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The Effect Of Contextual Variables On Intraspecific Interactions And Space-Use In Meadow Voles, Microtus Pennsylvanicus, Christian Thomas Vlautin Apr 2013

The Effect Of Contextual Variables On Intraspecific Interactions And Space-Use In Meadow Voles, Microtus Pennsylvanicus, Christian Thomas Vlautin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The outcomes of social interactions may depend on the circumstances of the encounter. Using a variety of social and environmental cues, I tested the hypothesis that the responses of meadow voles to conspecifics would be affected by the context in which that encounter occurred. Chapter two describes experiments showing that unlike long-photoperiod (LP) voles, which prefer the top-scent donor to the bottom-scent donor of an over-mark, only some short-photoperiod (SP) males showed such preferences, and no SP females preferred the top-scent donor to the bottom-scent donor of an over-mark. Chapter three details experiments demonstrating that periods of food deprivation did …


Hidden In Plain Sight: Development And Testing Of A Model To Evaluate Political Leadership Tactics, Albert Citron Jan 2013

Hidden In Plain Sight: Development And Testing Of A Model To Evaluate Political Leadership Tactics, Albert Citron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the kinds of verbal and nonverbal signals elites manifest to show leadership qualities. Launching from Max Weber’s conceptual framework of charisma as a power term and Harold Lasswell’s study of propaganda, this study takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying political leadership with elements of communication methodology and an ontological basis in evolutionary psychology. The study’s goal is to offer a framework for defining and evaluating the diverse signal patterns employed by political elites in three real-life situations. These are the Malta Summit, the 1992 Virginia Presidential Debate, and the 2012 South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary. The cases …


How Emoticons Affect Leader-Member Exchange, Jennifer Loglia Jan 2013

How Emoticons Affect Leader-Member Exchange, Jennifer Loglia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Emoticons have been shown to be the nonverbal cues of computer-mediated communication and could therefore be a rich source of information, but they are not used in the workplace because they are considered unprofessional. This study aimed to look at the effects of emoticons on relationships, specifically between a leader and member. Participants were asked to read a fake email from a fake boss and answer several questions in regard to leader-member exchange, affective presence, perceived message positivity, perceived masculinity/femininity of the fake boss, and perceived professionalism. This study found that the use of a positive emoticon in an email …


An Investigation Of Boaters' Attitudes Toward And Usage Of Targeted Mobile Apps, Kamra Bowerman Jan 2013

An Investigation Of Boaters' Attitudes Toward And Usage Of Targeted Mobile Apps, Kamra Bowerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand boaters’ adoption and usage of smartphones and mobile apps as well as to obtain their opinion on potential features of a targeted mobile app being developed as part of a broader interdisciplinary Florida Sea Grant outreach project. Data were gathered from an online survey of a sample of 164 boaters from the surrounding Central Florida area. In contrast with previous empirical mobile app studies, many respondents reported using mobile apps for information-seeking versus escape gratifications. Further more than half of the respondents’ age sixty-five and over indicated using smartphones and mobile apps. …


The Rhetorical Turn In United States Diplomacy Praxis: Public Diplomacy 2.0, Randy Edward Cole Jan 2013

The Rhetorical Turn In United States Diplomacy Praxis: Public Diplomacy 2.0, Randy Edward Cole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While discourse and rhetoric has always been a part of traditional diplomacy, rhetoric and communication theory has not enjoyed an active voice in the scholarship of foreign relations, and more specifically, public diplomacy. This project argues that a postmodern turn in public diplomacy was formalized in the State Department's 2010 Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) and that two specific directives laid out therein--to expand and strengthen relationships between individuals and steer the narrative--can find theoretical ground in communication scholarship. After examining the mid-to-late 20th century shift from specialized modern policy training to a rhetorical public diplomacy that views diplomats …


Blogging: Public, Private Or Social Rhetoric?, Kristin Roeschenthaler Wolfe Jan 2013

Blogging: Public, Private Or Social Rhetoric?, Kristin Roeschenthaler Wolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project examines personal blogging through the philosophy of Hannah Arendt and her understanding of public, private and social. Personal blogging is the latest in a long history of self-representational writing with each form taking on a more public overtone. By utlizing Hannah Arendt's philosophy in this manner, this project provides a venue for her work in the realm of today's mediated world. Hannah Arendt's understanding of public, private, and social allows us to better understand the need for boundaries and the need for both a public and private space in our lives. Utilizing several interpersonal communication theories, including Boundary …


Dyadic Perfectionism, Communication Patterns And Relationship Quality In Couples, Anna Arcuri Jan 2013

Dyadic Perfectionism, Communication Patterns And Relationship Quality In Couples, Anna Arcuri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maladaptive dyadic perfectionism and couples' negative communication patterns, particularly demandwithdraw and mutual avoidance-withholding patterns of communication, are among various factors that are associated with poor relationship quality. Individuals high in maladaptive dyadic perfectionism are inclined to believe that their romantic partner's performance always falls short of their high ideal expectations. Informed by Robins and Boldero's (2003) relational discrepancy theory, this study was designed to assess three primary questions: (a) How does maladaptive dyadic perfectionism relate to perceived relationship quality for both partners?; (b) How does maladaptive dyadic perfectionism relate to negative communication patterns between romantic partners?; and (c) Do negative …


Meme World Syndrome: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of The First World Problems And Third World Success Internet Memes, Robert Chandler Jan 2013

Meme World Syndrome: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of The First World Problems And Third World Success Internet Memes, Robert Chandler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis applies the theory and method of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine the ideological components of the First World Problems (FWP) and Third World Success (TWS) Internet memes. Drawing on analytical concepts from CDA and related perspectives, such as multimodal discourse analysis and social semiotics, the paper analyzes the visual and textual elements of a sample of the FWP and TWS memes. The paper argues that the text and images featured in the memes are ideologically salient and discursively construct oppositional binaries between “us” and “them” in terms of wealth disparity.


Exploring Media Constructions Of The Toronto G20 Protests: Images, The Protest Paradigm, And The Impact Of Citizen Journalism, Stephanie Keyes Jan 2013

Exploring Media Constructions Of The Toronto G20 Protests: Images, The Protest Paradigm, And The Impact Of Citizen Journalism, Stephanie Keyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contributes to cultural criminology and media studies literature by examining how the mainstream media textually and visually constructed the Toronto G20 protests, protesters and police leading up to, during and after the summit. In analyzing 300 news articles, this thesis explores the media's use of the protest paradigm, and theorizes the potential impact of citizen journalism on the mainstream media's constructions. This thesis also explores how media constructions used both text and images. The results of this study indicate that media constructions of protests change overtime and are occasionally receptive to new evidence; the media does not always …