Digital Commons Network^™

Imaginary Companions In Preschool-Aged Children: A Theoretical Examination, An Exploration Of The Role Of Parents, And A Study Of The Relationship Between A Child And Her Imagination, Joy Lyn Bryan

Doctoral Dissertations

Two theories about why children create imaginary companions were examined, the void-stress and the psychoanalytic theories. The relationship between children and their imaginary companions, the role of parents, and fantasy choice were also examined. To these ends, children completed measures of loneliness, moral reasoning, locus of control, stress, and self-perceived competence. If they had an imaginary friend they also completed a perceived competence scale from the point of view of their imaginary companion. Children with imaginary companions also completed two measures of the relationship between themselves and their imagined friend: relationship circles and the Sibling Inventory of Differential Experience. All …

Illusions Of Change: An Analysis Of The Fatherhood Discourse In "Parents Magazine", 1929-1994, Candice Leonard

Doctoral Dissertations

This project explores the question of women's expectations and experience across the transition to parenthood. Specifically, the source of women's unmet expectations about the genderedness of household division of labor and familywork are examined, bridging the literatures on expectation formation and information-seeking behavior.

The centerpiece of the study is a comprehensive, context-sensitive analysis of the fatherhood discourse in Parents Magazine from 1929 through 1994, which uses both quantitative and qualitative methods. Importance is placed on the fact that this is primarily a male-produced discourse that defines fatherhood for women. It was found that there are significant differences by author sex …

Structural Inequalities, Family And Cultural Factors, And Spousal Violence Among Anglo And Hispanic-Americans, Jana Lynn Jasinski

Doctoral Dissertations

There is some evidence that rates of spousal assault are higher among Hispanic Americans compared to Anglo Americans, however, very little empirical research has focused extensively on Hispanic Americans and their risks for spousal violence. There is even less research that considers different Hispanic groups. This study used the 1992 National Alcohol and Family Violence Survey to examine the relationships among structural inequalities, family relations, and spousal assault among a sample of 1,768 Anglo and Hispanic Americans.

The results indicated that Hispanic Americans were more likely to use minor or severe physical violence against their spouses, however, there were also …

The Role-Set Of The Truck Driver: Issues Of Worker Autonomy, Ideology, And Identity, Bruce Patrick Day

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I explore occupational socialization and identity formation within the context of work, the workplace, and work practices. The workers presented in this study are long-haul, freight carrying truck drivers. The components of this study include: (a) a socio-historical analysis of the trucking industry, and (b) how characteristics of the truck drivers' work influence his identity, and how this influence is different for various types of drivers.

I have reviewed changes in the trucking industry from its beginnings at the start of this century to its current status in 1996. This includes looking at organizations developed in response …

Changes In Self-Sufficiency: A Feminist Approach To Literacy Program Evaluation, Marcia Ann Makris

Doctoral Dissertations

This research was a follow-up investigation of a federally-funded literacy program which was established to assist its participants to achieve self-sufficiency through employment. The program was designed and implemented in response to the federal legislative law, the Family Support of Act of 1988 (FSA), which mandated that states provide Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) programs to "assure that needy families with children obtain the education, training, and employment that will help them avoid long term dependency" and "assist recipients to become self-sufficient." The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the characteristics of the program that …

The Evolutionary Dimension Within Economic Thought, James Julius Neidhart

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation integrates the concepts of circular causality, emergence, and hierarchical organization through an investigation of the evolutionary dimension within economic thought. The different sections of this dissertation represent complementary perspectives on this theme.

The first chapter introduces the concept of circular causality and the technique of causal diagramming. These tools are used in the second and third chapters to highlight the evolutionary dimension within the history of economic thought. The particular theorists and groups of articles discussed include Adam Smith, Alfred Marshall, the Increasing Returns debates of the 1920's, Gunnar Myrdal, and Nicholas Kaldor. The significance of the Increasing …

"Getting America Told": The Black Press And Its Dialogue With White America, 1914-1919, William George Jordan

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of African-American newspapers as a forum for interracial discourse during World War I. The black press addressed itself to white America, arguing that African-Americans' participation in the war made them worthy of full citizenship, pointing out the similarity between the nation's aim of championing democracy in Europe and the goal of creating racial justice in America, and drawing parallels between atrocities against civilians in Europe and the lynching of African Americans in the Southern states. Some influential white Americans paid attention to these arguments and responded to them. In doing so, they sought to use …