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Humor Recognition: A Comparative Analysis, William T. Argent

Dissertations and Theses

There are various approaches to the explanation of humor in the field of humor research. Some of these theories, while providing interesting insight into the phenomenon known as humor, remain limited in their ability to account for how humor is recognized. Others do not even address the issue. This thesis compares five different theories in humor research by analyzing the humorous short story "My Watch" by Mark Twain. These theories are: 1. a typological approach to humor, 2. a social- functional model, 3. incongruity theory, 4. Grice's Cooperative Principle taken from linguistic pragmatics, and 5. the General Theory of Verbal …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet October 1996, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The October 1996 Monthly packet includes the October agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held June 1996.

Temporal Characteristics Of Words Surrounding A Moment Of Stuttering In Preschool-Age Children, Gregory Keith Lilly

Dissertations and Theses

Until this time, few studies have examined differences in durational characteristics in words surrounding a moment of stuttering for untreated preschool children. It is important to determine whether or not untreated preschoolers' who stutter alter the duration of their speech when they stutter versus when they are fluent to determine what factors influence stuttering behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to examine the duration of words immediately before and after a stuttered word and the duration of the matched target word in the identical fluent utterance. The following questions were to be addressed: 1) Is there a significant …

Design Of A Two-Chamber-No₂-Fluorescence-Cell, Volker Schmid

Dissertations and Theses

Nitrogen oxides control the photochemical production of ozone O₃ in the lower atmosphere and influence the concentration of the hydroxyl radical HO in the troposphere. As an important member of the nitrogen oxide family, NO₂ plays a significant role in serving as the only known source of ozone (through photolysis) in the lower atmosphere and as sink for HO via formation of nitric acid. Therefore, accurate measurements of nitrogen dioxide are essential for the understanding of the processes that determine the distribution of tropospheric ozone and for assessing the impact of human activity on the troposphere.

Although reliable and …

The Relationships Among Coping, Control, And Adjustment To Cancer, Sharon Ann Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

This study proposed that a major function of coping is to regain perceptions of control that are threatened by the cancer experience and that perceived control mediates the relationship between coping and adjustment. Participants were 258 cancer patients, 61 % women and 39% men, aged 29 to 93 years. A variety of cancer sites were represented with breast and prostate cancer the most prevalent. Patterns of coping, perceived control in four areas (symptom-emotion, relationship, medical care, and disease control), and emotional adjustment were measured. It was expected that a sixth pattern of coping, problem-focused, would emerge when additional problem-focused items …

The Influence Of Student Gender On Teacher/Student Interactions In Esl Classrooms, Lisa Sybil Mann

Dissertations and Theses

Because teacher/student interactions provide opportunities for correction and comprehensible input, a major component of successful language learning, equitable distribution of teacher/student interactions in the language classroom is an important element for the success of all second language students.

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether differences in teacher/student interactions based on student gender occurred in four college English as a Second Language instructors' classrooms. The role of instructor gender and student ethnicity in teacher/student interaction content and frequency were also examined. Informal interviews were designed to determine the instructors' awareness of their classroom behaviors as they relate …

James Baldwin's Search For A Homosexual Identity In His Novels, Nadia Abdel Fattah

Dissertations and Theses

James Arthur Baldwin (1924-1987) is one of the two major writers who have dared write about black gay men and from a black gay perspective. However, his fame as a racial spokesman and his insightful analyses of race relations in America tend to distract attention from the fact that he has been one of the most important homosexual writers of the twentieth century. Intolerance and homophobia among black and white Americans often led to a misinterpretation or misevaluation of James Baldwin's novels.

James Baldwin was very courageous to come out as a black homosexual writer during the period of the …

A Study Of The Narrative Skills Of 7-Year Olds With Normal, Impaired, And Late Developing Language, Rita F. Hernandez

Dissertations and Theses

The narrative, just like any lectured or monologue information which is shared, does not depend to any great extent on context. Therefore, ability to encode and decode the information to be presented verbally is required, that is, in order for the speaker to be able to verbalize what he or she wants to say while taking into consideration the listener's needs. This indicates that production of strong narratives depends on higher level language skills, and so children's narratives provide a sensitive means of assessing children's language development. The purpose of this study was to compare the narrative ability of children …

Calibration Of A Ccd Camera And Correction Of Its Images, Armin Rest

Dissertations and Theses

Charge-Coupled-Device (CCD) cameras have opened a new world in astronomy and other related sciences with their high quantum efficiency, stability, linearity, and easy handling. Nevertheless, there is still noise in raw CCD images and even more noise is added through the image calibration process. This makes it essential to know exactly how the calibration process impacts the noise level in the image. The properties and characteristics of the calibration frames were explored. This was done for bias frames, dark frames and flat-field frames at different temperatures and for different exposure times.

At first, it seemed advantageous to scale down a …

An Exploratory Inquiry Into Community Policing Using Focus Groups: Perspectives From Social Service Providers, Tanya Leigh Ostrogorsky

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Portland, Oregon's community policing policy by using focus groups to discuss the development and effectiveness over one year, Spring 1994 to Spring 1995. The group discussed included management level social service providers and was one piece of a large scale program evaluation. The collected data developed into six major categories: 1) personnel policies and institutional memory; 2) training; 3) consistency; 4) community involvement and responsibility; 5) partnerships or relationships, and 6) change over time. The most highly discussed issue was the discrepancy between the philosophy of the Bureau, community policing, and the …

Design And Implementation Of A Model For Authoring And Presenting Interactive Multimedia Documents, Vibha Mukul Nayyar

Dissertations and Theses

Multimedia technology enables direct manipulation of multiple media such as text, image, audio, and video, all integrated into one entity - the multimedia document. Interactive multimedia documents integrate text, images and continuous media such as audio and video, treat them as objects to be presented for a certain duration, and allow users to interact with the presentation. Authoring and presenting interactive multimedia documents imposes new requirements on document representation. We designed the interactive timeline model (ITM) for authoring and presenting interactive multimedia documents. We implemented the model and created a playback tool using the scripting language Tcl.

ITM uses an …

Liang Qichao, Hu Shi, And Democracy In China, Leslie Ann Burgoine

Dissertations and Theses

Democracy was one of the many Western ideas that began to be discussed among the Chinese intellectual elite in the last decades of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Liang Qichao (1873-1929), a leader of the 1895-98 Reform Movement, and Hu Shi (1891-1962), a central figure of the 1915-27 New Culture Movement, were two of the most influential proponents of democracy in modern Chinese history. Liang and Hu linked their meanings of democracy with the highest goals for China, national strength and modernity.

Liang Qichao was a revolutionary in advocating the opening of participation in politics to people outside the official government …

Evaluation Of A Rapid-Screening Toxicity Test Using The Ciliate, Colpoda Inflata (Stokes): Sensitivity And Bioavailability To Model Compounds, Daria Galina Mochan

Dissertations and Theses

Standard toxicity tests often require high costs for maintaining healthy cultures, so few test species are employed in routine ecotoxicological analysis. An alternative is the "battery of tests" approach involving using rapid toxicity tests for screening. Rapid-screening toxicity tests must display organism sensitivity, similarity in responses to other test organisms, relevancy to many circumstances, and repeatability. Protozoa are ideal candidates for rapid-screening bioassays. They are cosmopolitan, play important roles in ecosystems, and have high reproductive rates. Many protozoa can form a resting stage (cyst) that remains viable during adverse conditions, eliminating the need for maintaining continuous cultures for testing.

The …

Thermal Preference Of Spring And Fall Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) During Smoltification, Sally T. Sauter

Dissertations and Theses

Innate species-specific temperature preferences of fish are subjected to fluctuations under a variety of environmental, physiological, and developmental conditions. The temperature preference patterns of two ecologically distinct races of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were investigated as laboratory held animals underwent smoltification. Smoltification is a distinct developmental stage in the life history of anadromous salmonids when juvenile fish undergo profound behavioral, morphological, and physiological differentiation prepatory to seawater entry. A group of spring and fall chinook salmon were held under identical conditions of increasing water temperature over the course of smoltification. Another group of spring and fall chinook salmon were held …

Dramatic Conflict And Historical Reality In Carl Zuckmayer's Hauptmann Von Kopenick, Craig O. Smith

Dissertations and Theses

Carl Zuckmayer drafted his drama, Der Hauptmann von Köpenick, as an intended contribution to the Heidelberger Festspiele in late 1930. He chose Wilhelm Voigt's 1906 seizure of the Rathaus in Köpenick as the theme best suited for the realization of his twofold intention - the combination of an Eulenspiegel figure and criticism of contemporary events. The following thesis analyzes the relationship between theatrical and historic event through an examination of the composition of the Hauptmann von Köpenick's generic elements. Through an evaluation of Zuckmayer's drama in terms of form, technical composition, and socio-political environment, this study intends to arrive …

The Effectiveness Of A Self-Directed Inservice Program To Educate Teachers About The Classroom Needs Of Students With Hearing Impairment, Teresa Michelle Whiteley

Dissertations and Theses

Students with mild to moderate hearing losses, and some with severe hearing losses, are mainstreamed in a regular classroom for all or part of the day (Martin, Berstein, Daly & Cody, 1988). While these students may require special education services, the classroom teacher plays a vital role in the overall education and daily management of a child with a hearing impairment (Hass, 1987). Villa (1989) reported that many school employees have not received adequate training to educate these students. Therefore, it becomes the school's responsibility to educate teachers through a comprehensive inservice training program.

One format for providing such a …

Distribution Coefficients Of Ionized And Un-Ionized Halogenated Phenols In An Octanol-Water System And Their Relationship To Molecular Structure, Sven Hensler

Dissertations and Theses

Life supporting biological membranes are barriers to toxic chemicals. One of the factors determining the toxicity of chemical compounds is their distribution between membranes and their an environment. An octanol-water system is frequently used as a model for biological membranes to estimate the toxic potency of environmental pollutants. The distribution of a chemical between the octanol and the water phase is described by the octanol-water partition coefficient K_OW. This study is concerned with the relationship between K_OW and the molecular structure of the toxic chemical.

In the study the following trihalophenols were included: 2,4,6-trifluorophenol (TriFP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TriCP); …

An Exploratory Evaluation Of Language And Culture Contact By Japanese Sojourners In A Short-Term Us Academic Program, Elizabeth Anna Hartley

Dissertations and Theses

Short-term intercultural exchange programs provide a wealth of information and experiences for participants. Participants are given the opportunity to travel out of their native country and are exposed to new languages and cultures. This case study looks at the Japanese sojourners in the Northwest/Pacific Rim (NWPR) summer program. The purpose was to examine the language use of the Japanese sojourners throughout the course of the NWPR program. This case study sought to determine when the Japanese sojourners used English and/or Japanese, in which situations, what strategies the Japanese sojourners employed and who initiated contact with whom. All of the data …

Willa Cather's Spirituality, Mary Ellen Scofield

Dissertations and Theses

Both overtly and subtly, the early twentieth century American author Willa Cather (1873-1947) gives her readers a sense of a spiritual realm in the world of her novels. '!'his study explores Cather's changing conceptions of spirituality and ways_in which she portrays them in three of her novels. I propose that though Cather is seldom considered a modernist, her interest in spirituality parallels Virginia Woolf's interest in moments of heightened consciousness, and that she invented ways to express ineffable connections with a spiritual dimension of life. In 0 Pioneers! (1913), Cather proposes that those who use their intuition to express themselves …

Neorealism And Environmental Cooperation: Towards A Structural Explanation Of International Environmental Matters, Anthony David Lott

Dissertations and Theses

The realist tradition in world politics has long been heralded by statesmen and scholars alike as offering an authentic account of the relations between states. Realists consider self-interest, anarchy, and power politics to guide the behavior of states in the international system. The perception that cooperation and amity are now the norm in the international system has raised the possibility of a theoretical shift of focus in the study of international politics. At present, scholars within the discipline of international politics are debating the relevance of realist thought. In particular, neorealism, or the structural variation of traditional realism, is under …

Ottilie: Expression Of The Ideal Of Romantic Childlikeness In Goethe's Wahlverwandtschaften, Melodie Joy Steele

Dissertations and Theses

The interpretation of Ottilie in Goethe's Wahlverwandtschaften stems from an understanding of romantic motifs, which find their most systematic expression in her childlike character. Ottilie embodies the romantic idealization of childhood as a means of withdrawal from the enlightened world, echoing the Romantics' rejection of the disenchanted Age of Enlightenment. Through her portrayal of innocent childlikeness, her adolescent conflict with the rational world, and her final rejection of enlightenment, Ottilie maintains her childlike purity, expressing the romantic ideal of childhood.

Ottilie's childlike emotional disposition puts her in conflict with the enlightened world of adults and academia. In an attempt to …

The Dangers Of Nuclear Proliferation: Five Reasons More May Not Be Better, Matthew Macarthur

Dissertations and Theses

Though many international relations theorists have speculated that the spread of nuclear weapons may diminish the frequency -- if not the severity -- of military conflict among states, there are five reasons to expect that increased proliferation will increase the likelihood that nuclear weapons will be employed for coercive or destructive purposes. These dangers are independent of one another; that is, they are not interconnected as causes and effects. First, as nuclear weapons spread, the notion that these weapons are useful for purposes other than deterrence will spread concomitantly. Those who argue that the spread of nuclear weapons will diminish …

The Socio-Cultural Content Analysis Of English As A Foreign Language Textbooks Used In Junior High School In Taiwan, Republic Of China, Vivian Yann-Ling Lu

Dissertations and Theses

The English textbooks evaluated are used to prepare students for the competitive high school entrance examinations in Taiwan, thus students spend a great deal of time studying them. Though the textbooks were stated to be designed for language and cultural learning purposes, it seems no study exists that examines to what degree there is clear articulation between the government's stated culture learning goal and actual textbook content. Therefore, this study examines to what degree the textbooks allow students to reach said goal, that is, "to increase culture awareness of the societies and cultures of foreign countries and our own" (Junior …

Speech Understanding In Noise As A Function Of Microphone Placement In Hearing Aids, Erin Marlene Flowers Hand

Dissertations and Theses

Hearing aid users often complain of poor speech understanding in the presence of background noise. There have been many attempts to overcome this problem by hearing aid manufactures and dispensers. The purpose of the present study was to determine if differences existed between three different styles of hearing aids (i.e. in the ear (ITE), in the canal (ITC), and completely in the canal (CIC)) in the presence of a multi-talker babble. Five sensori-neural hearing impaired subjects were selected from the Portland State University audiology clinic. The subjects were required to listen to a recording of the California Consonant Test (CCT) …

La Protagonista En Dos Novelas Latinoamericanas Escritas Por Mujeres, Khatereh K. Sabahi

Dissertations and Theses

Este estudio hace una comparaci6n de las protagonistas de dos novelas escritas por mujeres. Analiza dos sociedades diferentes separada por el tiempo y la distancia. Trata de encontrar respuestas a las diferencias existentes, tomando en cuenta los cambios politicos, sociales y literarios que afectan a las mujeres. Ambas novelas se centran en la mujer y su lucha contra la sociedad y la incomprensi6n por parte del hombre. Se hace hincapie en el tipo diferente de sociedad en que vive cada una de las protagonistas y en el papel del hombre dentro de esta sociedad. Tambien se toma en consideraci6n la …

Speech Recognition With Linear And Non-Linear Amplification In The Presence Of Industrial Noise, Marcia Ann Olson

Dissertations and Theses

In order to help reduce hearing loss, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates noise levels in work environments. However, hearing aids are the primary rehabilitative service provided for individuals with an occupational hearing loss. Very little is being done to monitor hearing aid use in the work environment. Noise which may be safe to an unaided ear can amplified to levels that are damaging to the ear when a hearing aid is being worn. However, it is necessary for some individuals to wear amplification in these noisy environments for safety reasons. As a consequence it is important that these …

The Flor Metaphor Of Pre-Conquest Nahuatl Literature, Victoria Louise Defferding

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of the present study is to show that the metaphor, flor, of Pre-Conquest Nahuatl literature means much more than the most widely accepted rendering of that metaphor that classic scholars such as Miguel Leon-Portilla and Angel M. Garibay have attributed to it. Typically flor is referred to as meaning poetry. It is explored in this study as a metaphor that refers to entheogenic plants, their use and the divine words or songs, or poetry, that resulted from their use. As evidence for the theory presented, I examine and discuss various religious practices and important archeological treasures in …

An Analysis Of The Literary Manifestations Of The Cult Of The Virgin Mary In Gonzalo De Berceo's Milagros De Nuestra Senora, Elizabeth M. Deeter

Dissertations and Theses

The cult of the Virgin Mary reached its climactic point in Europe during the Middle Ages, and was particularly strong in Spain. Literature became a concrete expression of Marianism because it reflected the beliefs of the populace. Gonzalo de Berceo, a Castilian monk, greatly influenced by the ever-growing Marian piety, wrote a collection of poems in which the activity of the Blessed Mother in everyday human life is documented. I propose to do a detailed miracle-by-miracle analysis of Mary's interactions with others by focusing on Berceo's characterization of her in her principal role as a mother. In addition, I will …

The Industrial Workers Of The World And The Oregon Packing Company Strike Of July 1913, Adam J. Hodges

Dissertations and Theses

This study builds upon the notion of a Wobbly 'sensibility' established by Salvatore Salemo and relates it to John Townsend's analysis of conflict between that group's adherents and western Progressives. The latter scholar, by concentrating on middle-class economic anxiety, failed to deal with the virtual unanimity of opposition to the IWW in western towns. Salerno's assertion that a 'sensibility' within the IWW was more binding than ideology raises the possibility that individuals and organizations of varying beliefs could be similarly united within a single cultural sphere with a directed purpose. Such an analysis can apply to factions of Progressivism and …

The Role And Perception Of Risk In High-Risk Sports Participants: A Grounded Theory Study Of Rock Climbers, Ronald E. Baglien

Dissertations and Theses

Previous research examining high-risk sports participation has yielded discrepancies between the role assigned to risk and the perceptions of climbers regarding risk. Risk, as it applies to high-risk sport participation, has not been sufficiently defined in the literature. The current study sought to develop, by means of a grounded theory approach, a new, dynamic operational definition of risk as it applies to rock climbers, and to examine the role of risk management as a modifying factor in the perception of risk and its impact on motivation and participation. Nineteen subjects (twelve male and seven female) averaging 14.7 years of climbing …