Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Detecting And Mapping The Michigan Vegetation Tension Zone Using Ecological Indicators, Janice Marie Fulford

Masters Theses

Ecotones are areas of transition between adjacent ecosystems that exist at various geographic scales, and are useful in measuring climatic changes. Ecotones are defined by their length and breadth and the ability to detect and map an ecotone from a specific period in time would be useful in measuring current and future change.

The study focused on a 1880's vegetation ecotone in the center of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. This was achieved by deriving ecological variables from the U.S. public land survey's tree species data. These variables were then used to ascertain the length of the ecotone by finding the boundary …

A Model Of The Natural Spread Of The Invasive Insect Species Emerald Ash Borer In The Lower Peninsula Of Michigan, Jennifer L. Weller

Masters Theses

More than 8 million ash trees in southeast Michigan have been killed by an infestation of the invasive insect species emerald ash borer (EAB). Since its identification in July 2002, EAB has been found in Ontario (Canada), Ohio, Indiana, and across Michigan. To date, EAB research has concentrated on the entomological classification and no systematic prediction of the pest's diffusion has been made.

This research presents a predictive model for the spread of EAB across the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Limited data on ash tree population distribution, ·. infestation distribution, and the dispersal rate of the emerald ash borer required …

The Effects Of Feedback On Hourly Pay And Individual Monetary Incentives, Douglas A. Johnson

Masters Theses

The effects of performance feedback when individuals received fixed or individual incentive pay were examined. A 2 X 2 factorial design was used with approximately 30 college students in each group. Participants attended six experimental sessions. They entered the cash value of simulated bank checks presented on a computer screen. Monetary incentives increased the number of correctly completed checks (p = .000); however feedback had no effect (p = .825). Time spent working and rate of performance correlated strongly with the number of checks completed correctly, suggesting that both influenced the checks completed correctly. The results suggest that incentives increase …

The Journey Of A Social Movement: A Glimpse Into Hizb 'Allah And Its Integration Into The Lebanese Landscape, Lisa L. Peters

Masters Theses

Historically, research in Social Movement Theories has been limited to only certain aspects of a social movement, whether it was the impetus of the movement, explaining the reasons for its mobilization, how they recruit members and money, how social movements are able to function as an organization, or why groups suffer demise after flourishing for a period of time. This research attempts to build a framework of a particular social movement, Hizb'allah, a Shi'a Islamic movement based in Lebanon. This framework is built by extracting various elements from several social movement theories to explain and illustrate this movement's life course …

Gambling On A Simulated Slot Machine Under Conditions Of Repeated Play, Andrew Ellis Brandt

Masters Theses

Three experiments using a parametric, single-subject design investigated gambling behavior in eight adult humans on a slot-machine simulation. Participants were staked with credits exchangeable for money prior to each session. Experiment 1 a was a systematic replication of Weatherly and Brandt (2004), which investigated the effects of percentage payback (the amount of money gained as a proportion of the amount of money bet) on gambling. Percentage payback was varied from 50% to 110% across conditions. Consistent with Weatherly and Brandt, gambling did not vary systematically across percentage-payback conditions. Experiment 1 b replicated Experiment 1 a but also included forced-exposure sessions …

Potential Effects Of Aggressive Videogames On Young Adult’S Behavior And Physiology, Kent David Smallwood

Masters Theses

Each year, interactive technology becomes more and more advanced, offering more lifelike environments, immersive experiences, and realistic situations. Additionally, the videogame industry has over doubled in size in less than ten years, now rivaling the box office industry. However, technological advances have quickly outpaced our understanding of the effects of certain types of adult content on the game player. To date, the majority of the research on the topic was conducted before the games themselves were technologically advanced enough to draw meaningful conclusions; the few studies conducted in the last few years, while offering promising methodological advancements from previous work, …

“See Your Healthcare Provider For A Prescription Today!” The Influence Of Direct-To-Consumer Drug Advertising On Nurse Practitioners And Their Patients, Kelly A. Getman-Dissette

Masters Theses

In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration relaxed the guidelines regarding the advertising of prescription drugs directly to consumers (i.e., direct-to-consumer advertising, DTCA). The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of DTCA on the relationships of healthcare providers with their patients. In order to accomplish this task, in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with ten nurse practitioners (NPs). The interviews sought out provider perceptions on four topics as they relate to DTCA: diagnosis and treatment decisions, prescribing practices, additional burden on the provider, and patient trust in the provider. The findings reveal that DTCA has had both …

People Without Voice: Perceptions Of Social Bias Against Muslims In The United States, Dhiren Patel

Masters Theses

This paper is an ethnographic investigation of Muslim American perceptions of social marginalization in the United States as a by-product of various governmental and media forces, with the Kalamazoo, MI community being the regional focus. The existence of the violence-crazed zealot Muslim stereotype has had social repercussions for Muslims living in America. The first part of this research looks at the development of Muslim stereotypes before 9/11. The second half of this paper discuses the results from interviews with local Muslims Americans who have given me their perspective on prejudice against Islam in the United States.

The oral accounts provided …

A Bioarchaeological Investigation Of Two Unmarked Graveyards In Bridgetown, Barbados, Christopher Crain

Masters Theses

In 1996 and 1999 two previously unknown graveyards were discovered in separate sections of Bridgetown, Barbados. Emergency excavations of the sites recovered the skeletal material of at least thirty-two (MNI=32) individuals as well as a number of grave goods. While the artifacts were from the historical period there was continuing speculation as to the ancestry of the individuals interred within these graveyards. During the summer of 2004 the first preliminary osteological analysis of the skeletal material was conducted to identify the biological characteristics, including the ancestral affiliation, of these individuals. The analysis determined that the individuals interred at these sites …

Third Wave Feminist Identity, Sarah Brightman

Masters Theses

The research I am proposing is to gain a better understanding of current, individual feminist identity and the impact of that identity, more broadly, on current feminism. There is controversy in the current literature about the existence of a third wave of feminism and I believe this research will contribute to this discussion by exploring various individual experiences with feminism and how feminist identity fits into individuals lives. Gaining an understanding of young feminist identity and the individual meaning of feminism might help define the characteristics of this whole new generation of feminists in their own terms. Much progress and …

The Trials And Tribulations Of Eliciting American Indian Voice, Amber Madoll

Masters Theses

In this thesis I explored the application of oral history in the collection, preservation and interpretation of American Indian cultural history. Through the analysis of written ethnographies, published works, oral histories and case studies, this research addresses some of the major debates hindering oral history's admittance as a viable ethnographic and historical resource. The overall intention of this research was to elicit the major methodological issues anthropologists face when employing oral history techniques in American Indian studies so that solid, comprehensive strategies can be created and implemented to strengthen the acceptance and practice of oral history in modem cultural studies. …

Behavioral Skills Training For Parents Of Children With Autism: Teaching Implementation Of The Natural Language Paradigm, Jill N. Gillett

Masters Theses

The effects of the use of behavioral skills training to teach parents of children with autism to implement the Natural Language Paradigm (NLP) were examined. Data were collected on parent implementation and child behavior. Results indicated that parents of children with autism were able to learn to implement the NLP procedures and continued to implement the procedures accurately throughout the study. Child data indicated that parent-implemented NLP resulted in improvements in child play. These improvements consisted of a decrease in intervals with no toy engagement, a decrease in intervals in which inappropriate play occurred, and an increase in intervals in …

The Portrayal Of African American Women In Hip-Hop Videos, Ladel Lewis

Masters Theses

This study analyzed 52 of the most popular hip-hop videos aired on Black Entertainment Television in the summer of 2004. Using a qualitative content analysis instrument used in a previous study, three prominent characteristics in these videos were identified: (1) the level of sexism, (2) the presence of intimate touch and/or the presence of alluring attire. From those characteristics, it was discerned that there were more videos that possessed high levels of sexism than those that had very little or non . It was also found that the majority of the videos depicted women wearing alluring attire and having intimate …

Online Contingency Management Of Writing Productivity, Matthew L. Porritt

Masters Theses

Ten participants from an online community participated in an online writing productivity management program. Social reinforcement and conditioned reinforcers were delivered by the researcher contingent upon meeting self-set writing goals on a weekly basis. Graphic feedback was delivered to participants through a web page, and social reinforcers through email contact. Writing goals increased throughout the program. In all cases, the program increased writing productivity across phases of treatment or goal increases. Results are discussed in terms of rule-governed behavior and the effects of short term goals in context of long term goals.

Successful Superfund Site Restoration: A Case Study Of Independence Grove Forest Preserve, Linnea E. Hruska

Masters Theses

The United States Superfund program has been quite controversial since it was established under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act in 1980. Several people feel that the enormous amounts of time and money invested in the Superfund program are not worthwhile because so many sites remain far from being cleaned up. Nevertheless, some successful site restorations have been achieved under this program. The Petersen Sand & Gravel site is one of these success stories. This thesis examines why the Petersen Sand & Gravel site was able to experience such success under the Superfund program by taking history, economics, …

Not Knowing What You're Missing: Autoethnographical Explorations And Reflections Of The Potential Effects Of Fatherlessness, Melodi A. Everett

Masters Theses

This study explored the potential effects of fatherlessness through the book, Whatever Happened to Daddy's Little Girl, by Jonetta Rose Barras (2000). While examining the text, the author used an autoethnographical method to reflect on her own experiences in relation to the text. This autoethnography examined the potential effects of fatherlessness on women to help understand why they communicate and interact interpersonally in specific ways that may help or hinder them in their adult romantic relationships. Through dialectical theory, specific dialectical tensions were identified to be experienced in father-daughter as well as adult romantic relationships. The tensions that were …

Applications Of Integrated Data Viewer – Idv In An Introductory Meteorology Class For Non-Science Majors, Ricardo C. Nogueria

Masters Theses

Computer products developed to visualize and integrate meteorological products with real-time data can create a virtual reality of the atmosphere. These advanced technologies help educators to improve teaching techniques in the classroom for science and non-science majors and increase the students' interest in learning as well. One of these products, the Integrated Data Viewer (IDV), was recently developed by University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) project, Unidata, to visualize and integrate geoscience data. This study compares students' performance in the laboratory sessions using IDV-based and MANUAL-based exercises. Comparison of lab scores with exam scores of questions on the same topic …

Patterns Of Cortical Growth As Indicators Of Population Health: An Exploratory Analysis Of Subadult Remains From The Tell Abraq Site, Uae, Jessica L. Rhodes

Masters Theses

The analysis of children in archaeological contexts is a relatively new field of study that emerged largely as a result of feminist and gender studies in the social sciences. Thus, methodologies that are typically employed in bioarchaeological analyses of children have yet to be refined and standardized. The commingling of subadult remains in archaeological contexts further confounds this issue by eliminating the ability of the researcher to establish reasonable age-at-death distributions.

This study seeks to explore the utility of analyzing patterns of cortical growth-for-diaphyseal length in commingled subadult remains. Specifically, commingled subadult remains excavated from the Tell Abraq site (UAE, …

Perception And Prevalence Of The Hostile Environment In Athletic Training, Leah S. Gagnon

Masters Theses

The profession of athletic training has continued to emerge as a profession for both men and women over the last 50 years. The nature of the profession and the environment in which it exists may lead to sexual harassment by coaches, athletes/clients, administration, or other certified athletic trainers (ATC's). The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of sexual harassment, the prevalence of sexual harassment, and mechanisms in place to prevent sexual harassment in three professional environments of athletic training: college/university, high school, and sports medicine clinic.

The Modified VELMAC Sexual Harassment Questionnaire was distributed via email to …

A New Early Eocene Mammalian Fauna From The Great Divide Basin, Southwestern Wyoming: Vertebrate Paleontology, Paleoclimatology, And Biostratigraphy, Edward M. Johnson

Masters Theses

A new early Eocene mammalian fauna from a series of localities in the Great Divide Basin of southwestern Wyoming is described in this Masters Thesis. Seven localities in the vicinity of Tipton Buttes have yielded 1627 fossil specimens that have been identified, catalogued, and analyzed. The goal of this thesis is to develop a biostratigraphic framework for dating this fossil assemblage based on comparisons with well-dated assemblages from other localities in the American West. Field crews from Western Michigan University have collected fossil vertebrates from Tipton Buttes during most summer field seasons between 1995 and 2003. The analyses indicate that …

Bone Density Testing As An Early Detection Devise For Anorexia Nervosa And Osteoporosis In Pre-Adolescent And Adolescent Girls, Kelle L. Brooks

Masters Theses

Osteoporosis has become one of the leading health problems for postmenopausal women in the United States, however, it has been shown that preadolescent and adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa are at an unusually high risk for early on-set osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Bone density testing has already proving itself as an accurate form of detection in post-menopausal women and the elderly and is widely used at medical institutions, clinics, and pharmacies throughout the United States as an inexpensive, non-invasive, and accurate technique for detecting low bone mass.

This research aims to examine anorexia nervosa and its long-term effects on the …

Introduction The Importance Of Mentee-Mentor Relationships: A Qualitative Study That Examines Students Of Color In Academic Settings, Candace Dixon

Masters Theses

Given the importance of mentoring, this study will explore mentor relationships in academic settings (Waldeck, Orrego, Plax, & Kearney, 1997). Participants were both undergraduate and graduate students with and without mentors. The goal of this thesis study was to understand whether students of color with formal mentors become more successful than similar students who do not have mentor relationships. This research also explored how students who lack formal mentors get important information. In addition, this study explored many differences between men and women of color who seek or utilize mentoring relationships. Mentor and mentee characteristics, students of color in formal …

The People's Republic Of China's Corrupt Culture: Is The Prc's Arbitration Systems Exempt?, Mary Elizabeth Crawford

Masters Theses

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has struggled with corruption for decades. The PRC' s admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) has brought some hope to curtail corruption, but this alone has not eliminated corruption within the PRC. One reason for the prevalence of corruption within the PRC is the intertwined relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and judicial and government officials. The purpose of this Masters thesis is to evaluate whether the relationship between Chinese governmental bodies and the PRC's arbitration systems makes Chinese arbitration systems susceptible to corruption.

This study examines the PRC's arbitration systems' close nexus …

Assessing Water Quality Of The Davis Creek Watershed, Michigan Using Annagnps Model, Mustafa Rezaur Rahim

Masters Theses

The Davis Creek watershed is the most polluted tributaries of Kalamazoo River in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. This study applied continuous simulation AnnAGNPS model, developed by USDA ARS, to estimate sediment yield and nutrient loadings and simulate the effects of proposed land use scenarios on nonpoint source pollution in the Davis Creek Watershed. Daily climate data of 1998 to 2004, Digital Elevation Model, soil, land use, hydrography, and agricultural management information were used to derive the model input parameters. The model was run continuously for the period of 1998 through 2004. The simulated results showed that erosion and sediment loadings are …

Black River Watershed Management Plan, Erin M. Fuller

Masters Theses

The Black River Watershed encompassses 287 square miles in Allegan and Van Buren Counties in southwestern lower Michigan. The confluence of the North, Middle, and South branches is approximately 2.5 miles upstream of the City of South Haven, where the river empties into Lake Michigan. The Black River Watershed Management Plan was created with input from a variety of stakeholders, from local organizations to state agencies. Input from these stakeholders, field work, and previous water quality studies all helped determine water quality concerns in the Black River Watershed. Stakeholders input also was used to determine goals and objectives that would …

Factors Affecting Individual Attitudes Toward Democratization Of South Korea, Gang-Hoon Kim

Masters Theses

In mid-March 2004, the impeachment of President Roh Moo-Hyun was one of the hottest issues in South Korea. He was the first president to have been impeached by the National Assembly since the South Korean government was established in July 1948. The impeachment reveals a deep political disruption. The purpose of this paper is to scientifically determine to what extent the impeachment of the president may have undermined or developed the democracy in South Korea.

To answer these questions, this study examined the relationship between democratization and factors such as level of education, region, individual income, religion, age, attitude toward …

An Examination Of Claims Concerning College Student Credit Card Issues, Michael J. Macaluso

Masters Theses

This research project empirically examines claims and counterclaims regarding the matter of college students credit cards issues from a social constructionist perspective through a contextual qualitative examination of public data. First, I first focus on social and historical factors that have brought about claims and counterclaims concerning college student credit card issues. Next, I examine the structure of these public issues through the claims and counterclaims from a purposeful sample made from three specific "owners" or claims-makers of college student credit card issues, including the credit card industry, consumer interest groups, and sociologists. The specific claims examined in this research …

Crafting Culture At Fort St. Joseph: An Archaeological Investigation Of Labor Organization On The Colonial Frontier, Brock A. Giordano

Masters Theses

The study of labor organization through the examination of craft production in complex societies has been a topic of intense scholarly interest (Blackman et al. 1993; Costin and Hagstrom 1995; Shafer and Hester 1991). A number of scholars have hypothesized that goods produced in mass quantities by particular specialists can be recognized by their high degree of standardization or homogeneity (Blackman et al. 1993:61; Schiffer and Skibo 1997). As such, this study employs the theoretical framework that in an archaeological context it is possible to differentiate centralized production from noncentralized production by identifying any standardization or variation within the manufacturing …

Assessment Of Sediment And Nutrient Loadings In The Davis Creek Watershed, Southwestern Michigan Using The Swat Model, Peter Kibowen Kimosop

Masters Theses

The Davis Creek Watershed has been impaired for many years by nonpoint source pollution. A recent modeling research on the watershed simulated both nutrient and sediment movements for the single storm events. This study simulates the movement of sediments and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in the watershed continuously using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for assessing water quality in the watershed. Multiple databases for climate, soil types, DEM, land use and agricultural management practices were used to derive inputs for the SWAT. Subsequently, the SWAT model was run for the period of 1998-2004. The simulated results show that …

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Relations And The Social Production Of Space In Isabella County, Michigan, Bryan Thomas Swanson

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on how the historical and cultural geography of the Saginaw Chippewa tribe of Mount Pleasant, Michigan and specifically on through their Soaring Eagle Casino reshaped the physical and cultural landscape of Isabella County. For this research I utilized documentary/archival evidence such as local histories, newspapers, plat maps and I also conducted field surveys. The research findings indicated that through the Soaring Eagle Casino the Saginaw Chippewa tribe has changed Isabella County, as well as their own social standing. Since 1993 the tribe has used casino revenues to purchase 1185 acres of land to add to the Isabella …