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An Empirical Examination Of Hispanic-Americans In A University Setting And The Influences On Their Attitudes Towards Assimilation, Ramon Rodriguez

Masters Theses

Recent literature on Hispanic-Americans has determined that Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority in the United States. Both the high rates of immigration and a high birth rate mean it is only a matter of time before Hispanics will form an extensively large population. Hispanics, however, generally remain unassimilated. This study focuses on the influences on the attitudes towards assimilation of Hispanic-Americans in a university setting.

Survey methods were utilized to gather data from a sample of 100 individuals at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. A survey return rate of 57% was obtained from Hispanic students questioned. The data showed that …

Hands-On Purposeful Activity And Short-Term Memory Retention In Elderly Patients With Cognitive Deficits, Desiree Arah Varner

Masters Theses

This study compared the effects of hands-on purposeful doing with demonstration (HO) versus a demonstration-only (DO) activity in terms of the level of memory retention in elderly females. Twenty-nine females with a mean age of 81.8 years (SD = 11.6) and with moderate cognitive deficits as determined by a score of 3-8 on the Mental Status Questionnaire (Kahn, Goldfarb, & Pollack, 1960) were selected from an extended care nursing facility. Fifteen randomly assigned subjects (in three sub-groups of five) had approximately one hour of demonstration and hands-on involvement with ice cream making. Fourteen randomly assigned subjects in sub-groups of four …

A Comparison Of Selected Old And New Right Wing Groups: Involvement With Law Enforcement, Elvin W. Keith

Masters Theses

This study has determined that current right wing extremist groups in the U.S. have no greater propensity for damage to the national security than older right wing groups.

Although right wing groups are dangerous due to the popularity of conservative causes and the proliferation of modern weaponry, an examination reveals that dedication and increased military capability are offset by more efficient law enforcement response and lack of support by the general populace.

A careful examination of the American right wing, both old and new shows the disparity between the two groups. Emphasis is placed on exploring the old right wing …

Religious Belief, Salience, And Social Action: Are They Related?, Timothy R. Tuinstra

Masters Theses

With the increasing size and social/political activity of theologically orthodox religious groups within the United States, research dealing with the relationship between orthodoxy and social action is necessary in better understanding the phenomena. Past research has been inadequate in that it has largely focused either on the clergy or, when using the laity, has only measured attitudes toward social action rather than participation in social action. This study measured social action participation among lay members drawn from three Grand Rapids area United Methodist Churches. A third variable, salience of religious belief, was also examined, which past research indicated could be …

Attitudes Of College Students Toward Affirmative Action Policies For Women And Minorities, John Porter Lee

Masters Theses

This study used two contrasting theoretical perspectives in an assessment of college students' attitudes toward affirmative action policies for women and minorities. One perspective was Wellman's (1977) Interest Theory of Discrimination and the other one was based on the Minority Identity Development Model constructed by Atkinson, Morten and Sue ( 198 9) . Survey methods were utilized to gather data from 479 undergraduate students enrolled in a midwestern university. Following the development model, it was argued that white female students and black students (both males and females) would have favorable attitudes toward affirmative action policies because of their minority status. …

Communication And Aging: Perceptions Of Family And Friend Interaction On Self Reported Life Satisfaction Among Selected Residents Of Three Nursing Homes, Patricia J. Fetzner

Masters Theses

The study of communication and aging provides great potential for enriching the lives of the elderly. Of course this should be of great interest to each of us as we are all inevitably aging. One rapidly growing area in communication research deals with how communication affects the life satisfaction of the elderly. Of particular interest is the attitudinal effect of family and friend interaction.

Early research dealing with the elderly focused on two theories: 1. Activity theory, which is the idea that social activity is essential to an older person's sense of well being and; 2. Disengagement theory, which suggests …

Female Representation Among State Legislative Elite: The Illinois General Assembly 1922-1986, Juliana J. Helmke

Masters Theses

This study of female representation in the Illinois General Assembly examines 33 general assemblies, beginning with the 53rd General Assembly – election year, 1922 – at which time the first woman was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. Trend lines are used to describe changes in female representation over the 64-year period. The effect of changes in the electoral system and the institutional structure are examined. Social and demographic characteristics of women legislators in Illinois are discussed. This data is then compared to data on legislators elected to the 83rd General Assembly.

Over the 64-year period covered in this …