Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Indian-Accented English And Need For Cognition On Message Evaluation: A Field Study, Duoc V. Nguyen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research has shown that Americans rate non-accented English speakers more favorably than accented English speakers (e.g., Cargile & Giles, 1997; Frumkin, 2007); however this is not always the case ( e.g., Cargile, 2000; Singer & Eder, 1988). Other factors may be involved when people are processing other people's messages. One motivating factor may be the extent to which people like to think, or have a high need for cognition (NCS; Cacioppo & Petty, 1982). As call center jobs continue to be outsourced to other countries such as India, it is important to ascertain how people with varying degrees of motivation …

Captivating Emotions: Sentiment And The Work Of Rhetorical Drag In Colonial And Early National Captivity Narrative, Gleidson Gouveia

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Captivity narrative, the American genre initiated early in the seventeenth century, tells the story of Europeans abducted by Native Americans in the New England frontier. These texts, however, do not simply tell the subjects' experiences of confinement among the Indians but reveal important relations of power, religion, and politics that took place in Early America. This work analyzes the captivity narratives of Mary Rowlandson, Mary Swarton, John Williams, Mary Jemison, and John Tanner to understand how their experiences were appropriated by third parties in order to meet religious and political ends of their respective times. Following scholars of captivity narrative …

A Test Of Tmt: Mortality Salience And Avoidance Of Worldview Threats, Taylor Wayne Wadian

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Imagine playing a game of catch with three people, and all the things that would influence to whom you throw. Were thoughts of death included as one of those factors? The hypothesis that mortality salience motivates avoidant behavior toward a worldviewthreatening target was empirically tested on a sample of 200 undergraduate Caucasian college students from a Midwestern university. I induced participants to write about either their own death or dental pain, and presented them with summer descriptions of three fictitious male African American targets that they believed they were going to interact with later in the study. Targets' descriptions were …

Voluntary Simplicity And Its Effects On Personal Identity, Family Life, And Relationships, Julie Ann Fox

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

With the seemingly endless advance of technology and the resulting cheaper material goods, consumption levels have risen to record highs. Over-consumption is having devastating effects on the environment, as well as on families and societies. We are encouraged by the advertising industry to consume at every turn, and buying things has become a substitute source of self-worth for many people. But an abundance of material items has not brought personal fulfillment for most Americans. A growing number of people have begun to question the hollow promises of consumerism, searching instead for alternative ways to find contentment, meaning, and purpose in …

The Stuff That Affects You: Fiction, Poetry, And Doggerel, Lisa D. Brodersen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Inevitably writers write about the stuff that affects them. Maybe the stuff that affects them is life-altering, or in some way profound or sublime, like untimely death, divorce, or being in love. Or maybe it's the mundane stuff, like marbles, cats, crows, weeds, wind, rain, or riding a bike. This thesis includes fiction, poetry, and light verse (which I prefer to call doggerel) triggered by all of that stuff, but I've twisted and embellished it beyond the literal or whole truth, until what remains is nothing but the truth.

Characteristics Of Highly Effective Teachers: A Perspective From Students With Disabilities, David J. Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Teacher quality is a widely discussed topic in education. States, districts, schools, parents, and other stakeholders want to know how to measure, improve, and reward teacher quality. A major factor in the rise in interest about teacher quality is clear evidence that individual teachers are able to positively affect student achievement, specifically in relationship to students' standardized test scores (No Child Left Behind Legislation). Even a cursory look at statewide student achievement data reveals that students with disabilities are achieving at lower levels in comparison to their peers without disabilities.

While several researchers have asked students to identify characteristics of …

An Exploratory Case Study Of Students' Perceptions Of Online Graduate Education, Hou Chun Kuong

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate graduate students' perceptions of online education. Online learning has grown tremendously over the past several years and has made learning and teaching opportunities more available to many people throughout the world. As an increased number of higher education institutions use online education as a means of delivering courses and programs, educational researchers have been working tirelessly to uncover and delineate the factors that facilitate and enhance success in online learning. One major factor that researchers (e.g., Pérez Cereijo, 2006) have established as a predictor of success is students' perceptions of online learning. …

Those Magnificent Men Or Their Flying Machines?: Tradition And Modernity In The 1928 National Air Races, Joshua James Waddle

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The history of aviation in the United States between 1920 and 1940 describes two phases--the dangerous aeronautic stunts and cross-country flights of the 1920s and the regulation of the 1930s—but does not analyze how the transition between the two occurred. The beginning of this transition occurred in the latter 1920s. First, American businesses, attempting to establish commercial air travel, downplayed the perceived danger as they marketed the flying experience to the general public. Second, women pilots showed that planes did not require mystical, unidentifiable masculine qualities in order to be flown and landed safely. The actual transition, however, took place …

The Effect Of Self-Efficacy And Psychosocial Development On The Factors That Influence Major Changing Behavior, Karen Cunningham

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This quantitative research study sought to determine the factors that distinguish those students who are classified as “major-changers” from those who are classified as “relatively stable” (never changing their initial major or changing only once or twice). Participants of this study were full-time undergraduate students attending the University of Northern Iowa. The following variables were measured as possible factors influencing major-changing behavior: (a) level of psychosocial development, (b) level of self-efficacy, and (c) level of parental education. The Life-Skills Inventory–College Form (LSDI-CF) was used to measure students' level of psychosocial development and the General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES) was used to …

The Effectiveness Of Colored Overlays On Reading Achievement And Attitudes Toward Reading For Students With Scotopic Sensitive Syndrome, Hanan Ali Bagabas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated the effects on students identified with Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS) or Irlen Syndrome (IS) when using colored overlays as an intervention (immediately and over time) to assess reading performance (rate, accuracy, and comprehension); to measure visual-motor integration; and to assess attitude toward reading. SSS/IS is a visual perceptual problem related to a collection of symptoms that affects an individual's performance when reading. Three participants, all males (one 3rd -grade student, one 4th -grade student, and one 5th -grade student), were identified as having SSS/IS and other learning disabilities.

The study involved five test instruments (Irlen Reading Perceptual …

Secondary Preservice Teachers' Understanding Of Euclidean Geometry, Karen Sabey

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The lack of mathematical understanding of elementary preservice teachers with respect to many mathematical topics has been well documented. Far fewer studies have been conducted on any content area of knowledge of secondary teachers and even less in the mathematics content area. The assumption by the general population is that mathematics majors are adequately prepared to teach the content of secondary mathematics because they major in mathematics. Mathematics educators, however, note the lack of conceptual understandings in many content areas in these mathematics teaching majors. While mathematics educators are aware of this deficiency, there is little research data at the …

Investigating The Relationship Between Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs In Mathematics And Teacher Reflection: Do Teacher Thinking Dispositions Play A Moderating Role?, Shawna Hufendick

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Previous research has shown a relationship between teacher reflection and teacher acceptance of reform curricula. This study looked at the relationship between the variables of teacher self efficacy and teacher reflection, as they might relate to teacher attitudes towards instructional change. This study also looked at whether teacher thinking dispositions moderate this relationship. First and second grade teachers (N=l6) participating in a professional development opportunity in mathematics completed an efficacy measure, a thinking dispositions measure, and kept a journal to reflect after mathematics lessons taught. The teacher efficacy, thinking disposition, and journal reflection data was analyzed to see whether relationships …

How Do Beginning Administrators Navigate Through Their First Year Of The Middle School Principalship?, James D. Cryer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In an effort to understand the positive and negative experiences that principals encounter as they navigate through their first year of administrative duties at the middle school level, this research study examined what events happened during their first year that encouraged the individual to stay in the position or discouraged the individual to leave the position. This study focused on problems and difficulties that arose, specifically associated with the middle school setting. To accomplish this study, three first year middle school principals were interviewed multiple times throughout the year. By collaboratively working with these participants in a phenomenological study, the …

A Study Of Constructivist Career Development, Empowerment, Indecision, And Certainty, Nicole R. Skaar, Tabitha L. Grier-Reed, Lorien B. Parson

Faculty Publications

In times of uncertainty and change where the job market is fluid and the U.S. economy is weak, students need to feel empowered to construct their lives and forge their career paths. Constructivism has been suggested as one way to empower people. The current study explored outcomes in constructivist career courses using a quasi-experimental pre/post-test design. The empowerment, indecision, and certainty of 115 culturally diverse college students were measured using the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CDSE-SF) and the Career Decision Scale (CDS). Results indicated that students in the career courses showed significant increases in empowerment and certainty and significant …

Health Care In America: Historical Context, Current Issues, Future Reform, Emily Boevers

Honors Program Theses

In studying this topic, I used print resources from the last thirty years to investigate the history of the medical profession, including the ideals that shaped it and have bound it for more than 100 years. I studied the attempts at health care reform in the last 100 years, through numerous wars, economic crises, and political flux. I summarized health care systems from ten other developed nations to understand what is working - and what is not - in health care around the world. I surveyed issues plaguing the health care system in America today, and studied the trends that …

The Use Of Productive Questions In The Early Childhood Classroom, Rachel Alice Dengler

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to discover how productive questions can be used in the early childhood classroom. To establish a foundation, child development, early childhood education, and questioning strategies that are currently employed in school or day care settings will be covered first. Finally, there will be a look at the misunderstandings that current pre-service educators have with the different types of productive questions and how to use them in a developmentally appropriate manner with students in the early childhood years.

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Senior Year Plus Program In Iowa, Andrew Q. Morse

Honors Program Theses

Iowa’s public institutions graduate students with the sixth highest student loan debt in the nation (Project on Student Debt, 2008). As a result, Iowa Governor Chet Culver has proposed the Senior Year Plus Program, which is a state-funded dual-enrollment program. This program’s purpose is to help alleviate the debts students incur while attending college. However, there are no examinations to this point that focus on the financial, as well as the personal and professional developmental benefits of the program, particularly in comparison to the four-year institution. The current research utilized a qualitative research design. Ten (5 Dual-Enrollers/5 Non-Dual Enrollers) participants …

Problem-Solving Behaviors In College Relationships, Bethanie Frattini-Scott

Honors Program Theses

This study examined the individual characteristics that affect one’s willingness and ability to resolve problems in romantic relationships and one’s decision to seek support from a romantic partner. One hundred twenty-six college students in romantic relationships completed measures of attachment style, relationship efficacy, partner attributions, and relationship satisfaction, and responded to hypothetical scenarios assessing their problem-solving and support-seeking behaviors. Participants reporting higher attachment ambivalence were more perceptive than others to threats to their relationships and exhibited a greater effort to reduce conflict, although they reported lower levels of confidence in their problemsolving abilities. People reporting higher avoidance anticipated placing greater …

Attention And Memory In Young And Middle-Aged Adults, Emily Sorensen

Honors Program Theses

Within the field of communication sciences and disorders, studies concerning performance on cognitive tests tend to focus on the differences between young and old-age groups. The geriatric population has significantly increased over the years and will continue to rise in the coming decades. This rise in the number of older adults has resulted in research that is directed towards investigating the decline in cognitive ability in the aging population.

Powerful And Powerless Speech Styles In Employment Mock Interviews, Amanda M. Wilson

Honors Program Theses

This thesis examines powerful and powerless speech styles in employment mock interviews. A powerless speech style is defined as the use of linguistic features that have negative effects on how the speaker is perceived. Features analyzed in this study include intensifiers, hedges, and hesitations. A powerful speech style is defined as the absence of powerless linguistic features within speech. Twenty-eight examples of employment mock interviews conducted in the office of Career Services at the University of Northern Iowa were recorded for analysis in this thesis. Four common questions within the interviews were selected and the responses were transcribed and analyzed, …

The Effects Of Sport And Physical Activity On Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Youth From Mass Trauma Populations, Sydney De Victoria-Michel

Honors Program Theses

This project will focus on the effects of exercise and sport on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can be debilitating to those who suffer, and incredibly confusing when children are involved. Feelings of rage, anger, depression and anxiety can render individuals incapable of normal day-to-day activities. Traditional treatment options offer individual and group therapy in which the patients simply share their feelings and experiences. Although there have been a vast number of studies and texts published on PTSD sufferers using treatment based on psychotherapy, there has been little done to document effects of exercise and physical activity on PTSD. Despite …

Long-Term Care Insurance For The Elderly And Long-Term Care Insurance As A Viable Option For Today's Elderly, Brenda Joan Turnis

Honors Program Theses

Long-term care insurance policies have been sold for the last forty years, but many people are hesitant to invest in these plans. The purpose of this thesis is to provide a realistic view of how long-term care insurance is perceived in our society. It will also include factual evidence on the option of private long-term care insurance for the elderly. A review of research on long-term care will emphasize the coming crisis in long-term care and provide information on the viability of long-term care insurance in our communities.

Postville: The Emotional Consequences Applying Diagnostic Criteria To A Unique Event, Mollie Katherine Burke

Honors Program Theses

Group interviews were conducted with small groups of Guatemalan women who were affected by the immigration raid in Postville, Iowa. During these interviews, participants responded to questions about emotional reactions in the months following the raid, as well as current emotional states and functioning. The women reported several negative effects, including emotional, social, and economic hardship during the months between the raid and the interviews. The way in which these responses correlate to the traditional model for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder allows insight into the appropriateness of diagnostic criteria. As similar raids are conducted, it is vital to have an understanding …

The Mental Health Of Low Socio-Economic Populations, Sarah E. Bumgarner

Honors Program Theses

Depression is an illness that has a negative impact on our society. Depression not only lowers the depressed person's quality of life, but it also negatively impacts people close to the person suffering from this illness. This research is in response to the seriousness of this epidemic, particularly in the low socio-economic status (low SES) population. Topics explored include factors of a low SES environment that influence the onset of depression as well as how those factors relate to the quality of mental health care among depressed people of low SES. A review of the literature identified many barriers to …

Public Water Fluoridation, Jessica Fohey

Honors Program Theses

This thesis project addresses the issue of public water fluoridation. There is a debate within the United States as to whether or not public water systems should be fluoridated. Because of the large scale potential health impact, it is critical to determine whether or not this practice is in the best interest of the public. This paper provides an extensive review of scientific literature on the effectiveness, safety, and cost effectiveness of public water fluoridation. Following the review of scientific literature, I will present an overview of pseudo-scientific literature which advocates against public water fluoridation that, although often not scientifically …

Factors Related To The Unemployment Rate: A Statistical Analysis, Reanna Collins

Honors Program Theses

Current United States economic conditions have everyone searching for ways to solve the downward spiral that has instigated a crisis in the minds of many people. Rapidly increasing unemployment rates are key reasons leading to this feeling of emergency. A better understanding of unemployment trends over the past few decades and factors correlated to the rate could serve as future indicators of fluctuations in the unemployment rate. A statistical analysis was conducted to determine if any relationship between the unemployment rate and nine selected variables existed in order to identify trends in the unemployment rate and to produce a model …

Examining Differences Of Precompetition Sport Anxiety Between Individual Sport And Team Sport Athletes, Jordan E. Lacy

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine levels of anxiety in athletes that participate in individual and team sports, and to examine potential gender differences. It was hypothesized that athletes that take part in an individual sport will exhibit higher levels of sport anxiety due to the fact that all attention is focused on them when they are performing. Individual sport athletes do not have any teammates present that the focus could be shifted to. It is just the athlete and his or her opponent or the individual task involved in that particular sport. Athletes in team sports may …

Gender Segregation And The Physical Education Classroom, Amanda Kopplin-Rodgers

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to address the issue of single sex classrooms and student learning through an examination of the research on how females and males learn and the effects of gender segregation in the general education classroom. The discussion will also include the impact of Title IX on physical education classrooms and the effects of segregation in physical education classrooms. Limited research has been conducted to investigate the relationship among several variables affecting learning including: hearing, brain development, student gender, age, body image, self-esteem, teacher gender, and which type of classroom is most conducive to student learning. …

Slap Lesion: Application Of Throwing Biomechanics In Conservative And Post-Surgical Rehabilitation, Scott W. W. Cole

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the efficacy of conservative and post-surgical treatment of SLAP lesions in combination with various throwing rehabilitation activities with the goal of returning the athlete to previous level of activity.

Children's Picture Book Biography Of The Historical American Woman, Amy Gochenouer Gardner

Graduate Research Papers

This research paper used content analysis to determine if the portrayals of historical American women in modern biographical children's books accurately reflect the lives of the women presented in those books. For the purpose of this paper historical American women included women who were born or lived in the United States at some time in their lives. The researcher has reviewed 23 different children's picture book biographies written about 23 different subjects and published between 2004 and 2008. The facts presented in those 23 picture book biographies were then compared to standard library reference materials to determine how accurately these …