Tag: Poster: 134

Latinx Perceptions of Their Environment: The Examination of Neighborhood Walkability by Region in a National Latinx Sample.

Presenter(s): Mikayla Lindsey − Communication Disorders And Sciences, Sociology

Faculty Mentor(s): Tasia Smith, Jonathon Pedroza

Poster 134

Research Area: Social Science

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines, the average adult should engage in 150 minutes of physical activity a week. While many do not meet the requirements, Latinx populations engage in less physical activity than other racial/ethnic groups. A major factor as to why Latinx populations do not engage in enough physical activity is from personal and environmental barriers. Neighborhood walkability, particularly perceived safety and infrastructure, is one barrier that influences physical activity. Research has shown that walkability influences physical activity but was limited to a Mexican American sample in California, while limited research has compared regions of the United States. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether perceptions of neighborhood walkability vary by region in Latinx adults. The national sample of Latinx adults (N = 562; Mage = 39.91 ± 14.70, 59% Female) completed an online survey that assessed regions of the United States and neighborhood walkability. Regional differences of neighborhood walkability were found; F(3, 558) = 5.54, p = .00. Bonferroni’s post hoc test revealed Latinx in the Midwest and the West perceive their neighborhood walkability as better than those in the South. The findings suggest that Latinx communities in different regions of the United States may have different barriers that prevent them from engaging in sufficient levels of physical activity. Future studies should examine the specific barriers that may be more present in southern states in comparison to the Midwest and the West.

Mothering in the Blogosphere: Mommy Blogs and the Reinforcement of Social Hierarchies

Presenter(s): Abigayle Almond

Faculty Mentor(s): CJ Pascoe

Poster: 134

Session: Social Sciences & Humanities

It is hard to go far on the internet today without stumbling upon a mommy blog. While many of the larger blogs avoid substantial personal content in favor for the commodification of this platform, many smaller mommy blogs offer a tightly woven community and support system for mothers to discuss personal life events, or larger societal occurrences with similar, like-minded mothers from across the globe. This research asks: In what ways do mommy bloggers produce, publish, and engage in discussions regarding social hierarchies of race, class, and gender through their blogs? In a qualitative content analysis of 30 popular English speaking mommy blogs, the ways in which social hierarchies of race, class, and gender are preserved were examined and explored. The majority of mothers on this platform present their families as the white, upper- middle class, and heterosexual norm, while actively avoiding discussions of politics, current events, or conversations of equality and fairness. While research has been done into what mommy bloggers get out of their experience in the blogosphere, or ‘mamasphere,’ and the ways in which the bloggers and readers interact with each other, what has yet to be explored are the ways in which these social hierarchies are maintained and reinforced through the mamasphere making this research important to understanding mothering and parenting in the digital age.