Digital Commons Network^™

Political Integration: A National Language For Malaysia, Zairina Othman

Masters Theses

This study investigates the need of a national language policy to promote political integration in a new nation, using Malaysia as an example. The thesis attempts to explain why Bahasa Malaysia was chosen as the national language and how its implementation as the prime language of political, social, and economic communication has contributed towards national political unity and stability in Malaysia. Three propositions are presented and investigated in support of the thesis.

The first proposition suggests that an acceptable national language helps foster political integration in a culturally pluralistic society. The primary objective would be to replace a specific ethnocultural …

The Effects Of A Structured Study-Support Program On The Academic Performance Of Minority College Freshmen In A General Psychology Course, Mark Andrew Jackson

Masters Theses

This study analyzed the effectiveness of a structured study support course on the academic performance of minority college freshmen in a general psychology course. The study-support course required the participants to study the weekly quiz material in specified increments throughout the entire week. These participants received significantly higher grades than those who did not.

In addition, the weekly quiz scores of the participants during the treatment phase were significantly higher than their quiz scores prior to the beginning of the study-support course. Students who did not participate in the study-support course showed no significant difference in weekly quiz performance during …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between In-School System Student Transiency And Student Reading Achievement, W. Craig Misner

Dissertations

A study was conducted to ascertain what influence transiency had on students' reading achievement in school. Transiency was defined as students moving from one school within the Kalamazoo, Michigan, Public Schools to another at a frequency double to that which school system policy required. Reading achievement was measured by a national norm-referenced test (Metropolitan Achievement Test) and progress in the school system reading program. A total population of 317 students was selected at the second, fourth, and sixth grade levels for the investigation. At each grade level, students were divided into transient groups or nontransient groups dependent on school stability. …

A Skeletal Comparison Of Bluewing Teals Versus Greenwing Teals And Mallard Ducks Versus Black Ducks From A Zooarchaeological Perspective, Michael Gordon Cohen

Masters Theses

The archaeological literature of the Great Lakes region frequently reports the occurrence of faunal and floral remains from the sites under investigation. An analysis of the data indicates that mammal bones greatly outnumber bird bone remains. The hypothesis is suggested that the limited number of identified bird bone remains might be due to the fact that zooarchaeologists are not as familiar with avian bones as they are with mammal bones. For the benefit of zooarchaeologists, bird bone anatomy is reviewed which hopefully will lead to better identification of these remains in the future. The differences between two species of teals …

A Formal Analysis Of Ceramic Vessels From The Schlemmer Site (11-S-382): A Late Woodland/ Mississippian Occupation In St. Clair County, Illinois, Thomas Edward Berres

Masters Theses

The Schlemmer site is located about 20 km southwest of Cahokia Mounds State Park at the southern edge of Dupo, Illinois. This thesis analayzes 166 vessels recovered from 29 pit and structural features at the southern portion of the site. Using a newly defined late prehistoric American Bottom chronology, the Schlemmer vessels were assigned to either Patrick phase (A.D. 600-800) or Lindeman phase (A.D. 950-1000) components. The research discussed in this thesis attempts to describe and explain the formal variation in Schlemmer ceramic vessels through time and space. To this end, the ceramics have undergone both analytical attribute and typological …

Writing Apprehension And Writing Intensity In An Industrial Organization, Kaye P. Bennett

Masters Theses

This study hypothesized that high writing apprehensive subjects would differ significantly from low writing apprehensive subjects in regard to the writing intensity of their jobs. A random sample of 143 people employed in clerical, technical, secretarial, professional, supervisory, or administrative positions in one midwestern company was studied. Subjects completed the Writing Apprehension Test and the Writing Intensity Questionnaire. The latter was designed for this study to measure the amount and type of writing projects subjects produced, plus audience and deadline pressure. A significant difference (p = .004) was seen in the mean writing intensity scores between high apprehensives (n = …

Using Performance-Management To Improve The Academic Success Of High-Risk College Students, Valerie L. Jager

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a performance management program designed to improve the academic success of high-risk college students; students who had been previously dismissed from the university and had grade point averages (GPA) below 2.0 (on a 4.0- point scale). Twenty-two of these high-risk students were required to enroll in a one-credit hour performance-management course. They met weekly with a student staff member and prepared a contract, which specified their goals for the upcoming week and evaluated the past weeks' accomplishments. The students were also required to graph their daily accomplishments and spend ten hours per week studying …

A Comparative Study Of The Members Of Citizen Advisory Committees In Two Cities, Maryam Hasan

Masters Theses

This research describes and compares locally initiated citizen advisory committees in two Michigan cities, Kalamazoo and Portage. The goal of the description and comparison was to assess the differences, if any, in advisory members' definitions and perceptions of advisory committee purposes, membership characteristics, activities, organization, and members' satisfaction with advisory committee's recommendations and other activities. The study has revealed that there is no significant differences statistically or analytically between the two cities in the area of locally initiated advisory committees even though Kalamazoo is a central city of a metropolitan area with a more heterogeneous population than Portage, a suburban …

The Effects Of Validation Versus Reality Orientation Approaches In Music Therapy With Disoriented Elderly Adults, Debra Diane Harvey

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Validation and Reality Orientation in a music therapy setting with disoriented elderly adults. Subjects (age 80 and older) were divided into four treatment groups, two each of Validation and Reality Orientation (total n=19). The groups met for thirty minutes, five days a week, for six weeks. Pre and posttest measures of orientation, ego integrity, and behavior were compared using a one-way analysis of variance on mean gain scores. Results showed a significant improvement (p<.05) on the measure of ego integrity in the Validation treatment groups. No other significant differences were found for either treatment group on the measures of orientation or behavior. Recommendations for further investigation include more attention to specific levels or orientation and behavior prior to treatment, and the use of a larger sample population.

A Performance Audit Of A Graduate Training Program, Maria Emma Garcia

Masters Theses

The present study consists of a performance audit of a graduate training program. The performance audit is an engineering model created by Gilbert (1978) to design, analyze, and evaluate organizations. This performance audit was applied to the Behavioral Systems Analysis Program (BSAP), a graduate training program of the Psychology Department at Western Michigan University. The mission of BSAP consists of training behavioral systems analysts to effectively create or improve systems that benefit humanity.

This study had two objectives: first, the identification of the areas of BSAP with greatest potential for improvement and the identification causes of their deficiencies; second, to …

The Fall Of South Vietnam: A Study Of The South Vietnamese Armed Forces, Binh Phuoc Le

Masters Theses

The South Vietnamese armed force was one of the largest and well-equipped armed forces in the world, yet less than two months after the Communists opened their final offensive the whole South Vietnamese armed forces disintegrated. Consequently, this led to the fall of South Vietnam in 1975. This study attempts to analyze the weaknesses of the South Vietnamese armed forces relating to organization, personnel (officers and recruits), training, armaments, and the utilization of American aid. Overall, this study suggests that because of the weaknesses of the South Vietnamese armed forces, they were unable to defend South Vietnam from falling to …

The Upper Mississippi Component At The Fort Meigs Site, Northwest Ohio, With Special Emphasis On The Analysis Of The Ceramic Assemblage, William Evan Rutter

Masters Theses

An introduction to the late prehistoric Upper Mississippian component of the Ft. Meigs site is presented. Site context and history of research are presented, and the non-ceramic artifact assemblage is analyzed and discussed. An in depth analysis of the ceramic assemblage is presented, as well as discussion of the osteological, floral, and faunal remains. Ft. Meigs is then examined from a culture ecological perspective, and is discussed in terms of culture historical data and a theoretical schema. The site is employed to aid in illumination of the process of culture contact in general, and within the western Lake Erie Basin …

Effects Of The Center For The Self-Management Of Academic Performance On High Risk Students, Connie J. Wittkopp

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a behavioral package designed to help keep high risk students in school. Thirty-four undergraduate students on academic probation were referred to the Center for the Self-Management of Academic Performance by the College of Arts and Sciences. These students were divided into two groups: an experimental group which consisted of 21 students and a control group which consisted of 13 students. Members of the experimental group were exposed to a treatment package which included behavioral contracting, lectures, and mandatory attendance at a study center; members of the control group …

Foreign Graduate Students’ Political Participation In Two Different Political Environments, Ragaa Ibrahim Selim

Masters Theses

Student political activism as an area of study has become less attractive to Western writers because of the sharp decline in student activism that was characteristic of the 60s. While the Western nations now discuss student activism as historical events, countries in the developing world are still engulfed with student political activism.

This research is comparative and analytic. It shows that the issue at stake in a political environment is more significant than the political environment itself; that students from the developing world are much more politically active than their counterparts in the developed world; that political participation is an …

Feminine Role Orientation And Locus Of Control In Battered Women, Nancy C. Zielke

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine locus of control and feminine role orientation in battered women. It was hypothesized that battered women would have a more "external" locus of control than women who have not been in a battering relationship. It was also hypothesized that battered women would describe themselves as having more characteristics that are traditionally associated as "feminine" in nature and fewer characteristics that are considered "masculine" in nature than women who have not been in a battering relationship. Finally, it was hypothesized that there would be a relationship between locus of control and self-perceived feminine …

The Relationships Between Family Communication, Self-Concept, And Academic Achievement Of Adolescents In Some Schools Of Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Aizan Mohd Yusof

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the parent-adolescent communication, adolescents' self-concept, and academic achievement.

The sample consisted of 341 Form II (8th Grade) students from seven secondary schools in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, and their parents. The instruments utilized in this study were Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory and Academic Self-Concept Scales as the measure for adolescents' self-concept. The 1984 mid-year examination results were used as the measure of academic achievement. The Parent-Adolescent Communication Inventory (Form A) was used as the measure of students' perceptions of their communication with their parents, and Parent-Adolescent Communication Inventory (Form P) was …

Effect Of Father-Presence And Father-Absence On The Self-Concept Of Black Males In Special Education And Regular Education Classes, Queen Esther Woodard

Dissertations

This study compared the self-concept of Black males residing in father-present and father-absent low socioeconomic status homes, who were between the ages of 8-12, and who were enrolled in emotionally impaired, or regular education classes. Literature indicated that since 1970, the number of children reared in one-parent homes has increased by over 60%, with over 90% of these children living with their mothers. This changing lifestyle has prompted researchers to investigate the effects of father-absence on children; especially on boys.

It was hypothesized that self-concept would be influenced by father status, chronological age, and class placement. These three independent variables …

Computer-Assisted Consultation: Problem-Identification, David B. Lennox

Dissertations

Three experiments were conducted to validate the effectiveness of Computer-Assisted Consultation (CAC)--a computer-based problem identification interviewing system for use in conducting school-based behavioral consultation. The specific goals of problem identification are to establish behavioral objectives and initial assessment characteristics. Experiment I functioned as a pilot which: (1) validated the need for problem identification, (2) demonstrated the general utility of CAC, and (3) provide a basis for program improvement. Experiment II provided a more rigorous analysis of CAC by comparing it with an actual problem identification interview. Two groups of three consultees each were exposed to one of two counter-balanced sequences …

The Effect Of Aerobic Training And Weight Training On The Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Body Cathexis, And Self-Concept Of College Females, John Stuart Irvine

Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of two differing exercise programs, aerobic training and weight training, upon the body cathexis, global self-concept, and cardiorespiratory fitness of college females. The subjects were undergraduate nonintercollegiate athletes who self-selected into four different physical education classes that served as the two experimental and one control group. The subjects in the aerobics exercise group engaged in rope jumping, aerobic dance, and jogging for 50 minutes, twice per week, for 14 weeks. The weight training experimental group utilized free weights and variable resistence strength training equipment during the 14-week, twice weekly, 50-minute sessions. The control group …

Methylphenidate Effects On The Learning And Performance Of Four Hyper Active Children, Paul James Yoder

Dissertations

The effects of methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin) on the learning and performance of four hyperactive children were evaluated using a repeated acquisition procedure with both learning and performance components. Three dosages of methylphenidate plus a placebo were evaluated under double-blind experimental conditions. Dosages treated included each subject's therapeutic dosage, a dosage 5 milligrams higher, and a dosage 5 milligrams lower. Methylphenidate produced no effect on either the number of errors per session or on the rate of responding across the range of dosages tested suggesting that the medication neither facilitated nor impaired learning or performance. Data were also collected on social …

An Investigation Of The Reliability, Validity, And Translation Of Holland's Self Directed Search For Utilization By A Malaysian Population, Amla H. M. Salleh

Dissertations

The main purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the Malay translated version of Self Directed Search (SDS) and the use of Holland's hexagonal model with a Malaysian college student population.

Form E of the SDS was used. The four subscales, Likes, Competencies, Occupations, and Self Rating, were modified and translated into Malay Language following back-translation procedure. The translated version was pretested using "counterbalance" design. The responses from a population of 169 Malaysian undergraduate students from Western Michigan University were analyzed. Principal factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to produce simple structure analogous to types (Realistic, …

Adjustment Problems Of Malaysian Students At Western Michigan University, Suradi Salim

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the adjustment problems encountered by Malaysian students enrolled at Western Michigan University. The study also attempted to determine if there were significant differences in the adjustment problems among respondents in the various variables and sub-groups identified.

The following demographic and personal data, and patterns of social integration were treated as independent variables: Age; Sex; Marital status; Academic classification; Setting of home residence; Duration of stay in the U.S.; Major field of study; Financial sponsorship; Entry qualification; Work experience; English language proficiency; Frequency of interaction with American students, non-Malaysian foreign students …

Male-Female Differences In Expressed Work Attitudes: An Examination Of Sex Roles And Gender Identity, Keith A. Woods

Masters Theses

This study investigates the existence of sex-based differences in attitudes toward social relations in the work environment. Both sex role (male vs. female) and gender-identity (agentic and communal aspects of self-conception) were related to work attitudes within the context of situational (attitude disclosure) and dispositional (public self-consciousness) factors. Subjects' attitudes toward the work environment were measured by a newly-developed Work Attitude Questionnaire (WAQ) which assessed preferences for personal vs. counterpersonal and preferences for conflict vs. conflict-avoidance in social relations in the work environment.

Significantly different work attitudes were expressed by male and female subjects: males expressed greater counterpersonal and lower …

Alcoholism: The Insidious Disease, Kathryn Van Bruggen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to describe alcoholism as a disease, it s likely etiology, symptoms, methods of treatment and prognosis. Problems due to alcoholism are reported as they affect not only the alcoholic but the family, job and community as well. Education will help identify an alcoholic problem before it becomes too advanced. Various treatment modalities are discussed, including Alcoholics Anonymous. This study relates to the impact on the family and how the family can exacerbate the problem. Conclusions are based on observations of alcoholics and families of alcoholics in a therapeutic setting and literature review.

Psychometric Characteristics Of The Behavioral Observation Scale, Gregg Allen Bolt

Masters Theses

Self-, peer-, and supervisor ratings were obtained on 52 psychiatric aides using a Behavioral Observation Scale (BOS). Self ratings showed less leniency error than peer- and supervisor ratings. Halo error could not be assessed due to a negative correlation between means and variences. A multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) analysis supported the presence of strong rater bias and significant convergent validity but not discriminant validity. The results of the analyses demonstrated that the ratings obtained from a BOS were not psychometrically superior to other appraisal formats. Questions were raised as to the adequacy of a five point scale, data transformation, and rating scales.

Prescriptive Contracting: Utilization Of Self-Monitoring And Contracting In A Study Improvement Program, Raymond L. Boettger

Masters Theses

Several factors in program design and concurrent research of study programs for academically at-risk students have been noted in reviewing the literature. Two of the most effective techniques are self-monitoring and contracting. While many of the programs based on these procedures have shown significant increases in rates of study behavior, few have reported actual academic gains. Those that have predominately used simple difference of means tests to show significance. A major drawback to many of the study improvement programs is that they require additional expense to be implemented and maintained.

Prescriptive Contracting in an Individualized Guided Study center was designed …

Use Of Contingency Contracting For The Generalization Of Social Skills Of Emotionally Impaired Students, Michelle M. Kapp

Masters Theses

The present study investigated the effects of contingency or behavioral contracting on the generalization of emitting polite words. Generalization as a result of social skills training was compared to generalization as a result of contracting. The subjects were three elementary students identified as emotionally impaired. The experimental design was a combination reversal and multiple baseline across subjects. The results of the study supported the hypothesis that contracting would be more effective than the social skills training in initiating generalization of emitting polite words. It was suggested that additional research be conducted to investigate the long term effects of contracting on …

The Use Of Performance Data To Monitor And Support The Reorganization Of An Educational System, Ellen Spall Thompson

Masters Theses

The goal of this study was to determine the performance effects on staff and students following the reorganization of a special education facility. The organizational plan was based on the development of teaching teams where students were grouped together according to exit curricular goals. Four interventions were completed in order to assess the overall outcome of the reorganization project. At the student level, the rate of learning was monitored in order to determine whether the implementation of teams affected educational objective acquisition . At the team level, meeting agendas were surveyed to find out what effect they had on student …

The Effects Of Given Versus Self-Derived Rules On Children's Performance Of A Complex Discrimination Task, Susan F. Roy

Masters Theses

Two groups of preschool children were studied in a discretetrial concept formation task involving identification of stimulus cards which shared a common feature (e.g., picture a color, or a facial expression). During training, one group (rule-given) was given a verbal description which delineated the aspect of the stimulus card that should control responding. The second (self-derived rule) group was exposed to the same cards, without a rule (verbal description) being given. Members of each group were reinforced for correct responses (i.e., identifying which of two pictures had the relevant stimulus property), and accuracy of description was recorded for each trial. …

Underdevelopment And State Capitalism: A Cross-National Study, Massoud Chalabi

Dissertations

This is an inquiry into the nature and developmental role of state capitalism (SC) in the Third World. In an effort to enhance understanding of the problem of underdevelopment in general and to gain understanding of state capitalism in particular, contributions and limitations of basic theories of development were examined via a positive critique. State capitalism, as a political movement under the political leadership of middle classes, is a response to the structural crisis and chronic crisis of authority to which misborn capitalism has been facing in the Third World since its emergence. Once state capitalism comes to exist, the …