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University of Central Florida

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

2009

Articles 1 - 30 of 81

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Impact Of Social Capital On Youth Substance Use, Ali Unlu Jan 2009

The Impact Of Social Capital On Youth Substance Use, Ali Unlu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use, such as alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana, is a threat to the health and well-being of the youth, their families, and society as well. Government supports and implements several programs to protect youth from substance use. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of social capital on youth behavior and to suggest evidence-based policy interventions. Social capital refers to individual embeddedness in web of social relations and their behaviors guided by social structure. Therefore, adolescents' social interactions with their peers, parents, and community were investigated. The substance use was measured by the usage of cigarettes, alcohol, …

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An Examination Of Central Asian Geopolitics Through The Expected Utility Model: The New Great Game, Corey Stutte Jan 2009

An Examination Of Central Asian Geopolitics Through The Expected Utility Model: The New Great Game, Corey Stutte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The New Great Game is a geopolitical competition between regional stakeholders over energy resources in Central Asia. The author seeks to use the expected utility voting model based on Black's median voter theorem for forecasting the New Great Game in Central Asia. To judge the external validity of the voting model, the author uses data from the Correlates of War project data set, to formulate three distinct models based only on the numbers in 1992 and 1993. Capabilities and alliance data were used to develop balance of power positions and compare the outcome of 100 simulations to the actual outcome …

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Water And The Mountains: Maya Water Mangement At Caracol, Belize, James Crandall Jan 2009

Water And The Mountains: Maya Water Mangement At Caracol, Belize, James Crandall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Water management techniques in the Southern Maya Lowlands are both regionally diverse and site specific. This thesis examines the water management strategies of the Classic Period Maya at the site of Caracol, Belize. While it is likely that elites at Caracol controlled the redistribution of resources, i.e. craft and agricultural products, it is probable that the production of agricultural resources and the maintenance of water resource acquisition took place on a more local level. In order to test this hypothesis, a sample of five reservoirs were examined through original research -- and situated in conjunction with past settlement studies -- …

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A Biocultural Analysis Of Nubian Fetal Pot Burials From Askut, Sudan, Lauren Britton Jan 2009

A Biocultural Analysis Of Nubian Fetal Pot Burials From Askut, Sudan, Lauren Britton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The skeletal remains in this study were excavated from the Nubian archaeological island fortress site of Askut (ca. 1850 BC - 1070 BC, New Kingdom/Third Intermediate period), located at the 2nd Cataract of the Nile river in Sudan. These remains were recovered as part of an archaeological expedition from 1962-1964, which was an effort to learn as much as possible about this site before the building of the High Dam in Aswan. Seven fetal skeletons (dated ca. 1260-770 BC) were examined for their biocultural significance. Biological analysis of these individuals indicates a range in developmental age from 36 to 40 …

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Pubs, Punters, And Pints: Anthropological Reflections On Pub Life In Ireland, Jason Cucchiara Jan 2009

Pubs, Punters, And Pints: Anthropological Reflections On Pub Life In Ireland, Jason Cucchiara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ireland is a country with a rich and unique cultural heritage. It is difficult to imagine that certain facets of Irish culture (e.g. Saint Patrick's Day, the Blarney Stone, or the Ring of Kerry) can ever be taken for granted since they are so widely recognized internationally. One common feature of Irish life that possibly warrants more scholarly attention is the public house or pub. Much has been written about pubs as quaint institutions in popular literature and fiction. Curiously, they remain largely overlooked as vital aspects of Irish culture by anthropologists and others in the social sciences. In many …

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Mea Familia: Ethnic Burial Identifiers In St. Michael's Cemetery, Pensacola, Florida, Amy Giroux Jan 2009

Mea Familia: Ethnic Burial Identifiers In St. Michael's Cemetery, Pensacola, Florida, Amy Giroux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grave markers from St. Michael'ss Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida, were studied for evidence of ethnicity and acculturation. The 1,447 grave markers dating from 1870 to 1939 were used to test two hypotheses: 1) the grave markers for ethnic groups represented in the cemetery during the project's time period have identifiable sets of burial attributes; and 2) changes in the visible ethnic attribute sets show evidence of the acculturation of ethnic groups over time. Physical attributes pertaining to grave markers, and personal characteristics (e.g. sex, age) for the individuals inscribed upon the markers were collected for analysis. Historical sources were used …

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Determining Sex And Ancestry Of The Hyoid From The Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection, Sarah Kindschuh Jan 2009

Determining Sex And Ancestry Of The Hyoid From The Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection, Sarah Kindschuh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the basic goals of the physical anthropologist is to create a biological profile, consisting of sex, ancestry, age, and stature, from the skeletal material that they are presented with. This thesis seeks to explore size and shape differences related to sex and ancestry from the hyoid bones of the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection in order to gauge its usefulness in the process of developing a biological profile. A series of measurements were taken from 398 hyoids and analysis was conducted using a number of statistical methods. Independent samples t-tests were used to examine size differences between sexes …

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Detecting Buried Metallic Weapons In A Controlled Setting Using A Conductivity Meter And A Ground-Penetrating Radar, Charles Dionne Jan 2009

Detecting Buried Metallic Weapons In A Controlled Setting Using A Conductivity Meter And A Ground-Penetrating Radar, Charles Dionne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Searching for buried metallic evidence at crime scenes or at potential disposal sites can be a daunting task for forensic personnel. In particular, it is common to search for a small firearm that was discarded or buried by the perpetrator. When performing forensic searches, it is recommended to first use non-invasive methods such as geophysical instruments to minimize damage to evidence and to the crime scene. Geophysical tools are used to pinpoint small areas of interest across a scene that will be invasively tested later. Prior to this project, there was no published research that tested the utility of the …

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The Forensic Analysis Of Triacetone Triperoxide (Tatp) Precursors And Synthetic By-Products, Kimberly Painter Jan 2009

The Forensic Analysis Of Triacetone Triperoxide (Tatp) Precursors And Synthetic By-Products, Kimberly Painter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) is a primary high explosive that can be synthesized using commercially available starting materials and has grown in use among terrorists over the past several years. Additives present in the precursors were investigated to see if they carry through the TATP synthesis and can be detected in the final product potentially aiding in the identification of the source. Additives identified in the acetones were also identified in pre-blast and in some post-blast samples. However, these additives are present in trace quantities relative to the TATP, which coupled with the volatility and short lifetimes of some of the …

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Web-Based, Gendered Recruitment Of Women By Organized White Supremacist Groups, Angela King Jan 2009

Web-Based, Gendered Recruitment Of Women By Organized White Supremacist Groups, Angela King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the hate group watchdog organization, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of hate groups in the United States rose 54 percent since 2000 (SPLC 2009 a & b). Literature on organized white supremacist groups suggests that women have become increasingly more important to such groups for a variety of reasons, many of which are not always agreed upon by and within said groups. In addition, it is believed by many in the hate monitoring world that the World Wide Web has become progressively more dynamic as a medium of recruitment, as a tool of communication among members, …

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An Uncertain Place In Uncertain Times: The South Caucasus, Nathan Burns Jan 2009

An Uncertain Place In Uncertain Times: The South Caucasus, Nathan Burns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to address how geopolitical factors influence the foreign policies of states in the South Caucasus. Due to the recent Russia-Georgia War, this region is central to contemporary foreign policy, fueling discussions of a New Cold War between the US and Russia. With the explicit goal to provide policy relevant research on this critical region, the South Caucasus states (Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia) are examined in three separate case studies. Utilizing qualitative analysis of historical event data, each case examines the role of five different variables: energy resources, routes, demography, proximity, and state leadership. That …

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Privacy, Surveillance And The State: A Comparison Of U.S. And British Privacy Rights, Angelina Lander Jan 2009

Privacy, Surveillance And The State: A Comparison Of U.S. And British Privacy Rights, Angelina Lander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the effects of institutional structure on the privacy rights regimes in the United States and the United Kingdom, from 2000-2006. The goal of this research is to analyze how variation in the institutional arrangements across these two countries allowed for more or less protection of privacy rights for citizens. Domestic terrorist attacks during the time period represent a catalyst for changes in police and government surveillance activities. Veto points literature provides the framework for institutional comparison. The first part of the research provides a discussion of the historical evolution of privacy rights in both states, focusing on …

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Role Of Revolutionary Leadership In Iran To Its Foreign Policy, Aida Latorre Jan 2009

Role Of Revolutionary Leadership In Iran To Its Foreign Policy, Aida Latorre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the role of different leadership styles within Iran and how such leadership changes influenced Iranian foreign policy. The study utilized event-data analysis of Iranian history and current events and discussed the role of realist and idealist to the development of Iran into the regional power it is today as well as how Western relations played a role in developing Iranian foreign policy, particularly with regard to its nuclear development. The main body of the study drew from the dynamics within Iran, its relations with the West, relations with Israel, and relations with other foreign powers. The event-data …

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The Clash Of Thoughts Within The Arab Discourse, Chadia Louai Jan 2009

The Clash Of Thoughts Within The Arab Discourse, Chadia Louai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Clash of Civilization thesis by Samuel Huntington and the claims of other scholars such as Bernard Lewis reinforced the impression in the West that the Arab world is a homogeneous and rigid entity ready to clash with other civilizations. In fact, some in the West argue that world civilizations have religious characteristics, for that reason the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will be primarily cultural and religious. However, other scholars argue that there is no single Islamic culture but rather multiple types of political Islam and different perception of it. Therefore, the monolithic aspect of Islam …

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The News Media And Public Opinion: The Press Coverage Of U.S. International Conflicts And Its Effect On Presidental Approval, Kristen Mccullough Jan 2009

The News Media And Public Opinion: The Press Coverage Of U.S. International Conflicts And Its Effect On Presidental Approval, Kristen Mccullough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A standing phenomenon exists in the fields of both political science and communication studies regarding the impact that the news media have on public opinion. This study recognizes the average American citizens' reliance on the press to gain information about international conflicts. Hence, it is theorized that news reports on a political occurrence could very well influence the mass-level opinion of an event such that positive news stories generate positive public opinion, and vice versa. Since foreign crises define a presidency in the public's minds, presidential approval ratings determine the degree to which the news media manipulate public opinion. Specifically, …

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The Bush Administration's Decision To Invade Iraq: Did They Fall Victim To Groupthink?, Joel Nantais Jan 2009

The Bush Administration's Decision To Invade Iraq: Did They Fall Victim To Groupthink?, Joel Nantais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the George W. Bush administration became victims of groupthink when they made the policy decision to invade Iraq in 2003. Groupthink is a policy-making model which was first put forward by Irving Janis which attempts to explain how experienced and elite policy-makers can make decisions which lead to disastrous outcomes due to conditions which cause defective decision-making. Research was conducted through a qualitative, within case study which was made possible through the inherent process tracing method of the groupthink model. Mainly secondary sources which detailed the historical case of the decision …

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The Bay Of Pigs Invasion: A Case Study In Foreign Policy Decision-Making, Amaury Murgado Jan 2009

The Bay Of Pigs Invasion: A Case Study In Foreign Policy Decision-Making, Amaury Murgado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Policy makers have long recognized the importance of considering past experience, history, and the use of Analogical reasoning when making policy decisions. When elite political actors face foreign policy crises, they often use their past experience, refer to history, and use Analogical reasoning to help them frame their decisions. In the case of the ill-fated invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, the use of Analogical reasoning revolving around past covert successes may have created an environment for faulty foreign policy decision-making. Former members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) filled the ranks of the Central Intelligence Agency …

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No Child Left Behind?: The Relationship Between Education Policy And Student Success, Brittany Resmann Jan 2009

No Child Left Behind?: The Relationship Between Education Policy And Student Success, Brittany Resmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how education policy influences student success, and if there are linkages between K-12 education policy and higher education. Historically, education has primarily been a function of state and local governments. The role of the federal government drastically changed with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. This thesis focused on the influence of No Child Behind on several indicators of student success in K-12 and postsecondary education. All fifty states were examined in this study. This approach is rather unusual since it is typical to focus on one state or a small group …

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Adolescent And Caregiver Identity Distress, Identity Status, And Their Relationship To Psychological Adjustment, Rachel Wiley Jan 2009

Adolescent And Caregiver Identity Distress, Identity Status, And Their Relationship To Psychological Adjustment, Rachel Wiley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study addresses identity distress and identity status in adolescents with clinical diagnoses, and their caregivers. There were 88 adolescent participants (43.2% female) ranging in age from 11 to 20 (mean =14.96; SD =1.85) who were recruited from community mental health centers in Volusia and Orange Counties. The 63 caregiver participants included mothers (82.5%), fathers (7.9%), grandmothers (7.9%), and grandfathers (1.6%), ranging in age from 28-70 (mean = 40.24; SD = 9.16). A significant proportion of adolescents (22.7%) met criteria for Identity Problem in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; American Psychiatric Association, …

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Predicting Children's Emotional And Behavioral Functioning: An Examination Of Coparenting And Parental Satisfaction, Samantha Scott Jan 2009

Predicting Children's Emotional And Behavioral Functioning: An Examination Of Coparenting And Parental Satisfaction, Samantha Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To examine the interplay among shared parenting, coparent support, parental satisfaction, and child behavior problems, the current study examines the responses of mothers and fathers who have children between the ages of 3- and 6-years. As part of this study, 107 parents (i.e., 80 mothers and 27 fathers) completed a questionnaire packet including measures of coparenting, parental satisfaction, and child behavior problems. Results are examined using correlational and hierarchical regression analyses. Correlational analyses suggest that coparent support and parental satisfaction are related positively and that coparent support and parental satisfaction are related negatively with children's behavior problems. Unique relationships are …

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Neuropsychological Functioning In Social Phobia, Scott Sutterby Jan 2009

Neuropsychological Functioning In Social Phobia, Scott Sutterby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to clarify the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying social phobia. Previous research has identified some specific group differences in neurocognitive functioning between individuals diagnosed with social phobia and nonpsychiatric controls, but has failed to administer a comprehensive neuropsychological battery to a social phobia patient group, resulting in a piecemeal understanding of the neurocognitive functioning of this population and an incomplete picture of the neuropsychological profile inherent to this group. The present research utilized a broader collection of neuropsychological tests to assess nine cognitive domains: Verbal Learning, Verbal Delayed Memory, Visual Immediate Memory, Visual Delayed Memory, …

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Perceived Parental Characteristics And Neighborhood Support: How Do They Relate To Adolescents' Externalizing Behavior Problem, Rachel White Jan 2009

Perceived Parental Characteristics And Neighborhood Support: How Do They Relate To Adolescents' Externalizing Behavior Problem, Rachel White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Externalizing behavior problems are related to many problematic outcomes for children and adolescents in their home, school, and community settings. Given the ramifications of difficulties related to externalizing behavior problems, the present study examines the relationships among adolescents' externalizing behavior problems, characteristics of adolescents' families, and their perceived neighborhood support in a sample of adolescents who are in the Sixth through Eighth Grades. As part of this study, adolescents were assessed one time in their school setting with a set of brief questionnaires. In particular, adolescents completed measures assessing their levels of externalizing behavior problems, characteristics of their families, their …

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Elucidating The Social Skills Deficits In Children With Asperger's Disorder: A Comparative Study, Lindsay Scharfstein Jan 2009

Elucidating The Social Skills Deficits In Children With Asperger's Disorder: A Comparative Study, Lindsay Scharfstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with Asperger's Disorder are considered to have impairments in social interaction, but to date few studies have empirically addressed this issue. This study examined the existence of social skills deficits in children with Asperger's Disorder, children with social phobia, and children with no psychological disorder. Using direct observation of social skills during role-play tasks, blinded observers rated an overall impression of social effectiveness and three specific categories of social skill: pragmatic behavior (e.g., effort to maintain conversation, latency to respond), speech and prosodic behavior (e.g., vocal inflection, voice volume), and paralinguistic conversational behaviors (e.g., facial orientation, motor movement). Children …

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Have You Heard? Predictors Of Hpv Awareness Among A Random Sample Of College Students, Meagan Arrastia Jan 2009

Have You Heard? Predictors Of Hpv Awareness Among A Random Sample Of College Students, Meagan Arrastia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College students have been identified as at high risk for contracting Human Papillomavirus (HPV) due to engaging in risky behaviors, such as binge drinking and unprotected sex. Before preventative measures like vaccination and condom usage can be promoted, awareness must be evaluated. A random sample of 438 college students was surveyed on their awareness of HPV using both paper and online surveying methods. Using binary logistic regression, HPV awareness was predicted using demographic measures. The majority of the sample reported having heard of HPV before. Sexually active respondents and females were significantly more likely to report awareness. Non-whites and first-generation …

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Homeless Women In The Orlando Shelter System: A Comparison Of Single Women, Families, And Women Separated From The Children, Hilary Dotson Jan 2009

Homeless Women In The Orlando Shelter System: A Comparison Of Single Women, Families, And Women Separated From The Children, Hilary Dotson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Homeless women and families are among the most disenfranchised groups in society. Further, because of their homelessness and associated problems, many homeless women become separated from their children. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on predictors of entering a shelter with or without children (shelter status) and whether or not one is separated from one or more children (child separation status) on various special need predictors. A second objective was to determine the relationship between shelter status and child separation and to understand the unique experiences of homeless women who are separated from their children. These …

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Working Hard And Barely Making It: Ideological Contradictions And The Working Poor, Wendi Kane Jan 2009

Working Hard And Barely Making It: Ideological Contradictions And The Working Poor, Wendi Kane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The existence of large, relatively comfortable, middle and working classes is what has set the advanced capitalist societies apart from most societies throughout history. These classes, while not quite "privileged," offer the hope of opportunity and upward social mobility for those who work hard. Yet in the last 30 years a growing class of "working poor" has emerged who invest many hours working but at wages that keep upward social mobility beyond their grasp. The existence of the working poor, it seems, dispels a key element in the ideology of individualism; they work hard yet do not "get ahead." This …

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Religiosity And Subjective Interpretations Of Personal Wealth, Andrew Lash Jan 2009

Religiosity And Subjective Interpretations Of Personal Wealth, Andrew Lash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically, research has connected religiosity to many economic concepts in the United States. Religiosity can be a primary factor in the development of attitudes and values regarding financial issues and personal wealth. This study further expands the sociology of religion and economics by examining how differences in religious affiliation, attendance, and sociodemographic factors affect attitudes regarding personal wealth and financial behaviors. Previous studies have concentrated on religious differences in income, education, and life course achievement; however, few studies, if any, have directly measured religiosity and subjective attitudes toward personal wealth. Using the PEW Research Center's Economy Survey from February 2008, …

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Defended Neighborhoods And Organized Crime: Does Organized Crime Lower Street Crime?, Hollianne Marshall Jan 2009

Defended Neighborhoods And Organized Crime: Does Organized Crime Lower Street Crime?, Hollianne Marshall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature suggests that neighborhoods with organized criminal networks would have lower crime rates than other neighborhoods or communities, because of the social control their organization exerts on residents and visitors. The strictly organized Italian-American Mafia seems to have characteristics that would translate throughout the neighborhood: People will not participate in overt illegal behaviors because they do not know who is watching, and the fear of what the Mafia might do keeps residents and visitors to the neighborhood relatively well-behaved. Using crime statistics from the NYPD and census data for neighborhood characteristics, four linear regressions were calculated. The results indicate …

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Social Norms And College Dating Violence Among Gay Bisexual Transgender And Queer (Gbtq) Students, Lashawn Rivera Jan 2009

Social Norms And College Dating Violence Among Gay Bisexual Transgender And Queer (Gbtq) Students, Lashawn Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is minimal research on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (GBTQ) dating violence on college campuses. This qualitative study was facilitated using focus groups that included students that identified as being GBTQ at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The focus group questions were open ended in a discussion format. Participants were recruited from student organizations like the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Student Union (GLBSU) and Knight Allies on campus. There were a total of 10 students that participated in 2 different focus group sessions. Student's attitudes, thoughts and opinions about dating violence on college campuses in GBTQ relationships were …

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The Effects Of Teacher Self-Disclosure Of Political Views And Opinions, Regina Weiler Jan 2009

The Effects Of Teacher Self-Disclosure Of Political Views And Opinions, Regina Weiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between classroom disclosure of political views and opinions by professors and student perceptions. A sample of students (N = 158) chose to participate in a survey asking questions about their perceptions of the amount, depth, and inappropriateness of teacher political disclosure, as well as whether or not they agreed with their professor's disclosed political ideology. The questionnaire also measured student perceptions of the teacher's subsequent competence, goodwill, trustworthiness, student state motivation, and student affective learning (content and teacher). The data revealed negative relationships between perceived inappropriateness of political disclosure and perceived competence and goodwill of …

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