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A Survey Of Black Student Perceptions And Attitudes On The Utilization Of Academic Retention Programs, Beora Willams

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this study I examine the perceptions and attitudes of black students attending a predominantly white institution (PWI) concerning student support services designed to assist them in achieving social and academic success. PWIs have established minority retention programs with an overall mission of recruiting and retaining black students; however, program use is minimal and black students continue to depart college prematurely. This research seeks to assess the perceptions and attitudes of black students to determine if program ambiguity, lack of faculty involvement or available mentoring, campus affiliation, racism, or time taken away from academic pursuits has a role in whether …

Marital And Personal-Life Satisfaction Among Married, Female Graduate Students: A Qualitative Analysis Of Value Conflicts, Alecia Gall

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fifteen married, female graduate students enrolled full-time during the fall of 1994 were interviewed and audio-tape recorded, guaranteed confidentiality, and assigned pseudonyms. Questions covered the topics of values, experiences in graduate school and marriage, the impact of children, pressures, conflicts, support systems, and coping strategies. I obtained a listing of all married, female graduate students enrolled at a regional state university located in the south central United States during the fall semester of 1994. From this list I identified and contacted those fulltime students who had taken no more than a five-year break between degrees and were under the age …

Striking Resemblance: Kentucky, Tennessee, Black Codes And Readjustment, 1865-1866, Beverly Forehand

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

To date, the scholarship covering the Black Codes has centered on these laws' role as the predecessor of Jim Crow. Little study has been given to the laws as a whole--the one encompassing work being Theodore Wilson's Black Codes of the South. Other studies have examined the Black Codes' effect on specific states; however, no specific study has been done on the Black Codes of Kentucky and Tennessee nor has any study been made of these laws' relation to the antebellum Slave Code. This project therefore will represent an attempt to show that the Black Codes of Tennessee and Kentucky …

The Effects Of Race And Evidence On Jury Decision-Making In Sexual Harassment Cases, Riley Ross

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although sexual harassment has received a considerable amount of publicity since the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, current literature lacks an abundance of studies examining the outcome of sexual harassment cases. The researcher sought to examine the effect of an extralegal (legally irrelevant) factor and the amount of evidence on jury decision making. Specifically, the race of the defendant served as the extralegal factor, while the amount of evidence presented was determined in relation to how many variables (0, 2, or 4 sources of evidence) were included in a particular sexual harassment scenario. (The four variables used were: the presence of …

Undergraduates' Attitudes Toward The Causes Of Poverty And Homelessness: Individualistic Or Structural, Bentley Ponder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The objective of this thesis was to test whether undergraduate students support individualistic, structural or mixed explanations in explaining the causes of poverty and homelessness. The study was undertaken with the assumption that undergraduates would be more likely to use individualistic explanations, rather than structural, as previous poverty perceptional studies had found. A short questionnaire was administered in March and April 1994 to students in a mid-size Southern University. The final sample consisted of 299 students. Cross-tabular analysis, bivariate correlations, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. Surprisingly, results indicated that students were more likely to support structural …

Social Factors Associated With Bulimia Nervosa In College Women, Harry Vogel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this research was to examine the social dimensions of bulimia. Bulimia was viewed using the symbolic interactionist perspective. This perspective was used to see bulimia as a socially constructed line of action. A questionnaire was given to 426 female students at a mid-sized Southern university during the fall of 1994. Crosstabulations and a logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results suggest that sorority membership, a belief in the importance of avoiding becoming overweight, a belief that one's relationships with men are dependent on being attractive, and low satisfaction with one's social life are related to …

The Influence Of Family Solidarity On Religious Participation And Religiosity Among College Students, Michael Collins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The objective of this thesis was to gauge the predictive effects of family solidarity on religious participation and religiosity among college students. The study was undertaken using the theoretical perspective that the function of religion has changed as society has become increasingly modern. A short questionnaire was administered in mid-October 1994 to students in a mid-sized Southern university. The final sample consisted of 299 students under age 25. Cross-tabular analysis, bivariate correlations, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. Results suggest that student's level of family solidarity was an influential factor in determining both religious participation (measured by …

Face Saving At The Singles Bar: Effects Of Women's Perspectives Of Men And Their Performances On Women's Methods Of Rejection, Robert Mccracken

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Rejection of men by women in singles bars was examined using Erving Goffman's concepts of performance and face to help distinguish variables that influence a woman's decision to help a man save face. Each woman (N=2 0) was observed rejecting a man, then was interviewed about the encounter through a semi-structured interview. The subjects were asked to rate the men's personalities and physical appearances and to describe the encounters with the men to provide an understanding of the subjects' impressions of the men's performances. Subjects' rejections of the men were categorized according to the degree to which the responses offered …

Scuds And Patriots: A Content Analysis Of Letters To The Editor In The Tennessean And The Washington Post During The Persian Gulf War, Donna Dorris

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the content of 186 war related letters to the editor written to TheTennessean and The Washington Post during three time periods during the Persian Gulf War. The time periods included the week before, of, and after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the beginning of the air war, and the beginning of the ground war. Content analysis was used to document patterns of and differences in letter content between papers. A qualitative analysis based on symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology revealed symbol use and use of ethnomethods among writers. Almost 2 5% of the …

Does Sex Discrimination Exist In Faculty Salaries At Western Kentucky University? An Empirical Examination Of The Wage Gap, Reed Vesey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis examines wage differentials between male and female faculty salaries at Western Kentucky University. A human capital model of salary determination is examined by using regression analysis on relevant personal and job characteristics of faculty members. A large portion of the wage gap between men and women is explained through differences in the personal and job characteristics. A portion of the wage gap remains unexplained, however, the probability of discrimination playing a substantial role in salary is very small.

Processes Of Performance Production & Maintenance: Interactions Between Rock Bands & Sound Technicians, Linda Reese

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

During the past three decades there has been growing academic interest in the sociology of popular music. Social researchers have investigated the economic impact of music consumers as well as the emerging roles of agents, managers and promoters. Other researchers have explored the sociological implications of musical performance from the perspectives of performer and audience. While we have learned much about some of the roles that people assume within the music industry, there is one important role that has received little attention: the role of the sound technician. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe the social …

Stigma And The Negotiation Of Identity By Rural And Small-Town Lesbians, Margaret Cooper

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fifteen women who identify themselves as lesbians were located through snowball sampling. These women participated in confidential taped interviews and assigned pseudonyms. They were questioned on topics which included growing up gay, family, work relations and friendship associations.

It was assumed that life experiences may differ on the basis of social environments. This study focused on the unique experiences of rural lesbians.

Erving Goofman’s book, Stigma, provided the theoretical framework utilized in the analysis of lesbian identity management. It also allowed for a discussion of stigma and its effect on lesbians.

The women in the study experiencing homosexual feelings during …

The Sex Stereotype Of A Job As A Moderator Of Sex Bias In Performance Evaluations, Sandra B. Crooks

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In accordance with the stereotype-fit model of discrimination (Dipboye, 1985), the results of past research indicate that the extent to which jobs are sex stereotyped dictates whether or not a main effect for rate sex is present in performance evaluations. The purpose of this study was to further examine the relationship between the sex stereotype of the job and the presence of sex bias in evaluation. Two hundred and five undergraduate psychology students viewed one of eight videotapes of a confederate job applicant performing a work sample task and evaluated the observed performance. A 2 x 2 x 2 between …

Children Raised By Homosexual Parents: Sexual Orientation, Mental & Sexual Health, Theresa Gramlich

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sex and morals have often been factors in custody disputes. Courts have felt that giving custody of children to homosexual parents would create an environment not in the best interest of the child. Many mental health professionals argue that these decisions have been based on prejudice and homophobia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate research on the sexual orientation of children raised by homosexual parents and review data on the mental/psychosexual health of these children. These studies revealed no difference between children raised by gay/lesbian parents versus those raised by heterosexual parents on IQ scores, gender identity, or …

Educational & Family Status Constraints On Female Income Operating Through The Labor Market, Donald Burton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The earnings gap between men and women has long been a problem of interest to sociologists. Using data provided by the General Social Survey, this thesis addresses this problem by utilizing a causal model that conceptualizes the labor market sector as intervening in the relationships between education and income, and between the absence or presence of children and income among women. The impact of age on these relationships is also considered.

Women who have children and a lower educational level do not, it was found, make as much money and work more in the secondary sector than childless, better-educated women. …

Misattribution Of Interpersonal Attraction: A Case Of Mistaken Chemistry Or Cognition, William John Bowman Ii

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Prior research endorsed two theories of misattribution of interpersonal attraction. Both the two-component theory and the excitation transfer theory demonstrate misattribution and, in combination, enhance the probability of misattribution. However, which theory provides the primary source of misattribution has not been distinguished. The present study asked 60 undergraduate males to rate their interpersonal attraction toward a female in a video recording engaging in self disclosure. A manipulation of different levels of environmental saliency and physiological arousal was used to determine which condition or combination of conditions is most likely to elicit misattribution of interpersonal attraction. An analysis of variance followed …

American Family Types & Marital Happiness, Ann Busby

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The research reported here estimates the frequency of twenty-five husband and wife family types and examines the differences between six of the most prevalent and important family types in the American population in the 1980's. The variables used for comparisons are age at first marriage, income, fertility rates and marital happiness. To further clarify the relationship between marital happiness and family types, analyses were performed controlling for fertility, and income. The data used were part of the General Social Survey of 1980, 1981, 1983, and 1984 conducted by the National Opinion Research Center. The results show that the traditional family …

Sharing The Wealth: Movement Toward Gender Parity In Managerial & Professional Specialty Occupations From 1950 To 1980, D. Leeann Jolly

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Data on the managerial and professional specialty occupations that were specified by the United States Census of the Population for the years 1950 through 1980 were used to analyze the influence of occupational sex ratios, growth rates, and male and female salary levels on the ability of females to move into those occupations. An analysis of the change in the Standardized Occupational Sex Ratio (SSR) showed that, over the thirty year period studied, growth rates became more important than salary levels in influencing movement toward parity in high status occupations.

Before the 1980 census year, occupational growth rates were found …

A Study Of The Relationship Of Socioeconomic Status & Student Perceptions Of School Effectiveness To Academic Achievement Of Engineering Students, Geronimo Mendoza Meraz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relative contribution of socioeconomic status and student perceptions of school effectiveness to academic achievement in engineering students. The variables representing the general factor of socioeconomic status were 1) father’s occupation, 2) father’s schooling, 3) mother’s schooling, 4) family income, and 5) family’s community population. The variables representing student perceptions of school effectiveness were: 1) help seeking factor, 2) professional preparation factor, 3) experience factor, 4) outside classroom activity factor, 5) personal encouragement factor, and 6) delivery factor.

A question was developed for this specific study and was completed by 110 senior …

A Study Of Retention Between The Cadette And Senior Level Of Girl Scouting In The Kentuckiana Girl Scout Council, Diane M. Weigel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study was made in attempt to identify the characteristics of a troop program in which tenth grade girls had been involved and to determine why they did or did not continue in Scouting. A survey instrument was devised and pretested to validate and improve upon the questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed through the mail to 190 girls who had been registered in the Kentuckiana Council Scouting program in 1981. All girls, despite their present status in Scouting were asked to complete and return the survey. The questions pertained to such areas as years involved in Scouting, frequency of meetings, …

Stereotype Bias In Selection: A Process Approach, Donald V. Currie

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This investigation was to determine if an applicant’s sex and the job’s sex orientation stereotypes affected the evaluation of applicant information and subsequent selection decision outcomes. Interviewers (N=48) were asked to rate the employment suitability of 49 hypothetical applicants. The results indicated that an interaction of the applicant’s sex and job’s sex orientation had marginal affect on the importance weightings in two of the four applicant attribute factors, motivation/ability and personality/appearance. Applicants with equivalent qualifications did not receive comparable employment suitability ratings, Unfair job discrimination was demonstrated by these data. It was concluded that the applicant’s sex and the job’s …

Psychological Androgyny & Gender Attribution To Hypothetical Persons, Deanna Mader

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous research concerning sex-role stereotyping, psychological androgyny, and mental health as it relates both to sex-role stereotyping and androgyny was reviewed. The literature indicated the need for a reevaluation of mental health standards with regard to sex-role stereotypes. The present study attempted to approach this need by examining the relationship between psychological androgyny and attitudes toward sex-role stereotyping. It was hypothesized that androgynous individuals would be more likely than other individuals to state that a hypothetical person possessing a specific set of traits could be either male or female. IL was anticipated that this would be true regardless of the …

The Relationship Of Emotio-Sexual Orientation In Females To Androgyny & Social Self-Esteem, Joyce Gayles

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The research on sex-role development, psychological androgyny, and personality variables in lesbian women was reviewed. Since previous research suggested that lesbian women tend to have characteristics which might be labelled androgynous, a study was undertaken to assess the presence of androgyny among lesbian and heterosexual women and to cross-validate the findings on the relationship between androgyny and self-esteem. In order to assess sex-role classification, the PRF-Andro Scale was administered to 30 lesbian and 30 heterosexual women. The Texas Social Behavior Inventory was used to measure self-esteem. Results showed that a significantly greater proportion of the lesbians were androgynous, and a …

Personality Variables & Sex-Role Classifications Of "Total Woman" Participants, Lou Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The "Total Woman" philosophy and previous research concerning the development of sex-roles, androgyny, how women view themselves and personality differences in group members were reviewed. Since no previous research on the personality variables and the sex-role classification of "Total Woman" participants had been reported, an exploratory study was undertaken. In order to assess personality variables the Personality Research Form-E was administered to 67 "Total Woman" participants from two southern cities. The "Total Woman" subjects were found to have a significantly higher need for Harmavoidance and a significantly lower need for Autonomy, Change, Play and Understanding than the norm group. The …

The Relative Efficiencey Of The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Wais) As A Predictor Of College Academic Achievement, Ollie Dennis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examined the predictive validity of the WAIS in an academic setting. Traditional WAIS IQ scores and subtests of 127 male and 163 female college students were correlated with Grade Point Averages at the end of four semesters and within five academic areas. Five groups were examined including the total group, male group, female group, black group, and white group. The academic University's general and Communication of areas investigated corresponded to the education requirements; Organization Ideas, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Studies, Natural Science and Mathematics, and Physical Development. Results indicated that dictor of both semester GPA and five groups. …

The Structure Of Relevance And Marxian Sociology Of Knowledge: An Analysis Of Hegemony And Voluntary Associations, Larry R. Irons

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis examines the hegemonic function of symbolic structures of relevance as they are related to phenomenological commitments to social change held by voluntary associations of homosexuals. The data base of this investigation consists of the literature of 21 homophile organizations.

Organizations literature is used to facilitate a theoretical adaptation of Alfred Schutz’ discussion of relevance structures which addresses he hegemonic organization of voluntary associations. The concept of relevance structure was implemented to relate predominant orientations within the sociology of deviance to a phenomenological interpretation of group commitment serves as a heuristic device for scrutinizing the instrumental as well as …

The Work Orientations Of Social Work Recruits: A Study Of Pre-Professional Socialization, Lillian Rogers

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In the past, sociological literature has focused on the effects of professional socialization and its influence in the development of work orientations and its conduciveness to homogeneity within a profession. The "process model" served as the conceptual framework for this thesis which proposes that professions are segmented. The present author considered the social work profession as being segmented and was concerned with possible factors which contributed to such segmentation.

The focus of this thesis is to explore the influence of various sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, social class, marital status and parenthood, in addition to work and educational experiences …

Influence Of Sex Role Stereotypes On Ratings Of Male And Female Behavior, Constance Barclay

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An attempt was made to investigate the extent to which individuals are unknowingly influenced by a sex role stereotype in their evaluations of men and women. It was hypothesized that subjects would describe a character in more potency-related, “masculine” terms if that character had been identified as a male than if the character had been identified as a female. Subjects taking part in this study were an equal number of male and female students in introductory psychology classes. The semantic differential technique was employed as a descriptive tool for the subjects’ evaluations of a character they read about in a …