Digital Commons Network^™

Job Aids To Improve Association For Behavior Analysis Convention Scheduling, Robert J. Schnarrs

Honors Theses

The Association for Behavior Analysis holds an annual convention that includes over 800 events and presentations and 1500 participants. The annual ABA Convention also draws over 2400 attendees. The scheduling and coordination of the annual convention is complex, labor intensive, and expensive. Because of the large amount of information, errors can and do occur.

Class And Gender In Southwestern Michigan: Interpreting Historical Landscapes, Deborah L. Rotman

Masters Theses

The gardens, houses, and barns that comprise the cultural landscape embody information about their makers. Because the built environment is not static, it actively serves to create, reproduce, and transform relations of class and gender. Members of society use space to reinforce and resist relations of power, authority, and inequality. For example, the organization of the landscape facilitates the activities and movements of some segments of society, while at the same time it constrains others. Material dimensions of form and space are differentially acknowledged by members of society because individuals occupy multiple roles simultaneously. Material responses to the social world …

The Effects Of Background Music On Initial Counseling Sessions, Stella Elaine Dial

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

State Terrorism In The Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Social Constructionism And The Question Of Power, Amani Michael Awwad

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Professional Disclosure Statements On Counselors-In-Training Perceptions Of Supervision, John Richard Howie

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Facilitative Characteristics Of Supervisors, Elizabeth A. Olson

Dissertations

The relationship between supervisors’ facilitative characteristics and students’ willingness to learn and receptivity in supervision was the focus of this study. Forty Master’s level students, enrolled in a clinical practicum, rated their supervisors’ Empathetic Understanding, Regard, Congruence, Unconditionality, and Willingness to be Known on the Revised Relational Inventory (RRI) (Barrett-Lennard, 1962; Schacht, Howe, & Berman, 1988) and evaluated themselves on their willingness to learn in supervision and receptivity to supervisors’ feedback using the Supervision Perception Form (SPF) (Heppner & Roehike, 1984). Supervisors also participated by rating themselves with each student on these five relational characteristics and evaluating each student on …

Multiple Personality Disorder And Major Depression: A Comparative Study, Mary L. Wassink

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Liberal Democratic Party Of Japan: Its Organization And Decision Making Process, Hiroyuki Ikeba

Masters Theses

This study analyzes the behavior of the politicians of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) and the decision making process of the LDP. This study draws heavily on Japanese language sources as well as interviews with leading Japanese Diet persons.

The characteristics of Japanese culture are explained by introducing the works of three scholars. They are: Ruth Benedict, Chie Nakane, and Takeo Doi. It was discovered that the relationships among LDP Diet persons and between supporters and Diet persons are based on traditional societal norms. Furthermore, it was found that the decision making process of the LDP was in …

An Examination Of The Assimilation Process Of Japanese Americans Living In Michigan, Junko Onuma

Masters Theses

Japanese Americans are regarded as one of model minority groups recently in American society. Through the war experience, the Japanese Americans are likely to become upper middle class people and to assimilate into the Caucasian groups.

The purpose of this research is to investigate Japanese method to assimilate into American society. The research focuses on the Michigan area as a particular area of Japanese American assimilation process. The interview research was conducted with 14 people who live in Michigan. These people are classified into the three groups to distinguish differences, historical, and social factors on assimilation. Consequently, Japanese Americans living …

Adult Male Assaultive Behavior And Correlates With The Mmpi-2, Tom G. Lanning

Dissertations

This study was descriptive in nature and examined the relationship between demographic variables, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) variables, and levels of violence as measured by the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) (Straus, 1979). The research sample consisted of 44 males entering a treatment program for male batterers. All participants completed a research protocol during a required assessment consisting of: (a) a General Information Sheet, (b) the MMPI-2, and (c) the CTS. The CTS was the only instrument administered solely for research purposes.

The MMPI-2 data were used to construct a sample composite mean profile. MMPI-2 data were also divided into …

Loneliness: Do Living Arrangements Make A Difference?, Judith N. Moore

Masters Theses

This study is an exploratory secondary analysis of loneliness experienced as a serious problem by the elderly. The secondary data were from the Davis (1986) national study conducted by Harris & Associates (1987) for the Commonwealth Fund Commission on Elderly People Living Alone. The independent demographic variables of living arrangements (living alone or living with others), age (65 to 85 and over), marital status (married, widowed, divorced, separated, and never married) and sex by the dependent variable of loneliness (a serious problem or not a serious problem) were measured by chi-squares and Cramer's V test for statistical significance. Results indicated …

Cardiovascular Responses To The Combination Of Caffeine And The Repeated Acquisition And Performance Procedure, Cristin L. Sullivan

Masters Theses

The present study examined cardiovascular responses to the combination of caffeine (250 mg) and the repeated acquisition and performance procedure (RAPP) in humans. Six male subjects were tested in a within-subject, double-blind design. Repeated measurements of frontalis electromyogram (EMO), hand-skin temperature, heart rate, respiration, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were obtained during pre-drug, post-drug, acquisition, performance, and recovery periods. Measures of rate, percent error, and true error were obtained during the acquisition and performance components of the RAPP. Drug conditions (caffeine and placebo) and test orders (acquisition before performance and performance before acquisition) were pseudo- random across subjects. …

Proposition 48 And Proposition 42 In The Ncaa: A Social Constructionist Case Study, Kevin R. Cole

Masters Theses

The controversy surrounding the creation and implementation of two National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athlete eligibility rules, Proposition 48 and Proposition 42, was the focus of this study. The two rules required that a student's scholastic grade point average and SAT scores be factored into scholarship and athletic admissions decisions. By describing the unfolding social process respecting the creation of these two eligibility rules, this study addressed issues vital to rule creating processes in general.

The social constructionist perspective was utilized as a theoretical guide for this study, allowing for the examination of claims makers and their social claims regarding the …

Toward A Comprehensive Model Of Parent-Teen Socialization: The Antecedents And Consequents Of Parent-Teen Interaction, Gregory L. Sanders

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Acculturation To A Work Force Of Diversity: Two Case Studies Of Japanese-Owned Companies Operating In The United States, Jun Nagasawa

Masters Theses

This paper explores the acculturation processes associated with Japanese companies corning to the United States, especially focusing on race and gender issues. This was done by related literature review and two case studies of Japanese-owned companies operating in the Midwestern region. Data were obtained using unstructured interviews with workers of the two companies.

Accusations of discrimination against Japanese companies operating in the U.S. of discrimination based on race, gender and nationality are introduced. Japanese and American social backgrounds relating to race and gender, especially in employment area are reviewed. Also Japanese and American management styles are contrasted for analytical purposes. …

Assessing Pediatricians' Diagnostic Practices: An Analogue Study Of Responses To Adhd-Like Presentations In Preschoolers, Helle Augustesen

Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been considered one of the most chronic behavior disorders observed in the preadolescent population and is one of the most frequently diagnosed childhood disorders in North America. Currently, however, there is little consistency in terms of identifying specific criteria which need to be present in a child's behavior to make a diagnosis of ADHD. This difficulty is even more pronounced in very young children of preschool age. This study utilized a three year old male child shown to 80 subjects on a videotape engaging in either a high or a low level of activity. …

Autocorrelation In Single-Subject Data: A Meta-Analytic View, Laura L. Methot

Dissertations

Recent work by Huitema and McKean (1991, 1994a, 1994b, 1994c, in press) has shown that the most frequently used statistical methods for performing conventional time-series analyses lead to gross distortions of results when these approaches are applied in the context of the typical behavioral research study. Most of these problems could be avoided if researchers were aware that the time-series methods recommended in many areas are not generally needed. The appropriate evidence regarding the need for complex time-series methods requires a meta-analysis of the autocorrelation present in behavioral studies. The project involved: (a) sampling several hundred research articles published in …

An Analysis Of The Korean Political Bureaucracy In Terms Of Riggs’ Theory Of Prismatic Society And Korean With U.S. Bureaucratic Interaction 1945-1953, Jae Jo Lee

Masters Theses

The administrative, political, and social development and modernization experience of Korea for the period 1945 through 1953 was examined in this study. Bureaucratic transformation was understood as significant to developmental outcomes for all facets of Korean society.

The political and social development theory model of Fred W. Riggs, the Prismatic Society, was selected for application in the Korean situation. Prismatic theory itself was first analyzed in detail. Korean bureaucratic formation was elucidated from multiple perspectives. The key factor of analysis was interpreted as being the U.S. with Korean bureaucratic interaction.

The bureaucratic complexity was subjected to analysis in terms of …

Question Block Order Effects In A Telephone Survey, Peter Montague Meyers

Masters Theses

Question order effects in a repetitive questionnaire was the focus of the study. A dataset was constructed based on results involving seven different organizations where the institutions were rotated into seven different blocked placements to test for order effects. This analysis used the Arts and Culture Survey conducted by the Kercher Center for Social Research at Western Michigan University in 1994.

Comparisons of means were used to determine whether fatigue from question repetitiveness affected respondents when responding to questions with fixed response questions, multiple responses, "don't know" responses, and open-ended responses. The issue of popularity was also examined to see …

The Impact Of School Climate On Self-Reported Alcohol And Other Drug Use, Karen R. Humes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of dimensions of the school climate upon twelfth grade self-reported alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use. In order to do this, social bond theory and its elements of attachment, belief, and commitment were tested. Data involving peer pressure to use drugs, perception of school drug policy enforcement, and college boundness were utilized in examining their relationship with drug use.

The data which were chosen for this study involved 141 Michigan public school districts and were based on the responses of 17,211 high school seniors collected during the 1993-1994 school year. Due …

Evaluation Of A Computer Simulation To Assess Subject Preference For Different Types Of Incentive Pay: Part Two, Stephen Mark Sundby

Dissertations

This study further investigated the use of a computer simulation to assess subject preference for different types of pay systems. Subjects were eight undergraduates recruited from psychology classes at Western Michigan University. The dependent variable was the subjects’ choice of pay system, either simulated hourly pay or base pay plus incentive. Simulated work performance was determined by the computer with 0.50 probability of low or high performance. For Experiment 1, the independent variable was the maximum amount of simulated pay that subjects could earn under each pay type. For Experiments 2 and 3, the independent variable was the percentage of …

The Effects Of Intensive, Structured Study On Gre Verbal And Quantitative Scores, Jan Marie Miller

Dissertations

This research served as a follow-up to previous research (Goodyear-Orwat and Malott, 1994) in which students engaged in self-study utilizing various study materials. Three courses (spring, summer, and fall) were offered to further examine the effects of intensive, structured study on Graduate Record Examination verbal and quantitative scores.

Twenty undergraduates enrolled in Graduate Record Examination preparatory courses studied from 66 to 105 hours. An attendance and participation contingency was established to encourage adequate study time. The courses were structured to allow students to assess and manage their own performance, utilizing standard, self-instructional texts and computerized drill programs. Students worked at …

Patterns Of "I Don't Know" Responses In Telephone Surveys, Christine Lewerenz Hinkle

Masters Theses

The question of how best to handle "don't know" responses continues to be a troublesome problem to survey researchers. There are no guidelines for handling "don't know" responses because little systematic investigation for the problem has been made. This research addresses the characteristics of those who answer "don't know" in social surveys. I am focusing on four independent variables, sex, age, income, and education. Included in this research will also be an independent variable of interviewer gender. The fact that most survey research does not record the sex of the interviewer has caused this research to be somewhat limited. I …

Planning For Change: Feminist Standpoint Epistemology Informing The Program Planning Process, Laura Nichols

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the process by which social programs are developed and explores how feminist standpoint epistemology may inform the process. A peer education program developed for college women is used as an example to illustrate the planning process. Secondary data collection, focus groups and a self-administered survey were the research techniques utilized in this planning approach.

The specific steps involved in program planning are identified and explained based on the program planning process presented and literature about this topic. The thesis concludes by exploring how certain ideas in feminist standpoint epistemology can be applied to the planning process in …

The Effects Of Site Design On Neighboring Patterns And Safety Perceptions Among Residents Of University Apartments, Julie L. Steinbacher

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationships among site design, neighboring patterns and safety perceptions of residents of living in university housing communities at Western Michigan University.

Many previous studies have examined the impact of site on neighboring patterns and safety perceptions among residents of housing communities. However, most of these studies have been conducted to communities outside of university housing complexes. This study was developed because the college environment offers a unique perspective to occupants living in university sponsored apartments. Furthermore, residents in college housing communities tend to be diverse and transient and the impact of …

Sense Of Coherence, Stressors, Perception Of Stress And Drinking Patterns Among College Students, Jeanne C. Debruyn

Masters Theses

This research examined the protective qualities of Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC), a social-psychological dispositional concept, in relation of the daily hassles associated with the transitory college years of students, perceived stress, quantity/frequency and patterns of alcohol use. This cross-sectional study (n=103) was site-based in the classroom. Data were collected by survey questionnaire administered by the primary researcher. Results indicated that SOC affords protection to students possessing a strong SOC by allowing them to perceive the hassles associated with college life as less stressful and in ameliorating the negative consequences of heavy drinking. Significant problems with alcohol were found in …

The United Center: A Community-Based Corrections Project, William George Hinkle

Dissertations

The United Center is a community-based corrections center located in Middletown, Midwest. Funded by the Midwest Department of Corrections, and administered by local county government, it provides a sentencing alternative to the county's jail, and the state's prison system. Defined as a correctional "halfway-in house," the program provides offenders with employment and education related services, job placement, mental health services, and drug and alcohol counseling in a highly structured, but supportive environment. In operation since the early 1980's, the program has serviced some 400 offenders sentenced to short prison terms for low-level property and drug offenses. Compared to national rates …

Parallel Process In Psychotherapy Supervision And Its Relationship To Empathy, Gary E. Beyer

Dissertations

How clinical supervisors manage empathy and empathy failure and its relationship to parallel process was explored by interviewing highly experienced doctoral level supervisors. Supervisor responses regarding their experiences in supervision with empathy and parallel process phenomena was examined in this study. This approach was grounded in psychodynamic theory regarding constructs of identification (countertransference, projective identification, introjective identification, parallel process and empathy).

A qualitative research design using the constant comparative method was employed. The sample of supervisors consisted of 10 male and 5 female, Caucasian psychologists, ranging in age from 40 to 70 years. Supervisors had a mean of 19 years …

Interdisciplinary Collaboration In The Elementary School A Case Study, Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the descriptive and interpretive knowledge base about collaboration based on two interdisciplinary teams of elementary school educators representing disciplines of general education, special education, speech-language, reading, and counseling. Using an educational ethnographic design, data were collected through open interviews, team meetings and classroom observations. These data supported the construction of two distinct case studies as well as working hypotheses concerning interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals from specialized disciplines.

One case study was characterized as caseload collaboration. The team originated out of the desire among teachers from specialized disciplines to effect a more …

Religious Fundamentalism In Indian Politics, Linda Elder

Masters Theses

The Hindu nationalist movement, known as "Hindutva," which originated during the British colonial period in India, manifests itself in Indian politics today in the form of the Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.). Its affiliates, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, V.H.P. consisting of Hindu priests and sadhus, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, R. S.S., a paramilitary organization, form the core of this party. As the organized militant arm of Hindutva, the R.S.S. is compared to other religious fundamentalist organizations worldwide, based on characteristics provided by Martin Marty and R. Scott Appleby in the Fundamentalist Research Project at the University of Chicago.

Since 1977 …