Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

California Community Colleges Child Development Laboratory Schools, Shari Yates

Dissertations

Community colleges in California are the primary source for preparing the early childhood care and education (ECE) workforce. The California child development lab school mission is to prepare ECE practitioners, provide a laboratory where college students can study and research child development/education, and offer a service to children and families. There are many benefits that are derived from laboratory schools but many community college lab schools have been reduced and/or closed over the past three years. The purposes of this Delphi study were (a) to examine the most pressing issues, problems and barriers facing California community colleges child development labs …

Impact Of The Serotonin Transporter Polymorphism On Emotion Identification In Healthy Older Adults, Staci Erin Scott

Dissertations

Older adults exhibit reduced accuracy and efficiency for identifying facial emotion expressions yet it is unclear how genetic or cognitive variables influence these findings. This study examined the impact of serotonin transporter polymorphism 5-HTTLPR on patterns of explicit emotion identification accuracy and reaction time (RT) in healthy older adults. The impact of 5-HTTLPR on measures of processing speed, attention, and executive function as well as correlations between cognitive measures and emotion identification measures were also examined. Methods: Forty-one individuals over the age of 50 were genotyped for bi-allelic and tri-allelic variants of 5-HTTLPR and administered an emotion recognition paradigm and …

Women In Kazakhstan: A Multifaceted Approach To Female Political Representation, Ashley Gaile Benedict

Dissertations

This investigation focuses on two competing theories (historical institutionalism and social constructivism) and their explanatory value in regards to female political representation in Kazakhstan. Historical Institutionalism maintains that current institutional dynamics are constrained by past institutional formations, even when these past institutions are no longer relevant. Social Constructivism challenges this theory by upholding that institutions are culturally situated and a reflection of shared ideas rather than material forces as argued by historical institutionalism. Based on Hanna Pitkin’s (1967) four dimensions of representation (formal, descriptive, substantive, and symbolic), I examine how Kazakhstan’s Soviet past and its creation of a Kazakh ethnic-national …

Who Decides? A Study Of The Effects On Decision Unit Dynamics In Crisis And Crisis Transition, Janet Leigh Drake

Dissertations

Foreign policy decision-making is often an obscured process, particularly when it involves threats to national security or national interests. Despite the lack of transparency, though sometimes necessary, foreign policy decisions can have far-reaching consequences. Policymakers establish and affect relationships with other governments, and can commit state resources for cooperation or for conflict. The purpose of this study is to determine what types of decision units make foreign policy decisions and what factors influence the dynamics of the unit. I employ the decision units (DU) framework developed by Margaret Hermann to decisions made by the United States and Israel during the …

The Role Of Violence Within And Across Self-Identified Gang Youth, J. Michael Vecchio

Dissertations

Whether actual (i.e., direct and vicarious victimization) or anticipated (i.e., fear of crime and perceived risk of victimization) violence, gang youth commonly discuss violence in terms of having an important role in both their gang experiences and daily lives. In particular, violence can play an important role within the specific stages of the gang experience – 1) joining, 2) active membership, and 3) leaving. This includes the importance of protection from violence as a common motivator for joining, the utility of violence as a means of building cohesion between active gang members, as well as the importance of exposure to …

Motivated To Adapt: Applying Goal-Setting Theory, Primed Subconscious Goal, And Implementation Intention, Graham Benjamin Wohler

Dissertations

This study investigated the effects that several motivational interventions have on transition and reacquisition adaptability. Goal-setting, whether assigned or self-set, had no effect on either form of adaptability; however, the two goal-setting conditions differed from each other once goal commitment was taken into consideration. High commitment was negatively associated to transition adaptability for assigned goals, but positively related for self-set goals; this trend was marginally significant in reacquisition adaptability as well. Primed subconscious goals were found to have no effect on either form of adaptability. An implementation intention was found to negatively relate to transition adaptability and to have no …

The Effects Of Language Complexity On Natural And Emotion Concept Formation In Early Language Learners, Stephanie Eileen Jett

Dissertations

The present study investigated the role of language complexity in natural and emotion concept formation ability in young children (two- to five-year-olds). Language complexity was measured by selections from the Brigance Diagnostic Inventory of Early Childhood Development II, and concept formation was assessed at three levels of abstraction. The natural concepts were presented as two alternative discriminations on a touch-screen computer, as follows: subordinate level (lions versus tigers), basic level (cats versus dogs), and superordinate level (animals versus nonanimals). The following emotion categories were discriminated: subordinate level (anger versus sadness), basic level (positive [happiness and positive surprise] versus negative [anger …

Exploring Perceived Norms And Protective Strategies: Self-Consciousness And Gender As Moderators, Jeremy James Noble

Dissertations

College alcohol abuse has been a staple in the college environment over the past 30 years (Johnston, O’Malley, Bachman, & Schulenberg, 2011) resulting in numerous negative consequences (Hingson, Edwards, Heeren, & Rosenbloom, 2009). Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) reduce the negative consequences typically associated with alcohol use (Martens et al., 2004). A positive relationship exists between perceived norms of PBS use and PBS use (Benton, Downey, Glider, & Benton, 2008), and an individual’s level of self-consciousness moderates the relationship between perceived norms and alcohol use (LaBrie, Hummer, & Neighbors, 2008). The relationship between perceived norms and PBS use under the conditions …

Dysphoria And Dysregulation: Exploration Of Affect And Dissociation In The Pain Response To Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Rita Eileen Todd

Dissertations

Research on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has largely demonstrated increases in pain threshold and pain tolerance in those individuals who have engaged in NSSI, even if they no longer engage in these behaviors (Hooley, Ho, Slater, & Lockshin, 2010). However, little research has been conducted on the mechanisms for these alterations in pain response. Moreover, explorations of these factors often focused on clinical samples despite the growing prevalence of NSSI in adolescents and young adults who are not in treatment. To address these concerns, college students with and without a history of NSSI (N = 69) aged 18 to 53 …

The Natural Resource Curse In Sub-Saharan Africa: Transparency And International Initiatives, Meaza Zerihun Demissie

Dissertations

The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region has become a classic case of the resource-curse phenomenon characterized by the abundance of natural resources, low economic development, and misuse of natural resources. Economic-development experts debate ways to overcome or avoid the resource curse to advance SSA countries into developed countries. Only one natural resource-rich country in the region, Botswana, has succeeded in becoming an upper middle-income country using its natural resources, making the possibility of replication of this achievement difficult. The literature aligns in the belief that the economic and political well-being of resource-rich nations depends highly on the actors involved. National and …

The (Not So) New Normal: A Queer Critique Of Lgbt Characters And Themes In Primetime Network Television Situational Comedies, Robert Dallas Byrd Jr.

Dissertations

This analysis of primetime situational comedies feature LGBTQ characters argues that through heteronormative and homonormative constructions of sexuality, race, gender, and class, many LGBTQ people are rendered invisible in the mainstream. Through discourse analysis, the study describes how these programs work to normalize gay and lesbian identity, which then resembles the dominant heterosexuality, aiding in the advancement of white, middle class gays, who privatize sexuality and mimic dominant conventions of gender, race, sexuality, and class in the public sphere. This research is important in understanding the American public’s most recent shifts in public opinion on issues of marriage equality and …

Does Video Game Use Exacerbate The Relation Between Neurophysiological Deficits And Adhd Symptoms In Children And Adolescents?, James Kenneth Goodlad Iii

Dissertations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is diagnosed based on behavioral symptoms but is thought to have a significant heritable neurological basis, and several brain structures have been implicated. Recent research has focused on the role of environmental factors that may influence the behavioral expression of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity in children and teens, particularly when a biological predisposition exists. This study sought to broaden the literature base by examining the extent to which one environmental factor—video game use—moderated the relation between neuropsychological deficits in attention and inhibition and the behavioral symptoms of ADHD. It was hypothesized that gaming frequency and duration as well …

The Effect Of Functional Fixation In Problem Solving Among Preschool, Second Grade, And Ninth Grade Children, Michael Kenneth Nehring

Dissertations

Functional fixedness is a cognitive function whereby an individual becomes fixated on a given function of an object, which prevents the individual from using the object in an alternative fashion to solve a problem (Duncker, 1935/1945). The current study analyzed the effect of functional fixedness on 36 children from three different age groups, preschool, second grade, and ninth grade. The children were presented with a problem solving activity based on a problem used by German and Defeyter (2000), in which they concluded that young children are immune to the effects of functional fixedness. Research conducted by Chrysikou (2006) indicated using …

The Effect Of Stress And Perceived Social Support On Job Satisfaction: A Comparison Between U.S Born And Foreign-Born Faculty, Lisa Owen

Dissertations

Research indicates that academic work-stress is a significant and growing problem for faculty members. General work-stress studies suggest that social support may buffer the negative impact of stress on faculty job satisfaction. To date, little research has been conducted in this area. Even fewer studies have examined the potential differences between U.S.-born and foreign-born faculty members regarding these variables. This quantitative, non-experimental multivariate study utilized a survey to assess academic stressors, perceived departmental social support, and job satisfaction at a large U.S. university. The surveyed institution consisted of 807 full-time faculty members. The three-week survey yielded a response rate of …

The Effects Of Systemic Racism On The Academic Achievement Of African American Male Adolescents, Andre Rubin Fields

Dissertations

In the most recent decade, there has been a spiraling national trend of academic underachievement on the part of African American male adolescents. The empirical purpose of this study was to investigate what role, if any, systemic racism may be playing in the growing epidemic of academic underachievement in African American male adolescents. The results of the analyses utilized in this study found that there were significant correlations between perceptions of racism, coping behavior utilization, and psychological dysfunction. Specifically, canonical correlation analysis found that elevated levels of Cultural Mistrust, Cultural Race-Related Stress, and Individual Race-Related Stress leads to increased use …

The Relationship Between Racial Ambiguity And Self-Concept In Multiracial Lndividuals, James R. Jobe

Dissertations

The present study examined the relationship between racial ambiguity and self-concept in multiracial individuals. Research as to the experiences of multiracial people is limited both in frequency and in scope. As multiracial individuals continue to grow in number, understanding their unique experiences will become more important to social scientists (e.g., psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists) across disciplines. The current study examined two hypotheses and explored a series of additional relationships. The theoretical framework that was utilized for this study was Symbolic Interaction Theory. This theory provided an effective way to understand how people use and make meaning of their surrounding social contexts …

An Attempt To Establish Approval As A Learned Reinforcer, Kelly T. Kohler

Dissertations

Approval does not function as a powerful reinforcer for many children with autism, making it difficult to reinforce appropriate behavior in a functional and consistent manner. The current study first assessed the effects of establishing approval (“Nice,” accompanied by a smile and nod) and nonsense words as discriminative stimuli, with the intent that they might also become learned reinforcers. We conducted several experiments to assess the effectiveness of approval as a reinforcer, including tests on learning new responses (receptive, expressive, freeoperant, and simple simultaneous discriminations) and tests on the performance of previously mastered responses (receptive and expressive responses). Despite the …

The Use Of Response Interruption Redirection, Timeout, And Differential Reinforoement To Decrease Stereotypy, Jessica Korneder

Dissertations

Behaviors such as toe walking, hand flapping, nonfunctional vocalizations, and rocking are all examples of stereotypy. Stereotypy can occur at high rates in children with and without developmental delays (Smith & Van Houten, 1996). These behaviors can interfere with the acquisition of new skills (e.g., Dunlap, Dyer, & Koegel, 1983; Morrison & Rosales-Ruiz, 1997) and social interactions (Jones, Wint, & Ellis, 1990). The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of response interruption and redirection (RIRD), time-out, and differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) in reducing vocal and motor stereotypy with children who engage in automatically reinforced high-rates …

Three Essays On Gender Differences On Risk Preferences And Credit Market Constraints, Jyoti Rai

Dissertations

The disadvantages that women face in the financial market hamper their social and economic well-being. These disadvantages may arise from their own risk preferences or from financial market. The aim of this dissertation is to examine different aspects of the disadvantages that women face in the U.S Financial Market. In that light, I present three essays that analyze gender differences in risk preferences and credit market constraints. I use the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) data for all my empirical analysis.

In the first essay, I examine whether women exhibit greater financial risk aversion than men using attitudinal and behavioral …

The Neurobehavioral Consequences Of Gestational And Chronic Atrazine Exposure In Male And Female Sprague Dawley Rats, Jennifer L. Walters

Dissertations

The adverse health risks of exposure to the herbicide, atrazine, in humans are not fully understood. Although numerous studies have demonstrated atrazine to be an endocrine disrupter, the neurobehavioral consequences of atrazine exposure have not been thoroughly examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of environmentally-relevant levels

of gestational followed by continued chronic atrazine exposure on motor function, learning and memory, anxiety, and striatal dopamine content in rodents. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were treated by gavage with 100 µg/kg atrazine (ATZ low), 10 me/kg atrazine (ATZ high), or vehicle on

gestational day l through postnatal day …

Comprehending Male And Female Levels Of Engagement In Subsets Of The National Survey Of Student Engagement: Explicating The Dynamics Of Gender Role Conflict As A Mediating Factor For Males, Jacob Glen Arndt

Dissertations

Male enrollment and graduate rates in higher education have paled in comparison to female achievement since the early 1980’s, and explanations as to the reasons behind why males are falling behind have not been fruitful in addressing these issues. One area that has received very little attention in the literature is the role that gender role conflict may play in male student performance.

The purpose of this research is to explore male and female engagement levels, while attempting to understand if levels of male gender role conflict are a mediating factor of engagement for men. This study utilized the three …

Making Telework Work: The Effect Of Telecommuting Intensity On Employee Work Outcomes, Maria Spilker

Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of telecommuting intensity – the amount of scheduled time that employees spend doing work away from the central work location – on employee outcomes. Results of this study provided insight into how telecommuting intensity relates to turnover intent and supervisor-rated performance through mediating mechanisms of work-life conflict, professional isolation, and Leader-Member Exchange. An online survey instrument was created, and an invitation to participate was sent by e-mail to telecommuters. Each participant was asked to provide an email address for his or her direct supervisor. The supervisor was asked to complete a shortened version of …

An Investigation Of Youth Participation In An Irish Youth Mental Health Service: Staff And Young People’S Perspectives., James Barry

Dissertations

Youth participation is widely recognised as essential to the design and delivery of youth mental health services (Coates & Howe, 2014). Despite this there is limited literature available on youth participation in these services (Monson & Thurley, 2011). This study aimed to develop an enhanced understanding about youth participation in Headstrong, The National Centre for Youth Mental Health and it’s programme of service delivery Jigsaw. A mixed methods approach, using focus groups and questionnaires, gathered the opinions of 160 staff and young people involved in the organisation, on their experiences of youth participation. The factors that supported youth participation were …

Including Children With Disabilities In Mainstream Education: An Exploration Of The Challenges And Considerations For Parents And Primary School Teachers, Gail Ferguson

Dissertations

Recent decades have seen children’s rights and the rights of persons with disabilities come to the fore. Current policy emphasis on inclusive education means that more children with disabilities and special educational needs are being placed in mainstream education instead of special schools, as was traditionally the case. The aim of this study was to explore the area of inclusion in education, from the perspective of primary school teachers and parents of children with intellectual disabilities. A key objective was to determine if the reality of including children with disabilities in mainstream settings corresponded with the policy on inclusion.

A …

It’S In The Mix. An Exploratory Study Into The Experiences Of Children, Parents And Staff In The Provision Of A Mixed Age Group Model In A West Dublin Early Years’ Setting., Helena Goodwin

Dissertations

The main aim of this study is to explore the perceptions and experiences of children, parents and staff participating in a mixed-age model of early year’s provision using a qualitative approach. The researcher will take an approach which will aim to interpret and clarify the participant’s experiences.

Using semi-structured interviews, a focus group and an observation of practice the study will address questions such as what were the perceptions of the children, staff and parents experiencing a mixed age group model. Has the mixed-age model proved to be advantageous and/or challenging to the community of the service? How could the …

Children’S Right To Be Heard: Exploring Children’S Perceptions Of Happiness And Factors Contributing To Happiness In The Pre-School Environment., Donna Tobin

Dissertations

There has been a growing recognition for children’s voices to be heard on matters which affect their lives. This has been encouraged by the ratification of the UNCRC in Ireland which has influenced numerous other policies. This study aims to provide an opportunity for young children to have their voices heard and demonstrate how children can be involved as active research participants in empirical research. An emphasis was placed on positive psychology. The aim was to explore the children’s perception of happiness and ascertain the factors which contributed to their happiness within the pre-school environment. Fifteen children attending a pre-school …

Austerity In 21st. Century Dublin: Has Recession Altered Our Relationship With Food Purchasing And Preparation?, Diarmaid Murphy

Dissertations

The current global recession has affected almost all countries whose economies adhere to free-market principles and are involved in international money markets. Ireland, along with the majority of its European trading partners both inside and outside the eurozone has seen a sharp fall in the standard of living of its citizens in the years since the financial crisis emerged (2007 to present). In common with the almost universal international paradigm, Irish citizens have had drastic austerity measures imposed upon them. In Ireland’s case, the underwriting of private banking debt and its subsequent conversion to sovereign debt served to contract the …

“If They Fail That First Year, It’S Very Hard For Them To Recover”: An Exploration Of Factors That Support And Hinder The Transition To Mainstream School For Children With Special Educational Needs And Their Families., Fiona Hassett

Dissertations

The transition to school is increasingly recognised as a significant life event for children, with a positive or negative transition impacting on their social and emotional wellbeing and academic achievements. Children with special educational needs are at an increased risk of a poor adjustment to school and their families are vulnerable to additional stresses due to the child’s special educational needs. The transition to school is therefore an important period for these families, and the supports available to them to make this transition as smooth as possible are essential to provide children with the best possible start to formal education. …

A Study Of Serious Violent And Sexual Offenders Released On Supervised Licence In Northern Ireland Between 2010 And 2013., Alexandra Delimata

Dissertations

Extended Custodial Sentences for serious offenders were introduced under the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008. Recall rates for these offenders appear disproportionately high compared with other types of public protection sentenced offenders in Northern Ireland. Guided by life-course theories and using mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative research, the study investigates the outcomes for ECS offenders released into the community between 2010 and 2013. Content analysis developed profiles of all (N=57) ECS offenders released under supervised licence by 31 December 2013 and examined characteristics of recalled (N=31) and non-recalled (N=26) offenders to identify possible contributing factors to recall. The …

The Garda Youth Crime Case Management Programme – A Garda Perspective On The Role And The Relationship Dynamics Involved When Managing Cases Of High-Risk Young Offenders Appearing Before The Children Court., Jonathan O'Brien

Dissertations

An Garda Síochána have rolled out a national programme for managing young offenders. The programme aims to provide a child centred, family inclusive, multi-agency approach to manage young people who are before the Courts. The programme has been in operation since 2007 but to date there has been no published research on it. To address that gap this research examines the perspectives of six Garda case managers to gain an insight into the development and evolution of the specific relationship that exists between a Garda case manager and a young offender. The research centres on a number of key questions …