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Inhalant Abuse In The Pacific Islands: Gasoline Sniffing In Chuuk, Federated States Of Micronesia, Mac Marshall, Rocky Sexton, Lee Insko

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Historical Notes On German Press Coverage Of Technology, Hans Mathias Kepplinger

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Professor Kepplinger accounts for increased negativism in German media coverage of technology by pointing to changes in journalists' role definitions and attitudes.

Technical Risk In The Mass Media: Introduction, Allan Mazur

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Special editor, Professor Mazur introduces and explains the origins of the symposium.

Recognition Of Facial Expressions By Socially And Emotionally Disturbed Children, Janice E. Bollman

Modern Psychological Studies

Twenty-two children, 18 boys and 4 girls, classified as socially and emotionally disturbed (SED) were compared with 19 children, 6 boys and 13 girls, without social and emotional disturbances on their ability to match pictures depicting six basic emotions (as identified by Ekman and Friesen, 1975) which were accompanied by a story about that emotion. The children were matched by chronological age ranging from 8.1 to 12.4 years of age. A difference between the two groups was noted and was significant at the .04 level for a one-tailed test. A Tukey test of pairwise comparisons was also performed and a …

Mother-Daughter Olfaction Identification, Linda N. Johnson

Modern Psychological Studies

Research was undertaken to see if it is possible for females to identify their mother or daughter by olfactory cues alone. Twenty-two females, 11 daughters and 11 mothers, participated in the experiment. Mothers ranged in age from 37 to 46 and daughters ranged in age from 11 to 21. Each subject was blindfolded and asked to smell (hairline level) the necks of two different individuals. The individuals consisted of one relative (a mother or a daughter) and one control subject. Each subject, of course, was asked to identify her relative. Seventeen of the 22 subjects correctly identified her relative (p < .01, 2-tailed binomial test). A second experiment was administered to determine if subjects could correctly distinguish between cotton pads that had been placed, for the duration of experiment one, under the arm of another subject and under that of a relative. Fifteen of the 22 subjects correctly identified the cotton pad of their relative, (p <.05, 2-tailed binomial test). The null hypothesis that there would not be a statistically significant difference in the number of females able to recognize their mother or daughter and those who could not was rejected.

Eyewitness Credibility As A Function Of Grammatical Usage And Presentation Medium, Gregory P. Shelley

Modern Psychological Studies

The present study investigated the perceived credibility of an eyewitness as a function of the grammar he uses on the stand, as well as the way in which his testimony is presented (written or videotaped format) to mock jurors. Fifty students, 19 males and 31 females, from Kutztown University participated in the study. Ages of the subjects ranged from 18 to 42 with a mean age of 21.94. Subjects were asked to read an exchange of dialogue between two lawyers, a defendant, and a plaintiff. Dialogue was taken, in part, from Levy (1950). Subjects either read or watched a videotape …

The Testing Of A Protocol For Validating Claims Of Facilitated Communication, Jorge Teodoro

Masters Theses

Facilitated Communication (FC), is a new and controversial augmentative communication technique. This study examined the facilitated messages of six severely mentally impaired school children, produced under naturalistic, yet controlled, experimental conditions. The students were removed from the presence of their facilitators and experienced out-of-classroom events. When the students returned, their facilitators read descriptions containing True, False or No Information about the students' experiences. Messages produced in the ensuing facilitation sessions indicated that the facilitators influenced the facilitated messages, although they appeared unaware that they were doing so. Meanwhile, students showed little resistance to the testing procedures. Based on these results …

Connections, Symbols, And The Meaning Of Intelligence, Peter M. Asaro '94

Honors Projects

More recently, debates in AI have focused on the implications of Connectionism. Connectionism is the hypothesis that distributed computations are capable of instantiating intelligent functions without relying on the representational character of symbols, but rather on the computational states themselves which are cal1~ distributed representations (Haugeland, 1991). This distinction puts connectionism at odds with symbolic theory. The current debates tend to be over which theory will yield intelligent systems--symbolic or connectionist? But as we will soon see, this really amounts to a debate over which representational scheme is required for general intelligence.

Alcohol, Abstinence, Efficacy, And Social Normative Expectancies: The Relationship To Alcoholics' Level Of Drinking Following Inpatient Treatment, Martin John Toohill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It has been argued that individuals receiving traditional alcohol treatment do not necessarily perceive life-long abstinence from alcohol as a favorable treatment outcome, and that negative expectations associated with this abstinence goal may have an adverse effect on treatment outcome. However, "abstinence expectancies" have never been systematically explored. This study used the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate the relationship between the abstinence outcome expectancies of alcoholics beginning treatment and subsequent alcohol consumption. The independent and combined effects of abstinence outcome expectancies, alcohol outcome expectancies, self-efficacy expectancies (to abstain from alcohol use), and the normative beliefs of individuals beginning inpatient …

Differential Parental Participation In A Comprehensive Early Intervention Project: Is More Active Better?, Gary Percival

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current study examined the level of participation by families who have been involved between 1 and 3 years with the Community-Family Partnership (CFP) project. The CFP project is 1 of 34 Comprehensive Child Development Projects funded by the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families through the Head Start Bureau. The CFP makes available comprehensive, on-going services to enrolled families. Twenty-six families were identified as the Low Participation Group. Twenty-three families were identified as the High Participation Group. Children from each group were tested using the Battelle Developmental Inventory on a yearly basis. Results of a repeated measures ANOVA indicated …

The Predictive Validity Of The Battelle Developmental Inventory As A Measure Of Adaptive Behavior: A 2-3 Year, Longitudinal Comparison With The Scales Of Independent Behavior, Clarice E. Jentzsch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Within the last 5 years, researchers have given increased attention to preschool assessment. One test, the Battelle Developmental Inventory, has become increasingly popular for use with preschool-age children. Despite its frequent use by early intervention programs, few researchers have studied the technical adequacy of the Battelle. The predictive validity of the Battelle was examined, using 154 children with disabilities. Scores on the Battelle for children 3 to 5 years of age were compared with scores on the Scales of Independent Behavior administered to the same children 2 to 3 years later. Moderate to strong relationships were found between the scores. …

Immune And Endocrine System Responses To Acute Skin-Temperature Reductions And Thermal Biofeedback, Kenneth E. Bell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the cold pressor test on skin temperature, natural killer cell activity, plasma concentrations of interleukin-1 and cortisol, and the numbers of white blood cells, CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and CD56+ cells in the peripheral blood. In addition, the study examined whether thermal biofeedback, when presented following the cold pressor tests, would mitigate the effects of the cold pressor tests.

Four male university students completed pretest psychological inventories and were pretrained during nine laboratory sessions to increase their skin temperature to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. During the experiment, blood …

The Predictive Validity Of The Battelle Developmental Inventory As A Measure Of Adaptive Behavior : A 2-3 Year, Longitudinal Comparison With The Scales Of Independent Behavior, Clarice E. Jentzsh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Within the last 5 years, researchers have given increased attention to preschool assessment. One test, the Battelle Developmental Inventory, has become increasingly popular for use with preschool-age children. Despite its frequent use by early intervention programs, few researchers have studied the technical adequacy of the Battelle. The predictive validity of the Battelle was examined, using 154 children with disabilities. Scores on the Battelle for children 3 to 5 years of age were compared with scores on the Scales of Independent Behavior administered to the same children 2 to 3 years later. Moderate to strong relationships were found between the scores. …

Do Prospective Ratings Correct Retrospective Distortions Based On Negative Social Stereotypes Of Premenstrual Syndrome?, Mary L. Stone

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Daily Assessment Form (OAF) retrospectively assessed symptoms of late luteal phase dysphoric disorder (LLPDD), both at the beginning and at the end of a 2-month time interval. Ninety-four women between the ages of 18 and 45 entered the study. Half of the subjects viewed a negative-case, stereotypic presentation of LLPDD prior to the pretest. sixty-eight subjects qualified on the pretest to complete the study. Half of the remaining no-case subjects and half of the remaining negative-case subjects completed 8 weeks' prospective ratings via the OAF. Forty-eight subjects remained to complete the posttest at the end of that time interval. …

Family Perspectives Of The Professional-Paraprofessional Partnership Model Of Home-Based Early Intervention Service Delivery, Amy Sanford Walters

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Current legislation regarding early intervention services has focused on the family unit, rather than the individual child, as the recipient of services. A model of family-centered care has been adopted and as a result, new models for service delivery have been developed. The present study examined family perspectives of the professional-paraprofessional partnership model, and assessed the ecological validity of this model as it relates to the basic principles of family-centered care. Families who participated in an early intervention program that utilized the professional-paraprofessional partnership model were interviewed upon program completion. Families reported receiving a wide range of child and family …

The Effects Of Social Competition Of The Economic Behavior Of Rats, Jennifer D. Johns '94

Honors Projects

Recent studies have shown that the law of supply and demand describes behavior on simple Variable Interval (VI) schedules. When the quantity of reinforcement supplied is large, animals will "pay" less for the reinforcer than when quantity supplied is small. These studies, however, feature organisms responding alone in operant chambers, without the social competition which economists argue drive the law of supply and demand. The present series of experiments examine the effects of social context on the economic behavior of rats on VI schedules. Rats responded on a pseudo-randomly assigned sequence of VI schedules differing in reinforcement rate. During half …

An Assessment Of Four-Hour Sample Durations Used To Determine Full-Shift Noise Exposures In A Foundry, Vince Marlo Fleming

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

Full-shift sampling, usually eight hours, is traditionally performed to assess daily occupational noise exposure. This sampling approach is inefficient, and costly for repeated, long-term exposure evaluations. This study assessed the use of four-hour sample durations and subsequent data analysis to determine daily occupational noise exposures in a foundry. The four-hour sample durations were extracted from full-shift samples and analyzed on their ability to provide valid data for estimating mean daily noise exposure levels without significantly affecting sampling precision or accuracy. Results of this study indicate four-hour sample durations can be used successfully to estimate full-shift noise exposures provided certain criteria …

Transference And Multiple Personality Disorder: Implications For Diagnosis And Treatment, Terri L. Bennink

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

The phenomena of transference, as manifested by individuals with multiple personality disorder, was examined as it related to diagnosis and management of therapy. Current definitions and diagnostic criteria for multiple personality disorder were given as well as prominent conceptualizations of the recognition and intervention of transference phenomena. Specific emphasis was placed on differential diagnosis of borderline personality disordered patients from those with multiple personality disorder in terms of similarities and differences in the manifestations and therapeutic management of transference behavior. Pierre Janet's theory of the dynamics of dissociation was reviewed as support for understanding transference behavior in multiple personality disordered …

Vocal Learning In Grey Parrots (Psittacus Erithacus): Effects Of Social Interaction, Reference, And Context, Irene M. Pepperberg

Sentience Collection

For many passerines, the extent,timing, and even presence of allospecific vocal learning can be influenced by the form of input that is received. Little data exist, however, on vocal learning in parrots (Psittacidae). I have previously proposed that such vocal learning proceeds most readily when input is (1) referential, (2) contextually applicable, and (3) interactive. The referential aspect demonstrates the meaning of the code to be taught, the contextual aspect demonstrates the use that can be made of the information contained in the code, and the interactive aspect provides explicit training that is constantly adjusted to the level of the …

"I’Ll Do It Tomorrow." A Radical Behavioral Analysis Of Procrastination, Cassandra Ann Braam

Dissertations

This study examined the problem of procrastination or the failure to complete tasks. Five similar rules were presented to five, four-year-old children, using a multielement design. The rules described contingencies varying in the specification of delays in the delivery of consequences and deadlines. In addition, a general statement of disapproval of procrastination was presented one time, in addition to a rule specifying a delayed consequence with no deadline, to determine its effect on an established pattern of procrastination. The results showed (a) rules specifying delayed consequences (indirect-acting contingencies) with no deadlines did not reliably control behavior, (b) rules specifying immediate …

The Effects Of Perceived Upward Influence Rewards And Personality Moderators On Job Satisfaction And Productivity In An Employee Suggestion Program, David J. Braun

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The extent to which work satisfaction, task satisfaction, suggestion quantity and suggestion quality may be affected by upward influence and reward in a suggestion program was investigated using 160 students as subjects. Locus of control and growth need strength were investigated in terms of their effects as personality moderators. Subjects offered suggestions during three trials for nine topics representing university problems. The percentage of suggestions accepted by a review committee was manipulated as four levels of an upward influence condition (0'/o, 25'/0, 50'/o and 75'/o). In addition, subjects were randomly assigned to either a no-reward or reward condition, in which …

Judging Statistical Significance: The Effects Of Standard Error Bar Formats And Visual Displays, Rebecca Wilson Miller

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined various graphical displays for illustrating statistical significance. These displays were created following Dunlap and May's (1989) recommendation about representing statistical significance in figures with error bars derived from the pooled estimate of error variance. In the first experiment, 15 graduate students were asked to judge whether the relationships depicted in a series of graphs and tables were significant or nonsignificant. Four significance levels were combined factorially with three standard error bar formats, unidirectional opposite direction, unidirectional same direction, and bidirectional, and two displays, line graphs and bar graphs. A tabular display was also presented for comparison. …

Elderly Hispanics In The United States: Their Use And Non-Use Of Social Services, Paulina X. Ruf

Masters Theses

The Commonwealth Fund Commission on Elderly people Living Alone (1988), conducted the National Survey of Hispanic Elderly, 1988. Using data from this survey, the present descriptive work, examines the use and non-use of selected social services by general demographic characteristics of the elderly Hispanic sample. In addition, general characteristics of this sample are discussed. A summary of the findings and recommendations for future research conclude this thesis.

The findings indicate that although the elderly Hispanics in the United States reported needing the selected social services used in this thesis, many of them reported not using these services. Additionally, as the …

The Effect Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Education Program On Knowledge, Attitudes And Sexual Behavior Of Selected College Students, Arlene Jaine Jackson Montgomery

Health Services Research Dissertations

The problem studied in this investigation was whether a behaviorally focused Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Program affects the knowledge, sexual attitudes and sexual behavior of college students.

Three hundred and six first-and third-year college students were included in the study from one university located in Southeastern Virginia. The sample was predominately female, African-American and mainly between the ages of 16-22 years of age.

Freshmen students were presently enrolled in the institution's HIV/AIDS education program, which was a part of a required course. The class sessions consisted of a pretest prior to student's completing the reading assignment …

Selected Demographic Variables As Predictors Of Ego-Identity Confusion Among George Fox College Students, Timothy A. Perkins

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Seven demographic variables were evaluated, utilizing multiple linear regression analysis, to answer the research question: can selected demographic variables adequately predict identity confusion, as measured by the Revised Version of the Extended Objective Measure of Ego-Identity Status (Bennion & Adams, 1986), among George Fox College Freshmen? The James D. Foster and Beth A. La Force research project provided the archival data base for this study. From this available data, demographic variables were selected as predictors of identity confusion among 268 George Fox College freshmen students. Identity confusion was measured using the Extended Objective Measure of Ego-Identity Status - Revised (EOMEIS-2). …

Numerical Competence In An African Gray Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus), Irene M. Pepperberg

Sentience Collection

An African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus), Alex, trained to label vocally collections of 1-6 simultaneously presented homogeneous objects, correctly identified, without further training, quantities of targeted subsets in heterogeneous collections. For each test trial Alex was shown different collections of 4 groups of items that varied in 2 colors and 2 object categories (e.g., blue and red keys and trucks) and was asked to label the number of items uniquely defined by the conjunction of 1 color and 1 object category (e.g., "How many blue key?"). The collections were designed to provide maximal confounds (or distractions) and thus replicate the …

An Analysis Of Air Force Acquisition Engineering Officer's Perceptions Of The Adequacy Of Their Preparation For Management, Steven E. Woodruff

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how much time Air Force acquisition engineers spend in performing management functions, how those engineers spend in performing management functions, how those engineers perceive their management training, and which types of training contribute the most to managerial competency. The results from surveys of 215 acquisition engineers assigned to ASCEN, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH and their supervisors revealed that engineers do indeed spend substantial amounts of time performing management functions. Slightly more than half the engineers reported spending at least 50 of an average workday performing management functions. Over 53 of engineers responding to …

The Effect Of Cognitive-Behavioral Marriage Enrichment On Marital Adjustment Among Church Couples, Charles W. Combs

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

This study evaluated the short- and long-term effect of a cognitive-behavioral marriage enrichment program on perceived marital adjustment. The study examined the Traits of the Happy Couple marriage enrichment workshop (Halter, 1988). The workshop consisted of five 2-hour training sessions held in five consecutive weeks for a total of 10 hours of training. It seeks to increase the marital adjustment of participants through a combination of didactic and experiential methods. No prior controlled study of the effectiveness of this workshop has been done. Participants included 34 married couples who were predominately from conservative, evangelical churches in the Portland, Oregon, area. …

Attributional Style Of African-American Adolescents, Stephen B. Hillman, Paula C. Wood, Shlomo S. Sawilowsky

Theoretical and Behavioral Foundations of Education Faculty Publications

This study ascertains how positive and negative life events are viewed by stigmatized youngsters. The causal attributions of a sample of 139 at -risk AfricanAmerican adolescents are analyzed in a doubly multivariate repeated measures design. These students were participants in either the federally funded Summer Training and Education Program or the Student Academic and Leadership Enhancement Program funded by the Detroit Compact. Previous research on these students indicated that they have higher than norm global self-concepts and their locus of control is more external than would be expected for their age. The findings of the current study suggest that the …

Transnational Anarchy; Selected Excerpts, Doug Ogilvie

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies

No abstract provided.