Digital Commons Network^™

Student Perception Of Parental Responses To Their Adolescent Behaviors: The Characteristics Of Those Who Are Labeled Negatively And The Impact Of The Labels, Stephanie Medley

Honors Theses

The following research uses labeling theory to determine what type of individual is most likely to be labeled negatively by their parents during adolescence. Labeling theory hypothesizes that if an individual is negatively labeled they are more likely to engage in secondary deviance than an individual who is not labeled negatively. The assumptions of labeling theory will be identified. Types and levels of deviance will be identified. Prior research will also be examined to identify what types of characteristics have already been identified as to increase the likelihood ofbeing labeled negatively. Next, the sample and methodology will be identified. The …

The Effects Of De-Tracking On Students And Teachers, Jacob M. Bultema, Kristen M. Scranton

Honors Theses

School districts use an array of methods to group students for their academic needs. In years past, many schools have tracked their students. This practice involves placing students in different classes according to their ability levels and past academic record. However, in recent years, some schools have decided to do away with this homogenous grouping and instead "detrack" their schools, grouping students heterogeneously. Proponents of tracking argue that homogenous grouping is advantageous to higher-ability learners. Teachers sometimes find it difficult to teach students with the broad range or achievement levels typically found in a heterogeneous environment. It is also argued …

Communicator-In-Chief: Presidential Use Of Television Past, Present, And Future, Jenna Wasson

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to determine how television has changed as a communication medium for presidents over the past half century. An evaluation of the evolving ways presidents use television to communicate with and to build support from the American people has been conducted. Presidential communication strategies have been identified by drawing primarily from primary sources written by presidents and White House staff. Television technology and the television audience have changed over the years. Presidents have taken a more pro-active, aggressive role in their efforts to harness television for their own purposes. Why have these changes occurred? What impact have these …

The Relations Between Parenting Styles And Juvenile Delinquency, Misty Wittenborn

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relations between Diana Baumrind's (1971) parenting styles and juvenile delinquency. The Parental Authority Questionnaire (Buri, 1991) was used to assess parenting style. The Self Reported Delinquency Survey (Elliot & Ageton, 1980) was used to determine delinquency levels in adolescents. There were 63 participants with ages ranging from 14 to middle twenties. The participants were asked to fill out the questionnaires on the Internet. The data was saved on-line, and was analyzed using correlational and multivariate procedures. We hypothesized that the permissive parenting style was highly correlated with high scores of delinquency. …

Magic In Modernity: A Study Of The Neopagan Movement In Contemporary America, Brandon A. Hale

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Personality Traits And Motivational Influences On Smoking In Lesbians, Erin C. Aholt

Honors Theses

Past studies have suggested that lesbians are more prone than heterosexual women to smoke. This study examined whether different aspects of personality and temperament were predictors of tobacco use among lesbian smokers in comparison to lesbian nonsmokers. Participants consisted of 70 lesbians, 18 years or older, who completed an online survey containing the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the Gay Identity Questionnaire (GIQ), Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and the Star Smoking Motivation Questionnaire (STAR -SMOQ). Results indicated that (1) there was a weaker correlation between smoking for weight suppression than has been reported in past studies of predominantly heterosexual …

Trading Sex For Karma In Thailand: An Analysis Of The Reciprocal Relationship Between Buddhist Monastics And Thai Prostitutes, Amy Proskow

Honors Theses

Religions are often the foundations of societies. A person's religion helps guide his/her behaviors, thoughts, goals and priorities. Religious beliefs are often those beliefs that are adhered to most strongly; they hold incredible power over the believer and the non-believer alike. In many societies around the world, religion is used as a form of social control, and it is often the primary force behind governmental policies and social opinions and expressions. Examining social processes within a religious context allows us to analyze certain societies and their patterns of interactions in a very deep and detailed manner. A particular society or …

Rape Myths Among A Sample Of Utc Students, Nicolette Mendenhall

Honors Theses

Rape has a tremendous impact upon victims. The victim has to come to terms with the reality that she was raped,as well as face the new perceptions that other people will have about her. These perceptions will be a result of conceptions about rape that are not realistic. These unrealistic beliefs are called 'rape myths.' There has been much research on rape myths for the following reasons: they may upset the victim, they provide justification for rapists to rape someone, and they may affect a woman's behavior because she may avoid activities she believes will lead her to be raped. …

Time Of Pachakutik: An Examination Of The Ecuadorian Indigenous Movement, Eliza Cooke Kittredge

Honors Theses

The Ecuadorian indigenous movement has emerged in the last decade as the most important social and political movement in the country. The driving organizations behind the movement, CONAIE (Confederadon de Nacionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador), a social organization. and Pachakutik Movimiento Pluri-Nacional (Pluri-national movement), a political organization, have taken different approaches to fortifying indigenous identities, challenging the policies of the Ecuadorian government, and uprooting the subtle but persistent racist ideologies that have been discriminatory and exclusionary for over 500 years. I argue that Pachakutik's involvement within the political system has a greater chance of effecting long-term change for indigenous peoples in …

The Holocaust, Gulag, And Sociology: Why Is There Less Scholarly Interest In The Soviet Repressive System?, Rachel Schroeder

Honors Theses

The Soviet Gulag and the Holocaust are two formative events that claimed millions of victims in the twentieth century; however, the Gulag has received markedly less interest from scholars. Why does such a major discrepancy exist in the amount of attention that is focused on the Gulag as compared to the Holocaust? This paper offers a response to the above question. It explores the scale and dimensions of the discrepancy through a comparative analysis of a Gulag bibliography and a Holocaust bibliography. The paper also offers a response to the question of why the discrepancy exists by inquiring into the …

Prescott V.A. Medical Center, Megan E. Edwards

Honors Theses

Discusses therapy techniques, including MOHO, COTE, and KidCOTE, and their implementations. Also presents the case of fictional patients and their proposed treatment plans.

Violence In Sports: A Comparison Of Gladiatorial Games In Ancient Rome To The Sports Of America, Amanda Doherty

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

New Jersey Women And Their Strategies For Exerting Power In Marriage, 1770-1800, Jacqueline Deyo

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Increasing Attendance At Voluntary Academic Tutoring Sessions On A Large University, Meghan Sadler

Honors Theses

High attrition rates have become an impetus for colleges and universities to develop programs to help students during the first years of their education. Various services such as supplemental instruction, tutoring, testing, counseling, college success seminars, and remedial help are offered to help students be successful in their university studies. While these services may be offered, encouraging students to voluntarily attend these sessions is a problem. This study was conducted to analyze the effect of prompts on improving the attendance at voluntary content tutoring sessions at a large Midwestern University. The participants were college students enrolled in any course that …

Politics For The People: The Significance Of Austrian National Identity In The Rise Of The Fpo, Laura A. Jeltema

Honors Theses

No abstract available.

An Analysis Of The Past, Present, And Future Of Title Ix In Intercollegiate Athletics Through Various Case Studies, Specifically Western Michigan University, Tara L. Becker

Honors Theses

Although collegiate athletics i only a small portion of Title IX, it has been the most widely discussed and controversial part of the law to implement. It seems that colleges and universities have had the most trouble complying with the specifics of the law. However, they have made great strides since the days of the predominantly male world of collegiate sports in the past. This paper examines historical controversies, and takes a closer look at the impact of Title IX at Western Michigan University.

Chritian Confusion: An Anthropological Analysis Of The Christian Conversion Experience, Elizabeth Cowden Crowley

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Industrialized Violence: The Origins Of Genocide, Brandi Pennell

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Girls' Education In Ghana, Melaniece Nicole Bardley

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Judicial Selection And Voter Turnout In Jackson County, Tracey A. Basler

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Parents' Marital Status On College Students' Expectations For Marriage, Laura Ann Rowald

Honors Theses

This study examined the differences between college students from divorced and intact families with respect to their expectations for marriage, division of household labor, and childcare. A divorced family was defined as one in which the parents have divorced and includes those who remain single after the divorce and those where one or both parents have remarried. An intact family was defined as one in which the parents were currently married to each other and had never been divorced from each other. Participants included 102 Southern Illinois University undergraduate students enrolled in a introductory psychology course who participated for course …

Fighting Aids With Holistic Weapons: An Integrated Approach, Tom Goodwin

Honors Theses

The current AIDS epidemic has changed the way we view the world as well as our society as a whole. Diseases have ravaged humanity since the dawn of time, so what makes AIDS so much different from every other disease encountered by man? One reason is its transmission method. We know that HIV passes from person to person via blood, semen, and vaginal secretions. Most people that suffer from this disease contract it during sex, during intravenous drug use, or during a blood transfusion. Early accounts of HIV disease occurred in minority groups, namely homosexual men. This may have bee …

American Holocaust Films: A Case Study In Jewish American Identity (1937-1993), Jeff Daniels

Honors Theses

When examining the image of the Jew in American Holocaust films, one is truly determining how American Jews view themselves. These films' presentation of Jews exposes not only how Jewish Americans wished to see themselves but also how much Gentile Americans wanted to see of Jewish culture. An exploration of America's Holocaust films from the late 1930s to the early 1990s reveals an increasing concentration of Jews as the main victims of the event. The degree to which this specificity is emphasized exhibits how much the American public accepted Jews and their plight. At the same time, the prevalence of …

An Ethical Exploration Of Gender Inequality In Church Leadership, Elizabeth Rickert

Honors Theses

An Ethical Exploration of Gender Inequality in Church Leadership provides a moral analysis of the current status of women leaders in the church. Drawing on socio- analytical, ethical-theological, and leadership studies perspectives, this thesis sheds light on the disparity between the theological principles of equality and the ecclesiastical practices of inequality that create an unhealthy moral environment in churches.

Gender inequality in church leadership exists today in both the congregations permitting the ordination of women as well as in those that do not. This widespread discrepancy between rules and practices concerning women leaders in the church points to the socially …

The Clapham Sect : An Investigation Into The Effects Of Deep Faith In A Personal God On A Change Effort, Victoria Marple

Honors Theses

This study was undertaken primarily out of an apparent inability of leadership material to answer the question of "Why" in their studies of change efforts. Despite many scholarly materials on how societal alterations occurs and steps to make social action successful, little has been written regarding the internal influences on individuals involved in these efforts and on how these influences make the leader or group successful. This particular case study has been chosen because of its clear portrayal of various leadership theories including catalytic leadership, charismatic leadership and change theory. Moreover, writings about the Clapham Sect clearly evidence that the …

Women And Work: An Analysis Of The Sociological And Historical Trends Of Maternity Leave Policies In The U.S., Gina M. Schrader

Honors Theses

This paper presents an analysis of maternity rights and regulations within the context of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993. First, I will define the legislation while observing the sociological and historical significance of the legislation. Second, I will analyze maternity leave policies of the modern working environment and address the increasing involvement of women within the workforce. Finally, I will examine the needs that are unmet within current policies and the possible alternatives.

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Sex Education Classes On The Hiv/Aids-Related Attitudes And Behaviors Of Adolescent Women, Imelda Reyes-Phetteplace

Honors Theses

Twenty adolescent women using services at the Kalamazoo County Family Planning Clinic were interviewed using a protocol developed by the student investigator. Their responses were analyzed for themes and patterns. The majority of the adolescents were aware of HIV/AIDS and were using condoms on a consistent basis. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as the theoretical framework, suggestions were made to help improve area school programs such as practicing role-play during class and offering more classes in greater detail. Many of the adolescents recommended having more classes offered in school that cover the topics of STDs and health education in …

Organic Farmers As Victims Of Lnjurious Practices By Biogenetic Corporations, Jennifer L. Kelley

Honors Theses

The relationship between anticompetitive practices by large biotechnology corporations and their victimizing effects on organic farmers, with reference to genetically engineered and altered seeds in the United States market, is examined. The sample was derived from individuals associated with the organic farming industry. The total sample populace was taken from two cumulative lists of organic farmers, organic certification agencies, and organic food producers. One hundred individuals were mailed questionnaires. Of the fifty-four percent that returned the surveys, one hundred percent feel there are not sufficient regulations on genetic engineering nor have sufficient precautions been taken. Issues of labeling safety, and …

Body Image And Sexual Attitudes: A Comparison Of Ethnicity And Gender, Melody A. Scheriger

Honors Theses

Objective: To further understand the relationship between body image and sexual attitudes among men and women, whites and nonwhites, an exploratory study was conducted on undergraduate students. Method: Participating in this study was 305 females and 184 males, among the participants were 110 African Americans and 379 Caucasians. The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), which measures body image, and the Sexual Attitudes scale, which measures sexual attitudes, was distributed in a questionnaire to students (Brown, Cash, & Mikulka, 1990; Hendrick & Hendrick, 1987). Results: Significant differences were found among both women and men, and African Americans and Caucasians. Women were …

Genetic Influence On Impulse And Aggression Related Crime: A Historical Review Of Related Research Data. And Field Research Project, Catherine A. Newell

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.