Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of Domestic Violence Perpetration: A Further Look Into The Gender Symmetry Debate., Michelle Parra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The influences of certain social changes and social movements, such as the feminist movement, in society introduced a violence gendered stereotype model that promoted the social idea that males are more violent than females. From the limited research, it appears that domestic violence perpetration among women differs from male domestic violence perpetration; however, research has not clarified the extent of female domestic violence perpetration and the severity of their abusive behaviors. The current research examines gender-specific intimate partner violence perpetration to determine whether attitudes toward social gender role expectations, income contribution and production, and division of labor in the household …

The Source And Impact Of Student Engagement For Black Students In An Urban High School, Deshawn Sims

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The achievement of Black students has repeatedly met only the lowest standards of performance on standardized assessments, which begs the question; do American schools have the capacity to educate Black children? The purpose of this action research manuscript dissertation was to explore the teacher behaviors and instructional strategies that developed a culture of high achievement among Black students as measured by student engagement and discourse, immediately before and after desegregation, and in classrooms today. The examination of popular theories concerning the education of Black people in the early 1900's and narratives of individuals who attended segregated schools, provided a historical …

Keeping Their Distance: A Comparison Of 2009 And 2013 Domestic Violence Cases In Seminole County That Utilized Gps Technology To Determine Effectiveness Of Program, Rachel Rados

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the implementation and effectiveness of the Seminole County Sheriff's Office Global Positioning System (GPS) when ordered by the court for "no contact" in Domestic Violence cases, specifically Intimate Partner Violence. The research evaluates violations, which occurred while arrestees were assigned to GPS in 2009 and 2013; the programs first year and the most recent with complete data available. The results found limited factors that could be identified as predicting violations for those who violated the GPS, but the qualitative interviews shed much more light on the value of the program. The qualitative interviews were conducted with various …

Navigating Sociotechnical Power Structures: Dynamics Of Conflict In World Of Warcraft's Player Versus Player Events, Rachael Root

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a result of technological advancement and exponential increases in global access, cross-disciplinary research has recently turned to digital online video games. Most anthropological research within this area has centered around player self-identification, gender construction, and gaming communities. Yet many interactions occur at nodes of dynamic conflict where agentic players navigate intersections of power, which are unaddressed in the scholarly corpus. By utilizing ethnographic methods in World of Warcraft's player versus player events, I examine resources, relationships, and tools that underpin player actions and understandings. My findings reveal layered and dynamic patterns of sociotechnical conflict. Players' geographical location impacts access …

By Book And School: The Politics Of Educational Reform In France And Algeria During The Early Third Republic, Michael Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the era of New Imperialism, the newly-formed French Third Republic continued France's civilizing mission both in France and in Algeria. Founded on a series of reforms, republican leaders and educational experts judged primary level education taught in the French language to be the most effective means of uniting a linguistically and culturally diverse population in the metropole. These republican values, based on revolutionary tenet of universality, would help France to sustain a republican regime, would thwart attempts to reestablish monarchical rule, and would teach future French citizens what it meant to be politically active. At the same time, another …

From The Yellow Peril To The Model Minority: An Experimental Survey Examining Racial Attitudes Towards Asian Americans, Jenny Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attitudinal research continues to show a more liberal trend in racial attitudes of Whites towards Blacks across a spectrum of issues (i.e. interracial marriage, residential integration, etc.) leading some to believe that we are moving into a post-racial society. However, a growing body of research has brought into question this utopian post-racial assertion. While Whites express support for racial equality in principle, they vehemently oppose race-targeted policies aimed to address racial inequality. This principle-policy gap has been consistently associated with persistent racial resentment; thus, contradicting the notion that of a post-racial era. Existing attitudinal research is often limited to the …

Juvenile-Perpetrated Homicide And Family Disorganization, Brittany Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Juvenile-perpetrated homicide is a complicated and sensitive topic in the literature. Uncovering the potential influences on a juvenile is arguably important for recognizing the trends in juvenile behavior and the devastating consequences of some of this behavior. Family disorganization, a component to social disorganization as proposed by Elliott and Merrill (1934), explained that families with higher levels of social disorganization (as measured by factors such as poverty, welfare, and residential mobility) are expected to have higher numbers of juvenile delinquents. Using this theoretical frame, data from 1984-2006 on juvenile-perpetrated homicide in 91 of the largest cities in the United States …

The Impact Of Board Capital And Servant Leadership On Board Effectiveness: A Study Of Florida Community Foundations, Lauren Obyrne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community foundations have considerable potential for positive social change in the communities they serve yet are understudied in nonprofit management and leadership literature. Recently, community foundations have become one of the largest avenues of organized philanthropy. The boards of community foundations frequently consist of a different composition of members than other nonprofit organizations, making a focus on individual characteristics of board members a worthwhile area of study. This exploratory study considers board capital through human capital, structural capital, and social capital and the impact this has on board effectiveness. In addition, it considers the impact of servant leadership on board …

Attitudes Toward Cohabitation: A Cross Sectional Study, Kensington Shields-Dutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cohabitation and attitudes toward cohabitation have been of interest to social scientists since the 1970s. Early research on cohabitation concentrated on college aged students enrolled at institutions of higher learning. This trend was due to convenience sampling (Trost, 1978). Later research demonstrated the college population represented less than half of the total number of cohabitating persons. With the growth in numbers of persons who are choosing to cohabitate versus marrying, this study examines current attitudes towards cohabitation. This research augments the existing literature on attitudes toward cohabitation in the following ways: (1) it updates the current research on the attitudes …

Re-Thinking The Intentionality Of Fraud: Constructing And Testing The Theory Of Unintended Amoral Behavior To Explain Fraudulent Financial Reporting, Andrew Dill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My three-paper dissertation is aimed at applying the concepts of bounded ethicality and ethical fading to accounting fraud. Typical of relatively new fields such as behavioral ethics, theoretical models are scarce (Tenbrunsel & Smith-Crowe, 2008). As such, the purpose of Study 1 is to unify disparate theories and ideas from psychology and behavioral ethics as a means of constructing a theory, the Theory of Unintended Amoral Behavior (TUAB), which includes the concepts of bounded ethicality and ethical fading. In addition, the pressure for management to meet earnings expectations is discussed through the lens of the TUAB as an example of …

Under-Researched Areas Of Audit Quality: Inputs, Firms, And Institutions, Jared Eutsler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Francis (2011) lists three under-researched units of analysis that affect audit quality: inputs, firms, and institutions. This dissertation analyzes how each of these units of analysis contributes to audit quality. Study 1 examines audit inputs, specifically, characteristics of the individual auditor that affect professional skepticism. Study 2 examines how firm staffing decisions affect audit quality. Study 3 examines how the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB"), as a regulatory institution, promotes audit quality through their risk-based inspection program. The first study reports the results of two experiments that examine professional skepticism as a function of moral agency. Consistent with the …

Extracurricular Activities And Substance Use Among Adolescents: A Test Of Social Control And Social Learning Theory, Lynnette Coto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current research examines correlates of adolescent substance use with a focus on extracurricular activities. Given that marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug, and binge drinking can have an early onset the examinations of these two substances were important. Many studies have researched the correlation between substance use and sports, but have not included other extracurricular activities such as academic and fine art clubs. The current research fills this gap in the literature by using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and by testing Hirschi's (1969) Social Control Theory and Aker's (1985) Social Learning Theory. …

This Year Show Compassion – For Others And Yourself, Yolanda Hood

UCF Forum

This is the year of melting.

The Good, The Bad And The Quintessential Christmas Music, Heather Gibson

UCF Forum

There are two types of people: those like myself, who the day after Thanksgiving turn their radio to the all-Christmas music station, and the rest of you Grinchy McGrinchersons.

A Holiday Greeting That Applies To Everyone, Terri Susan Fine

UCF Forum

The Thanksgiving holiday season brought with it interesting discussions about “the holidays” – so many holidays are celebrated by people of different cultures, religious backgrounds and nations of origin.

Generosity Creates Its Own Ripple Effect, Traci Evison

UCF Forum

Sometimes we see an inspirational snippet of film on YouTube, hear an NPR broadcast or listen to a Ted Talk that materializes into action at what seems to be a random point in the future.

Entrenched In Context: Perceptions Regarding Intimate Partner Violence And Viable Interventions Among Undergraduate Students, Julio Montanez

HIM 1990-2015

Many policies and programs have relevance to intimate partner violence (IPV), such as no-drop policies, firearm-related policies, mandatory reporting, mandatory arrest, and others. IPV affects persons from a multitude of demographics and statuses. Dating violence has its mark on college campuses. The present research studies both attitudes toward IPV and attitudes toward interventions that pertain to IPV. Attitudes toward IPV have been found to relate to a number of explanatory variables: attributions, socioeconomic status, age, class standing, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, attitudes toward gender, violence in the family of origin, and previous IPV histories. Perceptions of IPV interventions have been found to …

Psychological Factors That Impact The Drop-Out Rate In Adolescent Sports, Nicole S. Mcclone

HIM 1990-2015

Children are dropping out of sport at alarming rates. With the highest numbers of dropout occurring between the ages of ten and seventeen, the focus of this research is on the drop-out rates of adolescents from sport. Athletic participation has been linked to positive academic performance, key development of leadership skills, and increased engagement in the community. The research that has been conducted related to sport persistence has had a greater focus on examining factors related to the physical domain. Attention is now beginning to shift however, and researchers are looking outside the physical domain and analyzing sport attrition more …

Identity As A Sexual Minority In The Workplace: A Look At Personality And Contextual Factors, Samuel Resende

HIM 1990-2015

Sexual identity in the workplace is an exploratory topic in an age when sexuality is becoming a topic of discussion. However, protection of sexual minorities (Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals) is not universal despite evidence that heterosexist climates are disadvantageous for employers. In this study, I examined if sexual minorities who perceive their place of employment to be relatively free of heterosexism would be more satisfied with their jobs, perceive more organizational fit, and report less work stress. In addition, I sought to determine if selected personality variables would mediate the relations among critical study variables. The personality variables were internalized …

Family Struggles And Substance Use Among First Generation College Students, Barbara Vehabovic

HIM 1990-2015

The current study seeks to examine the relationship between family struggles, as measured by social class and parental marital status, and substance use among first-generation college students. 902 students from the University of Central Florida participated in an online questionnaire that assessed their social class, parents’ marital status, drug and alcohol use, as well as demographic variables. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between substance use and social class as well as generational status. Males were also more likely to use drugs and alcohol than females. A regression analysis indicated social class, gender, junior and senior academic years were all …

You Don't Need Any Special Talent To Join Fight Against Hunger, Terri Susan Fine

UCF Forum

The United Nations itself had not yet been officially established when its own Food and Agriculture Organization was formed, even though it was by just a few days. The U.N. was established Oct. 24, 1945, just eight days following the establishment of the Food and Agriculture Organization, and it was not until 1948 that the international body ratified its Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Best Leap Of My Life Could Be Yours, Too, Traci Evison

UCF Forum

I recently gave myself a tandem skydiving jump to celebrate my 40th birthday. Jumping out of an airplane is much less expensive than purchasing a flashy new sports car, I reasoned, while tapping the Groupon button on my phone.

Ucf Cocoa & Palm Bay Newsletter, Fall 2015, Megan M. Haught

UCF Cocoa & Palm Bay Newsletter

This is the Fall 2015 edition of the UCF Cocoa & Palm Bay Newsletter which celebrates the accomplishments and community activity of the faculty, staff, and students from the University of Central Florida Cocoa and Palm Bay campuses.

Some of the exciting items in this issue:

• Psi Chi and the Palm Bay Psychology Club hosted an Undergraduate Psychology Conference
• There is a new faculty lecture series, Lifelong Learning Lectures
• Charitable donation items were collected for the Knights Pantry, Supply Zone for Teachers, and SPCA of Brevard
• There are 3 new ways to receive IT support
• Direct Connect celebrated its 10th …

I Don’T Control A Lot Of Things- But I Can Control What I Read, Yolanda Hood

UCF Forum

I found myself facing some epic declarations and accusations recently: “How do you even have the job that you have?” “And you have a Ph.D. in English! How? How did that happen?” “Should you even be a librarian?”

I Question Whether We Have Learned 'Citizenship' In Our Generation, Terri Susan Fine

UCF Forum

About a year ago a dear friend gave me a copy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America” by Gilbert King. The 2012 book earned the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction and the Pulitzer Committee described the book as a “richly detailed chronicle of racial injustice.”

Let Theatre Take You To A New World — Without Ringing, Glowing Phones, Heather Gibson

UCF Forum

There’s been a lot of talk about patron use of technology in theaters, the most recent story of course being Patti LuPone’s snatching a phone out of a texting audience member’s hands in the middle of a scene during Shows for Days at the Lincoln Center Theater.

We All Grieve In Different Ways On Different Days, Traci Evison

UCF Forum

Over the course of the past 2½ years I found myself in a position I never dreamed possible: Three of my immediate family members died.

Perception Of Mental Illness Based Upon Its Portrayal In Film, Erika Hanley

HIM 1990-2015

Perceptions can be influenced by the media concerning different groups of people. As a result of the importance of the media in how individuals obtain information and formulate opinions, how different groups are presented whether negatively or positively is important. This research examines the portrayal of mental illness in films and the impact that such portrayals have on the perceptions of mental illness of the viewers. Mental illness representations can be found quite prevalently among film and the way in which it is represented can be important as to how populations perceive those with mental disorders. This thesis looks to …

The Ability Of Work Related Rewards To Predict The Organizational Commitment Of Health Occupations Education Teachers, Beverly Richards R.N., Ed.D., Duane Akroyd Ph.D., Terrance O'Brien Ph.D.

Journal of Health Occupations Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the ability of extrinsic and intrinsic work related rewards to predict the organizational commitment of health occupations education teachers. The dependent variable was organizational commitment. The independent variables included the intrinsic work related rewards--autonomy, significance, and involvement; and the extrinsic work related rewards--supervision, coworkers, promotion, general working conditions, and salary. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed a model for health occupations education teachers which included two intrinsic and one extrinsic work related rewards.

The Predictive Value Of Selected Intrinsic And Extrinsic Rewards As Determinants Of Health Occupations Teachers' Work Satisfaction, Duane Akroyd Ph.D., Beverly Richards Ed.D., R.N., Terrance O'Brien Ph.D.

Journal of Health Occupations Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive power of selected intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as determinants of health occupations teachers’ work satisfaction. A perceived work rewards model of job satisfaction was used as the theoretical model. The sample consisted of all health occupations education teachers in - three southern states (N = 348). Results indicated that the combined effects of intrinsic and extrinsic variables were significant predictors of health occupations teachers’ work satisfaction. The intrinsic variable, task involvement, had the greatest influence upon work satisfaction. Two extrinsic variables, general working conditions “ and salary, were significant predictors …