Digital Commons Network^™

Memory And Hypnotism In Wagner's Musical Discourse, Jonathan C. Gentry

Dissertations and Theses

A rich relationship unites the composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) and the history of psychology, especially if one considers his attempt to make music speak with the clarity of verbal language. Wagner's musical discourse participated in the development of psychology in the nineteenth century in three distinct areas. First, Wagner shared in the non-reductive materialist discourse on mind that characterized many of the thinkers who made psychology into an autonomous intellectual pursuit. Second, Wagner's theories and theatrical productions directly influenced two important psychologists - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) and Christian von Ehrenfels (1859-1932). Finally, the experiences of music achieved by Wagner at …

Network Analysis Of A Shared Governance System, Debra Reifman Whitall

Dissertations and Theses

This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the role of networks in creating efficacious systems of governance. In particular, this study considers if, in addition to network structure, two network characteristics, network social capital and network management, each have direct and indirect effects on network performance. Also considered are the combined effects of these three network characteristics on network performance. The findings of this study re-examine the relationship between network characteristics and performance, especially the influence of network structure on performance. Thus, this study has practical implications for policy makers regarding effective collaborative strategies.

This study used …

Family Participation : Exploring The Role It Plays In Outcomes For Youth With Serious Emotional Disorders, Jodi Lee Kerbs

Dissertations and Theses

The participation of families of children with emotional or behavioral disorders is increasingly seen as an essential component of children's mental health services. Although it is frequently discussed in the literature, family participation has not been a major focus of most research surrounding youth with serious emotional disorders (SED). This gap in research is particularly evident in the literature related to those youth who are also in the juvenile justice system. This study explored the concept of family participation in the context of services for youth with SED and examined the relationship between family participation in treatment planning and child …

Mother/Infant Interaction In The Context Of Four Maternal Risk Factors, Deirdre Ann Winder

Dissertations and Theses

Social-emotional skill acquisition in infancy can effect positive outcomes in all developmental domains as the child matures. Caregiver/infant interaction provides a critical context for positive social-emotional development in the infant (i.e., attachment, emotional regulation, communication). Within interaction, these three areas of infant social-emotional development are fostered by the dyadic relationship between caregiver and infant. However, infant skill acquisition within these areas of social-emotional development may be interrupted by risk factors in the caregiving environment. Four maternal risk factors (i.e., mental health, literacy level, age, income) associated with a negative impact on developmental outcome and on interaction were the focus of …

Contribution Of Public Support Agency Programs To Local New Firm Performance, Stephen Baker Braun

Dissertations and Theses

New and small firms make two indispensable contributions to the American economy: they generate change and competition through market structure changes and they are an essential vehicle by which hundreds of thousands of individuals enter the economic mainstream of American society. Small business formation is hailed as the "engine for economic growth," contributing more than 60 percent of net new jobs in the United States. The central issue of this dissertation is to understand the extent to which entrepreneurs are helped by government agency programs in assembling resources that contribute to the performance of new firms.

This study develops a …

A Multilevel Analysis Of Individual And Organizational-Level Effects On Staff Attitudes Towards Use Of Medication In Substance Abuse Treatment, John Patrick Fitzgerald

Dissertations and Theses

Studies consistently indicate a general lack of support for use of medications in the treatment of substance abuse disorders by clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders involved in treatment. Both individual and organizational factors have been shown to influence attitudes towards medications, but the relative contribution of each of these factors remains unclear. Whereas previous studies, by their very design, have generated multilevel data structures, they nevertheless have employed analytic strategies that ignore the multilevel dependencies inherent in such data sets.

To address these limitations, this study took a multilevel approach to investigate the influence of individual and organizational factors on …

An Examination Of Faculty Experiences With Hybrid Formats, Jo Elsa Meyertons

Dissertations and Theses

This phenomenological study investigated the experiences of a set of faculty who taught classes in hybrid format at a small liberal arts university in Salem, Oregon. For this study, a "hybrid format" course was defined as a course that includes elements of both traditional face-to-face and technology-enhanced (often Internet) course components. The study consisted of a set of heuristic interviews with faculty members identified through an empirical survey I conducted in Fall 2002 as part of my duties as Director of Instructional Design and Development for the university's technical services department.

Higher education leaders have consistently identified technology integration as …

Multi-Stakeholder Collaborative Learning And Action Processes For Social Change And Sustainability : The Case Of A Regional Food System Effort In The Pacific Northwest, Janet Michelle Hammer

Dissertations and Theses

Multi-Stakeholder Collaborative Learning and Action (MCLA) is defined as a type of multi-stakeholder process that convenes diverse system members for the purpose of increasing individual and system knowledge and facilitating individual and collaborative activity supportive of movement toward a shared vision or goal. Despite increased theoretical and practitioner attention to the topic, questions remain regarding what reasonably to expect from MCLA processes and how best to design them. Further, little research has addressed the assertion that certain MCLA processes can facilitate domain development. Addressing these questions, this case study applies quantitative and qualitative methods to the analysis of two components …

Engaging Our Workforce: How Job Demands And Resources Contribute To Social Worker Burnout, Engagement And Intent To Leave, Sara Laura Schwartz

Dissertations and Theses

Social worker stress and burnout are pervasive problems that harm workers, organizations, and clients. Past research has identified burnout, a psychological response to work stress, as an important predictor of intent to leave and ultimate turnover. An emerging body of research has examined work engagement, considered to be the opposite of burnout, as a predictor of retention. The problem of burnout and turnover within organizations employing social workers has been addressed in the literature for many years. This dissertation responded to a call in the literature for a greater emphasis on burnout prevention and enhancement of workforce engagement and retention. …

Food Insecurity And Oregon Tanf Leavers, Kim Hoffman

Dissertations and Theses

Food security, as defined in the U.S., means access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Examining the risk factors and consequences of food insecurity for those who leave Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) has practical implications, but empirical research has lagged behind theory. This study tested the Campbell Model of Food Insecurity (1991), a previously untested theoretical model, in a sample of TANF leavers in Oregon (n=637 Wave 1, n=552 Wave 2). Additionally, a qualitative examination of Oregon Food Bank workers, Oregon's largest charitable emergency food organization, was conducted to gather …

Adolescent Mothers: Youth In Need Of Developmentally Appropriate Services, Patricia Arlyne Zimmerman

Dissertations and Theses

This research examines the childhood abuse and maltreatment experiences of adolescent mothers (age 14 to 17) to investigate if these experiences have hindered their socioemotional development and consequently, their parenting behaviors and attitudes. Data were gathered using four standardized self-report instruments: the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC), the BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory-Youth Version (EQi-YV), and the Adult Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2). Two additional questionnaires were developed to gather demographic and social service information to add to the knowledge base of the field, and to examine what (if any) developmentally focused services young mothers may …

Impact Of Universal Health Coverage On Health In Late Life, Nathalie Huguet

Dissertations and Theses

The growth of the elderly population is a major public concern in industrialized countries. Understanding the factors contributing to better health in late life is essential. Canadians appear to be healthier than Americans, yet concrete findings that determine whether older Canadians are healthier than older Americans are missing. The primary goal of this study is to examine the relative importance of the health care system in explaining why older Canadians may be healthier than older Americans. To achieve this goal, this study (a) assessed if older Canadians are healthier than older Americans; (b) investigated the impact of health care coverage …

The Challenges International Students Face In Adjusting To Their New Status As Graduate Students: An Exploratory Case Study, Vincent Womujuni

Dissertations and Theses

Over the last several years, the number of international students attending colleges and universities in the United States has increased substantially. While considerable time, effort, and university resources are often devoted to the recruitment of international students, it is unclear how well institutions are meeting the needs of these students. This growing number of international students requires foreign exchange professionals and university administrators to better understand the reasons why international students pursue higher education in the United States and the challenges they face.

This exploratory case study is to examine the challenges international graduate students encounter in adjusting to their …

Lexical Choices In War Headlines: A Case Study, Jesse T. Harrington

Dissertations and Theses

Since most of our knowledge about current events such as wars in foreign countries comes via news reports, the ability to recognize bias in news media is an important skill. Linguistic discourse analysis is one way in which one can identify the unconscious biases evident in otherwise objective news. Patterns in positive and negative word choices can show which news actors a news organization identifies with and which an organization assumes to be suspect or ill-motivated.

The purpose of this study was to find such patterns in word choices from the war in Iraq. To this end, headlines were gathered …

A Market-Based Framework For Semiconductor Industry Growth The Reduced Ecological Impart, Dawood Sulieman Abugharbieh

Dissertations and Theses

Reducing the ecological impact of industrial development is an emerging trend that affords companies the opportunity to gain competitive advantage. Semiconductor manufacturers have specifically identified ecological impact as a strategic variable that presents a long-term challenge. The socioeconomic nature of the ecological impact construct increases decision-making complexity in a manner that is not typical in business-to-business contexts. To account for social and economic aspects, this study utilized a cognitive structure-based model. Such models have been successfully utilized in consumer and industrial markets as adaptable frameworks that can encompass social and economic constructs.

This research focuses on linking two ecological constructs …

Conceptualizing And Measuring The Self In Chronic Illness And Its Relationship To Adjustment, Jessica Marie Morea

Dissertations and Theses

This research sought to clarify the role of the self in chronic illness by developing and evaluating several new constructs, which intend to describe the extent to which illness permeates the self-concept. Following the works of Lewin and Asch, the concepts of central and peripheral regions of the self were elaborated to describe the state of illness within the self, termed "illness self-concept".

Three subsidiary constructs were introduced to further depict illness self-concept: directionality, pervasiveness, and illness self-consciousness. Directionality refers to whether illness drives the self or self drives illness. Pervasiveness refers to whether illness affects many or few regions …

Children’S Perceptions Of The Learning Environment And Aesthetic Qualities Within Their Classroom, Sheryl Reinisch

Dissertations and Theses

Primary grade children spend considerable time in elementary school classrooms. The learning environment can play a powerful role in the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development of a child (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997). The aesthetic dimension is particularly intriguing. Studies positively link the condition of schools to student achievement and behavior (Earthman, Cash, & Van Berkum, 1995; Yarbrough, 2001). Educational literature often addresses the topic of learning environments; however, a key ingredient seems to be missing, the voices of children. If children are spending so much time in these settings, what do they notice? This study addresses the fundamental …

Early Moral Sense : Behavioral Self-Regulation, Temperament, And Prosocial Behavior In Young Children In Child-Centered Classrooms, Elizabeth Alliene Vale

Dissertations and Theses

Development of moral sense is a fundamental part of human development and the earliest manifestations of moral sense are of particular interest because it may be important to foster these behaviors early in life. However, despite many important discoveries about these moral sense behaviors over the last several decades, no consensus exists as to how these behaviors emerge and differ as a function of age.

The primary goal of the current research was to explore the development of multiple behaviors that reflect moral sense in very young children, aged 4 to 36 months. More specifically, the goals were: (1) to …

Job Insecurity And Work-Family Conflict: The Organizational, Situational, And Individual Influences On The Job Strain Process, Khatera Sahibzada

Dissertations and Theses

Globalization, new technologies, downsizing, and a shift from manufacturing to service-based economies have led to an increase in job insecurity, resulting in deleterious effects on employee work attitudes and behaviors. However, the literature has failed to examine the impact of job insecurity on work-family outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between job insecurity and work-family conflict. The specific research questions addressed were: (a) does job strain mediate the relationship between job insecurity and work-family conflict? and (b) is the relationship between job insecurity and work-family conflict moderated by individual, situational and organizational perceptions? …

Is It Just Me? Felt Hiv -Related Stigma Among Adults With Hiv, Rebecca Gila Block

Dissertations and Theses

HIV carries a significant social stigma in the United States based on the virus being contagious, incurable, visually apparent, and still somewhat mysterious to the public. People who are HIV positive, people who love them and people who work with them may all experience HIV-related stigma. The effects of HIV-related stigma vary from individual to individual; from community to community. The magnitude of feeling stigmatized and experiencing stigmatizing behaviors such as discrimination and exclusion also vary among individuals. Individuals experience stigma differently and respond to the experience in diverse ways.

The objective of this study was to explore felt HIV-related …

First Impressions : A Study Of The Relationship Between Presenting Problems And Clinical Perception, Holly Elizabeth Fussell

Dissertations and Theses

Processes involved in clinical perception typically result in tangible outcomes of interest to clients and practitioners (e.g., diagnoses). In developing an overall impression of clients, practitioners integrate information related to target problems clients present. Substance abuse counselors, in particular, are increasingly being asked to assess clients for co-occurring problems. Domestic violence has been identified as a particularly salient co-occurring problem associated with substance abuse.

This dissertation draws on theory by Solomon Asch (1946, 1952) to examine how presenting problems such as domestic violence shape clinical outcomes and processes in substance abuse assessment interviews. Most clinical interactions occur, however, under confidential …

Interpersonal Sensitivity And Information Sharing During Layoffs: Implications For Job Seekers, Rainer Seitz

Dissertations and Theses

Layoffs have become an increasingly common cost reduction strategy implemented by organizations. In addition to affecting those who lose their jobs or remain with the organization after a reduction, layoffs may also affect individuals outside the organization. A systems perspective on layoffs takes into account the various stakeholders who are affected by such an action beyond those traditionally studied. Job applicants are one group of stakeholders for which research on the implications of layoffs is lacking. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the specific organizational justice factors of interpersonal sensitivity and information sharing in a layoff and their …

A Mixed-Methods And Multi-Level Investigation Of The Effects Of A Crew Chief Intervention On Job Attitudes, Occupational Stress, And Organizational Commitment, Michael Charles Leo

Dissertations and Theses

High-profile instances of workplace violence and increased pressure from competitors have threatened the viability of one of the nation's largest employers, the United States Postal Service (USPS). As a result, the USPS began a massive change effort in the early 1990's. One of the initiatives implemented to improve labor-management relations was a derivative of the self-managed work team known as the crew chief program. This study provides a mixed-methods and multi-level approach to understand the impact this unique program had on organizational attitudes.

The first aim of this study was to investigate whether the crew chief program reduced employees' stress …

Revisiting Invasion-Succession: Social Relations In A Gentrifying Neighborhood, Lynda Franks

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines the social relationships of different residents in a gentrifying neighborhood in Northeast Portland, Oregon. It examines theoretical tenants in the social identity tradition to understand social change in terms of the impact of neighborhood change on the day-to-day interactions of individuals in a gentrifying neighborhood by exploring the ways in which different members of that neighborhood define and describe the terms “neighborhood”, “neighbor”, and “neighborly behavior”.

Intergroup neighboring research posits two outcomes of neighborhood change on interactions between old and new neighbors, one of conflict, the other of cooperation. The conflict perspective proposes that, in situations where …

Mathematics, Meaning, And Identity: A Study Of The Practice Of Mathematics Education In A Rural High School, Rick Anderson

Dissertations and Theses

The purposes of this study were (1) to explore the relationship between mathematics education and the rural context and (2) to determine the usefulness of a social theory of learning (Wenger, 1998) to account for students' participation in advanced high school mathematics courses. Qualitative methods were used to gather data in a small, rural high school in the Pacific Northwest. Data gathered included a student survey, interviews with students and mathematics teachers, observations in mathematics classes, and documents related to the curriculum, the school, and the community.

The findings suggest that high school mathematics education is related to the rural …

Ambivalent Landscapes: An Historical Geography Of Recreation And Tourism On Mount Hood, Oregon, Ryan Franklin Mitchell

Dissertations and Theses

Mount Hood is an Oregon icon. The mountain has as long and rich a history of recreation and tourism as almost any other place in the American West. But contemporary landscapes on Mount Hood reveal a recreation and tourism industry that has struggled to assert itself, and a distinct geographic divide is evident in the manner in which tourism has been developed. Why? In this study I chronicle the historical geography of recreation and tourism on Mount Hood. I examine the evolution of its character and pattern, and the ways in which various communities have used it to invest meaning …

Reorganizing The Oregon Department Of Human Services : An Exploratory Case Study Of Organizational Change, Charles Anthony Gallia

Dissertations and Theses

For decades, states have tried to reorganize their human service agencies in order to more effectively coordinate and integrate client services. Despite appearing to be a reasonable undertaking, previous studies indicated that such efforts met with only limited success (Dunkle & Surles, 1998; Pindus et al. 2000; Rabin & Steinhauer, 1988; GAO, 1992; Lynn, 1980; Owens, 1985).

This study had three objectives tied to understanding this type of reorganization. First, find out whether the OD process could inform restructuring. Second, determine whether evidence of the constraints to implementing planned organizational change that have been identified in the literature, became manifest …

Visualizing Complexity : A Spatial Analysis Of Decorative Geometric Pattern In The Islamic World, 900-1400 Ad, Tracy Elizabeth Harrison

Dissertations and Theses

This study explores how the use of complex decorative geometric patterns in Islamic architecture spatially relates to advances in the fields of science and philosophy in the Islamic world between the ninth and fourteenth centuries. This project examines hypotheses developed by vario~s scholars on the forces that shaped the use of these patterns (known as the geometric mode) in Islamic architecture. The prevailing assumption that advances in mathematics contributed to the use of the geometric mode is used as a starting point for subsequent analysis.

For this study, two spatial databases were created. One contains over two hundred and twenty …

Humane Education: The Effects Of Animals In The Classroom On Children's Empathy In Japanese Elementary Schools, Mika Maruyama

Dissertations and Theses

Although humane education, promoting children's kindness toward animals, has been evaluated as a factor influencing children's kindness toward humans later in their life, the effect of a classroom pet hasn't been well studied. The current study investigated the influence of intensified daily interactions with living animals in the classroom on the development of empathy among Japanese children. Specifically, the study examined (a) the effect of introducing animals into the classroom on children's empathic behaviors and attitudes, and (b) the generalization of this animal-directed empathy to humans.

Public Opinion, The Media, And Environmental Policy: Agenda-Setting, Framing, And Maintaining The Status Quo, Jonela Rae Estes

Dissertations and Theses

Contributing to the research on the topic of the media, public opinion, and public policy, this research investigated the question: Given the environment's relatively bipartisan backing and the public's support for a stronger environmental protection agenda, how can an environmental policy direction apparently incongruent with public opinion be maintained?

The method of answering this larger question was to examine the dynamic among public opinion, the media, and environmental policy, focusing specifically on the media's agenda-setting and framing functions. This dynamic was explored through a three part methodology: by looking at the amounts of environmental policy media coverage over the last …