Digital Commons Network^™

Thinking Through Consciousness, Erica Hanson

University Honors Theses

Consciousness is difficult to pin down. Most human beings go about their days with full and more or less uninterrupted consciousness, without contemplating their own (or other peoples’) conscious states. To be in the world, and accomplish great acts takes little metaawareness of consciousness, but in the study of consciousness our inability to think outside of our conscious states creates controversies at the conceptual and methodological levels. As Victor Lamme states (2006), even when we set aside the more difficult (or more poorly defined) questions about conscious experience to focus on finding the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), we face …

Use Of Gender Aschematicity In The Reassessment Of Gender Concepts, Ashley A. Ward

University Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to reevaluate the binary constructs of sex and gender; and the biological and social influence these constructs have on males, females, and non-normative individuals. Throughout this examination, biological, specifically chromosomal and anatomical, differences between sexes will help foster a definition of sex. Psychological theories will then be examined, calculating the psychological and social factors surrounding gender. A reevaluation of gender constructs will shed light on previously held misconceptions about gender and help lay groundwork for non-normative gender acceptance in the future. Furthermore, the thesis will delve into gender aschematicity and potential benefits of gender …

The South Kelso Revitalization Plan, Ashley Harris, Aaron Lande, Chris Myers, Beth Otto, John Verssue, Kate Williams

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The city of Kelso has a rich history based in a strong community ethic, hard-working people, and an economy deeply rooted in the bounty of the natural environment. This economy has changed over the last several decades, however, and the difficult transition has left its mark on the community. South Kelso in particular- one of the four neighborhood quadrants- is battling its fourth generation of disinvestment and widespread poverty. To help the City revitalize South Kelso, the aim of the South Kelso Revitalization Plan is to give voice, strength, and direction to the concerns and priorities of the South Kelso …

Fresh Look Milwaukie: Downtown Road Map, Carine Arendes, Jeffery Butts, Ryan Lemay, Erica Smith, Iren Taran

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The Fresh Look Milwaukie: Downtown Road Map project was a collaboration between ALIGN planning, City of Milwaukie staff, and over 300 fantastic Milwaukie community members, to plan for an improved Downtown. Through the project, City staff and ALIGN planning identified shared Milwaukie community values and analyzed how those values interact with current Downtown plans, as well as current physical and economic conditions. This document provides recommendations that are accompanied by concrete strategies to support a vibrant Downtown Milwaukie in the short and long-term future. The recommendations are the project team’s interpretation of community desires, transformed into policy direction and planning …

Teaching Through Interactions: Testing A Developmental Framework Of Teacher Effectiveness In Over 4,000 Classrooms, Bridget K. Hamre, Robert C. Pianta, Jason T. Downer, Jamie Decoster, Andrew J. Mashburn, Stephanie M. Jones, Joshua L. Brown, Elise Cappella, Marc Atkins, Susan E. Rivers, Marc A, Brackett, Aki Hamagami

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Validating frameworks for understanding classroom processes that contribute to student learning and development is important to advance the scientific study of teaching. This article presents one such framework, Teaching through Interactions, which posits that teacher-student interactions are a central driver for student learning and organizes teacher-student interactions into three major domains. Results provide evidence that across 4,341 preschool to elementary classrooms (1) teacher-student classroom interactions comprise distinct emotional, organizational, and instructional domains; (2) the three-domain latent structure is a better fit to observational data than alternative one- and two-domain models of teacher-student classroom interactions; and (3) the three-domain structure is …

Classical Political Philosophy And Modern Democracy, Rebekkah Brainerd

University Honors Theses

This paper will be looking at the classical political theories of Plato, Aristotle and Thucydides on democracy to prove they are still relevant and applicable, as well as looking into the problem of democratic corruption. This paper will be split into three sections. The first section will explore these philosophers' theories on different types of constitutions and explore what forms the basis for their theories upon democracy. The second section will develop an applicable "classical political theory on democracy," distilled from these authors' arguments. The final section will be applying classical political theory to contemporary American trends to show how …

The Linguistics Of Sentiment Analysis, Laurel Hart

University Honors Theses

Computational linguistics is a field that was founded by linguists, but more recently is the domain of more computer scientists than linguists. Use of data driven and machine learning methods for computational linguistics applications is now more common than handwritten linguistic rules. In order for a linguist to enter the field, it is essential that he or she be familiar with methods and techniques from computer science. The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first is to serve as a linguist's introduction to concepts from outside of linguistics that are used in computational linguistics. The second purpose is to …

Materialism, Personal Food Projects, And Satisfaction: A Phenomenological Study Of Urban Gardening In Portland, Oregon, Robin René Wikoff

Dissertations and Theses

Nonmarket activities such as gardening and cooking are often correlated with increased well-being and happiness. Additionally, nonmarket, casual activities such as gardening and food preparation are often internally motivated, and provide observable examples of self-concordant experiences. Self-concordance, i.e., internalized motivation, has been shown to increase satisfaction and increase efficacy of goal attainment. Further, experiential hobbies such as gardening may help individuals feel more satisfied, adopt more intrinsic life aspirations, and be less materialistic.

This study explored satisfaction, materialism, and food activities by focusing on first-person, lived experiences of eight urban gardeners in Portland Oregon who grow, prepare, and eat their …

Establishing Foundations For Investigating Inquiry-Oriented Teaching, Estrella Maria Salas Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

The Teaching Abstract Algebra for Understanding (TAAFU) project was centered on an innovative abstract algebra curriculum and was designed to accomplish three main objectives: to produce a set of multi-media support materials for instructors, to understand the challenges faced by mathematicians as they implemented this curriculum, and to study how this curriculum supports student learning of abstract algebra. Throughout the course of the project I took the lead investigating the teaching and learning in classrooms using the TAAFU curriculum. My dissertation is composed of three components of this research. First, I will report on a study that aimed to describe …

Neighboring In Strip City: A Situational Analysis Of Strip Clubs, Land Use Conflict, And Occupational Health In Portland, Oregon, Moriah Mcsharry Mcgrath

Dissertations and Theses

A lack of land use controls on sexually oriented businesses contributes to the unique configuration of Portland, Oregon's strip clubs: nearly fifty clubs are distributed throughout the city's neighborhoods. Considered a locally unwanted land use (LULU) by many, these strip clubs are regulated by a variety of formal and informal social processes in the absence of zoning. This qualitative study explores drivers and constraints shaping the spatial configuration of Portland's strip club industry as well as influences on land use conflict at strip club sites and working conditions for women who work as exotic dancers in the clubs. Data collection …

Why Ask Why: An Exploration Of The Role Of Proof In The Mathematics Classroom, Joanna Rachel Bartlo

Dissertations and Theses

Although proof has long been viewed as a cornerstone of mathematical activity, incorporating the mathematical practice of proving into classrooms is not a simple matter. In this dissertation I aim to advance research on proof by addressing this issue. In particular, I explore the role proof might play in promoting the learning of mathematics in the classroom. I do this in a series of three articles (organized as three chapters), which are preceded by an introductory chapter. The introductory chapter situates the remaining chapters in the context of mathematics education research. In the second chapter I explore what the literature …

Study Of Employment Retention Veterans (Serve): Improving Reintegration Of Oregon National Guard And Reserves In The Workplace, Gilbert Patrick Brady, Jr., Leslie B. Hammer

Student Research Symposium

This presentation will provide an overview of the recently funded Department of Defense grant (Principal Investigator, Leslie Hammer, Ph.D.). Since 9/11 over 2.8 million United States military personnel have served in and around Iraq and Afghanistan. By 2018, the number of post-9/11 veterans is projected to top 3.1 million. Of these most recent veterans, 18% have difficulty holding a job and many experience family difficulty. Presently, a third or more of these post-9/11 veterans – some 874,728 service members and counting – have deployed to various global hotspots as active-duty reservists of the U.S. armed forces. Unemployment, underemployment and mental …

Through A Veteran's Eyes: The Transition Of The Army Leader Into The Civilian Workforce, Maria Carolina Gonzalez-Prats

Student Research Symposium

In the next five years, over a million service members will be transitioning back into civilian life, the majority from tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. This qualitative study, completed as a satisfying requirement for the Masters of Psychology in Organization Development degree at Sonoma State University, explored the experiences of leaders, as well as the challenges and enablers that effect their transition from the Army to the Civilian workforce. The thesis also examined the impact on both the military and civilian communities. Data was collected using interviews with ten Army leaders, whose time in service ranged from four to 22 …

The Significance Of A Distinction Between A Sexual Act And A Sexual Identity, Nirvana Fairbanks

Student Research Symposium

This paper describes the distinction between a sexual act and a sexual identity as seen in different cultural contexts with regard to male homosexuality. It describes differences in how homosexual behavior is interpreted culturally. It discusses how more value is placed on certain sexual acts while there is less focus on a sexual identity and vice versa. For example, in Latin American culture, if two men are sexually involved with one another, it is the acts they perform that dictate how they are viewed, rather than the fact that they are two men engaging in sex together. In Western culture, …

Learning & Practice Sessions: Contributing To A Strong Academic Foundation For Undergraduate Csd Students, Erin E. Robling, Susan Ginley, Rik Lemoncello

Student Research Symposium

While the scope of practice for speech-language pathologists has expanded dramatically, graduate clinical training remains a two year master’s degree. A solid foundation in undergraduate communication sciences and disorders (CSD) coursework is ever-more essential to prepare students for the breadth of knowledge and skills obtained in graduate school. How are undergraduate/post-baccalaureate CSD programs evolving to meet this challenge? This study proposes one such enhancement. Learning & Practice Sessions are a program by which peer undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students lead weekly, post-class review sessions during which participating students have an opportunity to review the week’s material, discuss challenging concepts, examine anatomical …

Fidelity And Adaptation Of A Sibling Relationship Intervention For The Prevention Of Antisocial Behavior, Casadi "Khaki" Marino

Student Research Symposium

The Supporting Siblings in Foster Care program (SIBS) utilizes a universal recruitment strategy for a RCT skills training program for siblings in foster care at high risk of poor health, disability, and conduct issues. This poster session will examine the process of program adaptation, review the components of intervention fidelity, and explore the challenges of intervention in the context of foster children's lives. Fidelity of implementation and program adaptation are essential to prevention program design. Program adaptation may be required for cultural fit and ecological factors. Focus group data from a group of intervention staff indicated that changes were made …

The Story And Song Centered Pedagogy: Teaching Empathy In The Classroom, Parfait Adegboyé Bassalé

Student Research Symposium

This presentation was given as part of the Panel Presentation Studies in Education at Portland State University's Research Symposium. The Story and Song Centered Pedagogy (SSCP) is an educational framework that uses songs, stories and reflective questioning to increase empathy with an audience. In a preliminary study conducted with high school students, I tested the prediction that being exposed to the SSCP would increase empathy. I focused on the Emotional Concern (EC) and Perspective Taking (PT) subscales of the renowned empathy measurement tool: the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Subjects self-reported their answers to the IRI before and after undergoing the …

Family And Social Roles In Queer Children's Literature, Nicolas Toscana Brouhard

Student Research Symposium

This research investigates family and social roles in queer children's literature. It provides a thematic analysis of popular titles published during the last decade. It argues that heteronormative and queer-identified protagonists in these stories have identical values concerning family and society. The analysis includes "In Our Mother's House" by Patricia Polacco, "And Tango Makes Three" by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, "King & King" by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland, and "Donovan’s Big Day" by Leslea Newman. The analysis focuses on how characters relationships and their commitments to each other such as weddings. It also explores how they take …

Exploring The Application Of Reconstructability Analysis To Behavior Expression Data From A Social Network, Martin Zwick, Teresa D. Schmidt

Student Research Symposium

Reconstructability analysis (RA) is proposed as a complementary method for evaluating social network-related phenomena. Longitudinal records of social behavior expression among members of a social network are commonly represented as a set of social network analysis (SNA) connections, but might also be usefully represented as a set of associations derived through RA methods. Reconstructability Analysis identifies individuals as being associated when their behavior patterns appear coordinated–a representation that is unavailable with standard SNA. To explore the potential usefulness of RA for analyzing social behaviors, simulated behavior patterns were evaluated with both SNA and RA, and the results were compared. Several …

Evaluating A Possible Association Between Déjà Vu Frequency And Memory Performance To Explain Déjà Vu, Duncan Prince, Caleb Archuleta

Student Research Symposium

Prior research shows that reported frequency of déjà vu declines with age. Memory performance also declines with aging. This study investigated separately a relationship of recollection and familiarity performance with déjà vu frequency, in a sample of college students to control for age. The hypothesis was that there will be a positive correlation between déjà vu frequency and recollection, and there will not be a correlation between familiarity and déjà vu frequency. The Inventory for Déjà Vu Experiences Assessment, a valid and reliable instrument, was used to quantify déjà vu frequency. Recollection and familiarity were quantitated separately by a memory …

Mathematics Orality And Literacy, Beverly Orth

Student Research Symposium

To become a mathematician, a student must learn how to "do" mathematics and also how to communicate with other mathematicians. Through a special language, both oral and written, mathematicians share a discourse community. This community extends not only across the boundaries of natural language, but also across centuries. My paper explores the following question: How does a person enter the discourse community of mathematicians? My research shows that learning mathematics parallels the learning of natural language reading and writing. Much like learning a foreign language, learning mathematics has been based mostly on oral tradition. The orality of mathematics learning is …

Becoming A Writer-Librarian, Emily Ford

Library Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

This article offers a reflection on my pursuit to become a writer-librarian. In addition to participating in a professional writing program at my institution, in November of 2012 I participated in Academic Writing Month and Digital Writing Month. Through these immersive experiences I worked to figure out who is my writerly librarian self and discovered some tools and techniques to help me along the way. This article begins with an explanation of Academic Writing Month and Digital Writing Month, discusses writing in Library and Information Science, and then offers more reflection on my discoveries as I tried to become a …

Senator Dodd Versus The National Rifle Association: Passing The Gun Control Act Of 1968, Bennett D. Sorensen

Young Historians Conference

After the assassination of President Kennedy, Senator Dodd sought to pass gun control legislation. The National Rifle Association took the forefront on the debate against Dodd and became more politically active as an organization. After long debate, news coverage, and blame on both sides, the assassinations of two political figures MLK and Robert Kennedy spurred Dodd's Bill into passing, but only after amendments lessening its original effect The Gun Control Act of 1968 formed the basis of the modern, polarizing gun control debate and reflects the process of passing gun control legislation today.

The Mask Behind The Man, Alex Whitehead

Young Historians Conference

Since the time of the Ancient Greeks, western theatre has always found a use for masks in its performances, yet it was not just their functionality that made them a cornerstone of early drama. The real importance did not come from what masks could physically show, but from what they could represent for the cultures that used them. This paper looks back as far as the playwright Thespis and explores how Greek beliefs on identity, glory, and hubris shaped the meaning of masks, and look the implications of these ancient thoughts on the world of theatre today.

How Did The Use Of Propaganda Affect The Development Of Nazi Germany As A Single-Party State?, Lindsey Schiager

Young Historians Conference

This Internal Assessment investigates how propaganda in the media influenced Nazi Germany's development as a single party state. It reviews Adolf Hitler's background and role in the development of a propaganda ministry as well as Joseg Goebbels, the man who created the propaganda itself. Single party states use propaganda to increase and spread the popularity of the party. There is also a focus on propaganda techniques, such as bright colors to draw a viewer in, and the different propaganda outlets a citizen would have been exposed to. In this investigation, propaganda was found to have positively affected Germany's rise as …

Online Mental Health Information Seeking In Young Adults With Mental Health Challenges, L. Kris Gowen

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

Barriers such as stigmatization and access to health care may lead young adults with mental health conditions (YAMHC) to try to find alternatives to more traditional means of obtaining care. One possible alternative is to seek information online. The purpose of this article is to better understand how YAMHC use the Internet to access information about mental health, and the challenges they face when trying to access that information. Semistructured focus groups were conducted to investigate how YAMHC use the Internet for information and support regarding their mental health. Three major themes about mental health information seeking emerged from the …

Group Counseling For Students Transitioning Out Of Postsecondary Education, Joel A. Lane

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper proposes a Narrative-based group counseling model for postsecondary students preparing to graduate and transition out of university life. The challenges associated with this transition are both psychological and career-related in nature. The author utilizes multiple transition frameworks to provide a conceptualization of the graduation transition, and offers an overview of narrative therapy, its use in transition counseling, and its use in groupwork. The proposed intervention calls for two facilitators and between six and eight members. An intervention overview is provided that includes recruitment and prescreening instructions as well as content for eight sessions.

Portland State Magazine, Portland State University. Office Of University Communications

Portland State Magazine

PSU’s alumni magazine, published 2-3 times a year. In this issue: The School of Fine and Performing Arts becomes the College of the Arts; Portland State geology professor Scott Burns maps the hazards of radon gas; new ideas from faculty and staff could transform the classroom; women students from Saudi Arabia find a different but welcoming culture at PSU; an $8 million gift transforms the School of Business Administration; aging with purpose; and more.

2012 Oregon Crime Victims’ Needs Assessment Final Report, Deborah Elliott, Karen Cellarius, Tara Horn

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

On behalf of the Crime Victims’ Services Division of the Oregon Department of Justice, the Portland State University Regional Research Institute for Human Services conducted an eighteen-month needs assessment of the current state of crime victim services and crime victims’ needs in Oregon. This 2012 study was a ten-year follow-up of the 2002 statewide crime victims’ needs assessment conducted by RRI for CVSD’s predecessor, the DOJ Crime Victims’ Assistance Section. The 2012 statewide needs assessment was conducted from July 2011 through December 2012 with the primary objectives of: (1) Reviewing changes in the field of crime victim services since the …

Teacher Professional Learning Communities For Sustainability: Supporting Stem In Learning Gardens In Low-Income Schools, Sybil S. Kelley, Dilafruz R. Williams

Educational Leadership and Policy Faculty Publications and Presentations

In order to address the ecological and social problems of sustainability in our modern times, citizens need to be empowered with an understanding of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts and practices. Furthermore, STEM must be democratized and taught in life-giving and life-sustaining ways that include all students instead of the small fraction of "high achievers" and limited to the "potential" scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. At present, K-12 students and their teachers rarely have the opportunity to learn beyond their concrete school walls and to reconnect with nature, exacerbating their disconnection of STEM from real life and hence sustainability. …