Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Site Formation Processes In An Upland Paleoindian Site: The 2005 – 2007 Topper Firebreak Excavations, Darcy Shane Miller

Masters Theses

In the Southeastern United States, archaeological sites dating to the Paleoindian period are elusive. This study examined whether the Topper Site (38AL23) in Allendale County, South Carolina has buried, relatively undisturbed Paleoindian deposit using a sample excavation block removed during the 2005-2007 field seasons. Artifact horizons were defined by plotting the density of each bulk provenience against a vertical profile. The vertical displacement of refitted artifacts and the position of diagnostic artifacts were used to test the integrity of these horizons. The results indicate a discrete deposit associated with diagnostic Clovis artifacts. Subsequent analyses tested for horizontal post-depositional movement, and …

From Gay Street To Turkey Creek: Knoxville’S Urban And Suburban Growth Machines, Katherine Leigh Morris

Masters Theses

Using growth machine theory, this study examines the newly built "lifestyle center" of the suburban Turkey Creek development and the redevelopment of the Gay Street corridor in downtown Knoxville, TN. Growth machine theory is one of sociology's predominant theories used to understand development and growth projects in metropolitan areas, and although not specifically defined in current literature, I suggest there are many differences in suburban and urban growth machines. This study examines the local dependency and organization of pro-growth coalitions; the tactics, ideology, and culture used to promote development projects; and community reactions. Upon completion of this project, I found …

The Primary Source: Issues In The Usability Of Genealogical Records, Patrick O'Daniel

Masters Theses

This thesis examines genealogists’ information needs and discusses how librarians can accommodate them by providing access to essential primary sources as well as making those materials user-friendly. It includes a review of relevant literature and the results of a survey of experienced genealogists that shed light on the informationseeking behavior of genealogists. It identifies problems experienced by genealogists in their search for information and recommends solutions by explaining what librarians can do to make primary sources more accessible and usable for genealogists. In doing so, it also illuminates the goals of genealogists, how they search for information, and what they …

Depressive Symptoms In An Urban Kurdish Refugee And Immigrant Population: An Exploratory Study, Natalie Kay Worley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms among the elderly Kurdish immigrant and refugee population living in the greater Nashville, Tennessee area. Nashville has the largest population of Kurds living outside of Kurdistan (Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, 2004), but as is the case for many immigrant and refugee groups, little empirical research exists to aid social service practitioners in addressing the unique needs of this population (Williams & Westermeyer, n.d.). The investigator draws on the limited research about mental health in other immigrant and refugee populations as a basis for the …

How Relational Views Influence Adolescents’ Subjective Understanding Of Romantic Relationship Interactions, Justin Dean Smith

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study is to examine the influence of relational views on adolescents' subjective understanding of interactions in the context of their romantic relationships. Relational view is an attachment system construct comprised of three specific measures of attachment: attachment style, rejection sensitivity and self-silencing. To examine the influence of relational views on individual's subjective understanding, we are employing an innovative multimodal methodology: The video-recall system (Welsh & dickson, 2005). This system assesses adolescent participants' subjective understanding of their feelings and behaviors during a video-taped interaction with their romantic partner as well as trained observers' interpretations of the …

Sexual Dimorphism In The Vertebral Column, Amanda Suzanne Allbright

Masters Theses

Determining sex from skeletal remains is important in forensic and archaeological settings. Though using the pelvis to determine sex is ideal, often remains are fragmentary or incomplete, requiring sex to be estimated from other skeletal elements. Many individual bones have been studied to evaluate sexual dimorphism and the extent to which they can be used to determine sex of an unknown individual. However, sexual dimorphism in the vertebral column has only been examined to a limited extent.

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of sexual dimorphism throughout the entire vertebral column and, if present, to establish …

The Green Brain: A Qeeg Investigation Of The Domain-Specificity Of Jealousy, Aric R. Gerke

Masters Theses

Previous investigators have found evidence to support the hypothesis that the genders show differential reactions to emotional and sexual jealousy. Evolutionary psychology provides heuristic support by noting that the genders have faced divergent selection pressures in the past that jealousy could adaptively address. While these studies have given sound proof in this regard, criticism has arisen because of the dearth of support for the actual neurological process of jealousy. This study was designed to record subjects experiencing two separate conditions designed to elicit emotional and sexual jealousy. The electrophysiological results did not demonstrate evidence of domain-specificity of jealousy, and produced …

Examining The Relationship Between Maternal And Child Behaviors On Literacy Activities And Resources Employed In The Home, Eliza Gabrielle Allen

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the role of maternal (i.e., age, education, stress, depression, and self-efficacy) and toddler characteristics (i.e., temperament, dysregulation, and competence) on literacy activities and resources employed in the home. The current study was a secondary data analysis of a larger study assessing the role of infant/toddler, care, and family characteristics on preschoolers’ school readiness. Ninety-five mothers of toddlers (28 --- 31 months old) completed mailed questionnaires that assessed maternal depression, parenting stress, maternal self-efficacy, toddler self-regulation and temperament, and literacy activities. Instruments completed by mothers included the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression …

Media, Accounts, And Coherence: ‘De Facto’ Impression Management Of A Transgressing Sport Star In The Chicago Tribune, Erin Maureen Austin

Masters Theses

Using the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case as an example, this thesis attempts to understand how the media, specifically The Chicago Tribune, maintain the consistency of a certain representation given changing or new information. A full analysis of all 274 news articles found in The Chicago Tribune from June 30, 2003 (the date the alleged sexual assault took place) through August 31, 2004 (the day before the charges were dismissed), revealed five devices by which journalists managed Bryant’s image. These devices are: (1) case is not paramount, (2) case is hindering basketball, (3) external lures are to blame, (4) …

Hablamos Español: Insights From Three Web Designers Who Design A Bilingual Or Multilingual Websites That Target Hispanic Audiences, Jeremy Brent Hughes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine particular aspects three web designers use, with regard to layout and content, to effectively create a bilingual or multilingual website that targets Hispanics. In addition, it examines the processes that are used in creating a Spanish-language website. In-depth interviews were conducted with three web designers from top 25 Hispanic-targeted websites, as determined by Hispanic Online. Results indicate a six-step process that web designers should follow when creating a bilingual or multilingual website. Implications for web designers of organizations thinking about creating a bilingual or multilingual website are cited and recommendations for future …

Technology Adoption And Abandonment In Precision Cotton Production, Jonathan C. Walton

Masters Theses

The data intensive nature of precision farming necessitates the use of different technologies to collect, transmit, manipulate, and apply information. Understanding the economic factors associated with decisions regarding technology adoption and abandonment is essential to the continued growth and feasibility of precision farming. The development of precision agricultural technologies, as well as educational and promotional efforts concerning precision farming, can benefit from an understanding of the factors influencing adoption and abandonment of precision agricultural technology. The first part of the study examined farm and farmer characteristics influencing the adoption and subsequent abandonment of precision soil sampling in cotton production. The …

Counterterrorism And The Deterrence Doctrine, Casey E. Cordy

Masters Theses

The United States presently focuses much of its energy on the prevention of terrorism through particular counterterrorism policies and strategies. Today, deterrence is the primary theoretical basis for counterterrorism policies. If the United States invests so heavily in deterrence as a counterterrorism strategy, is it successful? If not, what are its theoretical flaws? Who is best served by efforts to prevent terrorism through a deterrent project?

This thesis will argue that a more appropriate understanding of terrorism is necessary. In order to achieve a more holistic conception of the terrorism problem, efforts should be made politically and theoretically to incorporate …

A Closer Look At Maternal Directiveness During Toddlerhood In A Lower Socioeconomic Sample, Ann Elizabeth Koelz

Masters Theses

The current study describes the directive behaviors of seven mothers with their toddlers ranging in age from 12 to 35 months throughout the day. This study explores the behaviors of a sample with lower socioeconomic status without the use of unnatural measures or artificial environments that may enhance the likelihood of observing atypical behaviors and perhaps perpetuate a deficit-based interpretation of the poverty context. Nine hours of observation for each dyad were collected as part of a larger study concerning the daily experiences of toddlers with the exception of one participant who dropped out of the study after three hours …

Extraction, Ecology, Exploitation, And Oppression: The Political Economy Of Coal In Appalachia, William R. Wishart

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the social and ecological problems associated with mountaintop mining in central Appalachia. Theoretical insights from world system theorists and other political economists are used to trace the roots of these problems to the historical progression of different modes of extraction in the region. The restructuring of the region’s social, cultural, and ecological systems to meet the needs of core production over time has perpetuated its position as a resource extractive periphery. This occurred in three major modes: a frontier mode, an agricultural mode, and an industrial raw materials mode. The last mode has been characterized primarily by …

Validation Study Of Reface (Reality Enhanced Facial Approximation By Computational Estimation), Diana Kim Moyers

Masters Theses

ReFace (Reality Enhancement Facial Approximation by Computational Estimation) is a prototype facial approximation software program developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in conjunction with GE Global Research. The prototype extrapolates an “approximation” of a face from a skull using a database of computed tomography (CT) scans of living individuals. The test set consisted of CT scans of 53 articulated human skulls from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection and the William M. Bass Forensic Skeletal Collection, which are curated at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Visiting Scientist Program, …

State Libraries In The United States: Identifying And Meeting The Challenges Of The Twenty- First Century, Sandra G. Treadway

Masters Theses

State libraries are important organizations within the library community in the United States, yet little has been written about them and students learn almost nothing about them in the course of graduate study in library and information sciences. State libraries’ contributions to their profession and the citizens they serve are not as well known as they should be nor are they appropriately acknowledged beyond their immediate constituencies.

This study examines a sample of nine state libraries during the past twenty years – three that are highly successful (the California State Library, the New York State Library, and the Library of …

Does National Policy Influence Individual Car Driving Behavior: A Cross-National Study Of The European Union, Erika Lynn Borek

Masters Theses

This study examines how the national policy climate affects individual driving behavior in the European Union. Using secondary data from the International Social Survey Program: Environment II 2000 in conjunction with national scores from the 2001 and 2002 Environmental Sustainability Indexes, I analyze the relationship between three macro-level predictors and the reduction of individual car driving. My results indicate that the national environmental policy climate positively relates with the likelihood of individuals driving less. Further individual’s likelihood to reduce car driving is significantly affected by the individual’s type of employment, education level, family income level, gender, age, and concerns toward …

Academic Achievement And Depression Among Chinese Youth: The Role Of Gender, Qionghui Zhang

Masters Theses

A seemingly discrepant relationship between Chinese adolescents’ academic achievement, depression and gender was revealed from the literature. Chinese adolescent girls have higher academic achievement than Chinese boys (Duckworth & Seligman, 2006; Hunley et al., 2005; Liang & Sun, 2000; Nie, Zhang, & Zhang, 2001; Wan et al., 2003). Higher academic achievement was found to be inversely associated with depression among Chinese adolescents (Hesketh et al., 2002; Ji et al., 2001; Pritchard, 1996). It is then expected that Chinese girls have lower depression than Chinese boys. However, literature shows that Chinese girls have higher depression than Chinese boys (Hesketh et al., …

Femoral Variability On The Plateau Of North America, Erin Shumate Bledsoe

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research is to examine femoral variation within the Plateau region of North America by using external measurements. Femoral measurements from the Northern and Southern regions of the Plateau were analyzed for temporal and spatial changes in femur shape associated with a change a from hunter-gatherer lifestyle in the prehistoric period to a more sedentary lifestyle in the historic period. Results indicate that there is no significant variation between the Northern and Southern Plateau samples. Results do, however, indicate that there are differences in the femoral measurements of prehistoric and historic populations. Changes in femoral size are …

An Investigation Of Post-Buyout Burley Tobacco Production And Trends In The Traditional Burley Regions Of Tennessee, North Carolina, And Virginia, Lakeya Jones

Masters Theses

The 2004 Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act, commonly referred to as the Tobacco Buyout Program, ended the federal tobacco program. This act ended price supports and quotas, and also ended reporting requirements. The tobacco industry is now faced with new challenges in tobacco production as they have scant information to base production decisions on. The 2006 Burley Tobacco Survey provides an initial outlook of future production, challenges, trends and expectations. The results from the survey were used to analyze future production decisions. An ordered logit model reveals that producers who received prices of $1.65/lb or more, have farms in …

An Analysis Of Values Conveyed By Fiction In Boys’ Life Magazine, 2002-2006, Tina Mendzigall

Masters Theses

Scholars involved in gender research generally advocate the idea that gender subjectivities are based on active social construction and interaction and as such are amenable to change. Notions and values of masculinity therefore are cultural constructs that are reflected and articulated through symbolic systems such as spoken and written language. Fiction narratives in teens’ magazines are one form of textual media content in which these values can be expressed. The purpose of this study was to explore the textual representations of American values of masculinity in 56 contemporary fiction stories of Boys’ Life magazine by conducting a qualitative content analysis. …

Development And Validation Of The Control In Relationships Scale, Ivelina N. Naydenova

Masters Theses

Psychological research suggests that, other things being equal, the desire for or exercise of control over consequences is advantageous to the individual. However, in the context of relationships where the needs and welfare of another person are salient, the preference and enactment of control may be more problematic. Furthermore, although considerable research attention has been devoted to issues of control in general, the more contextualized, relationship-specific conceptualization of control has remained relatively unexplored in the literature, and the relevant research that does exist is limited by measurement problems. The primary purpose of this project was to advance the study of …

An Analysis Of The Spatial Distribution Of Chiefdom Settlements: Modeling The Mississippian Culture In The Tennessee River Valley, Jonathan Witcoski

Masters Theses

Location-allocation models based on optimization criteria are appropriate tools for the analysis of archaeological settlement patterns. In early agricultural societies, elite classes might maximize their control of the population and resources by optimally situating their primary settlements. Location-allocation models can simulate the multiple factors that potentially underlie settlement site location decisions. I describe several maximal covering models and their applicability to understand the degree of political centralization in the Upper Tennessee River Valley during several Mississippian archaeological cultural phases (900 to 1600 A.D.). My results support the notion that the main objective of the Mississippian elite in choosing sites for …

Infant Learning And Physiological Self-Regulation During The Visual Expectation Paradigm, Heather Sedges

Masters Theses

Learning during infancy is dependent on many factors. One such factor is physiological self-regulation. This study investigated the relationship between physiological self-regulation abilities and evidence of learning based on Visual Expectation Paradigm (VExP) performance. Alterations in High Frequency Heart Period Variability (HFHPV) assessed physiological self-regulation and were hypothesized to correspond with VExP performance. Findings revealed patterns of HFHPV change during the VExP and that HFHPV change negatively corresponded with a resting measure of HFHPV and VExP performance. Results suggested that resting HFHPV was a better predictor of learning during the VExP than patterns of HFHPV change evidenced throughout the task.

Mound Versus Village: A Biocultural Investigation Of Status And Health At The Cox Site, Juliette R. Vogel

Masters Theses

A good deal of what we know regarding the prehistoric Mississippian period (1000-1600 AD) in the Southeastern United States has been provided for by mortuary studies. Archaeological investigations have uncovered what appears to be differential treatment in burial practices among some subsets of community populations. The argument has been made that those individuals buried in ceremonial mounds or interred with finely crafted or exotic grave goods make up the “elite” sector of a population while those with less spectacular burial treatment are “commoners.”

The purpose of this research is to determine if health status differs by burial location at the …

Child Characteristics, Parent-Child Interaction Style, And Self-Regulation As Predictors Of Externalizing Behaviors In Toddlers, Bridget Ellen Hatfield

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Second, Fourth, And Eighth Sternal Rib End Variation Related To Age Estimation, Barbara Kathleen Alsup

Masters Theses

Estimating age at death accurately can be invaluable in answering important questions in fields such as paleoanthropology, bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. Sternal rib ends have received a great deal of research attention as an area that uniformly changes with age. The most popular methods developed in this area were developed by Iscan and coworkers (1984, 1985) using the right, fourth rib. However, the accuracy of this method has been called into question using different ribs (Yoder et al., 2001). The right, second, fourth and eighth ribs from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection were examined using the Iscan et …

The Falling Rate Of Profit Thesis Reassessed: Toward A Sociology Of Marx’S Value Theory Of Labor, John Hamilton Bradford

Masters Theses

Marx considered his theory of the falling rate of profit to be one of the most important discoveries in the field of political economy. According to Marx’s theory, productivity increases put downward pressure on prices and hence profits. Recurrent crises of capital devaluation are both the consequence and solution to this pressure, aggravating the loss of profits initially, but enabling the pursuit of profits via accumulation to once again ensue. Marx’s argument, however, has been the subject of intense dispute for over a century. His critics charge that Marx’s thesis is not only improbable but impossible.

This study is an …

Late Holocene Charcoal Stratigraphy And Modern Charcoal Deposition In The Pine Rocklands Of Great Abaco Island, The Bahamas, David N. West

Masters Theses

The paleoecological history of the Bahamas archipelago is one of change throughout the Holocene, and is recorded in the sediments deposited in solution holes. However, with its karstic pine rocklands landscape, Great Abaco Island has virtually no overland flow of water, neither rivers nor sheet-flow. This means that transport of charcoal produced through biomass burning and deposited in local ponds and solution holes is primarily microscopic in size and is probably transported by wind. Fires in the pine rocklands are mainly low-intensity ground fires that result in very little aerial transport of charcoal. Unless a fire occurs immediately adjacent to …

Archaeological And Dendrochronological Investigations At Cagle Saltpetre Cave, Van Buren County, Tennessee, Sarah Anne Blankenship

Masters Theses

During the 19th century, the increasing demand for saltpeter, a vital ingredient in gunpowder, led to both large- and small-scale saltpeter-mining operations in caves throughout Tennessee. Although the general procedures in the historic processing of saltpeter are fairly well understood, very little archaeological research has been undertaken on specific saltpeter-mining sites. Historic documentation of mining activities within these caves is scarce, thus systematic studies of these sites are integral to a greater understanding of this early extractive industry. The research presented in this thesis is the first in the region in which archaeological and dendrochronological investigations were used in conjunction …