Digital Commons Network^™

Determinants Of Worker Perceptions Of Team Effectiveness, Scott D. Mist

Masters Theses

This study measures perceptions of team effectiveness in a research and development organization from data obtained during an evaluation of a Federal Re-Invention Laboratory. The study is a secondary analysis which examines five scales, selected for their ability to measure team performance and satisfaction through the use of several values, behaviors and attitudes. These include empowerment, cohesion, team fitness, culture-power distribution, and culture.

A confirmatory factor analysis was used to analyze the strength of the question items of the scales. The factors were then utilized in four logistic regression analyses of dependent variables.

The analyses showed the relative strength of …

The White Extremist Movement: A Metatheoretical Analysis, Suzanne Vanweelde

Masters Theses

This study is a metatheoretical analysis of the white extremist movement in the United States. Five separate major and several smaller white extremist organizations were examined with respect to updated information as to the organizational levels, membership profiles and activities of: (1) the Ku Klux Klan, (2) the Militia, (3) Skinheads, (4) Aryan Nations, (5) the Neo-Nazi and (6) other organizations.

Several theories developed by foundational, developmental and contemporary sociologists were analyzed for their individual concepts. Pertinent and significant concepts were noted as being applicable to a theory of white extremism. Specific examples of the concepts' usage within the extremist …

Technological Analysis Of Ceramic Surface Treatments At The Wymer-West Knoll (20be132), A Mississippian Site In Southwestern Michigan, Suzannah Greve-Brown

Masters Theses

Red-slipped and blackened, burnished, shell-tempered ceramics from the Wymer-West knoll are described and analyzed. Such ceramics have not been previously recognized or detailed in south west Michigan. Similar ceramics do occur, however, at Mississippian sites in the upper Illinois and the Mississippi River valleys. The Wymer-West knoll ceramics are thus considered to be possible trade items. An X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy test is utilized in order to compare the red-slipped ceramics with ceramics having other surface treatments. A petrographic thin section analysis is also used to distinguish the potentially imported ceramics from shell-tempered, cordmarked ceramics presumably produced at the site. Results …

Aboriginal Autonomy: The Future Of Indigenous Development In Western Australia, Matthew B. Eugster

Masters Theses

The prospects for development within the Aboriginal society of Western Australia were the focus of this study. The Primary intent of the study was to examine the causes behind an apparent lack of development within Aboriginal society. Next, the study examined possible remedies for the situation.

The study determined that the lack of development in Aboriginal society can be attributed primarily to social dysfunction ( or social dislocation). Furthermore, social dislocation could be attributed to cultural deprivation or the inability to practice one's culture. It was proposed and established that cultural and political autonomy would provide an environment more suitable …

Acculturation Differences Among International Students At Western Michigan University, Kemal Aydin

Masters Theses

The acculturation of international students at Western Michigan University was studied in this thesis. Acculturation variables of perceived prejudice, observance of cultural practices and social ties, and language usage were measured. The results of this study shows that in terms of perceived prejudice, Western Michigan University's international students (except European and Hispanics students) tend to move away from a stimulus. Acculturation and language usage, however, indicate that there is no significant acculturation differences among the respondents. International students at Western Michigan University seem to prefer integration as reflected in a commitment to pluralism. In summary, international students at Western Michigan …

Responsibility, Submission, And Power: Social Factors Which Influence Rural Out-Migration Among Women In Southern Vietnam, Jeffery D. Wright

Masters Theses

This paper examines the circumstances that affect the decisions of young women living in rural southern Vietnam to move to Ho Chi Minh City in search of employment. Issues of power, submission, and responsibility that underlie interpersonal relationships in Vietnam will be discussed with special attention to the way they affect the lives of Vietnamese women. It has been widely suggested that rural out-migration in developing countries is largely economically driven. My own field research in Vietnam during the summer of 1996 suggests that the migration of women in southern Vietnam is not simply an attempt to make more money. …

Remote Sensing Of Freshwater Coastal Wetland Changes In Tuscola County, Michigan: An Evaluation Of Noaa’S C-Cap Program, Theodore S. Krumbach

Masters Theses

Coastal wetland protection and monitoring in the United States is becoming an increasingly important issue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) has been developed to provide a protocol for satellite monitoring of the coastal regions of the United States. This research evaluated the effectiveness of the C-CAP program when being applied to a freshwater Great Lakes ecosystem in the Saginaw Bay region by investigating four components of the protocol: (1) suitable classification methodology, (2) suitable change detection logic, (3) accuracy assessment, and (4) source of digital data. Using two dates of satellite imagery, it was …

Kanpo Consumption Among Japanese Students At Western Michigan University: Case Studies In Medical Pluralism, Joseph Paul Siuda

Masters Theses

Many societies have pluralistic medical systems in which biomedicine and alternative therapies coexist. Some anthropologists view medical pluralism adaptively, where the strengths of various therapies complement each other. Others highlight the hegemonic power of biomedicine and its tendency to suppress or co-opt alternative therapies. To understand medical pluralism, one must examine alternative therapies in particular cultural contexts.

Kanpo, or Japanese herbalism, has survived political and legal suppression resulting from Japan's 19th century attempts at westernization and now poses a challenge to the biomedical model of health and illness. Since the 1970's more Japanese are turning to kanpo rather than …

A Social Work Assessment Of Interventions With The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Population With Regards To Intimacy, Beverly Rushlow

Masters Theses

Social work by nature has always been a hands on type of profession. With the explosion of new technology, social workers are being called upon to utilize technology to intervene with clients. Telecommunication is technology which can bring programs and images of people from one place to another with the use of television screens and phone lines.

This study explored the effectiveness of the utilization of interactive video within a classroom setting for the purpose of social work intervention. The study examined the impact social work intervention has upon a sample of individuals diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease participating …

The Effects Of Sex Guilt And Communication On Condom Use, Renée M. Souva

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether sex guilt and communication were related to condom use. Past research has examined variables that affect condom use and has found that individuals who communicate more about sexual matters, and individuals who have low sex guilt, have been found to use condoms/contraceptives more consistently. This study examined sex guilt and communication and how they predict condom use. The participants were 80 female undergraduates recruited from psychology classes at Eastern Illinois University. Mosher's revised Sex Guilt Inventory and Catania's Health Protective Communication Scale were administered along with a question that assessed condom …

Multimedia Presentations In Nutrition: College Students' Attitudes And Perceptions, Lisa Brooks

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Look At Profitability And Quality Of For-Profit Day Care Centers, Brenda G. Gray

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Computer Use, Exposure And Experience And Gender Issues Among Preschool Children, Michelle L. Meadows

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Social Skills, Social Phobia And Behavior Disorders In Adolescents, Kristin A. Lavery

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Empowering Parents In Their Child Care Decisions, Donna J. Coonce

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Relations Of Burnout To Elementary School Teachers, Special Education Beliefs, And Referral Expectations, Nichole A. Ledermann

Masters Theses

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI; Maslach, Jackson, & Schwab, 1996), a teacher survey of expectations and preferences concerning case study evaluation referral, and demographic questions were completed by regular education elementary school teachers (n=88) in a midwestern city suburb. Results suggested that symptoms of burnout were not evident among this sample of professionals according to Maslach et al. (1996) criteria. Spearman Rho correlations between the MBI subscales and expectations or preferences to have students referred, tested and placed into special education services were not significant. Significant correlations were replicated among the subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results suggested that …

Co-Opertition: Competitive Communication Behavior During A Cooperative Task, Daniel M. Hlavac

Masters Theses

A combined effort of two classes at separate universities was examined. Each class boasted six groups which were paired with another group at the other university. These teams used computer mediated communication to engage in a cooperative task. The communications between groups were analyzed using conversational analytic techniques to reveal a competitive communication pattern. The results show that a lack of communication can produce competitive behaviors even in situations intended to nurture cooperation. Future concerns should focus on teaching groups to use computer mediated communication (CMC) to its fullest potential by recognizing and accounting for the critical differences between CMC …

The Interaction Between Religiosity And Depression Among Students At Two Universities, Nils Anders Haldorsen

Masters Theses

The association between religion and mental health has been a long standing topic of the debate. Some have felt that religion leads to emotional and mental disturbances and thus is detrimental to mental health (Freud, 1907/1924, 1927/1961; Ellis, 1980, 1988); while others believe religion is helpful to mental health (Jung, 1932, 1933; Bergin 1980, 1983) . This study used 180 male and female (79%) college students from a Midwestern state university (62%) and a Christian liberal arts college. It was found that for women, private religiosity was negatively related to depression, as measured by the BDI. Students from the state …

Acculturation And College Attendance In Hispanic Students, Alma D. Najera

Masters Theses

This study investigated the relationship between acculturation and college attendance of Hispanic high school students. Acculturation is mainly associated with the degree to which one experiences cultural change toward the majority culture. It was theorized that acculturation would have a postive association with college attendance. Acculturation level, socioeconomic status and college attendance were the varibles utilized. The students filled out a questionnaire that was composed of 12 questions and five-self report questions. The Twelve qestions were taken from the Short Acculturation Scale, two questions regarding socioeconomic status were taken from the Hollingshead Scocioecomic Scale, with the remaining questions inquiring about …

An Exploratory Study Of High School And College Students Attitudes Toward Suicide, Kathy Jo Carroccio

Masters Theses

The present study examined whether demographics such as education level, age, gender, religious background, and experience with suicide affected individuals attitudes toward suicide with 93 college students. The Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was used to assess attitudes including: acceptability-normality; mental & moral illness; suicide as semi-serious; religion; risk; and normality. The Suicide Attitude Vignette Experience (SAVE) was used to measure attitudes toward a number of different problem areas. Church attendance was the best predictor of an individual's attitude toward suicide. Females scored higher, but not significantly so, on the sympathy, empathy, and agree scales of the SAVE. College students viewed …

Closing The Door: A Roll Call Analysis Of Immigration Voting In The 99th And 104th Congresses, Murray Stewart Leith

Masters Theses

The research focus of this study is the voting behavior of the elected members of the United States House of Representatives on the issue of national immigration. This work specifically focuses on selected immigration roll call votes taken during the 99th and 104th Congresses. An examination of the voting behavior of the 435 elected representatives from each year will be examined by considering eight hypotheses that question the immigration voting behavior of various sub groups within congress.

During the 1980s and 1990s Congress took several major legislative actions in regards to the issue of national immigration. It was hypothesized that …

What Can China Learn From East Asia's Economic Success?, Fang Xie

Masters Theses

East Asia has a remarkable record of high and sustained economic growth. From 1965 to 1990 the twenty-three economies of East Asia grew faster than all other regions of the world (World Bank 1993). Most of this achievement is attributable to seemingly miraculous growth in just eight economies: Japan; the "Four Tigers"--Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan; and the three newly industrializing economies (NIEs) of Southeast Asia--Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The success of these eight high performing Asian economies (HPAEs) in achieving rapid and equitable growth broadens our understanding of the range of policies that are consistent …

Bosnian Civilian Survivors Of War In Exile And In Bosnia: A Comparative Study, Ines Lajla Matijas

Masters Theses

This study describes the psychological consequences of war for 111 female Bosnian civilians, 59 of whom are survivors in exile and 52 of whom are living in Bosnia. These participants, ages 18-23, completed anonymous self-report questionnaires which provided information about the prevalence of traumatic stress symptoms and the relationship between traumatic events experienced during the war and current symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Contrary to expectations, no significant differences were found in PTSD diagnosis and PTSD severity between survivors in exile and survivors in Bosnia. No significant differences were found between groups in the frequency of reexperiencing, avoidance and …

The Relationship Among Family Environment Attributes, Personological Factors, Low Self-Esteem And Late Adolescent Problem Drinking, Kenneth L. Dalla Costa

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Birth Order And The Separation-Individuation Of Late Adolescents, Amy Loren Maddrey

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Young Children's Talk At Play: Orientation To Self And Orientation To The Joint Exigencies Of Conversation, Paige K. Parker

Masters Theses

This study employed a conversation analytic approach to determine how children in naturally constructed play episodes use language as an object of play and how children in their naturally occurring talk display orientation to their own individual activities and others' social actions. The participants were thirty-nine kindergarten and first grade students at South Elementary School in Marshall, Illinois. The study is based upon fifteen hours of conversation collected during recess periods. Relevant segments from the corpus were transcribed according to an adapted version of Jefferson's Transcript Notation System (1984). The findings suggested that (1) the groups of children used language …

An Analysis Of Parental Involvement At Iep Conferences For Students With Hearing Impairments, Kristina S. Kroeker Parker

Masters Theses

Legislation of the 1970's and 80's mandated parental involvement in the development of special education plans for children with disabilities. The literature has indicated that parents are often passive recipients of information (Goldstein, Strickland, Turnbull, & Curry, 1980) even though parent involvement in a child's education has been associated with academic success (Epstein, 1990). An observational analysis of eighteen IEP conferences for children with hearing impairments receiving services through the Eastern Illinois Area Special Education Cooperative was completed. Observers recorded the frequency of verbal participation by the parents, and parents and teachers completed questionnaires addressing satisfaction and perceptions of involvement …

Growth And Development Of Street Gangs, Audrey D. Guymon

Masters Theses

This field study of the growth and development of street gangs was conducted in the spring of 1996 at a medium security prison utilizing a semi-structured interview with 69 inmates who were known present or former gang members. Since the sample was taken from a population of convicted felons, the results reflect the environment of the participants and may not be representative of gang members as a whole.

The field study determined that the majority of the participants came from two parent homes, had joined the gang between the ages of 9 and 15, lacked positive male role models, and …

Perceptions Of Family Functioning And Suicide Attitudes, Stephanie Lynch

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the general functioning of a family is related to attitudes regarding suicide. Past research has examined the impact of family functioning on suicide attitudes and found that the relationship between families and children are different in families of suicidal children than in families who have nonsuicidal children. This study combined three variables of suicide acceptance, suicide normality, and perceptions of family functioning in the hopes of gaining more information to assess risk of harm to self in adolescents. The participants were 94 students from Introductory Psychology classes at Eastern Illinois University. …

A Comparison Between Afro-American And White College Student's Attitudes Toward Suicide, Christina M. Mentes

Masters Theses

The rate of suicide in the United States has increased considerably in recent years making research of suicidal behaviors an important avenue of study. Yet the rate of increase has been inconsistent across demographic variables such as gender, age, and ethnicity, making it difficult to determine risk factors and predictors of suicidal behavior. Previous studies have conflicting results as to whether or not it is possible to determine risk factors by measuring attitudes towards suicide, and whether or not certain demographic variables correlate with attitudes toward suicidal behavior. This study investigates attitudes toward suicidal behavior and demographic variables in order …