Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Stroke On The Comprehension Of Affective And Nonaffective Prosody, Mona Matheney Tiernan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of stroke on the comprehension of prosody. Thirty two inpatient volunteers (16 with right hemisphere and 16 with left hemisphere stroke) and 16 controls participated in the study. A 3(Group) x 2(Gender) x 2(Task) mixed design was used. The independent variables were the subject group, gender and the prosody task (affective or nonaffective). The dependent variables were the percentage of correct responses to the affective and nonaffective prosody tasks. A 3(Group) x 2(Gender) x 2(Task) AN0VA revealed a significant main effect for group, E

Penguins Can't Fly And Women Don't Count: Language And Thought, Janet M. Bing

English Faculty Publications

Many people object to sexist and racist language partly because they assume that language not only reflects, but somehow affects attitudes. A one-to-one relationship between language and thought seems obvious to those who never question it, but the issue of whether language influences thought and behavior has been a matter of debate in philosophy even before Berkeley and Wittgenstein. Literary critics, particularly those who call themselves deconstructionists, are still debating to what extent language constructs reality.

Russophobia And Judophobia Backlash In Extremist Russian Nationalism, 1987-1990, Connie Moray

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

In the late 1980s the former Soviet Union witnessed an increase in Russian nationalist extremist activity. Russian nationalist extremism was a backlash against a perceived decline in Russian status and a re-evaluation of such basic concepts as what it means to be Russian. Two manifestations of this backlash were russophobia and judophobia.

This thesis employs concepts used by American sociologists Seymour Martin Lipset and Earl Raab in their study of right-wing extremist groups in the United States to gain new insight into the nature of Russian nationalist extremism. Primary sources used include the writings of important Russian nationalists including Igor …

The Development Of A Youth Consumer Culture In The United States In The 1950s, Phillip D. Mccaskey

History Theses & Dissertations

The 1950s witnessed the development of an important cultural phenomenon in the United States, the result of the demographic increase known as the baby boom. To an unprecedented degree in American history, various facets of the American economy focused towards infants and adolescents due to their swelling numbers and subsequent economic influence. Youths themselves sought to exert their economic power resulting in the formation of a dynamic youth culture manifesting itself most prominently in the entertainment media.

This study examines the origins and scope of the American baby boom. Cultural trends directly related to the baby boom are also analyzed. …

Developmental Changes In Predictors Of Job Satisfaction For Female Elementary School Teachers, Donna Owens Collier

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of job satisfaction for female elementary school teachers. Specifically, how do personal variables and career variables affect job satisfaction at various age levels?

The subjects in this study were 386 females who teach kindergarten through sixth grade in an urban public school system. A survey was used to collect information about age, personal variables, career variables, and current level of job satisfaction. Personal variables included marital status, number of children and educational level. Career variables included number of years in the teaching profession, number of positions held during the teaching career …

The Relationship Of Educational Attainment And Socioeconomic Factors In The Health Behaviors Of An Urban Population, George C. Maihafer

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was two fold: 1) to investigate the effects that level of educational attainment and income have on the health behaviors of an urban population, and 2) to examine the effects the level of motivation and selected demographic characteristics (e.g., age, race, gender) have on the study sample's perceived satisfaction with the medical encounter. Based on the findings of the study, a model community health education program was proposed. The study sample was comprised of 150 volunteers seeking health care for chronic conditions at a family practice clinic. The Krantz Health Opinion Survey (HOS) measured the …

Social Support For Family Caretakers Of The Chronically Mentally Ill, Gina L. Bankes

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined the relation between coping style, social support, family member symptom severity, and negative affect. Fifty-one caretakers of chronically mentally ill family members completed a demographic questionnaire, a general appraisal questionnaire, a family member symptom severity questionnaire, the Coping Strategy Indicator, the Social Support Questionnaire, and the Multiple Affect Anxiety Checklist. Caretakers with family members living at home were different than caretakers with family members living away from home (HOME) in several respects. Controlling for HOME, family member symptom severity was related to negative affect, coping strategies were related to negative affect and the Social Support Questionnaire …

The Effects Of Style Of Timing Cue On Motor Skill Acquisition, Michael A. Freeman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The hierarchical model of motor programs asserts that a new movement is learned in hierarchical stages, and that movement timing control develops within each specific stage. The present study investigated whether learning within these different hierarchical stages is favored by different styles of timing cues. Three groups of right-handed subjects (total N = 48) learned to trace a short path while a specific style of auditory timing cue was introduced. Cues were presented in either a movement-synchronized style (cues occurring every time a movement change is required), an isochronic style (equal time interval cues), or with no cues (the control …

Teaching Rhetorical Delivery In Freshman Composition, Clayann Gilliam Panetta

English Theses & Dissertations

In recent decades the discipline of English has undergone a complete reexamination from a number of angles. Important pedagogical issues have been raised because of the growth of composition programs, and English departments have even witnessed the birth of several subspecialities within composition studies. Two of these subspeciality areas, rhetorical theory and computer-assisted writing, have received special attention. In this paper, I suggest. that, these two can powerfully coexist and can help students gain insights about writing.

The Relationship Between Gender And Empathy On A Telephone Hotline, George Shepeard

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The impact of gender upon levels of empathy within the context of a volunteer telephone hotline was examined. Male and female confederates placed fictitious telephone calls to the hotline which were recorded and evaluated for state empathy. Trait empathy of the hotline volunteers was also assessed and results revealed no gender differences. A gender of caller by gender of telephone worker analysis of variance on state empathy ratings revealed no significant main effects or interactions. A significant negative correlation between age of the telephone worker and the empathy levels was found. The lack of expected findings is discussed in terms …

About Faces: The Investigation Of Electrodermal Activity (Eda) As It Relates To The Recognition And Naming Of Faces, Donald J. Shearer

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigates and replicates the occurrence of a "W" pattern or compound electrodermal activity (EDA) response as it relates to the perception and naming of faces first found in Shearer and Mikulka (1991). Thirty-four male and thirty-four female subjects were randomly assigned to two conditions. The two conditions were balanced for sex having 17 males and 17 females each. The subjects were each presented 40 facial stimulus slides and the accompanying EDA responses were recorded. In the experimental condition subjects were required either to name (identify) the face or give a "feeling of knowing" rating of the face. In …

The Measurement Of Mood Variation Over Time And Its Relation To Performance, William T. Pinkston

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Variation in mood states over time and the relationship between mood states and task performance were investigated using the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List - Revised (MAACL-R) and the Rotter's IE locus of control test. These tests along with anagram and digit cancellation tasks were administered twice a week for six weeks. A correlational analysis was performed. The results showed a higher correlation between mood state measures as the subjects' moods varied over time than between either mood measure and locus of control which did not covary with either of these measures. There was …

The Impact Of An Employee Involvement Program On Service Quality In A Nursing Home Organization, Diane Catanzaro

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of an intervention involving employee participation in decision making and behavior modeling training on quality of service. Subjects were nursing aides in two similar nursing home facilities operated by a medium-sized long-term care organization. Participation in decision making involved weekly meetings using a quality-circle-type problem-solving process to develop suggestions for improving quality of service to residents and their families. Behavior modeling training was used to teach interpersonal skills necessary for handling a customer complaint. Service quality was assessed through family, resident, and supervisor ratings of nursing aide service behaviors. The …

A Study To Determine Why Students Enroll In Abe And Ged Preparation Classes At Madison Career Center, Norfolk, Virginia, Kimberly A. Brown

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The goals of this research were as follows: 1. To determine why students enroll in ABE classes; 2. To determine why students enroll in GED Preparation classes; 3. To determine how students found out about the ABE and GED Preparation classes; 4. To determine how ABE and GED Preparation classes should be advertised in order to increase greater enrollment.

A Study To Determine The Necessary Content For An Educational Unit For Career Path Research, Sally K. Shield

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

This study had three general research objectives: 1) to determine what information is currently provided the students through the existing efforts of admissions, program orientations, career search offices and current career development classes; 2) to determine the most valuable information for career planning to be included in an intensive unit of study; 3) to structure a unit of study to include the determined content for a currently existing Career Management course which would effect an increased satisfaction perception by the students.

Kidwatching Going Beyond The Language Of The Test, Abha Gupta

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

A study examined the linguistic forms in the discourse of speakers during a language test to indicate why they use certain specific forms over others. Ten children were given the Grammatical Analysis of Elicited Language--Simple Sentence Level Test (GAEL), a language proficiency test for hearing-impaired children in the age group of 4 to 8 years. Three students were videotaped during administration of the test, and the other students' final responses (omitting the intermediate discourse) were recorded. Some of the test items on which the maximum number of children deviated from the target response were analyzed for common traits and classified …

A Comparison Of Alphanumeric, Direct Manipulation Graphic, And Equivalent Interface Design For A Production Scheduling Task, Ann C. Fulop

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Scheduling is an essential factor influencing the efficiency of any production system. The effectiveness of the scheduling system depends upon the interaction of the human and machine. Thus, to effectively design the interface between the human and the machine, the human factors professional must understand scheduling behavior and the information requirements of the scheduling task. The present study modeled human scheduling behavior and determined the information requirements of the scheduling task. The study also compared alphanumeric, direct manipulation graphic, and equivalent interfaces to determine which interface best supports scheduling. The results of the study show that schedulers monitor the current …

Elementary Guidance Services In Urban And Rural Schools In Tidewater, Virginia, Berkley Edgerton Ashby

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to assess the relative importance of the ten most significant components of an elementary guidance program. A second purpose was to identify differences in guidance services provided in selected urban and rural schools and also the perceived effectiveness and adequacy of the services as viewed by counselors and teachers. The study was conducted with elementary guidance counselors and elementary teachers in 48 urban and 48 rural schools in Tidewater, Virginia.

The National Study of School Evaluation instrument for secondary schools was modified for use in this study. A pilot study of the revised instrument …

The Evaluation Of Company-Sponsored Test-Preparation Courses: Training Different Aged Employees On General Test-Taking Skills And Basic Cognitive Skills, Kerrie D. Quinn

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Test performance in general has been found to decline with increasing age. However, this decline has not been accompanied consistently by lower job performance. Subsequently, factors external to the test are being more closely examined for their effects on test performance. Two such factors, a lack of general test-taking skills and a reduced level of basic cognitive skills, are thought to contribute most to the test performance of older adults. These factors occur because of the lower level of education and greater length of time since formal schooling for older adults. Accordingly, organizations have been offering test-preparation training to all …

The Relationships Between Metacognitive Strategies And Learning Outcomes In An Adult Basic Skills Program, Bert Huggins

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study tested metacognitive strategies accounted for variance in learning acquisition and retention in an adult basic skills population. The study employed the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) to measure metacognitive strategy use, a standardized, individually-accessed basic skills curriculum, and a valid basic skills performance measurement.

The study population was young adult soldiers stationed in South Carolina, California and Hawaii. Sites selection assured uniformity in testing procedures, curriculum and delivery. Multiple sites assured a variety of soldier career fields for purposes of generalization.

Performance measurements were taken at the beginning of instruction, at the end of instruction and a …

A Comparison Of Two Theories Of Resistance To Innovation In Medical Record Administration Baccalaureate Degree Programs, Joyce Brown-Harvey

Health Services Research Dissertations

Resistance to innovation is a major obstacle to the successful implementation of planned change in colleges and universities. The purpose of this study was to compare two explanations of resistance to innovation to determine which one best explains the variance in receptivity and proposed innovations among faculty members in medical record administration programs. One explanation holds that organizational members' receptivity to change is a function of their personalities. The second explanation holds that members respond to specific innovations and that they do so in terms of whether the innovation would increase or reduce their present status.

The faculty of baccalaureate …

Nurse Manager Role Stress, Rosemarie Mohn

Ellmer School of Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of decision-making style, and right and left brain function on nurse manager role stress. Data were collected from 48 nurse managers employed at four acute care facilities along the Atlantic seaboard. A nonexperimental correlation descriptive design was utilized to determine if any positive or negative correlation existed between study variables and levels of stress. Findings suggested that nurse managers experienced moderate amounts of role stress, including role conflict and role ambiguity. One significant statistical correlation existed between role ambiguity and the decision making dimension of intuition. Recommendations for future research …

Body-Image Attitudes And Perceptions Among African-Americans And Whites As A Function Of Socioeconomic Class, Christopher Eugene Huffine

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

While many facets of body image have been extensively researched, relatively few studies have examined racial and social class differences in body image. The present paper consists of two studies examining racial and class differences in body image among males and females. Study 1 utilized a national sample of respondents to a 1985 Psychology Today survey to examine racial (Black and White) and educational differences in body image among men and women. Study 2 utilized a smaller sample of Black subjects, half drawn from several Southeastern universities and the other half from non-academic locations in the Tidewater area of Virginia …

Sleep Patterns And The Behavior Of Children In The Second-, Third-, And Fourth-Grades In Urban Public Schools, Yolanda Cardelli Hampel

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This investigation examined the relationship between nocturnal sleep patterns and behaviors in the classroom of seventy-four girls and fifty-nine boys from second-, third-, and fourth-grades attending five urban public schools in Norfolk, Virginia.

The dependent variables were the classroom behavior that was subdivided into five personality areas for objective assessment of the student's adjustment areas labeled self, social, school, home, and physical. The objective assessment was observed and documented on a seventy-eight item questionnaire by their primary classroom teachers who were familiar with the subjects behavior. The parents observed and recorded data on a sleep log listing independent variables such …

The Theology Of Father Brown, Catherine Miles Flynn

Institute for the Humanities Theses

This thesis explores the theological thought of G. K. Chesterton, particularly as it is found in his detective short stories about Father Brown. In his other works (e.g., Orthodoxy, Heretics, and his many books of essays), the theology of Chesterton is obvious. However, in the light, whimsical Father Brown stories the theology expressed is often profound, but underrated if not ignored by his critics. Specific examples from his stories will be used to highlight the theological points within the mysteries.

The life and times of Chesterton are discussed as having highly influenced his thought. His unconventional religious upbringing, in particular, …

Ninety-Nine And One-Half, Deborah R. Williamson

Institute for the Humanities Theses

Ninety-nine and One-half is a novella about a young man's journey from self-doubt to self-revelation which parallels his physical journey from a coma to an awakening. In twenty spare chapters the memories of his life before the coma are intertwined with the actions of his family and friends after he becomes comatose. Through the young man's memories and the reflections about him by the other characters, the reader sees what has led the young man to an almost fatal indecision. The resolution of the novella comes when the young man adequately distances himself from the guilt, fear, and unhappiness that …

Multiple Cue Probability Learning: Effects Of Individual Differences On Mcpl Performance, Catherine Q. Greenwald

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory study investigated individual difference effects on multiple cue probability learning performance. Measures of cognitive complexity, creativity, problem solving ability, and anxiety were correlated with the NCPL indices of performance. Eighty participants (40 men and 40 women) were randomly selected graduate students from the six colleges of Old Dominion University. Results showed significant Pearson Product Moment correlations among the Level 2 NCPL achievement and matching indices and the predictors Career Path Appreciation phrase card average, Kirton Adaptation Innovation Inventory, Quantitative GRE scores, gender, and anxiety. There is some evidence that MCPL performance can be explained in terms of these …

Domain Limitations And Interface Requirements For Expert Developed Knowledge Based Systems, Bernard Lee Lewis

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The expanded use of graphical, case-based and object oriented techniques in expert systems creation has made it more practical for domain experts to develop their own applications. This thesis focuses on the elements necessary in an expert/developer interface and looks at various forms and techniques that exemplify such an approach. The spreadsheet metaphor is used for an interface or managed set of interfaces that a domain expert can use in building his own expert system or prototype. criteria are established for such interfaces and recent commercial offerings that make expert-created knowledge-bases more practical are reviewed for techniques that qualify. Approaches …

The Effects Of A Commercial Nutritional Supplement Combining Amino Acids, Glutamine, Carnitine And B-Vitamins On The Physiological Responses To Ultraendurance Triathlon Training, Performance And Recovery, Mary V. Mitchell

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

In a placebo, double blind, randomized design, five male triathletes participated in a simulated triathlon which examined the physiological responses of a commercial nutritional supplement. The supplemental protocol included 7.1 gm·d^-1 of an amino acid complex with B-vitamins (AA) and between 2.2-7.3 gm·d^-1 META-MAX™ containing leucine, isoleucine, valine, glutamine and carnitine in which quantities were based on the athletes training volume. A maltodextrin carbohydrate replacement drink was also included in the protocol. The placebo was an isocaloric lactose substance. The supplements were ingested for 14 d prior to the simulated triathlon and then for 3 d after the …

Communicating With Graphic User Interfaces: A Comparison Of Menu Selection And Menu Bypass Techniques, Monty Lee Hammontree

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study was conducted in two phases to determine design tradeoffs relating to command bar menu and bypass code-based techniques for interacting with computers. Forty eight subjects participated. In the first phase of the experiment, mouse-, chorded key-, and function key-based menu selection techniques were compared. It was found that menus were accessed much faster with spatially mapped function keys as compared to chorded key sequences or mouse inputs, and that relative to mouse inputs compatible letter keys lead to faster command selection times. Further, the function key-based technique yielded the fastest combined access and selection times, the fastest …