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Adult Texting In Context : Exploring Norms For Mature Users Of Text-Messaging Technologies., Angela M. Barlow Dec 2008

Adult Texting In Context : Exploring Norms For Mature Users Of Text-Messaging Technologies., Angela M. Barlow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An online survey exploring the patterns of adult text-message use was completed by 150 traditional college age young adults ages 18-24 and 171 adults ages 25-68. Because youth traditionally are among the first group to adopt new communication technologies, much research has been conducted among the adolescent and young adult population regarding the prevalence and importance of text-messaging; however, a research deficit exists regarding adult textmessage use. Data gathered from this survey were categorized and analyzed for emergent content regarding the use of text-messaging, what roll texting plays in adult's communication patterns, the sociological impact of text-messaging on survey respondents, …


Mentoring Dialogues: An Investigation Of The Dialectical Tensions And Management Strategies In Mentoring Relationships, Paul J. Kosempel Nov 2008

Mentoring Dialogues: An Investigation Of The Dialectical Tensions And Management Strategies In Mentoring Relationships, Paul J. Kosempel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the past 30 years, mentoring has gained perhaps the largest recognition of any phenomenon related to career success. Much of the current research that has explored mentoring relationships has been conducted in fields other than communication studies, although better communication is often the recommended solution to improve mentoring. The majority of research has focused on the outcomes of mentoring relationships, rather than the process of mentoring relationships. Mentoring has also not been studied through a relational dialectics perspective. This study explored the communication dynamics within mentoring relationships through a relational dialectics theoretical lens. The study utilized multiple methods including …


Effect Of Matriarchs On Group Interactions, Kinship Fitness, And Differences In Chemosensory Behavior Of African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Rhea Marie Esposito Jul 2008

Effect Of Matriarchs On Group Interactions, Kinship Fitness, And Differences In Chemosensory Behavior Of African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Rhea Marie Esposito

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Female African elephants exhibit multiple levels of social organization with the family as the functional social unit. Families consist of related females and the oldest female is the matriarch. Related family groups that frequently fuse are termed kinship groups, led by the grand matriarch. I examined matriarch communication behavior across social context and their role in interactions between families at waterholes in Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. I analyzed three hypotheses for matriarchal effects on group fitness: a) older matriarchs provide greater access to resources, b) older matriarchs lead more social groups, or c) there is no behavior-fitness relationship …


Organizational Culture, Workplace Incivility, And Turnover : The Impact Of Human Resources Practices., Dana Cosby Simmons 1969- May 2008

Organizational Culture, Workplace Incivility, And Turnover : The Impact Of Human Resources Practices., Dana Cosby Simmons 1969-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the relationship between two communication-related dimensions of organizational culture, workplace incivility, and turnover. In particular, it investigates the impact that four human resources practices have on the relationship between incivility and turnover. These practices are (a) training, (b) formal policies, (c) grievance procedures, and (d) vertical hierarchy. Employing data from the National Organizations Survey (2002), the study provides a conceptual model suggesting that "soft" measures such as organizational culture and human resources practices impact the bottom line of an organization. The dissertation is divided into five chapters. Chapter One provides an introduction to the research problem and …


Brothers & Sisters: A New Impetus For Social Construction And Its Impact On Traditional Cultivation Analysis, Scott Elmore Jan 2008

Brothers & Sisters: A New Impetus For Social Construction And Its Impact On Traditional Cultivation Analysis, Scott Elmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scholars recognize television's ability to influence culture. According to Gerbner, television creates socially constructed realities through the cultivation of its viewers. Television is designed to satisfy the diverse needs of large audiences. The mainstream messages conveyed via television have power to alter perceptions and change culture. Gerbner's theory was constructed from the analysis of crime dramas with single plot lines. Using the ABC television program Brothers & Sisters, this thesis explores the theoretical implications dramas with multiple plot lines have on traditional notions of cultivation theory. Through a content analysis and focus groups, evidence was acquired to suggest that cultivation …


Development Of Seventh Grade Pre-Algebra Students' Mathematical Problem Solving Through Written Explanations And Justificati, Rebecca Jones Jan 2008

Development Of Seventh Grade Pre-Algebra Students' Mathematical Problem Solving Through Written Explanations And Justificati, Rebecca Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this action research, the interactions of seventh grade pre-algebra students in a mathematics classroom shared their explanation and justification processes through group work. Prior to the start of the study students were given a written pre-test to determine current conceptual thinking in mathematics. Over the next nine weeks, the teacher engaged the students in problem solving activities that included reasoning skills, communication and making connections through discussion with their peers. Following nine weeks of written and verbal discourse, students were provided a post-test to determine changes in their conceptual thinking. Overall students' grades, journal writings and test scores showed …


Using Communication Techniques In The Low-Performing Mathematics Classroom: A Study Of Fractions,Decimals,Performance And Attitu, Pamela Guyton Jan 2008

Using Communication Techniques In The Low-Performing Mathematics Classroom: A Study Of Fractions,Decimals,Performance And Attitu, Pamela Guyton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within a low-performing seventh grade mathematics classroom, communication techniques including discourse, collaborative groups, listening, reading, and writing were implemented during a six week period. This study shows how the use of these techniques led to the twenty four students' conceptual understanding of fraction and decimal concepts. This research study provides insight to the deep-seeded beliefs of low-performing students. It provides a record of how the teacher used communication techniques in the classroom and had a strong positive impact on the attitudes and performance of these struggling students.


Driving While Black: Stories Through The Driver's Car Window—A Communicative Analysis, Tracie Lynn Keesee Jan 2008

Driving While Black: Stories Through The Driver's Car Window—A Communicative Analysis, Tracie Lynn Keesee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the communicative dynamic that occurs between Denver police officers, and citizens of the African-American community, during traffic stops characterized as "Driving While Black." Thirty four interviews were conducted regarding this study. Derived from the interviews were transcribed narratives, which were examined through the use of narrative analysis and various theoretical frameworks. The narrative analysis and theoretical frameworks provided a new lens for exploring the police/citizen communicative dynamic, and a foundation for additional communication research between police officers and the African-American community.