Digital Commons Network^™

Childhood Trauma, Self-Esteem, And Helping Behaviors: Does History Of Trauma Predict Helping?, Adriana B. Joseph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is insufficient evidence from the available research to fully determine the relationship between self-esteem and helping behaviors. Specifically, some findings indicate that those with lower self-esteem are less likely to help others than those with higher self-esteem (Michelini, Wilson, & Messe, 1975), while others show the opposite trend (Briggs, Landry, & Wood, 2007). Individuals with a history of childhood trauma are more likely to report low self-esteem than those with no history of childhood trauma (Valerio & Lepper, 2009); also, those with a history of trauma are more likely to help others (Frazier, Greer, Gabrielsen, Tennen, Park, & Tomlich, …

Precise Partitions Of Large Graphs, Pouria Salehi Nowbandegani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

First by using an easy application of the Regularity Lemma, we extend some known results about cycles of many lengths to include a specified edge on the cycles. The results in this chapter will help us in rest of this thesis. In 2000, Enomoto and Ota posed a conjecture on the existence of path decomposition of graphs with fixed start vertices and fixed lengths. We prove this conjecture when |G| is large. Our proof uses the Regularity Lemma along with several extremal lemmas, concluding with an absorbing argument to retrieve misbehaving vertices. Furthermore, sharp minimum degree and degree sum conditions …

Sessile Invertebrate Colonization On Rocky Outcrops At Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, Brittany Poirson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Documenting patterns of sessile invertebrate community development is important for predicting recovery patterns after disturbance and designing effective marine reserves. In the South Atlantic Bight, invertebrate assemblages can differ significantly from one rocky outcrop to another, but the factors driving these differences are not well understood. I tracked community development for fourteen months at four rocky outcrops at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) to address the predictions that (i) developing sessile invertebrate communities in this system do not exhibit a predictable pattern of succession and (ii) recolonization patterns for small patches of open space that become available are influenced …

The Relationship Between Financial Aid Type And Academic Success In A Public Two-Year College In Georgia, Donald D. Avery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between financial aid type and academic success in a public two-year institution in the state of Georgia. Financial assistance contributes significantly to higher education in the form of subsidy to the participants in higher education through student financial aid. Much of the research available on this topic is based on data provided by four-year institutions and research was not identified which investigates the aid type and potential relationship to academic success.

In an attempt to establish this relationship, the investigation considered grades earned in foundational coursework as …

Infrastructure, Scott S. Foxx

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The paintings in this series depict sensations and forms drawn from a collaged, painted surface, referencing examples of painting from the Early Renaissance and the pure Formalism of the mid 20^th century. Collage materials lend both conceptual and physical directions to the compositions, in that it is symbolic of the multi layered experience of modern people in a technological society. Imitating painting’s gestural, linear energy in an illusory manner, the paper and paint layers invert expected hierarchies of space. I am analyzing the condition of the painter, the ideas of painting as an activity and product, with myself at …

The Caring Beliefs And Practices Of Effective Teachers, Barbara D. Mccollum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current educational reform tends to emphasize an impersonal test-driven approach to teaching while the present research maintains this reform is inequitable because it neglects the personal component of teacher caring, which is necessary to reach all students, especially disaffected underachievers. The purpose of the present multi-case study was to determine the caring beliefs and practices of six effective teachers in two Title I Elementary schools in a central Georgia school system, how these beliefs and practices manifested in the classroom, and in what ways the teachers’ beliefs and practices may have been influenced by their own cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds …

The Use Of A Visual Motor Test To Identify Lingering Deficits In Concussed Collegiate Athletes, Erik W. Sanders

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur annually. Athletes who have suffered a concussion but are symptom free and have returned to baseline on conventional tests may not necessarily be recovered from the effects of the concussion. The premature return to play of an unrecovered athlete may increase the risk of a subsequent concussion. Measurement of upper-limb visual motor coordination has identified lingering deficits following concussion and so it may provide clinicians with a more sensitive means of tracking recovery. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if a visual motor coordination test would identify lingering deficits …

Epistasis In Predator-Prey Relationships, Iuliia Inozemtseva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Epistasis is the interaction between two or more genes to control a single phenotype. We model epistasis of the prey in a two-locus two-allele problem in a basic predator- prey relationship. The resulting model allows us to examine both population sizes as well as genotypic and phenotypic frequencies. In the context of several numerical examples, we show that if epistasis results in an undesirable or desirable phenotype in the prey by making the particular genotype more or less susceptible to the predator or dangerous to the predator, elimination of undesirable phenotypes and then genotypes occurs.

A Mixed Methods Case Study Exploring The Outcomes Of Implementing A Digital Learning Management System In A Fourth Grade Language Arts Classroom, Sarah C. Mayberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Classrooms of today are in continual flux and state and local mandates are constantly reforming the curriculum in order to help prepare students to compete in a global society; in addition, advancements in technology have greatly impacted today’s students and how they learn as well as the way teachers instruct. As educators, we need to recognize what our students need to become successful citizens in today’s society, which often requires students to be critical evaluators of various types of information and requires them to become literate across a wide range of literacies. Not only is it critical that classroom teachers …

Adult Attachment And Emotion Identification: A Cognitive Evaluation, Jennifer F. Barron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Whether adult or infant, attachment bonds aid in the development of beliefs about oneself and others (Collins & Read, 1990; Hazen & Shaver, 1987). Additionally, attachment seems to play a vital role in human development, communication, emotion recognition and comprehension, and the development of appropriate mental representations of emotional experiences (Denham et al., 2002; Greg & Howe, 2001; Raikes & Thompson, 2006). Because attachment is considered a somewhat stable trait, it seems logical that the importance of emotional experiences would not be limited to childhood, and would be important in establishing and maintaining healthy adult relationships (Kerr, Melley, Travea, & …

Computational And Experimental Study On Vertical Axis Wind Turbine In Search For An Efficient Design, Mohammad M. Bashar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wind alone can fulfill most of the energy requirement of the world by its efficient conversion in to energy. Though Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) is more popular but needs high wind speed to generate energy. On the other hand Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) needs low wind speed and can be installed anywhere which are some of the reasons for this research. The main objective of this research is to improve the design and performance of VAWT to make it more attractive, efficient, durable and sustainable. For a VAWT the blades perform the main role to extract energy from …

Eleven Bullets: A Counter Assault On Subjectivity And The Creation Of Meaning, Jason Wayne Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eleven Bullets: A Counter Assault on Subjectivity and the Creation of Visual Meaning explores the sources of visual meaning as a combination of shared personal experience among the mass audience and the perpetuation of this meaning via popular cultural applications. It proposes that the analysis of an artist’s personal experience with sensory perception is the foundation for his or her ability to instill meaning within a design. By understanding how we make associations with experiences that are pleasurable, painful, safe, dangerous, passive, aggressive etc., we organize our world according to visual stereotypes. These stereotypes help us navigate the world efficiently …

Instructional Technology Integration And Situational Interest In Math, James A. Thompson Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Motivating students to be engaged in learning, especially in math, has been a perennial challenge for educators. Over the past 20 years, instructional technology has become an increasingly prevalent teaching tool that, according to many educational observers and researchers, can have a transformative effect on teaching and learning because of the way that it engages today’s students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between students’ perceptions of technology integration and situational interest in middle school math so that educational planners will be better informed when making instructional decisions concerning the use of technology in the …

African American Teenage Males Speak Out: The Influence Of African American Males On The Academic Achievement, Identities, And Lives Of African American Teenage Males, Otha J. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the influence of the presence of or lack for African American males on the academic achievements, identities, and lives of five African American teenage males who live in middle Georgia, a predominately White rural area. Theoretically, I draw upon the works of Derrick Bell (1987, 1992, 1999), Pedro Noguera (2003, 2008), Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic (2000, 2012), Gloria-Ladson Billings (2001, 2003, 2009, 2013) and William F. Tate (2006), Cornel West (1993, 2001, 2008), Carter G. Woodson (1933, 2010), W. E. B. DuBois (1903, 1996), and others on critical race theory and William Watkins (2005, 2006) on …

Untold Stories And Silenced Voices: Lives Inside A North Georgia Elementary School, Donna S. Troupe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an inquiry into the lived experiences of Southern, white, female teachers who teach their overwhelmingly Southern, white student populations in a rural/suburban North Georgia elementary school. I explore the obstacles and challenges they face as they experience the negative and crippling effects of the policies and practices forced upon them in their teaching and learning environments. Drawing upon the theoretical works of Dyer (1997), McIntosh (2012), Anderson & Collins (2007), Morrison (1992), Jupp (2013), Sleeter (1993, 2003), Smith (1944,1949), and hooks (1992) on race and critical white studies; the works of Apple (2001,2008), McLaren (1998), Foucault (1977), Freire …

Nazi Ideology And The Pursuit Of War Aim: 1941-45, Kenneth Burgess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine what can be considered a military blunder on the part of the Nazi Germans. On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched a massive invasion into the Soviet Union and Soviet territories. The political goals of Operation Barbarossa were to seize hold of the expanses of land belonging to the Soviet Union. This would serve as the foundation for increased agricultural production and the enslavement of any remaining Slavic people for the supposed greater good Germany. Additionally, the Nazis desired to erase the presence of all Jews living within the Soviet Union and …

Effects Of Organic And Conventional Agricultural Practices On Soil Microbial Communities And Molecular Detection Of Soil Borne Disease, Holli K. Milner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Agricultural practices affect soil microbial communities and health through the input of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and cycling of crop rotation. By examining the microbial community structure, we analyzed how microbial species respond to the environment that individual farms create. Early detection of soil borne disease is essential for agricultural success. However, monitoring incidence of disease based on plant growth response to pathogenic inoculation may not reveal the amount of pathogenic DNA in soil. A comparative study of tomato production systems was conducted by analysis of soil microbial community structure from four farms in Southeast Georgia for the years 2012 and …

Comparing K Population Means With No Assumption About The Variances, Tony Yaacoub

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the analysis of most statistically designed experiments, it is common to assume equal variances along with the assumptions that the sample measurements are independent and normally distributed. Under these three assumptions, a likelihood ratio test is used to test for the difference in population means. Typically, the assumption of independence can be justified based on the sampling method used by the researcher. The likelihood ratio test is robust to the assumption of normality. However, the equality of variances is often difficult to justify. It has been found that the assumption of equal variances cannot be made even after transforming …

Risen Land, James Anthony Faris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The sculptures I create are inspired by derelict manufactured spaces found within Bulloch County. Each object is created in Tabby, a historic building material comprised of oyster shells, lime, sand and water, commonly known as ‘the first American concrete.’ Tabby was often used in the Coastal South, speaking to the resourceful tradition of using available aggregates. The sculptures embrace the tonal and textural qualities provided by this material to yield ghost-like representations of architectural components while also referencing commercial and historic methods of construction.

Serving as a monument to the diverse history of each site, every sculpture is fabricated based …

An Examination Of Behavioral And Temporal Consistency Of Pre-Performance Routines In Ncaa Division I Basketball Free Throw Shooting – A Naturalist Observational Investigation, Jacob Blumberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that pre-performance routines positively influence performance of closed and self-paced skills (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Cohn, 1990; Otto et al., 2011). Boutcher and Crews (1987) suggested that pre-performance routines improve performance by helping reduce anxiety along with helping athletes’ retain mental sharpness and focus. Furthermore, several quantitative studies have examined the influence of both behavioral and temporal consistency of pre-performance routines on the success of a skill, yielding inconsistent results (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Lobmeyer & Wasserman, 1986; Lonsdale & Tam, 2008; Jackson, 2003). However, research examining this phenomenon from a qualitative and naturalistic observational perspective is …

The Effectiveness Of A Dual Task Concussion Assessment For Identifying Impairments In Concussed Athletes, Kristin R. Bockelman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: Commonly used single task (ST) concussion assessments are unable to identify lingering impairments following a concussion. Current dual task (DT) assessments use cost prohibitive technological assessments not available to most clinicians, creating the need for a clinically applicable dual task assessment to identify impairments. Objective: To determine if a DT assessment consisting of the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC) and with the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) is able to identify impairments. Design: Prospective longitudinal. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: Concussed student-athletes and matched health controls, 18 females, 10 males. Concussed group: age 19.00±0.88, height 174.53±12.06 cm, and mass 75.28±22.02 …

Transition From Brick And Mortar To Online Teaching: Middle-Grade Teachers' Perspectives, Cathy Griffin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate and understand how middle-grades teachers describe the transition from brick and mortar to online teaching of middle-grades students. A qualitative, descriptive case study design provided the framework for this study. An investigation into the lived experiences of a group of online middle-grades instructors making the transition from a traditional classroom setting to an online environment was conducted using interviews and online journaling.

The questions guiding this study were (a) How does a middle-grade teacher describe the transition from brick and mortar to online teaching of middle-grades learners? (b) What do middle-school teachers …

Phenotypic Variation In Native North American And Invasive Chinese Populations Of Plantago Virginica, Teresa E. Popp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alien plant species can cause significant economic and biological destruction by invading new environments and outcompeting native species. Through experimental research, the mechanisms by which these species invade can be better understood and applied to their management. Plantago virginica is a perennial herb, native to North America that has recently invaded China. It has been known to reduce crop growth and harbor diseases in the introduced range. A common garden study was conducted at the Georgia Southern University greenhouse, comparing twenty populations of P. virginica from both the native North American and invasive Chinese ranges. I examined if there were …

Does The Preparticipation Examination Aid In Identifying Future Risk Of Concussion?, Kassandra E. Johns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: A pre-participation examination (PPE) has become standard practice among the athletic community. This examination commonly includes a multifaceted baseline concussion assessment and an injury history survey. Recent evidence suggests that neuropsychological testing can aid in predicting individuals at an increased risk of lower extremity injury. However, no known previous study has investigated the relationship between neuropsychological function and potential risk of sustaining a concussion.

Objective: This study sought to identify a relationship between components of a standard PPE and an elevated risk of concussion.

Design: All data was extracted from the institution concussion database.

Setting: A large university in …

Afraid To Be A Nerd: Effects Of Nerd Stereotypes On Women’S Math Performance, Jennifer Chau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine whether nerd stigma affects math performance. Specifically, it was hypothesized that women exposed to the nerd stigma would perform worse on a mathematics test than women not exposed to the nerd stigma. The current study also aimed to compare the effects of the nerd stigma on women’s math performance with the effects of gender stereotype threat. Gender identity, nerd identity, and fear of social exclusion were examined as possible mediating and moderating variables. Results did not support that nerd stigma affected math performance in either men or women, thus mediational analyses were …

The Determinants Of Physical Activity In Rural Women, Ages 20-44 Years, Dziyana Nazaruk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite multiple health benefits of exercise, it is reported that only 14.7% of American women engage in the recommended amount of physical activity. Whereas the potential negative consequences of not exercising are well documented, there is a scarcity of literature that investigates the determinants of physical activity in rural women. The purpose of this concurrent transformative mixed method study was to explore the determinants of physical activity in rural women ages 20-44 years. Specific quantitative research questions addressed the relationship between the determinants of physical activity on intra- and interpersonal levels, as well as the current physical activity status of …

Faculty Motivation & Intent To Teach Online, Michael S. Casdorph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unified theory of user acceptance of technology, Motivation Orientation Scale – Faculty Version, and Individual Innovativeness Scale were used to predict faculty intent to teach online, to better understand what motivates faculty to teach online, and the relationship between faculty innovativeness and their intent to teach online. A sample of 348 self-selected full-time faculty at a large, public, comprehensive research university with integrated academic health center in the Southeast United States responded to an online survey. Results demonstrated that slightly more faculty than not reported a behavioral intent to teach online. Multiple regression analysis indicated that performance expectancy, effort …

Molecular Phylogenetic Relationships Of North American Dermacentor Ticks Using Mitochondrial Gene Sequences, Kayla L. Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dermacentor is a recently evolved genus of hard ticks (Family Ixodiae) that includes 36 known species worldwide. Despite the importance of Dermacentor species as vectors of human and animal disease, the systematics of the genus remain largely unresolved. This study focuses on phylogenetic relationships of the eight North American Nearctic Dermacentor species: D. albipictus, D. variabilis, D. occidentalis, D. halli, D. parumapertus, D. hunteri, and D. andersoni, and the recently re-established species D. kamshadalus, as well as two of the Neotropical Dermacentor species D. nitens and D. dissimilis (both formerly Anocentor). We sequenced portions of the mitochondrial …

Amongst Women”: O’Brien, Beckett, And The Magdalen “Réamhscéal, Tiffany N. Manning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is hard to escape the portrayal of what twentieth century life might have been like for a penitent living in one of Ireland’s Magdalen Laundries. With its saturation in contemporary pop culture, the morality of these Irish Institutions has been called into question through blockbuster films and best-selling books. However, some believe that the many public representations of the Magdalen Laundries fail to tell the whole story. As tension surrounding Magdalen Laundries, as well as Church and State involvement in them, has continuously grown over the last couple of decades, many citizens of Ireland and, indeed, the world have …

Kids Playing For Keeps: A Feasibility Study Of Coronary Heart Disease Intervention In A Rural African American Community, Carla Allen Noah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of Coronary heart disease (CHD) and the associated modifiable risk factors, combined with the known health disparities that exist in the African American (AA) community, increases the significance of prevention exponentially. Theories involving genetic and environmental factors and their interaction are gaining popularity as relevant influences on both modifiable and fixed risk factors for CHD. Innovative and targeted strategies of health promotion and preventative measures are needed to combat the growing trend of modifiable risk factors for heart disease within the southern rural AA population. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness …