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Title: ANIMAL CRUELTY: THE NEXUS BETWEEN ADMONISHABLE VIOLENCE AND SANCTIONABLE CRIMINAL ACTS.
Creator: Donis, Natalie, Pons, Irene, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In recent years, animal cruelty has stirred into the limelight as society has given the issue further consideration. State and federal laws as well as the establishment of diverse non-governmental organizations exist to abate animal cruelty, but such institutions have lagged in creating effective control mechanisms in spite of the growth of this modern day pandemic. This thesis will discuss animal cruelty, the types of cruelty, legislative developments, correlation of animal cruelty to...
Show moreIn recent years, animal cruelty has stirred into the limelight as society has given the issue further consideration. State and federal laws as well as the establishment of diverse non-governmental organizations exist to abate animal cruelty, but such institutions have lagged in creating effective control mechanisms in spite of the growth of this modern day pandemic. This thesis will discuss animal cruelty, the types of cruelty, legislative developments, correlation of animal cruelty to violence among humans, and ways to strengthen control mechanisms. Credible findings have indicated a propensity for offenders of animal cruelty to escalate their acts of violence towards a human. Although animal cruelty has made a modest impression on society, a significant segment of our population nevertheless shares the belief that animals are property lacking a holistic set of basic rights, which in turn perpetuates egregious forms of abuse towards animals. Said abuses will be thoroughly reviewed in this thesis with the intent of bringing a collective consciousness to the reader of the extensive types of abuses animals are subjugated to by some of the most heinous offenders. Then, a discussion will proceed of the hoisting impact animal cruelty has in galvanizing violence towards humans. By meticulously analyzing a variety of empirical research showing the overarching effects of animal cruelty as well as by analyzing state and federal laws that have been hindered tepid enforcement control mechanisms over the years, this thesis will argue for an overhaul of enforcement mechanisms so as to cause broader circumvention of animal cruelty. While research shows that there has been a growth in awareness by another significant segment of the population as to gravity of the situation dealing with the mistreatment of animals in our society, there still remains insufficient societal awareness and governmental power to abundantly curtail this imminent problem. Only when society is enlightened with the dangers of animal cruelty and how it can have dire undulating effects within the community, will substantial advancements be made to give animals the wide spectrum of rights they deserve. After conveying the societal necessity for change in constructively protecting animals, a discussion will ensue on the inadequacy of animal laws today. Then, a discussion will proceed on ways to strengthen animal rights in a manner that is reflective of the general cultural norms and values in this modern age. It is the intent of this thesis to affect change and begin a constructive discourse in society of how to mend the preceding errors of prior generations when dealing with animal abuse. While for a significant segment of the population the merit of such argumentation may rest solely in the notion that animals deserve certain basic rights, this thesis widens the purview of consciousness with the empirically-proven affirmation that animal violence can potentially lead to attacks against humans by people who progressively engage in anti-social acts. Thus, the nexus between admonishable violent acts and sanctionable criminal acts is intrinsically intertwined in the notion that animal abuse is a potential precursor to human abuse. In this light, even that segment of the population apathetic towards the plight of animals may not refute the importance of impugning any and all admonishable violent acts against animals into the realm of punitive criminal sanctions orchestrated by a governmental body empowered with seeking the common good -for to otherwise refute animal rights through this newly-endowed lens would be to refute human rights as well.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004476, ucf:45119
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004476

Title: EFFECTS OF ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY ON HUMAN HEALTH.
Creator: Swanson, Gene, Bushy, Angeline, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this thesis is to conduct an integrative review of existing literature focusing on Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), specifically canines, on human health. The reviewed articles were published between the years of 2000 to 2014, written in the English language, scholarly in nature, in peer-reviewed journals with access to full text electronic versions of the article, along with articles that provided current anecdotal information related to the effects of AAT. Search terms included...
Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to conduct an integrative review of existing literature focusing on Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), specifically canines, on human health. The reviewed articles were published between the years of 2000 to 2014, written in the English language, scholarly in nature, in peer-reviewed journals with access to full text electronic versions of the article, along with articles that provided current anecdotal information related to the effects of AAT. Search terms included the phrase, "animal assisted therapy" in the title. Results of the literature search yielded an enormous quantity of recent and innovative research on various aspects of AAT. Various animals were identified with ATT, most often canines; however, it is not uncommon to find that horses, dolphins, felines, birds, or even small mammals satisfying the same roles. Of these, for this thesis thirteen research articles were selected that dealt primarily with canines in AAT. The findings from the review for this thesis suggested that despite the large volume of available research on ATT in general, a gap in literature exists focusing on the health outcomes with specific animal species. Additionally, the research was noted to be fragmented in nature and the findings were inconsistent; thus, limiting the development of evidence based ATT interventions. Implications for nursing research, policy, education and practice are discussed, along with limitations of this integrative review.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004672, ucf:45262
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004672

Title: JOURNEY.
Creator: Martinsen, Suzann, Haxton, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In my drawings and animation, I create a representation of a culture that is instilled in me, yet foreign. The work is inspired from a childlike perspective to depict a personal primitive experience with the Korean culture. The subtleties of the animations are meant to reflect the quiet nature of Asian paintings and to allow the viewer to experience and interpret it as they choose. I want others to see without hearing words in an already noisy world.
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002089, ucf:47528
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002089

Title: ATTITUDE CHANGE REGARDING ANIMAL ABUSE IN ADULTS: THE EFFECT OF EDUCATION AND VISUAL AIDS.
Creator: Carter, Ashley, Chin, Matthew, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Companion animals now serve as more than tools for human use, they have become family. Many individuals now spend increasingly more money on animals than in years past and are more likely to acknowledge the animal as a family member. With this change in roles many humans have become more empathetic to animal cruelty. Studies have been conducted to examine various aspects of animal cruelty and how it relates to humans. However, few have examined attitude change regarding animal abuse. If...
Show moreCompanion animals now serve as more than tools for human use, they have become family. Many individuals now spend increasingly more money on animals than in years past and are more likely to acknowledge the animal as a family member. With this change in roles many humans have become more empathetic to animal cruelty. Studies have been conducted to examine various aspects of animal cruelty and how it relates to humans. However, few have examined attitude change regarding animal abuse. If attitudes can be positively changed in adults, these individuals are in a position to pass the information onto their children. Adults are also currently in the position to make changes in legislature regarding humane treatment of animals. An experiment was conducted which examined adults' attitudes toward animal abuse and whether they can be changed. Text information was examined as a variable for attitude change. Additionally visual aids in the form of photographs were used in conjunction with and separate from the text information as variables. Two types of photographs were used: images of companion animals by themselves or the same animals accompanied by adult humans. The text information used was adapted from an ASPCA presentation obtained, with permission, from the Orange County ASPCA. The power point presentation included information on the connection between animal violence and violence toward humans, how to help stop animal cruelty and how to report it. Six conditions were created using the three variables. iii It was found that pictures have an immediate effect on attitude change and information affects individuals in certain measures but not others. On all measures, images had more of an effect than information alone. Only when the text was accompanied by a picture, did it produce a significant change. Attitudes regarding the treatment of animals saw an immediate increase in both conditions in which images of humans and animals were present. Additionally, images of animals alone immediately increased attitudes regarding treatment of animals. This difference does not appear to increase further over time. Images of animals alone appear to aid in immediately altering individuals' sense of continuity with animals. The attitude that animals and humans share some commonalities and exist in relation to each other could assist in adoption campaigns by allowing the potential owners to place themselves with the animals they are adopting. However, over time information combined with images of humans and animals significantly increase this sense of commonality. The applications for the results depend on what type of attitude one desires to change and how soon the change has to occur. The present research reveals that images appear to affect attitude change regarding companion animals and the way they are treated more than text information.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0004127, ucf:44883
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004127

Title: EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF ANIMAL SHELTERS: AN APPLICATION OF DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS.
Creator: Heyde, Brandy, Reilly, Charles, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The focus of this thesis is the application of data envelopment analysis to understand and evaluate the performance of diverse animal welfare organizations across the United States. The results include identification of the most efficient animal welfare organizations, at least among those that post statistics on their operations, and a discussion of various partnerships that may improve the performance of the more inefficient organizations. The Humane Society of the United States estimates...
Show moreThe focus of this thesis is the application of data envelopment analysis to understand and evaluate the performance of diverse animal welfare organizations across the United States. The results include identification of the most efficient animal welfare organizations, at least among those that post statistics on their operations, and a discussion of various partnerships that may improve the performance of the more inefficient organizations. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that there are 4000 - 6000 independently-run animal shelters across the United States, with an estimated 6-8 million companion animals entering them each year. Unfortunately, more than half of these animals are euthanized. The methods shared in this research illustrate how data envelopment analysis may help shelters improve these statistics through evaluation and cooperation. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is based on the principle that the efficiency of an organization depends on its ability to transform its inputs into the desired outputs. The result of a DEA model is a single measure that summarizes the relative efficiency of each decision making unit (DMU) when compared with similar organizations. The DEA linear program defines an efficiency frontier with the most efficient animal shelters that are put into the model that "envelops" the other DMUs. Individual efficiency scores are calculated by determining how close each DMU is to reaching the frontier. The results shared in this research focus on the performance of 15 animal shelters. Lack of standardized data regarding individual animal shelter performance limited the ability to review a larger number of shelters and provide more robust results. Various programs are in place within the United States to improve the collection and availability of individual shelter performance. Specifically, the Asilomar Accords provide a strong framework for doing this and could significantly reduce euthanasia of companion animals if more shelters would adopt the practice of collecting and reporting their data in this format. It is demonstrated in this research that combining performance data with financial data within the data envelopment analysis technique can be powerful in helping shelters identify how to better deliver results. The addition of data from other organizations will make the results even more robust and useful for each shelter involved.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002101, ucf:47557
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002101

Title: Touching the Unreal: The Definition, Narrative Strategies, and Aesthetics of 3D Cartoon Narratives.
Creator: Snow, Nathan, Mauer, Barry, Applen, JD, Grajeda, Anthony, Larsen, Darl, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: (")Touching the Unreal(") follows the structure set out by Scott McCloudin Understanding Comics to argue that understanding cartoons is serious business and requires that we define the art form, outline its basic tenets, and theorize how the mind understands it. The dissertation argues for a new definition of 3D computer generated cartoons, beginning with the most basic definition applicable to all forms of animation and taking into account new technological developments before arriving at...
Show more(")Touching the Unreal(") follows the structure set out by Scott McCloudin Understanding Comics to argue that understanding cartoons is serious business and requires that we define the art form, outline its basic tenets, and theorize how the mind understands it. The dissertation argues for a new definition of 3D computer generated cartoons, beginning with the most basic definition applicable to all forms of animation and taking into account new technological developments before arriving at the 3D cartoon narratives of today. The dissertation outlines the basic facets of 3D cartoon narratives in terms of narrative and aesthetics, arguing that, in spite of the technological changes required to produce the art form, narrative strategies have not changed significantly from 2D to 3D cartoon narratives. Rather, the 3D cartoon narrative aesthetic is focused primarily on synthetic, sculptural materiality to create a tactile, haptic viewing experience unavailable in any other form of animation. The dissertation advances theories of how the mind understands 3D cartoon narratives, starting with how these films guide the spectator to pre-determined conclusions based on character identification, flow theory, and mirror-neuron cognition. As a result of their narrative, aesthetics, and reception, these films constitute a new form of posthumanism and operate as a node in the modern viewer's web of distributed cognition, enchanting viewers through the ability to touch the unreal, synthetic images common to the modern world. (")Touching the Unreal(") contributes to the media field by providing a definition for 3D computer animation in all of its facets as genre, narrative, aesthetics, and ideology.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007101, ucf:51962
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007101

Title: SLOUGH: REVEALING THE ANIMAL.
Creator: Dunklin, Clay, Buyssens, Ryan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: When making my work I constantly reflect on past mythologies, images, and objects. These served people as a way to make sense of and understand the dynamics of the world around them. As we continue to alter and shape the world into one designed for exclusively human benefit, we need new models that reveal the dynamics of our relationship to the world around us. This is what artists have been doing for centuries, and I specifically look to those using animals and animal imagery in their work...
Show moreWhen making my work I constantly reflect on past mythologies, images, and objects. These served people as a way to make sense of and understand the dynamics of the world around them. As we continue to alter and shape the world into one designed for exclusively human benefit, we need new models that reveal the dynamics of our relationship to the world around us. This is what artists have been doing for centuries, and I specifically look to those using animals and animal imagery in their work to further mythologize our contemporary understanding of the human-other animal relationship. My body of work utilizes methods of drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and video to create contemporary icons, objects, and rituals. Icons are re-appropriated, objects are redefined, and rituals are reinterpreted in my work in a way that becomes relevant again for a contemporary audience. Animal imagery is used in a way that explores current trends in genetics, industry, consumerism, and power to reveal this contemporary mythology. These are certainly informed by the prehistoric understanding of this relationship as it is in jarring contrast to our notions today. This juxtaposition serves to illuminate how this relationship has been distorted in this historically recent time while aiming to enlighten us to the power of the other, the thing-ness or vitality of the animal and re-calibrate contemporary notions in order to achieve reconciliation with a natural order of things.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000022, ucf:45580
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000022

Title: An Examination of Animal Service Officers' Views on their Readiness to Recognize and Report Domestic Violence.
Creator: Malick, Abigail, Jasinski, Jana, Wright, James, Grauerholz, Elizabeth, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In the past few decades there has been research dedicated to understanding the roles that animals play within violent households. The American Humane Association (2010) has developed what they termed The Link. This concept examines how forms of violence, including domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and animal abuse, are often intertwined. This qualitative study was facilitated using focus groups and interviews of animal service officers in Orange County, Florida to evaluate the...
Show moreIn the past few decades there has been research dedicated to understanding the roles that animals play within violent households. The American Humane Association (2010) has developed what they termed The Link. This concept examines how forms of violence, including domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and animal abuse, are often intertwined. This qualitative study was facilitated using focus groups and interviews of animal service officers in Orange County, Florida to evaluate the relationship and training provided from a local domestic violence shelter. There were a total of 22 Orange County Animal Services employees who participated in four different focus group sessions, and two interviews with officers who had previously made referrals to Harbor House of Central Florida, the local domestic violence shelter. Results show that animal service officers view themselves as often being the first responders to a situation and, hence, an agent to help all victims, including both animals and humans. Participants indicated that their relationship with Harbor House of Central Florida has been weak and that many were unfamiliar with the referral program known as INVEST. They provided recommendations to strengthen their relationship with Harbor House of Central Florida that included trainings, support, and cross-reporting efforts that they felt were needed.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004404, ucf:49377
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004404

Title: The Interspecies Family: Attitudes and Narratives.
Creator: Owens, Nicole, Grauerholz, Liz, Sikorska, Elzbieta, Jasinski, Jana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Families are conceptualized and accomplished in increasingly diverse ways in the 21st century. A constructionist framework was utilized to examine a widespread contemporary family form, the interspecies family. This mixed-method approach relied on both quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data. First, survey data from the 2006 Constructing the Family Survey were analyzed to understand who in America counts pets as family. Many social demographics were associated and predicted...
Show moreFamilies are conceptualized and accomplished in increasingly diverse ways in the 21st century. A constructionist framework was utilized to examine a widespread contemporary family form, the interspecies family. This mixed-method approach relied on both quantitative survey data and qualitative interview data. First, survey data from the 2006 Constructing the Family Survey were analyzed to understand who in America counts pets as family. Many social demographics were associated and predicted counting pets as family but gender was one of the strongest associations. However, marital status moderated the relationship between gender and counting pets as family at a statically significant level. Men who are currently or have ever been married are less likely to count pets as family than never married men. Second, I conducted 32 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 39 people during 2014-2015 in Central Florida to understand how people who count their cats and dogs as family members narrate this process. Narrative strategies documenting exactly how cats and dogs become family members within interspecies family narratives include: time-related narratives, timeless narratives, and patchwork narratives. Additionally, all participants considered their cats and dogs family but only some of them felt like pet-parents. Narratives of childless participants are compared with narratives of parents to examine the impact of family form on the construction of pet parenting narratives. Implications for the family change literature are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005984, ucf:50780
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005984

Title: AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) AND EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.
Creator: Selzer, Brittany R, Bushy, Angeline, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this integrative review of the literature is to examine the effectiveness of equine assisted therapy with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An extensive review of the literature was conducted regarding children diagnosed with ASD who received equine therapy, equine psychotherapy, therapeutic horseback riding, or horse therapy. Inclusion criteria include articles written in the English language, articles that were peer-reviewed, and had a publication...
Show moreThe purpose of this integrative review of the literature is to examine the effectiveness of equine assisted therapy with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An extensive review of the literature was conducted regarding children diagnosed with ASD who received equine therapy, equine psychotherapy, therapeutic horseback riding, or horse therapy. Inclusion criteria include articles written in the English language, articles that were peer-reviewed, and had a publication date from 2006 to present. Fourteen articles were analyzed regarding children with ASD who participated in different types of equine therapy. The majority of the studies found individuals with ASD who participated in equine therapy had improvements in behavior, social interactions, and communication with decreased stereotypical ASD behaviors. Only one article found no changes in behavior. Most of the articles had very small sample sizes that limited the generalizability of the findings. There were many different ways that the research was conducted and therefore the screening measures were completely different for all studies. Many studies did not take gender of participants into account, whether the participants were verbal or nonverbal, and other treatments the participants were receiving. Although the literature analyzed had different methodologies, the overall research suggests equine assisted therapy can be a beneficial therapy for individuals with ASD and therefore could be considered a viable treatment option. The outcomes of this integrative review supports the need for larger, randomized, controlled trials with larger samples to effectively evaluate the effects of equine therapy.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000454, ucf:45917
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000454

Title: IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE ANIMALS: VETERINARIANS' PERSPECTIVES ON THEIR WORK.
Creator: Owens, Nicole, Grauerholz, Elizabeth, Sikorska, Elzbieta, Jasinski, Jana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines lived experiences of veterinarians. A common feature of being a veterinarian is curing and caring for nonhuman animals. It is the love and connection most veterinarians share for animals that ignite their journey to become an animal doctor. Data collected during semi-structured interviews with 17 veterinarians reveal that there are many more intricacies to the job than just animal medicine. These veterinarians suggest that they must treat animals as learning tools during...
Show moreThis study examines lived experiences of veterinarians. A common feature of being a veterinarian is curing and caring for nonhuman animals. It is the love and connection most veterinarians share for animals that ignite their journey to become an animal doctor. Data collected during semi-structured interviews with 17 veterinarians reveal that there are many more intricacies to the job than just animal medicine. These veterinarians suggest that they must treat animals as learning tools during veterinary training and once they complete school, they deal with people and business on a regular basis. Most veterinarians would like their jobs to be animal-centric, but these data show that they are not.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004420, ucf:49369
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004420

Title: TOURISTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE USE OF ANIMALS IN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION.
Creator: Shani, Amir, Pizam, Abraham, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: From time immemorial human beings have utilized animals for various needs and purposes, which led societies to debate the justification for using animals and to reflect on the way in which animals are treated. These concerns have also resulted in various contemporary studies aimed to reveal interest groups' – as well as the general publics' – views and opinions on the issues under dispute. Nevertheless, despite the considerable incorporation of animals in entertainment and...
Show moreFrom time immemorial human beings have utilized animals for various needs and purposes, which led societies to debate the justification for using animals and to reflect on the way in which animals are treated. These concerns have also resulted in various contemporary studies aimed to reveal interest groups' – as well as the general publics' – views and opinions on the issues under dispute. Nevertheless, despite the considerable incorporation of animals in entertainment and leisure venues, only limited efforts have been geared towards exploring the ethical aspects of using animals in these initiatives. This lack of attention is especially evident in the tourism literature, despite the great relevancy of animal-based attractions to the tourism industry. Moreover, despite certain preliminary attempts to investigate people's perceptions of the use of animals in attractions, their attitudes for the most part are still ambiguous and speculative. Consequently, the purpose of the current research was to fill these and other gaps in the literature by investigating tourists' attitudes toward various animal-based attractions. The theoretical framework used for the study was based on a previous exploratory qualitative research, which also assisted in developing the research questions and hypotheses as well as in constructing the study survey. Therefore, the current study's instrument attempts to cover the main aspects of tourists' attitudes as they appear both in the literature and in the exploratory study. The survey was conducted among 252 tourists to the Central Florida area, using judgmental sampling with the intent to ensure heterogeneity among the study sample. Prior to addressing the research questions, the study instrument was tested for reliability and validity, which were found to be at satisfactory levels. The statistical analyses revealed some interesting findings with important implications for both research and practice. While several inquiries were evaluated in the course of the dissertation, the central findings of the study concerned the prominent aspects of tourists' ethical evaluation of animal-based attractions. The tourists expressed the highest agreement with the roles of the attractions in conservation, in family-oriented experience, in education, and as an alternative to nature. They also expressed a clear animal welfare approach, as they put the greatest importance on the way the animals are treated and trained by their keepers among conditions for ethical operations. Nevertheless, it was found that the key to developing positive attitudes toward attractions is the conviction in general arguments in favor of their presence, while specific sites' attributes seem to be more limited in their influence on the tourists' overall attitudes. In addition, belief in the positive effects of public opinion on attractions' ethical treatment of animals was found to have a greater association with tourists' attitudes, in comparison to more formal supervision and regulations. No less important, the study's findings confirm the heterogeneous nature of animal-based attractions as perceived by tourists, where multiple dominant factors influence attitudes toward diverse attraction types. Following the description of the results, the dissertation offers specific recommendations based on the findings for the management and marketing functions in animal-based attractions, especially with regard to potential steps for the purpose of improving and enhancing their ethical image among tourists. The study can be seen as one of the few comprehensive attempts to investigate tourists' attitudes toward animal-based attractions in the tourism literature, which can also serve as a benchmark and a basis for future studies on this contentious issue. The paper ends with an assessment of the study's limitations, and a series of suggestions of relevant topics for future investigations.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002693, ucf:48191
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002693

Title: FLOCKS, SWARMS, CROWDS, AND SOCIETIES: ON THE SCOPE AND LIMITS OF COGNITION.
Creator: Neemeh, Zachariah A, Favela, Luis H., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Traditionally, the concept of cognition has been tied to the brain or the nervous system. Recent work in various noncomputational cognitive sciences has enlarged the category of "cognitive phenomena" to include the organism and its environment, distributed cognition across networks of actors, and basic cellular functions. The meaning, scope, and limits of 'cognition' are no longer clear or well-defined. In order to properly delimit the purview of the cognitive sciences, there is a strong need...
Show moreTraditionally, the concept of cognition has been tied to the brain or the nervous system. Recent work in various noncomputational cognitive sciences has enlarged the category of "cognitive phenomena" to include the organism and its environment, distributed cognition across networks of actors, and basic cellular functions. The meaning, scope, and limits of 'cognition' are no longer clear or well-defined. In order to properly delimit the purview of the cognitive sciences, there is a strong need for a clarification of the definition of cognition. This paper will consider the outer bounds of that definition. Not all cognitive behaviors of a given organism are amenable to an analysis at the organismic or organism-environment level. In some cases, emergent cognition in collective biological and human social systems arises that is irreducible to the sum cognitions of their constituent entities. The group and social systems under consideration are more extensive and inclusive than those considered in studies of distributed cognition to date. The implications for this ultimately expand the purview of the cognitive sciences and bring back a renewed relevance for anthropology and introduce sociology on the traditional six-pronged interdisciplinary wheel of the cognitive sciences.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000191, ucf:46026
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000191

Title: PITIFUL CREATURES.
Creator: Wightman, Shaun, Hall, Scott, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: By focusing on character, humor, and loose narrative, I create a world full of quirky, pitiful creatures that blur the lines between illustration and "Fine Art". Inspired by golden age cartoons, Pop-Surrealism, and late 50's commercial art, I make work that speaks of the awkwardness of human emotion while keeping a "tongue in cheek" attitude about everyday life. This work is expressed through illustration, animation, sculpture, and a lot of sarcasm.
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002115, ucf:47556
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002115

Title: MY MIND IS A HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE.
Creator: Gramling, Glen, Hall, Scott, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Today, science and creative fiction are closer than ever. The current unified theory of physics is bringing parallel worlds and infinite realities into the light of truth, proving that we have the creative power to build worlds with grandiose landscapes, uncanny characters, and miraculous events that exists throughout the vast plane of reality. My life experiences become a skewed alternate reality absorbing all of my thoughts, fears, and fascinations without control. As I glimpse into my own...
Show moreToday, science and creative fiction are closer than ever. The current unified theory of physics is bringing parallel worlds and infinite realities into the light of truth, proving that we have the creative power to build worlds with grandiose landscapes, uncanny characters, and miraculous events that exists throughout the vast plane of reality. My life experiences become a skewed alternate reality absorbing all of my thoughts, fears, and fascinations without control. As I glimpse into my own mind, I record the imagery of my imagined worlds and chronicle its events. I am not conceptualizing; I'm not asking what if. I am giving you a looking glass allowing you to see for yourself.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002554, ucf:47652
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002554

Title: MAN VS BEAST: THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOUNDARY IN J. K. ROWLING'S HARRY POTTER SERIES.
Creator: Auz, Jessica, Pugh, Tison, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In her series of seven novels, Rowling constructs a society and a framework of characterization that allows her to explore the human-animal boundary in a variety of ways. She connects her novels to the ideology of the classical and medieval periods while still acknowledging the ways that the relationship between humans and animals has changed over the years by showcasing the influence of modern popular culture on her characterization of the human-animal boundary. Through her descriptions of...
Show moreIn her series of seven novels, Rowling constructs a society and a framework of characterization that allows her to explore the human-animal boundary in a variety of ways. She connects her novels to the ideology of the classical and medieval periods while still acknowledging the ways that the relationship between humans and animals has changed over the years by showcasing the influence of modern popular culture on her characterization of the human-animal boundary. Through her descriptions of werewolves, Patronuses, Animagi, and Harry Potter's and Lord Voldemort's abilities to speak Parseltongue, Rowling uses classical, medieval, and modern animal symbolism to showcase her characters' personalities. These human-animal frameworks associate particular imagery with each character, and this imagery highlights the core of the character. By using this symbolism to showcase her characters' deepest characteristics, Rowling also delineates her heroes and villains through their relationships with the boundary between humans and animals. This thesis analyzes the ways that Rowling's fusion of classical, medieval, and modern animal symbolism contributes to Rowling's characterization of heroes and villains throughout the series. By examining the instances where characters engage the human-animal boundary, this thesis constructs an argument that highlights the fluidity of the human-animal boundary through examples from the series and analysis of Rowling's characters.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003833, ucf:44717
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003833

Title: MACHINIMA AND VIDEO-BASED SOFT SKILLS TRAINING.
Creator: Conkey, Curtis, Bowers, Clint, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Multimedia training methods have traditionally relied heavily on video based technologies and significant research has shown these to be very effective training tools. However production of video is time and resource intensive. Machinima (pronounced Ã‚Â"muh-sheen-eh-mahÃ‚Â") technologies are based on video gaming technology. Machinima technology allows video game technology to be manipulated into unique scenarios based on entertainment or training and...
Show moreMultimedia training methods have traditionally relied heavily on video based technologies and significant research has shown these to be very effective training tools. However production of video is time and resource intensive. Machinima (pronounced Ã‚Â"muh-sheen-eh-mahÃ‚Â") technologies are based on video gaming technology. Machinima technology allows video game technology to be manipulated into unique scenarios based on entertainment or training and practice applications. Machinima is the converting of these unique scenarios into video vignettes that tell a story. These vignettes can be interconnected with branching points in much the same way that education videos are interconnected as vignettes between decision points. This study addressed the effectiveness of machinima based soft-skills education using avatar actors versus the traditional video teaching application using human actors. This research also investigated the difference between presence reactions when using avatar actor produced video vignettes as compared to human actor produced video vignettes. Results indicated that the difference in training and/or practice effectiveness is statistically insignificant for presence, interactivity, quality and the skill of assertiveness. The skill of active listening presented a mixed result indicating the need for careful attention to detail in situations where body language and facial expressions are critical to communication. This study demonstrates that a significant opportunity exists for the exploitation of avatar actors in video based instruction.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0002984, ucf:47971
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002984

Title: The Great Mirror of Fandom: Reflections of (and on) Otaku and Fujoshi in Anime and Manga.
Creator: Graffeo, Clarissa, Jones, Anna, Oliver, Kathleen, Akita, Kimiko, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The focus of this thesis is to examine representations of otaku and fujoshi (i.e., dedicated fans of pop culture) in Japanese anime and manga from 1991 until the present. I analyze how these fictional images of fans participate in larger mass media and academic discourses about otaku and fujoshi, and how even self-produced reflections of fan identity are defined by the combination of larger normative discourses and market demands. Although many scholars have addressed fan practices and...
Show moreThe focus of this thesis is to examine representations of otaku and fujoshi (i.e., dedicated fans of pop culture) in Japanese anime and manga from 1991 until the present. I analyze how these fictional images of fans participate in larger mass media and academic discourses about otaku and fujoshi, and how even self-produced reflections of fan identity are defined by the combination of larger normative discourses and market demands. Although many scholars have addressed fan practices and identities through surveys and participant observation, many of these studies work with Western groups of fans whose identities may not be consistent with those of Japanese otaku and fujoshi, and fewer studies have addressed the way these fans are reflected in the very media (anime and manga) they consume. I examine both negative and positive depictions of otaku and fujoshi, as well as the representations of fan gender identities and sexualities, across a broad range of anime and manga, including Rusanchiman (Ressentiment), Genshiken, N.H.K. ni Y?koso (Welcome to the N.H.K.), Otaku no Video, Kuragehime (Princess Jellyfish), Oreimo, and M?s? Sh?jo Otakukei (Fujoshi Rumi). The varied depictions of otaku and fujoshi in these works illustrate the tension between otaku and fujoshi identities and normative social roles, the problematic elements of identities defined through consumerism, and the complexities of the interaction between fans' fictionalized and lived desires.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005172, ucf:50663
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005172

Title: Design and Production of an Episodic Online Animation: Cairns of Apeiron.
Creator: Cadieux, Andrew, Mills, Lisa, Hadrika, Darlene, Sung, Stella, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This paper describes the development of a feature length script and anindependent episodic animation to be distributed online. The goal is to show thatappealing animation can be achieved using digital tools, a limited animation workflow,few artists and a strict micro-production budget. I will detail the methods of animationused for the project and describe plans for its distribution to an online audience,including a market analysis and business plan.
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006860, ucf:51757
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006860

Title: Tails in the Wind: An Exploratory Examination of Media Reports on Nonhuman Animals Throughout Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
Creator: Jagoda, Nathan, Huff-Corzine, Lin, Rivera, Fernando, Grauerholz, Liz, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: On September 20th, 2017, category four Hurricane Maria rattled Puerto Rico, causing extensive damage throughout the island. While the experiences, injuries, and deaths of humans resulting from Hurricane Maria have received both scholarly consideration and large amounts of attention from media sources, one critical area that has been overlooked by many, particularly academics, are the ways in which various media sources have reported on, described and discussed nonhuman animals impacted by the...
Show moreOn September 20th, 2017, category four Hurricane Maria rattled Puerto Rico, causing extensive damage throughout the island. While the experiences, injuries, and deaths of humans resulting from Hurricane Maria have received both scholarly consideration and large amounts of attention from media sources, one critical area that has been overlooked by many, particularly academics, are the ways in which various media sources have reported on, described and discussed nonhuman animals impacted by the storm. This study aimed to address this gap by analyzing media reports of nonhuman animals throughout the days before, during, and after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Mixed method content analysis was conducted on fifty-five media reports found to contain discussion of nonhuman animals and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, though a majority of the analyses were qualitative in nature. Analyses resulted in the identification of a variety of themes found to be emergent from the data.Themes explored include nonhuman animal abandonment, insufficient shelters, damaged shelters and lack of resources, collaboration between nonhuman animal welfare organizations, spay/neuter practices, positive descriptions of satos, bringing nonhuman animals to the U.S. mainland, a second chance at life for nonhuman animals, and the hierarchical arrangement of nonhuman animals presented within media reports. Results of the study point towards the need for greater planning and resource allocation in regard to nonhuman animals in Puerto Rico both during times of disaster and everyday life. The spay and neuter infrastructure and the animal shelters on the island are especially in need of resources. Additionally, the results indicate that the media sources examined placed their main focus on dogs and cats impacted by the storm, suggesting that these species of nonhuman animals hold a spot towards the top of the American nonhuman animal hierarchical arrangement.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007822, ucf:52808
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007822

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