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Constructions Of Female Identities In Mary Gordon's The Other Side And Maureen Howard's Before My Time, Neli Gogovska

Theses and Dissertations

In Women's Time Kristeva designates three broad currents of feminist struggle: first, the suffragist movement declaring a universalist view of women's experience regardless of class, age, and cultures; second, the phase of difference, that she regards as "returning to an archaic (mythic) memory as well as cyclical or monumental temporality of marginal movements" (355); and third, a trend that she wholeheartedly supports for their concept that "the dichotomy of man and woman as an opposition of two rival entities is a problem of metaphysics" (366).

This thesis discusses Howard and Gordon as proponents of the second phase because they write …

Melioration And The Behavioral Addiction Process: An Experimental Analysis, Jared Micah Dinehart

Theses and Dissertations

Melioration can be a factor contributing to behavioral addiction. In this study, 76 university undergraduates operated a "money machine" by selecting between choices that corresponded to maximization and melioration. Participants initially made choices consistent with a strategy of melioration and demonstrated significantly greater variability in choice behavior when visual cues were presented aimed at exposing the internality (or consequence) of the choice situation. Removal of the visual cues resulted in a return to lower responding. Visual cues may aid in interrupting the behavioral addiction pattern by limiting exclusive use of a melioration choice strategy. Methods of restructuring and experimentation with …

Exploring The Relationship Among Etiological Factors Related To Eating Disorders, Erin K. Duffy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use a cross-sectional and longitudinal research design to explore the causal relationship between personality, coping, social support and eating disorder pathology. After initial data collection, participants were contacted at either an 8-month or 2-month follow-up period. Of the original 270 participants, 134 subjects completed a follow-up portion of the study (112 at 2-months and 22 at 8-months). Participants completed all measures at time 1, and completed measures of eating disorder pathology at time 2. Results from cross-sectional analyses indicated that neuroticism self-distraction and positive reframing were predictive of eating disorder pathology. Results from …

Perceptions Of Height, Attractiveness, And Power, Michelle A. Worth

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how perceptions of physical attractiveness and power changed based on an individual's height and gender. Participants were 117 Rowan University students (53 males and 64 females, mean age = 20.9 years). Students were administered a packet that asked demographic data including their age, sex, height, weight, major, hometown, academic status, and marital status. Upon completion of this data, the students were asked to complete a packet where they viewed 10 target persons that varied in height and sex, then answered a series of questions about their perceptions of the target's attractiveness and …

Family Risk Factors Related To Adolescent Adjudication, Jennifer M. Del Russo

Theses and Dissertations

Family and social relationships have been identified as risk-factors for adolescent adjudication. Ninety-five participants between the ages of 13 and 19 were recruited from the Youth Empowerment System (YES) Shelter & Residential Treatment Facility, Camden Day & Residential Treatment Center, and Camden Catholic High School in Camden County, New Jersey. The participants were administered a survey designed by the experimenter and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Chi-square analyses showed significant relationships between adjudication and who the legal guardian was, marital status of their biological parents and legal guardian, their relationship with their legal guardian, biological parents' criminal record and drug/alcohol …

The Use Of Habit Reversal Training In The Treatment Of Trichotillomania: A Single Subject Design, Courtney M. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of self-monitoring and a multicomponent behavioral intervention on the treatment of Trichotillomania (TTM). The subject in this study was a 12-year-old African American female who has demonstrated hair-pulling behavior for several years. The interventions that were implemented were journaling and Habit Reversal Training (HRT). The types of measurements that were used were direct observation, daily logs, and standardized questionnaires. The standardized assessments were the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC, March, 1998) and the Trichotillomania Severity and Impairment Scales (Swedo et al., 1989). In the study, the introduction of journaling …

An Analysis Of Generational Differences Among Civil Servants, Stacey L. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

There seems to be a wide held belief that different generations have different attitudes toward work, organizations, and co-workers. Clearly, these observed differences have implications for managers and leaders. Actions taken by leaders (who are often older) might be misunderstood by junior organizational members (who are often younger), leading to undesirable outcomes (i.e., turnover). Considering that many generational groups are represented within government service, there is a need to analyze and understand potential generational differences. With the notable exception of the Smola and Sutton (2002) study, little empirical research has explored the extent to which these differences actually exist and …

An Analysis Of Generational Differences Among Active Duty Members, Stephanie M. Skibo

Theses and Dissertations

There seems to be a widely held belief that different generations have different attitudes toward work, organizations, and co-workers. Clearly, these observed differences have implications for managers and leaders. Actions taken by leaders might be misunderstood by junior organizational members, leading to undesirable outcomes. Considering that many generational groups are represented within the Air Force, there is a need to analyze and understand potential generational differences. With the exception of the Smola and Sutton (2002) study, little empirical research has explored the extent to which these differences actually exist and whether differences exist among Air Force members. This research explores …

Measuring Prejudiced Attitudes Toward Mexicans In Latter-Day Saint Missionaries During Missionary Service In The American Southwest, Jared A. Montoya

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the foundations of prejudiced attitudes toward Mexicans held by White Americans and to investigate a means of reducing it, paying specific attention to prejudice found within a subpopulation of White Americans. The origins of American prejudice toward Mexicans are outlined using both historical and psychological explanations. An understanding of these origins leads to the notion that increased favorable contact is the best method for reducing prejudice. A field study focusing on prejudice toward Mexicans among ecclesiastical volunteers demonstrated that missionary service can be considered a means of favorable contact. Eighty-one White American …

The Social Network And Attachment Bases Of Loneliness, David M. Ouellette

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis tests Robert S. Weiss's 1973 theory of loneliness, which claims two types of loneliness: emotional and social. Emotional loneliness is the affective reaction to the absence of a close attachment bond. Social loneliness stems from inadequate integration into a social network. Undergraduate residents of a university dormitory completed questionnaires on loneliness, attachment, personality, and relationships with other dorm residents. Patterns of relational ties among participants were evaluated using social network analysis, specifically density, tie strength, and four forms of centrality. Results reveal that, while controlling for neuroticism, the network measure of outdegree and the two attachment dimensions accounted …

Gender And Ethnic Differences In Perceived Stress As A Predictor Of Smoking Behaviors In Rural Adolescents, Lashanda R. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted to examine the impact of perceived stress on current and future smoking behaviors of rural Virginia middle school students. Data were analyzed for 685 sixth grade students and 554 seventh grade students. Sixth grade students were 52% male, 53% Caucasian American (CA), and 47% African American (AA). For 7th graders, the sample was 53% female and 56% CA (44% AA). Of the 685 sixth grade students, 7% reported that they had smoked cigarettes at least once during the past 30 days (n=46,63% male and 67% CA). By the 7th grade, the percentage of smokers …