Digital Commons Network^™

Reconsidering Solidarity In The Mormon Village, Todd L. Goodsell

Theses and Dissertations

In what became a classic rural community study, Lowry Nelson concluded in his first Mormon village series in the 1920's that the Mormon village is characterized by an extraordinary sense of solidarity. He claimed that this strong solidarity can be primarily explained by four factors of the social group: leadership, conflict, cooperation, and ideology. After resurveying the Mormon village in 1950, he concluded that solidarity had declined. However, a few problems become apparent to the present researcher looking back upon Nelson's findings. One of them is that Nelson never had a clear definition of solidarity to begin with. Another is …

Deinstitutionalization Effects On Medication Use For People With Mental Retardation, Paul D. Kolstoe

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, patterns of psychoactive medication use in institutional settings for people with mental retardation were considered excessive. Service standards substantially reduced levels of such medication use. Similar research in community settings has been limited, but comparisons between the two settings are fraught with complicating variables. Rapid deinstitutionalization in North Dakota provided a unique opportunity to follow the medication use patterns of people who stayed and those who left the institution. Follow up time periods were selected for statewide accreditation (1989) and several years later through which those standards have been consistently met (1995). Psychoactive medication use decreased with the onset …

"Pure Otherness": Directing Sexual Identity In Mac Wellman's Dracula, Darin D. Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Academic Achievement Of Intercollegiate Student-Athletes Compared To Nonathletes, James Reid Beal

Theses and Dissertations

Intercollegiate athletics have been placed under intense scrutiny over the past decade. Concern has been expressed about the role and value intercollegiate athletics has in higher education. Recent scandals of intercollegiate programs and student-athletes involved in illicit or criminal activity, recruiting violations, and academic fraud or failures have increased the anxiety and skepticism. However, is the skepticism surrounding the academic integrity of intercollegiate athletics and academic achievement of student-athletes warranted? Are academics being compromised for the sake of athletics? Is the stereotypical “dumb jock” a myth or reality? Do athletes perform as well academically as nonathletes?

The purpose of this …

The Effect Of Biculturalism On Self-Esteem In Northern Plains Native American College Students, Mary J. Wilkie

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of biculturalism on self esteem in a sample of 51 Northern Plains Native American college students (29 females, 22 males). Subjects completed the Northern Plains Biculturalism Inventory (NPB1; Allen & French, 1994) and the Index of Self-Esteem (ISE; Hudson, 1982). Pearson Product- Moment correlations, independent t-tests, a multiple regression analysis, and an one-way analysis-of-variance was performed using the SPSS statistical package to examine, if any, the relationships between the NPBI subscales and the ISE total scores. This design tested the applicability of the Orthogonal Theory of Biculturalism (Oetting & …

Test Of Variables Of Attention (Tova) Utility In Differentiating Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Subtypes, Steven Andrew Westby

Theses and Dissertations

Research has indicated that Continuous Performance Tests (CPTs) can differentiate Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) subjects from controls without any psychiatric illness. However, CPTs have neither accurately differentiated ADHD children from those with other psychiatric disorders—nor differentiated subtypes of ADHD from each other. The Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), a new CPT, has several advantages over its predecessors which may allow the TOVA to be more effective in this differentiation process.

Data from ADHD subjects was selected from children who were administered the TOVA as part of their evaluation for ADHD at Lakeland Mental Health Center in Moorhead, MN, the Child Evaluation …

Full Integration Of Women In The Air Force: Myth Or Possibility?, Helen M. Newell

Theses and Dissertations

The full integration of women in the military, particularly the United States Air Force, has been an ongoing effort. Based on the definition of "full integration" as allowing all qualified military personnel the opportunity to hold any position and accomplish any mission, given that they are in possession of the required capabilities and training, without restriction, certain issues have arisen during the course of the integration process. These issues include sex, as defined by gender and function, the capability of women to accomplish the same tasks as men, and the combat issue. To support and establish the full integration of …

Identity And Image: A Miss America Case Study, Melissa C. Connell

Theses and Dissertations

Through brochure copy and other communication channels, such as electronic media, organizations strive to effectively echo the company's beliefs, attitudes and values. Target audiences perceive the company in certain ways based on this media projection. Sometimes the image a company believes it has established is far different from the one the public sees.

As organizations aim to achieve this identity/image alliance, critics assert that the Miss America Organization has failed to meet the stated standards. In recent years, the Miss America Organization has received criticism from former contestants, politicians, feminist groups and some of its 80 million viewers for its …

Student Use Of Computers In The Media Center: Does It Support Educational Goals?, Janet B. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the ways students from study halls used computers in a media center at 22 student workstations. A shift toward use of computers and electronic resources for recreation and for research had been observed. A study was initiated to determine what students accomplish during these periods and if their use benefited learning.

The first research method employed was a direct observation of 1264 students visiting the media center during 64 different periods over a three-week time period. Students were observed and the kinds of applications used were counted. In a second method, ninety-seven students from across the school's …

Meaning In Family Mealtime, Ardyth Gunnell Cannon

Theses and Dissertations

This project asks families what mealtime together means to them. The topic of family mealtime appears comparatively infrequently in academic literature, and any meaning that families associate with mealtime has seldom been studied directly. This particular research investigates meanings of the understudied mealtime event by interviewing three or four generations of family members from five different families. Attention is paid to emerging standards of rigor for qualitative research, namely applicability through the selection of families who have a history of practicing a family mealtime tradition, truth value in faithfully representing the interviewees perceptions, and auditability by including detail of the …

Gender Differences In Primary Grade Level Students In Tests Of Visual And Auditory Memory, Kathleen P. Leland

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover if gender is a significant factor when determining the auditory and visual memory skills of primary grade level students. The study also sought to determine if boys or girls are more able to recall visual or auditory stimuli. Based on the literature related to the subject of gender and memory, differences between males and females vary depending on the tasks performed.

The subjects were taken from first, second and third grade students attending a suburban elementary school in New Jersey. Fifty-two boys and fifty-three girls were subjected to a story on an …

A Study Of Multi-Sensory Instruction On Fourth Grade Students' Reading Achievement, Kristine Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Research has supported that by accommodating teaching methods to complement student learning styles, academic achievement and attitudes improve. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of multi-learning style based instruction, specifically perceptual preferences, on the reading achievement of fourth grade students. Forty-seven students in two intact classrooms from one elementary school participated in the pretest/posttest control group design. A pretest was given to both groups to ensure initial group equivalence. An experimental group then received multi-perceptual instruction for a period of two weeks while a control group was taught by traditional instruction. Following the instruction period, a …

The Relationship Between A Dimensional Ratings Of Perceived Exertion Scale And Heart Rate In Young Children, Anita Marie Tougas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of a dimensional rating of perceived exertion scale (D-RPE) for young children while exercising. Sixteen boys and girls (ages 6-8 years) peiformed two incremental walking tests on a motorized treadmill. Each subject walked at 3.2 miles per hour until the subject was fatigued or voluntarily stopped the test. The intensity was increased by increasing the treadmill incline 2.5% every two minutes. Heart rate (HR) was monitored at each two minute interval by a heart rate monitor worn across the chest. Either a mouthpiece or oxygen face mask was used to …

A Study Of Gender And Subject Area On Student Test Score Prediction, Slade Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of student self assessment in this study was to give the instructor feedback – first hand knowledge of the level of understanding/comprehension the students have of the concepts in a given subject area. The purpose for test score predictions was to enable the classroom teacher to teach the areas of subject matter that were needed, not teach what has already been mastered as a skill.

Previous research has shown mixed results in the area of whether gender or subject area affects test score prediction. This provided support for the dual null hypotheses. There is not a significant relationship …

Buber's I-Thou/I-It Construct And Gilligan's Connected/Separate Self Construct: A Theoretical Creative Inquiry, Nancie R. Ziemke

Theses and Dissertations

William Heard's application of Martin Buber's dialogical theory to the practice and theory of therapy bears a striking similarity to the relational theories developed by Carol Gilligan and the writers associated with the Stone Center. Yet these two theoretical constructs have never been critically and formally compared. This study proposes to help fill that gap by critically comparing and contrasting the dialogical and relational constructs.

Seven questions will be addressed. (a) What is Buber's I-Thou/I-It construct?; (b) What is Gilligan's Connected Self construct and the Stone Center's relational construct?; (c) How do Buber and Gilligan/Stone Center's relational constructs compare?; (d) …

A Comparison Of Ratings On The Asha Functional Assessment Of Communication Skills For Adults And Scores On The Western Aphasia Battery For Individuals With Aphasia, Racheal S. Humphrey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between scores on the WAB and ratings on the ASHA Functional Assessment of Communication Skills for Adults (ASHA FACS1 for adults with aphasia. Twenty subjects with aphasia participated in this study with a mean age of 66 years. The ASHA FACS was completed through an interview format with the speech-language pathologist who was familiar- with the subject. On a different occasion, the WAB was administered to each subject.

A simple Analysis of Variance showed significant differences between the fluent and nonfluent subjects on all subtests of the WAB and ASHA …

The Effects Of Alcohol And Anxiety: Senesitivity On Social Stress In Women, Beth A. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

The tension reduction hypothesis postulates that consuming alcohol leads to a stress dampening effect. This stress reduction is negatively reinforcing, therefore, individuals learn that consuming alcohol will reduce unpleasant, tension type sensations and cognitions. Several studies have examined the validity of the tension reduction hypothesis as an explanatory model for the development o f alcohol problems, but no clear consensus has been found. As a result, researchers have begun to examine individual difference variables that may interact with the effects of alcohol on anxiety. The present study examined potential individual difference factors (social anxiety and anxiety sensitivity) by randomly assigning …

Temporal Lobe Transients And Prayer, Donald E. Newberry

Theses and Dissertations

Persinger (1983) theorized that religious experiences involve the production of brief, micro-seizures that originate in the limbic system and affect the temporal lobes of the brain. According to this theory, ritual behavior could be used by individuals to induce micro-seizure activity. The theory predicted that an increase in alpha and theta activity in the temporal lobes of the brain would occur when subjects had a religious experience.

To test this, male and female Christian college students completed a Prayer Experiences Questionnaire inquiring about their religious experiences during prayer. Individuals scoring in the upper and lower 30 percent of the possible …

Motivational Functions Of Volunteerism: Similarities And Differences Between Low & High Risk Communities, Deborah L. Cole

Theses and Dissertations

A functional approach provides a framework for identifying psychological and behavioral aspects associated with decision-making, experiences, and consequences. The functional approach to volunteerism suggests that different people, or sub-populations, may actually be motivated to serve based upon individual and varying personal, social, and psychological functions. The purpose of the study was to investigate any motivational differences or similarities between adults living in high at-risk and low at-risk communities with regard to volunteerism.

High and low at-risk communities were identified by the seven community at-risk indicators suggested by the Carnegie Council on Adolescents. Those communities with three or less indicators were …

Effect Of Participation In A Daily Reading Log On The Reading Attitude And Achievement In Low To High Achievers, Jody M. Strauss

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a daily reading log on the attitude and comprehension of sixth grade low to high achieving students. The study consisted of forty-eight students divided among two classes. Half of the students used the daily reading log and were compared with the other half who did not use daily reading logs for a sixteen week period. The spring 1997 standardized testing placed students in the low to high ranges in reading.

The students were tested in September and again in March after participating in the daily reading log program. Students' …

A Study Of The Feasibility Of Block Scheduling At Buena Regional High School, Bruce R. Arcurio

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study has been to determine the feasibility of implementing some form of block scheduling at Buena Regional High School. Due to the small scope of the project, the entire population of professionals who would be responsible for the implementation of a block schedule was used. The data collection instruments utilized were a questionnaire and various forms of interviews. Data analysis consisted of calculating percentages for quantitative questions on the questionnaire and an analysis of trends for the qualitative questions and interviews. The research indicates that it is unlikely that a block schedule can be created that …

A Study Of Educator Health, Motivation, And Satisfaction At Middle Township High School, Karen Buesing

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to increase the effectiveness of communication between administration and faculty within a secondary educational organization. Forty-three educators within a total population of 73 participated in the study and completed a survey instrument that examined teacher health, motivation, and satisfaction. The survey yielded quantitative and qualitative data within the areas of demographics, orientation to teaching, areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, commitment to life goals, and health. Quantitative data was computer-generated, and narrative responses were categorized within general areas related to the teaching profession. All data was presented and discussed within the structure of specific framing …

An Internship Study Of Character Education In A Middle School Setting, Laureen J. Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

This internship experience focused on the study of the effectiveness of a formal approach to character education in a small New Jersey middle school. This effort projected student outcomes to include observable student demonstration of positive character traits. The character traits emphasized consist of respect, reliability, responsibility, and resourcefulness. Hence, the name of the project is the "Four R's."

The entire student body of 254 in grades five through eight participated in this study. The integration of one of the four R's into the current curriculum of each quarter served as the means by which the character traits were presented …

What Employees Want To Know During Times Of Organizational Change, Stacy Smith Napolitano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what issues or topics are most important to employees during times of organizational change. It is important for managers to effectively communicate these issues, especially in today's changing business world.

The author conducted this research by surveying employees at organizations going through major change. The respondents were selected randomly from employee lists at each organization. The sample size was 315. The data was collected through inter-office mail at each location and sent to the author, who tabulated it using the Microsoft Access computer program. The results were tabulated by overall results, gender, …

A Context Analysis Of Same-Company Advertisements In Gay And Lesbian Publications Compared With Mainstream Publications, Sharon Ann Follmer Miken

Theses and Dissertations

In a content analysis, this study reviewed and analyzed advertising placed by national corporations in lesbian and gay magazines. The presumption was that the homosexual population is a viable niche that is being targeted by corporations with a segmented marketing approach. The purpose was to determine if these companies changed the content of these ads in any way to address the needs of the gay consumer.

The two most prominent national magazines that serve the lesbian and gay population in the United States are The Advocate and Out. From these two magazines was drawn a universe of national corporations that …

Parental Involvement And Its Impact On Student Performance In The Primary Grades, Charlene G. Bundy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if parental involvement increased the school performance of students in the primary grades. Research shows that parents who are supportive, monitor their child's activities, help their child, and participate with their child's school positively impact their child's school performance. The independent variable was parental involvement and the dependent variable was school performance. The sample consisted of 20 students in first, second, and third grade. A parent questionnaire was completed by parents who also provided their child's school grades in math and reading. The questionnaire asked parents to rate the frequency that they …

A Study Of The Correlation Between Internal Communication Programs And Employee Morale, Gary L. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the relationship between internal communication programs and employee morale. Fifty-three communication professionals were contacted to determine:

• whether their company had an internal communication policy
• whether supervisory staff were trained to communicate effectively
• whether supervisory staff were held accountable for communicating with their subordinates
• the perceived benefits to internal communication programs.

Telephone interviews and mailed surveys yielded the following major conclusions:

• Ninety-five percent of the respondents felt there is a direct correlation between internal communication and employee morale.
• Five percent of the respondents felt there is an indirect correlation between internal communication and employee morale.
• Seventy-seven percent of …

The Effects Of Musical Training On Academic Achievement, John Schiavo

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to look at the cognitive development of students who have formal musical training and compare them to students who lack any musical ability. The purpose of the study was to lend support to the positive effect that musical training has on space relations and mathematical abilities.

The sample consisted of twenty students enrolled in an undergraduate psychology course at a major university and twenty students enrolled in a high level music class at the same institution. Most of the subjects came from middle class backgrounds and live in New Jersey. The Differential Aptitude Test, form C, …

Empathy And Self-Acceptance: Necessary Qualities Of A Peer Helper, William T. Sharp

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a preliminary study of the qualities of people who chose to be peer helpers. A review of the literature on helping theories led to the conclusion that empathy and self-acceptance were necessary elements of a helper. This study hoped to lend support to this theory. The hypothesis stated that students electing to take a peer helping training course would have different levels of empathy and self-acceptance than those in a cooking class. These qualities were measured using a psychological inventory, and the scores of 115 adolescent subjects (n=115) were compared. There was no significant difference between students …

The Effects Of School-Based Mentoring On At-Risk Youth, Barbara Dobzanski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of school-based mentoring on at-risk youth. The study was conducted on a group of clients from a Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. The clients were individuals who are at risk of academic and social failure or difficulty. The experimental group consisted of 21 students who were receiving mentoring services on a weekly basis. The control group consisted of 18 students who remained on a waiting list to be mentored. The variables examined were self-concept, behavioral and developmental issues, and academic performance. The extent, if any, to which mentoring benefits an individual …