Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
This thesis explores the relationship between humans and non-humans within a sea turtle conservation organization in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Through eleven weeks of in-depth visual ethnographic...Show moreThis thesis explores the relationship between humans and non-humans within a sea turtle conservation organization in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Through eleven weeks of in-depth visual ethnographic fieldwork, I investigate the influence these human/non-human relationships have on scientific knowledge production. The output of this research consists of an ethnographic film ‘The Turtle Team’ and this article. This research underscores the necessity of adopting transdisciplinary methodologies in which non-humans are integrated, which is crucial in the era of the Anthropocene. It provides a nuanced understanding of how human/non-human relationships shape the production of scientific knowledge in this team of conservationists and emphasizes the interwovenness of humans and non-humans. This research contributes to the existing literature on the Anthropocene and the nature-culture debate and I argue that the interwovenness of humans and non-humans should be discussed more within scientific research, especially in conservation biology.Show less
This thesis sought to investigate the relationships between treatment delays in bipolar disorder (BD) and cognitive impairments which characterize the disorder, measured both objectively and...Show moreThis thesis sought to investigate the relationships between treatment delays in bipolar disorder (BD) and cognitive impairments which characterize the disorder, measured both objectively and subjectively. Previous studies have established that a long delay occurs between the onset of mood symptoms in BD and the first form of treatment received, estimates ranging between 6 and 11 years. Cognitive impairments in the domains of executive functions, processing speed and memory were found to persist in BD patients even during euthymia. Such cognitive impairments burden BD patients, prevent them from regaining an appropriate level of general functioning and diminish their quality of life. Thus, in order to determine whether treatment delay impacts the cognitive impairments present in BD, 69 participants were followed over the course of one year, at three different time points. The participants took part in clinical interviews, and then were asked to complete multiple measures, such as the YMRS, the QIDS, four WAIS subscales (Block Design, Arithmetic, Information and Digit symbol), and the Cognition subscale of the WHODAS. The average treatment delay found in the current sample was 14.53 years. The results of the current study suggest that longer treatment delays did not significantly predict worse cognitive functioning in BD patients, either when measured subjectively, or when measured objectively.Show less
Competency-based intervention is an approach in youth services focusing on enhancing skills aligned with age-appropriate developmental tasks. It is employed across various contexts and for diverse...Show moreCompetency-based intervention is an approach in youth services focusing on enhancing skills aligned with age-appropriate developmental tasks. It is employed across various contexts and for diverse target populations. However, the extent of evidence supporting this method in literature is unclear. This thesis synthesizes multiple sources to provide a comprehensive overview of to which extend this topic has been researched: What is known about this methodology, its strengths and weaknesses, and the specific target groups under investigation? Through a narrative review, ten evidence-based and seven non-evidence-based sources have been integrated to present a holistic perspective on the field of competency-based intervention. Several sources have indicated that the application of this model is effective in improving behavior and psychosocial conditions, including youth residing in residential facilities, high-risk families, adolescents with severe psychiatric/behavioral issues, and elementary school children with antisocial behavior. Although indications have been found that this method brings many advantages in practice, it was concluded that there is not enough evidence for competence-based work in the literature due to limitations in the studies. There is a need for further research to assess the effectiveness of this widely used approach.Show less
This study aims to investigate relative age within primary school grades as a potential influential factor of perceived ADHD symptoms. It examines whether relatively younger pupils show more ADHD...Show moreThis study aims to investigate relative age within primary school grades as a potential influential factor of perceived ADHD symptoms. It examines whether relatively younger pupils show more ADHD symptoms than their classmates. The study is of cross-sectional design, using data of primary school children throughout the Netherlands. Participating children are in the age range of four to twelve years old, N = 168. To measure ADHD symptoms, the SNAP-IV (18) has been filled out by parents of the participating children. Relative age serves as the main predictor of this study. Simple linear regressions have been run on relative age (predictor) and ADHD symptoms (dependent). Analyses showed that relative age is no predictor of ADHD symptoms, implying that relative age is no influential factor in perceived ADHD symptoms. However, data screening pointed out that the sample of the current study might not be representative for the general population. Furthermore, the current research design worked with parental observations of ADHD symptoms, and not official ADHD diagnoses. Whether a child has had an ADHD diagnosis was unknown during this study. Incorporating this information in future research could potentially lead to a better understanding of the topic. All in all, the results of this study must be interpreted with care and future research is needed to (dis)prove the relation between relative age and ADHD symptoms.Show less
In an educational setting, every individual may not have equal access to opportunities (such as educational or financial resources) or outcomes (such as grades or evaluations), which could create a...Show moreIn an educational setting, every individual may not have equal access to opportunities (such as educational or financial resources) or outcomes (such as grades or evaluations), which could create a sense of inequality in the individual. Individuals may then attribute these inequalities to their personal efforts and abilities or to their circumstances. Past studies have focused on associations between inequalities (such as social or gender inequality) and educational aspirations (e.g., Guyon & Huillery, 2017; Chen et al., 2022). The present study assesses the main effects of perceived inequality and the attribution of outcomes to internal or external factors (also known as locus of control) on educational aspirations. The study also assesses whether the academic locus of control significantly moderates the impact of perceived inequality on educational aspirations. Utilizing a 1 (continuous measure of academic locus of control) x 3 (inequality: control vs. perception of inequality of outcome vs perception of inequality of opportunity) study design, participants’ aspiration scores were assessed. The participants included N= 190 students enrolled in an undergraduate program. The results from a moderated multiple regression analysis indicated that perceived inequality did not significantly affect educational aspirations. Academic locus of control significantly positively affected aspirations. Academic locus of control also has a significant moderating effect on the impact of inequality. Specifically simple effects analysis indicated that perceived inequality has a significant positive effect on educational aspirations when there is an external locus of control. The study provides an understanding that inequality in an educational context may not impact every individual in the same manner and may differ according to specific factors (such as locus of control).Show less
The present study aimed to examine the way depressed adolescents experience their stressful life events, alongside their perceptions of parental support towards them. There was a sample of 115...Show moreThe present study aimed to examine the way depressed adolescents experience their stressful life events, alongside their perceptions of parental support towards them. There was a sample of 115 adolescents, and their parents (n = 214), including a group of depressed and a group of healthy control adolescents. Each adolescent was asked to write down two stressful events from his/her past and code the intensity of these events. After that, they were asked to discuss these events with their parents, and answer to three questions of the Parental Bonding (PB) questionnaire. Researchers also coded the intensity of the events. For our first hypothesis we conducted a multiple regression analysis to investigate whether depression constitutes a moderator variable between the adolescents’ codes of intensity towards their events and the researchers’ codes. For the second hypothesis we ran one-way ANCOVA to examine if there were any differences between the two groups in PB answers. Depression did not seem to moderate the relationship between the adolescents’ and the researchers’ intensity codes. However, separately, the researchers’ codes and the condition of the adolescents, depressed or not, proved to have statistically significant and positive main effects on the way the adolescents experienced their events. At the same time, the two groups also exhibited statistically significant differences on the PB. Considering these results, it is imperative to highlight the importance of including familial factors and the cultivation of resilience and coping skills towards stress into the intervention and prevention programs that address the adolescent depression.Show less
Background. Parenting plays an important role in the development of adolescent’s emotion regulation (ER). Parental psychological control (PC) is negatively and parental autonomy support (AS) is...Show moreBackground. Parenting plays an important role in the development of adolescent’s emotion regulation (ER). Parental psychological control (PC) is negatively and parental autonomy support (AS) is positively linked to adolescent ER. Impaired ER has been linked to internalizing- and externalizing problems. Parenting is usually examined trough observation or trough self-report methods, but these methods are not interchangeable. Research question. Is adolescent-perceived or observed parenting more important for ER in adolescents, while controlling for depression? Method. In this cross-sectional and multi-method study, 35 depressed and 80 control adolescents (11-17 years) reported on perceived parental PC and AS using the Parental Bonding Inventory and their own behavioral ER using the Children's Emotion Management Scale. Parental PC and AS was observed and scored on the Problem-solving Interaction task. A multiple regression analysis was used. Results. Depressed adolescents showed significantly lower adaptive ER. There were no significant results for adolescent-perceived and observed PC and AS in relation to ER. For the interaction effect of group status with autonomy support, parental support, and ER, no significant results were found. A trend effect was found for the moderating effect between depression and adolescent-perceived PC. Conclusions. Depressed adolescents showed significantly lower adaptive ER, demonstrating the need for ER focused interventions. For teens in middle adolescence, PC and AS parenting did not have a significant effect on their ER. Lastly, when depressed adolescents experienced their parents as more psychologically controlling, they had more difficulty with their ER, highlighting the potential benefit of cognitive behavioral therapy.Show less
Transparency is crucial in psychology research. Recent exposure of poor research practices has contributed to the faltering reputation of research in social sciences. Efforts are being made to...Show moreTransparency is crucial in psychology research. Recent exposure of poor research practices has contributed to the faltering reputation of research in social sciences. Efforts are being made to enhance research transparency through article templates such as registered reports (evaluating and approving preregistered proposals before data collection, Nosek & Lakens, 2014) and verification reports (reanalyzing the original dataset of a study with the intention of reproducing the initial findings and/or testing their robustness, Schiller et al., 2020). However, these article templates can sometimes contribute to a toxic atmosphere wherein researchers argue back and forth instead of collaborating and corresponding with each other. This thesis introduces a new template emphasizing productive communication between the authors of an original study and a second research team that performs the reproductions and/or robustness checks. Based on two studies (the study of Bradshaw et al. (2020) on the interhemispheric deficit theory of dyslexia, where the result was found not to be significant, and the study of Wilks et al. (2021) on the developmental trajectory of speciesism, where the result was found to be significant), this thesis illustrates the application of this template in the context of a multiverse analysis. . The aim of a multiverse analysis is to illustrate how raw data yield multiple datasets processed differently, resulting in various statistical outcomes. This approach allows researchers to explore a range of statistical results instead of analysing just one dataset (Steegen et al., 2016). In the thesis, the corresponding authors of the selected studies were approached to solicit feedback at different stages of the multiverse analyses. Central to this approach is the opportunity for the original authors to offer feedback on the ongoing analyses at any stage, to keep them involved in the process. Both corresponding authors were willing to address questions and, in addition, provided feedback at times when it was requested. Ultimately, two multiverse analyses were conducted. The analysis on the study of Bradshaw et al. (2020) yielded some significant results, while the analysis on the study of Wilks et al. (2021) confirmed the significant results found in their research. This template encourages corresponding authors to actively engage and share their viewpoints. In conclusion, the two case studies show that clear communication and early outreach can create a positive environment focused on improving research transparency and quality.Show less
In recent years, a lack of reproducibility in science has come to light. One of the causes of this lack of reproducibility is the use of questionable research practices (QRPs). P-hacking is one of...Show moreIn recent years, a lack of reproducibility in science has come to light. One of the causes of this lack of reproducibility is the use of questionable research practices (QRPs). P-hacking is one of these QRPs and consists of making impromptu data analytic choices, resulting in a biased significant p-value. The practice of blind analysis could be a viable option to tackle p-hacking. This thesis introduces a new categorization of blind analysis-methods: label blinding, noise blinding and coefficient blinding. Each of these categories has its own implications when it comes to the data analysis. Label blinding allows a researcher to check assumptions with the blinded data, but does not hide the actual p-values. Noise blinding prevents a researcher from checking assumptions with the blinded data, but hides the actual p¬-values. Coefficient blinding allows a researcher to check assumptions and hides the actual p-values, but requires a researcher to specify the model they are going to fit beforehand. Three case studies with simulated data illustrate what the plots and tests used for assumption checks look like for a method from each blind analysis category, as well as what the test statistics might look like. When using a label blinding method while conducting a two-way ANOVA, we are able to check the assumptions of a two-way ANOVA, but our results are not hidden, leaving an opening for p-hacking. When using a noise blinding method while conducting a two sample t-test, we are unable to check the assumptions of a two sample t-test, but our test results are hidden. When using a coefficient blinding method while conducting a linear regression analysis, we are able to check the assumptions of a linear regression and our test results are hidden. Not every blind analysis method is applicable to every dataset or data analysis. More research is needed to explore what blind analysis methods are applicable to which tests. Additionally, guidelines for the practical implementation of blind analysis should be specified.Show less
The Dutch company ASML produces internationally indispensable machines that manufacture advanced semiconductor chips. As a small state, the Netherlands are now caught between China and the US,...Show moreThe Dutch company ASML produces internationally indispensable machines that manufacture advanced semiconductor chips. As a small state, the Netherlands are now caught between China and the US, which are both interested in securing ASML technology. The purpose of this study is to look at the small state strategies employed by the Netherlands in reaction to US pressure to adopt export controls and what the impact is of ASML as a critical node on the power sources of the Netherlands. It proposes that a critical node mostly affects a small state’s intrinsic power (positively) and collective power (negatively). This will be researched by looking at official Dutch and American policy documents and interviews with government officials. It aims to add work on small state power and foreign policy strategies.Show less
Recent studies have attempted to explain the mixed results in the literature on environmental scarcity and intrastate conflict by exploring factors that might enable or mitigate the effects of...Show moreRecent studies have attempted to explain the mixed results in the literature on environmental scarcity and intrastate conflict by exploring factors that might enable or mitigate the effects of scarcity. However, the role of one of these factors, political corruption, remains underexplored. While scholars have made strides in uncovering whether corruption influences the scarcity-conflict relationship, they have failed to analyze its role in the causal mechanism connecting environmental scarcity to intrastate conflict. In this study, I address this gap in the literature by examining the role of political corruption in the causal mechanism linking environmental scarcity to intrastate conflict incidence. Using theory-testing process tracing in a case study of the 2012-2013 Kenyan Tana River District clashes, I demonstrate that political corruption in environmental governance can play a crucial role in the environmental scarcity-conflict mechanism by further diminishing natural resource availability. This increases confidence in the notion that political corruption might explain the mixed results in the literature. However, future research should test these findings in multiple different contexts to explore their generalizability and rule out possible alternative explanations.Show less
Climate disasters have significant implications for development and human security, especially in contexts that are already fragile and vulnerable such as conflict-affected areas. However, their...Show moreClimate disasters have significant implications for development and human security, especially in contexts that are already fragile and vulnerable such as conflict-affected areas. However, their influence on conflict intensity in ongoing armed civil conflicts has thus far been chronically understudied. In this thesis, I examine the potential causal mechanisms linking the occurrence of sudden-onset climate disasters and fluctuations in conflict intensity using Somalia as a single case study and theory-testing process tracing. This builds on existing research by considering the emotional and psychological impact of sudden-onset disasters in contexts of conflict and its subsequent effect on aggression and violence. The case-study analysis establishes, to a certain extent, a causal link between the occurrence of sudden-onset disasters and increases in conflict intensity. However, certain contextual factors, such as the strength of state infrastructure, are identified as key determinants for such a causal link to be established.Show less
Do United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) impact democratization in post-conflict states? Currently, this question is up for debate and this study builds on new relationships recently...Show moreDo United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) impact democratization in post-conflict states? Currently, this question is up for debate and this study builds on new relationships recently discovered in the literature. Blair, Di Salvatore, & Smidt (2023) argue that UN PKO tactics improve the likelihood of democratization. This relationship is tested through the examination of four mission tactics between the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) and the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA). The cases were selected using a most similar design, indicating the cases are similar in all regards, except for their democratization outcomes; Mozambique democratized, while CAR did not. The analysis revealed that ONUMOZ and MINURCA were very similar in their mission tactics and thus mission tactics cannot be considered the sole explanation for democratization. Rather, the size and budget of the mission, involvement of civilian personnel, and recurrence of violence provided more fruitful avenues for explaining the difference in the democratization outcomes. This research contributes to the literature and yields recommendations for future research on UN PKOs and democratization. Additionally, this research provides insight into how the UN can successfully design and implement PKOs aimed at democratization.Show less
