Digital Commons Network^™

Do Adult Romantic Attachment Empathy And Social Skills Influence Mate Poaching Infidelity?., James Stephen Gorniewicz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the possibility that adult romantic attachment orientation, empathy, and social skills could either individually or jointly influence the expression of mate poaching behaviors. Participants (N = 404) were recruited from a Southern Appalachian university and ranged in age from 18-60 years, with a mean of 21. Data were collected using a web-based survey system. Results of this study lend support to the growing literature demonstrating a link between adult romantic attachment and mate poaching. Additionally, the present study also added to the literature by showing for the first time 1) a relationship between empathy and mate …

Generations In The Workplace: Similarities And Differences., Jeffery G. Harber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Occurrences of four generations working side by side are not unusual. The four generations include Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Members of each generation have views and opinions about their work ethic and their definition of loyalty to the organization.

Hiring managers will need to know characteristics of each generation. This knowledge will enable the hiring managers to place the applicant in certain positions within their organizations. By matching applicants with the correct work positions, employees are able to use their skills and abilities to be productive and to establish measurable goals for themselves and their departments. …

Wired For Business: The Roebling Story., Kelley Marie Hatch-Draper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

John Augustus Roebling, a classically educated civil engineer and young Hegelian, immigrated to America in 1831 in search of freedom from a repressive political system that afforded him no opportunity for advancement. Arriving in the midst of the American market revolution, his dream of establishing an agrarian farming colony changed in response to societal transformations resulting from mechanization and the rise of industry. Within forty years, Roebling achieved fame as a canal engineer and bridge designer while establishing the American wire rope industry. Without Roebling's innovation in wire-rope, modern suspension bridges, high-rise elevators, construction cranes, and cable cars would not …

The Effects Of Domestic Violence: The Male Victims Perspective., Ramon B. Younger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Domestic violence from a male victim's perspective is something that is not discussed in society very much because information is very limited and incidents are often unreported. Research was done on this aspect of domestic violence to see how the types of abuse have had an impact on the victim from a physical and emotional perspective. The secondary data used for this study were from the Violence and Threats of Violence Against Women and Men in the United States, 1994-1996. Eight thousand men were selected to participate in the survey. The question of whether domestic violence is a problem was …

Texting Versus Talking: Age Sex And Extroversion As Predictors Of Frequency And Preference Among An Undergraduate Cohort., Chris J. Labowe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines text messaging behavior of ETSU undergraduates. Data come from a survey of 485 students enrolled during the 2010 fall semester. The current study explores the effects of sex, age, and extroversion on (1) the volume of texts a person sends and (2) preferences for texting or calling. The study also explores the use of cell phones as a means of avoiding others during co-present interaction. Findings reveal that age is the strongest predictor of text messaging, with younger respondents being more likely to text. The study also finds that women prefer texting, while men prefer voice calls. …

Opportunity Structures And Post-Authoritarian Participation: Argentina And Chile Compared, Emily B. Carty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work seeks to address a paradox between the existing literature on political disaffection and participation in new democracies through a comparative study of Chile and Argentina. According to Torcal and Lago (2006), disaffection in new democracies is associated with less conventional and nonconventional forms of participation. While on an individual basis their conclusions hold true in Chile and Argentina, the comparisons on a national level do not fit this pattern - despite the higher levels of disaffection in Argentina, it has similar or higher levels of participation. This paper employs Sidney Tarrow's theoretical framework of opportunity structures (1994, 1995) …

They Are In Silence : Refugee Women's Narratives., Erin Elizabeth Herbert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work explores the personal narratives of a group refugee women recently resettled in Louisville, Kentucky, participating in the Family Center program at Kentucky Refugee Ministries. This research shows that both local and national refugee resettlement policies are complicit in the marginalization of refugee women. These policies falsely construct refugee women as a universalized "other," silencing the diverse experiences and needs of women resettled in the United States. In turn scholarship and an aid discourse that positions refugee women's employment as "supplementary" to male income is based on assumed social constructions of gender inconsistent with many refugee women's experiences both …

The Case Of The Women's United Soccer Association : Explaining The Rise And Fall Of A Social Movement Organization., Meghan O'Connor Mcdonogh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the creation and demise of the WUSA, and to establish the league as a social movement organization (SMO) within the context of the rich body of social movement literature. In explaining the rise and fall of the WUSA, three research questions were answered: (a) How was the WUSA founded? (b) Why was the WUSA founded? and (c) Why did the WUSA fail? The design used to answer these research questions is a case study design from a historical analysis perspective. Eight in-depth interviews were conducted with WUSA leaders. The interviews were then …

Delinquency : A Trajectory Analysis Of African-American Males., Wyatt Brown 1985-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The initial goals of this study include locating and identifying the taxonomic groups mentioned in Moffitt's (1993) (i.e. life-course persistent offenders, adolescent-limited offenders) using data from the National Longitudinal Survey 1997 (NLSY97). Further, this study compares the social demographics with the predictions of Moffitt (1993,1994) as her theory describes race, particularity those of African-American offenders. This study also examines the role of parental and peer relationships and their effect on the offender disparity among the typologies defined by Moffitt (1993). This study explores one hypothesis: there is a relationship between social bonds, particularly peer association and admittance into Moffitt's (1993) …

Knowledge-Sharing Networks Of Hospital-Based Infection Preventionists In Kentucky., Timothy Lee Wiemken 1979-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Infection preventionists (IPs) have a multitude of tasks aimed at the prevention and control of infections in the healthcare setting. These tasks require a great deal of knowledge that has been more challenging to gain over the past decade due to the rapidly changing healthcare environment, the IPs' increasing numbers of duties, limited staffing, and a number of other issues. Because of these challenges, other mechanisms of rapid and efficient knowledge acquisition are needed for optimal job performance. One possible mechanism is knowledge sharing through social or professional networks. Objective: To examine the knowledge-sharing network structure of hospital-based IPs …

Fan-Family Conflict : An Examination Of Inter-Role Conflict Between Sport Fan And Family Roles., Jason M. Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An individual's role set consists of a variety of different roles (Biddle, 1979; Madsen & Hammond, 2005). Parent, spouse, student, and even sports fan, all constitute roles within one's role set. Fulfilling role demands requires time, energy, and in some cases, money. These resources are perishable, meaning once they are allocated to satisfying the demands of one role, they may not be used to fulfill the demands of alternative roles (Goode, 1960). Further, the behavioral expectations from one role may contrast with behavior expected in another (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985). The difficulty one experiences in balancing the demands/pressures of multiple …

Validation Of An Instructional Observation Instrument For Teaching English As A Foreign Language In Spain., Maria Gómez-García

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The design and validation of a classroom observation instrument to provide formative feedback for teachers of EFL in Spain is the overarching purpose of this study. This study proposes that a valid and reliable classroom observation instrument, based on effective practice in teaching EFL, can be developed and used in Spain to enable teachers to move from where they are in their actual teaching performance to an improved level of performance. This instrument is intended to be used as part of the teachers' professional development and for formative purposes. Few instruments have been developed to assess effective practices in EFLIESL …

Ecologically Friendly Food Buying And Recycling: Environmental Attitudes And Behaviors In A Tennessee Survey., Jessica Jane King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors and the interactions between recycling behavior, food buying attitudes, food buying behaviors, and ecological beliefs. Following an introductory chapter, I present an article-length paper on recycling behavior to be submitted to Environment and Behavior. Data for this study came from a telephone survey of Tennessee residents (N=270). Using OLS regression analysis, I find that recycling behavior is significantly related to access to recycling facilities. I do not find a significant interaction effect between access to recycling facilities and willingness to recycle. I conclude by suggesting that pro-environmental policies need to make structural …

Mapping England's Trade Through Depictions In English Emblems., Valerie J. Erickson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the growing interaction between England and foreign countries comparing their trade with contemporary later sixteenth century and seventeenth century English emblems. The emblems used are those available over the internet from several different library and university sources. As England expanded its trade throughout the world, English emblems began to show the exchange occurring between England and its various trading partners. Historians have largely overlooked this valuable source of information. By studying emblems historians gain invaluable insight into the economy, society, politics, religion, and other matters with which England was concerned.

The Lived Experience Of Mothering During Incarceration., Barbara M. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A phenomenological study of the lived experience of mothering during incarceration was conducted at a women's multi-custody level prison in Kentucky. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the experience of mothering among incarcerated women to address the gap within this body of literature. Semi-structured interviews, observation, and field notes from 24 participants were collected and analyzed to provide an in-depth understanding of the mothering experience for the participants. Burnard's method was used for analysis of the interview data. Two major themes emerged including: Living in the fire: The lived experience of incarcerated mothers which stemmed from …

The Effect Of A Communication Protocol Implementation On Nurse/Physician Collaboration And Communication., Jacqueline Carter Gerard 1948-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect on physician/nurse collaboration and communication of the implementation of the SBAR protocol, used as nurses reported patient changes to physicians, in a Midwestern community hospital ICU. The design was a two-phased descriptive design. Data were collected through two surveys, one of which addressed collaboration and the other which addressed communication factors. The surveys were administered to ICU nurses (n = 28) and physicians (n = 30) three times. The study also explored attitudes regarding the efficacy of SBAR and interdisciplinary collaboration through interviews with a representative sample of physicians (n = 10) and nurses (n …

Species Composition, Demographics, And Ecosystem Services Of Residential Trees In Louisville, Kentucky., Shannon A. Scroggins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trees in urban residential neighborhoods provide valuable ecosystem services. Urban trees also face threats from disturbances, such as storms. In 2008, the Urban Forest Effects model was used to estimate abundance and species composition of residential trees and their ecosystem services in 10 of 26 council districts in Louisville, Kentucky. Ten tree species were found to compose half of the estimated 822,576 residential trees in the ten districts, with Celtis occidentalis being most numerous. The ability of sociodemographic and housing variables to predict the distribution of trees and ecosystem services was weak. The strongest relationships were found between % single …

Shifting Parenting Styles And The Effect On Juvenile Delinquency., Thomas J. Mowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of parenting styles on childhood development and early adolescent social and behavioral outcomes has been well documented within academic literature (Schaffer et al., 2009; Brand et al., 2009; Claes et al., 2005; Sirvanli-Ozen, 2005; Darling & Steinberg 1993; Lamborn et al., 1991) and the effects of parenting styles on juvenile delinquency have also been well researched (Hoeve, 2007; Pires & Jenkins, 2007; Claes et al., 2005; Duncan et al., 1998; Kandel, 1996; Simons & Robertson, 1989). While there have been a number of studies which show parenting practices evolve with the age of the child (Dix et al., …

A Predictive Model For Mssw Student Success., Angela Michele Napier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tested a hypothetical model for predicting both graduate GPA and graduation of University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) students entering the program during the 2001-2005 school years. The preexisting characteristics of demographics, academic preparedness and culture shock along with the subjective experiences of academic stability and academic performance were studied. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to determine the best predictors of final GPA. The best predictors were age, undergraduate GPA, differences between undergraduate and graduate institution size, continuity index, and the course completion ratio. A hierarchical logistic …

Cycling And Women's Rights In The Suffrage Press., Christine Neejer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Responding to research gaps in both cycling and women's rights history, the purpose of my thesis is to investigate conceptualizations of cycling in the 1890's suffrage press. I analyze six aspects of cycling in suffrage periodicals: advice and tips to women cyclists; dress reform and women's cycling; women's cycling clubs; health, medicine and exercise; travel and touring; and cycling among anti-suffrage women reformers. I argue cycling and women's rights activism should not be framed as separate aspects of women's lives in the 1890's, but joint practices that influenced and informed the other. Suffrage press authors did not view cycling as …

Dealing With Manhood : General Strain Theory, Masculinity, And The Engagement In Illicit Drug Trafficking., Sonita L. Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis integrates James Messerschmidt's Masculinity Theory (1997) with Robert Agnew's General Strain Theory (1992) to examine the relationship between failure to achieve ideal masculine standards, resultant psychological stressors, and the decision to engage in illicit drug activity. OLS and Binary Logistic Regression was performed on a sample of male college students (N = 851) to examine three hypotheses. Findings support the hypothesis that a positive relationship exists between failed masculinity and negative emotions. Partial support was found for the hypothesis that a positive relationship exists between negative emotions and drug trafficking. Partial support was also found for the hypothesis …

The Impact Of Using Technology On Student Achievement : Teaching Functions With The Ti-Nspire To 9th Grade Algebra Students., Barbara Renee Buckner 1973-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of TI-Nspire graphing calculator use on student achievement and on teacher behavior variables of planning, teaching, and assessing. This study investigated the teaching of functions by teachers using the TI-Nspire graphing calculator versus teachers using a non-graphing scientific calculator. A review of the literature found that the emergence of calculators and computers has changed the way mathematics is both done and used (Ellington, 2006; Thorpe, 1989; & Kieran, 1992). Research also showed that students can effectively use a graphing calculator as an instructional tool to make and understand different types …

The Collective Affiliation Of Community College, Commuter And Distance Education Students : Developmental Math And Dropout., Jeffrey Cody Davidson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From 1988 to 2006, between 40% and 60% of all first-time community college students are referred to and enroll in at least one developmental education course; some colleges reported as high as 80 percent (e.g. Attewell, Lavin, Domina, & Levey, 2006; Bers & Smith, 1991; Bettinger & Long, 2005; Boughan & Clagett, 1995; Brawer, 1996). More students begin college less prepared in math than any other developmental area (e.g. ACT, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009; Attewell, Lavin, Domina, & Levey, 2006; Bettinger & Long, 2005; Cartnal, 1999). The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between a set …

Execution Ritual : Media Representations Of Execution And The Social Construction Of Public Opinion Regarding The Death Penalty., Emilie Dyer 1987-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The public's exposure to state sanctioned killings is limited to the mass media representations such as editorials, news reports, feature films, and books. Therefore it is important to examine the process of execution and its relation to the media forms that construct a social reality of execution for the public. The messages of the mass media and the images they portray are a crucial element of capital punishment because they represent a social construction of reality that may guide the beliefs and opinions of the public (Heath & Gilbert 1996). Using Ethnographic Content Analysis (Althiede 1987), this study uses the …

Predictors Of Intent To Stay For Hourly Employees In The Fast Food Industry., Kathleen Gosser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study (N = 935) examined the relationships of demographic characteristics, organizational justice (including the three areas: distributive, procedural, and interactional), and organizational socialization with the dependent variable of intent to stay. Intent to stay has been identified as a criterion variable that predicts actual turnover behavior. If a person responds positively that they intend to stay, they in fact do so. A paper survey, both in English and Spanish, was sent to 100 fast food restaurants for hourly employees to complete anonymously and individually. Multiple regression analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were conducted to determine the strength of the …

Minorities In Israel: Mizrahi And Israeli-Arab Identity And The Potential For Political Collaboration, Kristin L. Hissong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the minority status of Mizrahim and Israeli-Arabs and their political narrative, identity, and action, including their divergent and collaborative views of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process. I examined the possibility that minority groups, once established as viable separate collectives with some leverage and political narrative, have just cause for combining their political action in order to influence governing elites. In order to explore this question, I investigated whether the factor of shared grievances in social identity formation provides a basis for multi-group political narrative and subsequent collaborative action in confronting dominant political forces, …

Factors Influencing The Variability In Social Capital, James R. Downing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research provides insights into three aspects of social capital: the factors that influence its variability; its two-dimensional nature; and the relationship between social capital and membership in a YMCA. These insights have implications for social capital theory, for public policy, for organizational management and for individual well-being. Most social capital research treats the construct as a causal variable and analyzes the implications of different levels of social capital for certain aspects of individual and community well-being. This treatment implies that levels of social capital vary. Little research has been done to analyze the factors that cause social capital variability …

The Past And Pending Using Cinema As A Dialogue To Break Down Walls In Communication, Samuel Eliot Torres

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Past and Pending is a feature-length documentary by Samuel Eliot Torres, made as part of the requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in Film & Digital Media from the University of Central Florida. The film focuses on a family torn apart by a major decision to migrate to the U.S. from Puerto Rico. The protagonist, Torres, is now trying to receive closure from the events by asking the questions he could not ask as a child, but feels compelled to ask as an adult. Filming with only one person in the crew allowed for an intimacy and …

Organizational Support, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, And Perceived Performance Analysis Of Crime Scene Investigation Units Of Turkish National Police, Aykut Tongur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Policing is more difficult than ever before in today’s world since types of crime and criminal profiles change as a result of technological development and globalization. Police organizations should review their organizational and operational strategies to improve the fight against contemporary crimes and criminals. Behaviors and performance of police officers are very important in fighting crime. In this struggle, especially today, officers should exhibit organizational citizenship behaviors and perform better. One of the most important factors affecting these two concepts in organizations is organizational support. The literature stresses the social exchange cycle and reciprocity rules in the relationships of organizations …

Determinants Of Interpersonal Trust, Organizational Commitment For Performance Within Kyrgyz National Police, Erlan Bakiev

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving organizational performance is an essential goal for any type of organization. This process involves varieties of methods, polices and strategies. One of the important elements of organizational performance is trust-building process which deeply depends on leadership efforts of ranked employees and managers. Literature has enough empirical evidence on influence of trust and trusted work environment on organizational performance. Aftermath of recent riots and clashes in Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz National Police (KNP) officers are demoralized by the actions of both previous and current governments which bear corruption, bribery and clan type of ruling. These facts led to untrustworthy environments and relationships …