Elder abuse, perpetrated by caregivers or trusted individuals, harms older individuals through various forms such as physical, emotional, sexual, financial exploitation, neglect, and abandonment. Signs include unexplained injuries, behavioral changes, and financial irregularities. Caregivers may abuse due to stress, financial motives, power dynamics, mental health issues, lack of support, or cultural factors. Stress from caregiving demands can lead to burnout and abusive behavior, exacerbated by lack of support and mental health issues. Control dynamics may also contribute, leading to financial exploitation. Victims may seek restraining orders for protection, which can be temporary or permanent based on evidence presented to the judge. These orders safeguard against abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, offering legal recourse for victims. My research question is, “What factors influence the efficacy of restraining orders in cases of elder abuse, and how can the distribution of these orders be optimized to provide the most effective protection for elderly individuals?” I will be examining the success of restraining orders and their efficacy in combating elder abuse, as well as what factors influence their efficacy. In my preliminary findings, I found a correlation between restraining orders and the reduction of instances of elder abuse, and I am expecting to find information on the process of obtaining restraining orders and their effectiveness.

Poster Presentation

Session 3

2:45pm – 4:00pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

Domestic violence remains a pervasive issue globally, necessitating effective legal interventions such as restraining orders to protect victims and prevent further harm. This study investigates the influence of demographic factors on the success of domestic violence restraining orders, aiming to explain patterns and disparities in protection outcomes. A restraining order is a document issued by the court to help protect victims from acts of domestic violence. A restraining order is used to keep the abuser away from the victim. Restraining order success are significant because vulnerable populations are already facing more challenges trying to navigate the systems. In our study we are trying to find if an individual’s demographic factors (age, gender, primary language, immigration status, neighborhood, and race/ethnicity) affect their restraining order success.
Using a quantitative approach, data was collected from the Ventura County Family Justice Center (FJC). Demographic variables including age, gender, primary language, neighborhood, and race/ethnicity were analyzed in relation to restraining order outcomes. We expect to find results that indicate significant variations in success rates across demographic groups and those of lower socioeconomic status experiencing higher rates of order violation. We also expect the findings to highlight unique challenges faced by minority and immigrant populations in accessing and enforcing restraining orders. These findings will highlight the importance of considering demographic factors in tailoring interventions and support services for domestic violence survivors. Recommendations for policy and practice include targeted outreach programs, culturally competent services, and enhanced legal protections for vulnerable populations. By addressing demographic disparities, interventions can be more effectively designed to ensure equitable access to protection and support for all survivors of domestic violence.

Poster Presentation

Session 3

2:45pm – 4:00pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

As contemporary workplaces experience dynamic shifts, the significance of flexible work schedules becomes increasingly pronounced increasing job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is very important because “lower job satisfaction was associated with less meaning in life, which in turn was associated with more symptoms of depression, anxiety and anger.”  Student employees may be particularly appreciative of flexible work accommodates because may be overwhelmed at certain points in the semester and having the peace of mind that they can start/stop when needed and/or reduce work hours could impact their job satisfaction. My research question is “What is the influence of having access to flexible workplace polices (like flexible start/stop times, telecommuting, and allocated days off) on students employees levels of job satisfaction? My hypothesis is that students who work for organizations with flexible workplace policies will be more satisfied with their workplace than if they do not have flexible workplace policies. To study this, I used the 2016 National Study of the Changing Workforce. The entire sample size is 1,516 and of that I narrowed it down to 159 respondents that were enrolled in college. I estimated four Chi-Square tests using different measures of access to flexible work accommodations and whether or not the respondent was satisfied in their job. However, I found no support for my hypotheses; there was no connection between having flexible workplace policies and job satisfaction among student employees. An implication of my hypothesis being incorrect is that organizations may need to reevaluate their effectiveness of policies in enhancing job satisfaction among student employees. This might be by having companies focus on areas such as recognition or career development opportunities.

Poster Presentation

Session 3

2:45pm – 4:00pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

“As humans, we have the ability to form attachments and emotions towards the material items we own throughout our lives. The action of collecting has evolved to become a hobby that many individuals are able to participate in both individually and as a community. The items people choose to collect often vary as their possessions become a reflection of their personal interests, passions, and values. This research explores the motivations that are able to influence a collector’s involvement in the hobby of collecting. The two main focuses being the sentimental influence versus the monetary value an individual’s collection can be worth. Analyzing the impact nostalgia and investment can have on an individual’s experience in collecting allows for a better understanding of the relationship that is created between a collector and the material culture that surrounds the hobby.

To achieve this understanding, the research analyzes the subculture of the sports card collecting community. Further investigating this subculture allows for a better view of what factors influence the hobby’s popularity. Through the responses from online surveys, a platform was created for sports card collectors to anonymously describe their own experiences. Analyzing the narratives of the hobbyists creates a better understanding of how certain motives are able to impact and shape a collector’s outlook when building their collections of mementos. The insight that is received allows for a reflection of what makes a sports card so valuable. Participants discuss if a sports card becomes more valuable due to the card’s pricelessness to their owner, or the price that is placed because of the monetary demand for the card. The aim of the study is to explore the motivations behind collecting and its impact on an individuals’ actions. With the influence of human behavior and material culture, objects that are acquired over time are able to serve as symbols of a collector’s identity and passions. The items people collect hold deep importance to each individual, especially when the main motivation for the item evolves from the nostalgic feeling that is experienced, or the potential for a financial profit.”

Poster Presentation

Session 2

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

Men and women are expected to act differently according to societal expectations, restricting their ability for full self-expression. Stigma and stereotypes follow gender as previous research has used a feminist theoretical lens in conceptualizing gender as a hierarchy, with femininity and masculinity to help understand the presence of gender inequality. This leads into my research question: Does being masculine/feminine affect one’s beliefs about how men and women are the same or different in expressing their feelings? I hypothesize that the more masculine men feel themselves to be and the more feminine that woman feel themselves to be, the more likely they are to say that men and women are different in how they express their feelings. I conducted a secondary data analysis and analyzed data from the Pew Research Center’s 29th wave of the American Trends Panel survey, which has a sample size of 4,867. The survey uses a national probability based online panel of adults living in the U.S. and respondents were 18+ years old. I found that the more feminine and masculine someone thinks they are, the more likely they will believe women and men are different in how they express their feelings. These findings show that the degree to which one sees themselves as gendered is associated with seeing gender difference.

Poster Presentation

Session 2

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

As envisioned by Émile Durkheim, religion is an ancient moral force that reinforces social unity and stability; it gives meaning and purpose to life itself. Despite this, sources suggested that in some areas of the world, higher levels of religiosity exhibit higher levels of gender inequality. Social issues like gender inequality are frequently discussed within sociological academia, however, its connection to religion is lacking research. That is why I sought to understand how one’s religious denomination or lack of it, influences one’s subscription to gender conservatism or gender egalitarianism within the scope of the Abrahamic religions with those being Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. I hypothesized that those who practice religions like Islam would have more gender-role conservative attitudes than Christian groups, like the Protestants and Catholics. I utilized secondary data analysis which used data from the General Social Survey from 2021, a nationally representative survey occurring every year since 1972. The sample size is 4032 and consists of both religious and non-religious Americans. To conduct my analysis, I utilized a bivariate analysis method known as ANOVA on the statistical software: SPSS. The findings supported my hypothesis partially, however, it is clear that there is a significant correlation between religion and gender attitudes. While none of the denominations resulted in extreme conservatism, those practicing Islam were shown to have the most conservative gender beliefs. Contradicting my hypothesis, the Christians were not as egalitarian as I thought, they were the second most conservative group following the Muslims. The most gender-egalitarian groups were the Jews first and then the Atheists. The findings prove that there is a significant difference in gender ideology between the Abrahamic religions and the Atheists. Religion denomination or the lack of it is an important factor to consider when studying the broader issue of gender inequality.

Poster Presentation

Session 2

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

The Latinx community in the United States constitutes a vibrant and diverse population that has historically faced various social and economic challenges, including disparities in educational attainment and gender based inequalities. Past literature has shed light on the common patterns seen in gender attitudes and nativity status; a common finding is that American women and men usually hold more egalitarian gender beliefs compared to Latinx. However, socioeconomic status has yet been recognized as a critical factor influencing various aspects of Latinx individuals’ lives, including attitudes and beliefs. Understanding the intersection between SES and gender role attitudes among Latinx individuals is essential for
comprehending the complexities of gender ideology within this population. I
proposed the research question of: How does one’s socioeconomic status affect Latinx individual’s adherence to conservative or egalitarian gender role attitudes, and I hypothesized: Latinx who have higher socioeconomic status hold more egalitarian gender attitudes compared to those with lower socioeconomic status. For this study, I used secondary data analysis of the 2016 National Study of the Changing Workforce (NSCW), which I restricted to Latinx men and women of all ages who reside in the United States (N=209). I conducted an ANOVA test, and I found that there is no significant difference between socioeconomic status and egalitarian gender attitudes, and thus my hypothesis was not supported. Nonetheless, this study helps us better understand that socioeconomic status does not influence one’s gender attitudes.

Poster Presentation

Session 2

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

Male geriatric depression is a ubiquitous social issue that can have serious consequences ranging from anxiety and emotional detachment to the extreme and catastrophic act of suicide.  Researchers suspect that this is partly related to definitions of hegemonic masculinity which includes independence, strength, and dominance, characteristics typically lost in the aging process.   Since some men accept diminishment better than others, it calls into question the colloquialism, “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”  I hypothesized that men who occupy stereotypical hegemonic masculine roles will experience more depression as they age and diminish than men who occupy less stereotypical hegemonic masculine roles.  I conducted a secondary data analysis using the Aging, Status, and Sense of Control (ASOC), 1995, 1998, 2001 [United States] survey operationalizing hegemonic masculinity in terms of prestige, both through educational attainment and income, and restricted the sample to retired, diminished men. The resulting sample size was 79. Running Pearson’s Correlations between educational attainment and depression, and income and depression, I did not find support for my hypothesis with these data.  Perhaps this is because older men expect diminishment and are therefore less inclined to experience depression, regardless of how “manly” they were in their prime. Further research is needed, and a data set that measures hegemonic masculinity in better terms, or a survey with a larger sample size that only includes retired, diminished men, might show a correlation between prestige in one’s prime and male geriatric depression.  Understanding the origins of male geriatric depression could improve the quality of the remaining years of life for aging men, and this research must be made a priority.

Poster Presentation

Session 2

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

Domestic violence is a social issue that affects women at a disproportionate rate in society. This creates issues that encompass health consequences, cycles of abuse, and emotional harm (Crawford et al. 2009; Mañas et al. 2023; Sani and Pereira 2020), in our communities, institutions, and personal lives. Qualitative research shows that parenthood matters in the decision of mothers to leave (Crawford et al. 2009; Mañas et al. 2023; Sani and Pereira 2020; Stephans 1999), but there is no quantitative research that can demonstrate the same. Therefore, I proposed the following research question: How do mothers and non-mothers compare in their decision to leave an abusive relationship? I hypothesized that mothers are more likely to leave an abusive relationship than non-mothers due to their assigned role as caregivers and protectors. To test my hypothesis I conducted a secondary data analysis based on the Chicago Women’s Health Risk Study, 1995-1998. The original sample consisted of 2,600 women who visited medical sites in Chicago. I narrowed the sample to 705 respondents who reported abuse and agreed to further interviewing and screenings. I conducted a chi-square to determine statistical significance. I find that there is no difference between mothers and non-mothers in their decision to leave or stay. This can be due to external factors such as financial circumstances that bind the victim and the abuser making the decision to leave or stay burdensome. This research further highlights the importance and severity of developing further research that can account for the indifference between these populations which are both equally vulnerable and at risk of staying.

Poster Presentation

Session 2

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Grand Salon

Sociology

Understanding the factors that shape the race and gender composition of the police force is important because my topic centers around Black male and female police chiefs and does that lead to an increase in the number of Black police sergeants in an agency. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, only 13% of the 708,000 sworn officers in over 14,700 law enforcement agencies were Black males and females (Morrison 2020). I ask whether the percentage of black sergeants in the police force depends on having a Black male or female at a high-ranking position such as a chief at an agency? I predict that police agencies led by Black male or female chiefs will have a higher percentage of Black sergeants compared to agencies led by chiefs of another racial and gender background. I conducted a secondary data analysis running an anova. The results varied suggesting Black male and female chiefs make up 9% of the police chiefs in the United States. Research has shown that when a police chief is a Black male then 26 % of sergeants are black. When the police chief is a Black female, the numbers equate to 25% of Black sergeants. However, when the chief is of any other race the amount of Black sergeants’ lands at 4 %. When comparing the significance between Black male chiefs and Black female chiefs research shows .944 but when a Black male is compared to other race chiefs the significance falls to <.001 and same occurs when Black female chiefs are compared with other race chiefs. I feel that having more people in the police force that look like you and come from similar backgrounds aids in the anti-police agenda.

Poster Presentation

Session 2

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Grand Salon

Sociology