media: (1) psychological factors, (2) the role of gender and self-control as moderators and (3) the association between Facebook and TikTok use and stress among Gen Y and Gen Z consumers.

In the last decade, crowdfunding has emerged as a novel, yet prevailing way for new ventures to acquire capital. Successful crowdfunding campaigns are often accompanied by entrepreneurs’ social networking activities. However, our understanding of an entrepreneur’s ability to convey trustworthiness and generate investment interest through first impressions on online social networking sites is incomplete. Hence, we explore how entrepreneurs can use impression management tactics online to increase perceptions of trustworthiness and investor interest. Using an experimental vignette design, we examine whether the use of smiling versus non-smiling pictures and adjective enhanced headlines versus unadorned headlines on the LinkedIn platform influence both perceptions of trustworthiness and investment interest by crowdfunding investors. The results suggest that LinkedIn profile pictures with a smile (versus no smile) increase perceptions of trustworthiness and investment interest. This study contributes to a better understanding of how impression management on social networking sites can affect online crowdfunding success.