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The Effects Of Irrelevant Dimensions On The Predictive Value Of A Warning Signal, Ruth Justine Arnegard

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Past research has neglected irrelevant dimensions of visual warning signals in choice reaction-time tasks. The present study examined the effects of an irrelevant dimension of a visual warning signal and that signal's value in predicting a response stimulus on choice reaction time. A warning signal, which was a geometric figure, appeared in the center of a VDT screen and was followed by one of two response stimuli (open circles). The predictive value of the warning signal was defined as the percentage of trials during which the warning signal accurately predicted the response stimulus by size and was manipulated in the …

Principles Of Design For Complex Displays: A Comparative Evaluation, Sharolyn Ann Converse

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined the main and interactive effects of information format, information density, principle of information grouping, orientation of the airspeed scale, and task type on response time (RT) and accuracy in a decision making task. Forty-eight college students viewed static displays of primary flight instruments and signaled responses to the displays by pressing keys on the computer keyboard. Three levels of task type were employed. In the current state estimation task, subjects were required to determine whether each individual instrument reading was within prespecified limits. In the future state estimation task, subjects were required to attend to the …

Preschoolers' And Third Graders' Sorting Preferences And Strategic Knowledge Of Taxonomic Associative And Perceptual Organizational Strategies, Helene Ann Hembrooke

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated strategic use and metamemory concerning taxonomic, associative, and perceptual organizational strategies. Preschool and third grade children were asked to sort stimuli which varied orthogonally along three dimensions; taxonomically, associatively, and perceptually. Free recall was assessed. Each child also completed one of two metamemory tasks; a paired comparison or a peer teaching task. The order of the memory/metamemory tasks was counterbalanced within age groups. The results showed that older children sorted by taxonomic and associative attributes while younger children exhibited no sorting preference. Older children recalled significantly more pictures, although no significant age differences in recall clustering were …

Self-Labeling Of Body Weight: Relationships With Body Image Eating Behaviors And Well-Being, Karen Hicks

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research consists of two studies. Study I compares normal-weight subjects self-labeled as overweight (NSLO, 99 females, 65 males) and weight matched subjects self-labeled as normal weight (NSLN, 99 females, 65 males), and examined the differences between these groups in their body-image, eating behaviors, and well-being. Results indicated NSLO versus NSLN subjects felt more body-image dissatisfaction, less attractive, fit, and healthy, were more likely to report binge eating and dietary restriction to lose weight, and reported poorer psychosocial well-being. Study 2 compared self-labeled overweight subjects who were overweight (OSLO, 56 females, 53 males) versus normal weight subjects self-labeled as overweight …

Performance Appraisal Ratings As A Function Of Source Of Ratings And Purpose Of The Appraisal, Richard J. Tannenbaum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of purpose of appraisal ratings and source of appraisal ratings on four dependent measures: leniency, halo, variability, and construct validity. The purpose factor was comprised of four different levels: merit pay, performance improvement, research only, and no defined appraisal purpose. The rating source factor was comprised of two different levels: incumbent self-ratings, and supervisor ratings. One hundred and nineteen nursing assistants provided the self-ratings, and 39 nurses provided the supervisor ratings. Both sets of ratings were made using a 13-dimension graphic-type rating scale. Analysis of variance procedures were used to test the effects of appraisal …

Die Geburt Der Tragoedie, Joseph Barnett Metzler Iii

Institute for the Humanities Theses

Die Geburt der Tragodie is a full-length opera about the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche during the period of his insanity. The work is in three acts and spans a total of two and half hours. It is scored for string quartet, two keyboardists, two trumpets, two percussionists, and four singers. One of the main actors also plays solo piano, another sings a solo soprano part. All the rest of the parts are spoken. Volume one contains the text, performance notes, and a brief introduction. Volume two contains the music.

Forced Sex In Battering Relationships: An Ethnographic Investigation, Leigh Hofheimer

Institute for the Humanities Theses

This research examines the complex problem of forced sex in battering relationships. Interviewing eleven women in a battered women's shelter in a southeastern city, I focused on both their perceptions of forced sex and its effects on their self-esteem, expectations and body-image.

Based on the interviews I conclude that forced sex needs a broader definition than the traditionally accepted definition of rape. In addition, the victims' memories of earlier incidents of physical abuse during sex may influence their perceptions of when they are being forced. This study suggests that future researchers and members of the helping profession should include the …

"Wretched, Bloody, And Usurping Boar"? An Evaluation Of The Historicity Of Shakespeare's Richard Iii, Kathryn Kiff

Institute for the Humanities Theses

Shakespeare's portrait of Richard III as a diabolical monster was based on the hostile accounts fashioned about him during the Tudor regime. Sir Thomas More's Richard III established the definitive image of Richard as the deformed tyrant who usurped the throne and murdered his nephews. This was the portrait that Shakespeare inherited from the sixteenth-century writers who incorporated More's account into their chronicles. This thesis examines Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard and the chronicle sources upon which he drew in order to show how Shakespeare's portrait of Richard developed. Although Richard was not the evil character presented in Shakespeare's play, it …

Job Satisfaction Among Three Different Dental Hygiene Occupational Settings, Ruth Halstead Hull

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

A survey was conducted to determine differences in job satisfaction which may exist among dental hygienists employed in private practice positions, public health positions, and dental hygiene education positions. A modified version of the questionnaire developed by the Washington State Dental Auxiliaries Project was mailed to all public health dental hygienists, all dental hygiene educators, and a randomized sample containing ten percent of private practice employed dental hygienists residing in North Carolina for a total of 334 participants. From a 76 percent response rate, results indicated that dental hygiene educators feel more satisfied overall than private practice dental hygienists and …

The Influence Of Nursing Experience And Education On Nurses Inferences Of Patients' Suffering, Patricia A. Coots

Ellmer School of Nursing Theses & Dissertations

A primary dimension of nursing is caring tor patients who suffer. This study examined the inferences made about patients' suffering oy 65 registered nurses employed in acute care health facilities. Utilizing The standard Measure of Inferences of Suffering Questionnaire. the purpose of the study was to explore the influence of nursing education and experience on the degree of pain and psychological distress inferred by the nurses. Analysis of Covariance was used to test for group differences on the basis of nursing education when number of months of nursing experience was controlled. Although nursing education did not influence nurses' inferences of …

An Evaluation Of Injury Incidence And Typology In Industry, Shirlee Ann Brooks

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

In a retrospective study, 84 subjects treated for industrial injuries at one urgent care center during one calendar year were analyzed. The parameters evaluated were type of industry engaged in, type of injury sustained, and body part affected by the injury. All subjects were categorized within these parameters. Statistical analysis was performed by frequency distribution and Chi Square. Results obtained showed a statistically significant difference in distribution of various types of injuries that affected different body parts. It also revealed a significant difference in the distribution of types of injuries incurred by workers in different types of industry. It failed, …

Development And Testing Of The Stress Adaptation Scale For Parents With Chronically Ill Children (Sasp), Carolyn M. Rutledge

Ellmer School of Nursing Theses & Dissertations

This research study consisted of four phases used to develop and test the Stress Adaptation Scale for Parents with Chronically Ill Children (ASP). The first phase dealt with developing the items on the SASP from a review of the literature and the researcher's professional experience. The SASP was then divided into the six categories of health care, social, personal, familial, financial, and spiritual. In phase II, content validity was evaluated by a panel of experts. In phase III, stability over time and face validity was demonstrated using 26 parents of chronically ill children. The SASP achieved a Pearson's r=.85 with …

Civilian Air Defense Of Norfolk, Virginia, During The Second World War, Larry E. Tonneson

History Theses & Dissertations

This thesis traces the history of the civilian air defense program in Norfolk, Virginia, between October 1941 and December 1943. It evaluates the capability of Norfolk's civilian air defense organization to respond to attacks by the German Luftwaffe and assesses the effectiveness of Norfolk's civilian air defense organization in mobilizing and preparing the public for such attacks. The major source documents for this paper include the Norfolk War History Commission papers and the three community newspapers: The Virginian-Pilot, the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch, and the Norfolk Journal and Guide.

Norfolk's civilian air defense organization was unable to maximize the …

The Prediction Of Drug Experimentation Among University Students Using Objective Personality Inventories, Gay Lynne Andrucci

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the relationships of five self-report assessment measures and university students' drug experimentation across nine drug categories. A total of 74 undergraduate psychology students, 53 females and 21 males participated in the study. The test battery included forms A and B of the Sixteen Personality Factors (16PF), the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC) of the MMPI, Costa and McCrae's Five- Factor Model of personality, and the Sensation Seeking Scales (SSS). Segal's (1973) Alcohol-Drug Use Research Survey (ADRS) was employed as the drug-experimentation measure. Drug categories included alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, caffeine, cocaine, hallucinogens, marijuana, narcotics, and tobacco. Two series of …

The Effect Of Internal Vs. External Attributions And Level Of Information On Perceptions And Concessions In A Conflict Situation, William Walter Docalovich

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated predicted concessions and subject impressions of internally vs. externally motivated opponents in a conflict situation. One hundred and twenty undergraduate subjects read brief scenarios that presented opening statements made by opponents in a negotiation involving the division of excess funds in an organization. The opponent asked for 80% of the excess money and either blamed external or internal reasons for not conciliating. Half the subjects were also presented with additional information regarding the opponent's prior behavior along the dimensions of consistency, consensus and distinctiveness. It was hypothesized that attribution would interact with additional information so that external …

Faulkner: Misogynist Or Philogynist?, Imane Nejjar

English Theses & Dissertations

No abstract.

The Influence Of Brain Hemisphericity On The Composing Process Of Twelfth Graders, Reinholdine Breien-Pierson

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Despite the popularization of the concept of brain hemispheric dominance, little serious research has been done in the area of the role of brain hemisphericity in learning and thought. The purpose of this case study was to explore the role of hemisphericity in the area of student composition to test the theory that the composing process and writing of student papers differs relative to the students' hemispheric dominance. A second area of investigation was to test the theory that teachers value papers written by students who share their hemispheric dominance.

The subjects, eight twelfth graders and four (English) teacher evaluators, …

Television And The Integration Of Europe In The Era Of Satellite Communications, John Erick Roos

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The role television played in the integration of Europe through 1987 is examined in an analysis focusing on historical trends, integration theory, and the effect of satellite technology on the political environment in Europe. Television remained under the jurisdiction of national governments since its inception, satellite communications challenged the system of national control of television and changed television's role in Europe by introducing a revolutionary new delivery system. Integration theorists are cited to define the integration process and provide a foundation for a study of television's impact on European integration. Television policies in each nation are examined to document their …

Dual Task Performance: The Effects Of Task Emphasis And Ear Of Input, Pamela R. Jordan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This experiment explored the lateralization of the processing of spatial and verbal information during dual-tasks. This study also investigated the relationship between right ear advantage and spatial ability, degree of handedness, and degree of familial handedness. Thirty-two male subjects performed a spatial rotation task and a dichotic listening task. During half of the dual tasks, subjects concentrated on both tasks equally. During the other half of the dual trials, 16 subjects emphasized the spatial processing task and 16 subjects emphasized the dichotic listening task. The results of this experiment do not support either the independent-hemispheric resources or the task-hemispheric integrity …

The Effects Of Personality And Mental Workload On Heart Rate And Heart Rate Variability, Gwendolyn Lorell Pearson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of extraversion and task difficulty on heart rate reactivity, heart rate variability and task performance.

In order to select subjects with extreme extraversion and introversion scores, one hundred and one male undergraduate students between the ages of 18-30 were asked to complete the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Fifteen extraverts and fifteen introverts, as determined by the Eysenck Personality Inventory, participated in the physiological testing session. subjects listened to mental arithmetic problems which were presented by audio tape. The subjects task was to determine if the given answer to each problem …

The Assessment Of Imagery Scales As Potential Predictors Of The Effectiveness Of Thermal Biofeedback Training, Douglas A. Thomas

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Based on the theories pioneered by Sargent, Green, and Walters (1972) in the treatment of migraine headaches, this study has examined the relationship between imagery skills and thermal biofeedback abilities. A counterbalanced design was used to train subjects to cool and warm their hands. They were also given four imagery tasks - the Betts QMI, Verbalizer-Visualizer questionnaire, Paivio's Task, and Block Design task. The results indicated that subjects were capable of controlling hand temperature changes, and subjects trained initially in cooling were more effective at subsequent hand warming, positive transfer. No transfer was found from warming to cooling. Of the …

Natural Language Human-Computer Dialogue: Menu-Based Natural Language And Visual Performance, Jeffrey John Hendrickson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study was conducted to determine design principles for menu-based natural language (MBNL) interfaces and to provide evidence for the nature of visual search processes with menu-based systems. The effects of window size, window activity, and query length were investigated. Window size was manipulated as a between-subjects variable with three levels representing a sixteen-item window size, an eight-item window size, and a four-item window size. Window activity was manipulated as a within-subjects variable with two levels representing single active and multiple active windows. Query length was manipulated as a within-subjects variable with three levels representing one-, two-, and three-item …

The Relationship Between Multiple Health Factors, Demographics, And Body Weight, Glenda J. Potter

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between regular aerobic exercise and body weight. It was the intent of this study to determine if a person who regularly exercises at either high or moderate levels can maintain their body weight at desired levels as specified by the Body Mass Index (BMI). The participants in this study were selected from hospital employees, class members of aerobic classes and/or adult walkers/joggers. There were 38 participants-- 13 males and 25 females.

A self administered questionnaire and a 3-day, 24-hour dietary log were identified to comprise the instrument as well as …

Investigation Of Display Issues Relevant To The Presentation Of Aircraft Fault Information, Donald Mark Allen

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of different display, hypothesis presentation, information presentation, and parameter presentation styles on pilot performance. It was hypothesized that performance would be maximal using picture-based displays, presenting hypothesis information as a composite, showing only out-of-tolerance parameter information, and when parameter information was displayed as a bargraph. The results of the study indicated that pilot performance was best when employing picture- and text-based displays, when fault hypotheses were displayed as composites. There were no differences in response times when picture- and text-based displays were compared. Subjects' performances were best when hypotheses were displayed as composites compared …

Kingdom By The Sea: A Screenplay, John C. Jarvis Jr.

Institute for the Humanities Theses

"Kingdom by the Sea" is a feature-length, theatrical screenplay, modeled on the surrealistic works of Bergman and Fellini. In this country the concepts of experimental theater have seldom been put into a full-length film. This work is intended to help fill that void.

Specifically, this is a love story set in a mythical place called Atlantic Beach. There, the protagonist is seeking the ideal, but when he finds it, he cannot free himself of materialistic desires or needs. In this sense he destroys his utopia and descends into a place called Mog, where the dark side of the ideal dwells. …

Factors Involved In Battered Women's Decision To Leave Their Abusive Partners: Shelter Research In The Southeast, Mary Ellen Miles

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This paper is an examination of some of the factors involved in battered women's decision to leave their partners. A review of past literature on battering, suggests factors that account for the women's decision: 1. the more financially dependent (whether actual or perceived) the battered woman is on the batterer, the more likely the woman will stay in the violent relationship regardless of the shelter services offered; 2. women with a teenage child or children will be more likely to leave the violent relationship than women without teenage children; 3 . women who were abused as children will be more …

A Study To Determine The Effectiveness Audio-Visuals Have On Teaching Computer Aided Drafting, Clyde D. Wiggins

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The following hypothesis was applied to this study: 1. There is a difference in the performance of basic drafting students who are taught computer aided drafting using audio-visuals and basic drafting students who are taught computer aided drafting using the teacher-lecture method.

A Study To Determine The Attitudes Of Parents Toward Clarke Vocational Center Portsmouth, Virginia, Anita L. Riddick

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The objectives of this research were: 1. To identify the positive attributes of Clarke Vocational Secondary Education Center; 2. To identify why parents enrolled their children at Clarke Vocational Secondary Education Center

Dynamic Allocation Of Responsibility Between Operators With Different Models Of System Information Using Computer-Mediated Communication, Michele Terranova

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research focused on the effectiveness of two operator teams for dynamic control of a process simulation. The responsibility for system optimization and failure detection was shared by the operators through computer-mediated communication. System information was displayed to both operators by one of three mental models of the systems: an alphanumeric/separable representation, a graphic/integral system representation, or both representations. The following team-display configurations were used: primary operator with graphic display, support operator with alphanumeric (GRAL); primary operator with alphanumeric display, support operator with graphic (ALGR); both operators with alphanumeric displays (BOAL); both operators with graphic displays (BOGR); and both operators …

Parent Participation In The Educational Process And Student Achievement, Linda Worrell Deans

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of parental involvement between parent and child as well as between parent and school. After the level of parent participation was established, the data set was used to determine whether a relationship exists between the level of parental involvement and student achievement at selected secondary urban schools. The selected secondary schools include two different school divisions.

The study employed five approaches: (1) a descriptive analysis of the variables of parental interaction with the child as it relates to a personal, affective level; a monitoring level; and a social level; as …