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Image And Identity: Effects Of The Gaze In Colette's The Vagabond And Jean Rhys's Good Morning, Midnight, Janet A. Puzey

Masters Theses

Image and Identity: Effects of the Gaze in Colette's The Vagabond and Jean Rhys's Good Morning, Midnight explains the development of identity, within private and public spaces, of the novels' female protagonists, Renee Nere and Sasha Jensen. Understanding the history of Paris, used as setting in both novels as well as serving as home for both authors, and its historical relationship to the gaze is important.

Using John Berger's and Charles Baudelaire's observations of female presence and the gaze, the thesis analyzes the ways in which Renee and Sasha struggle to form their identities, not only while braving the critical …

Predictors Of Recurrent Child Maltreatment, Bridget Kielty

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between child maltreatment recurrence and several predictor variables in 7 rural counties in central Illinois, an under-studied population in the child maltreatment literature. Additionally, factors that contributed to the decision by Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) to provide post-investigative services were also examined. Data were obtained from an integrated database maintained by Illinois DCFS. All indicated cases of maltreatment occurring between January 1, 2000 and March 31 of 2001 were examined for a 12-month period following the initial indicated report for child revictimization or perpetrator recidivism. The …

A Qualitative Analysis Of The Experiences Of Black Undergraduate Males At Predominantly Black And White Institutions, Jamill Latrice Taylor

Masters Theses

This present study was designed to explore some of the issues and differences of African American males on the campuses of predominantly black and predominantly white institutions. The research closely examined the academic experiences of African American males and the similarities and differences in their co-curricular experience. In addition this study examined some of the major obstacles to survival within the college environment specifically and issues regarding the retention and attrition of African American males.

The data collected for this study were obtained through the use of an interactive qualitative inquiry method. The study was phenomenological in design. The findings …

Nuclearization Of Pakistan: Motivations And Intentions, Rabia Akhtar

Masters Theses

Pakistan conducted six thermonuclear tests in response to five Indian nuclear tests in 1998. There existed an interplay of various actors at the external and the internal level which enabled Pakistan to reach the decision to detonate. This thesis examines the motivations and intentions that acted as a driving force for Pakistan to make the decision to go nuclear. In order to identify these intentions, this thesis applies the national decision making model presented by Graham Allison. The arguments presented will demonstrate whether Allison's model explains the complexity of Pakistan's decision to go nuclear and which part of the model …

Adolescents With Epilepsy: The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Parenting, Self-Concept, And Self-Assessment Scores Of Depression, Alison Z. D. Hofheinz

Masters Theses

Adolescents with chronic diseases must accomplish the management of their healthcare decisions and practices; those with epilepsy also deal with the uncertainty of seizure disorders and the stigma linked to this disease. This secondary analysis of data examined psychosocial variables for adolescents with epilepsy within the developmental-contextual framework proposed by Hohnbeck and Shapera (1999). No statistically significant differences were found between the mean Piers-Harris scores, self-assessment scores on the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) or the Revised Family APGAR for the subgroups of males, females, younger (9 to 11.44 years) or older (11.45 to 14 years) adolescents. Perceptions of parenting, length …

Performance & Project Spirit Of Student Design Competition Teams, Bradley Marcus Davis

Masters Theses

"Student design competition teams present a valuable research possibility in the field of work group research. They are widely available and present greater learning opportunities than do class project groups. This study intended to create an instrument to measure the level of project spirit and team performance in order to establish a link between these two concepts. In the present study, nine student design competition teams from the University of Missouri - Rolla (UMR) campus (n = 186) were surveyed. The results indicate a strong correlation of the project spirit variables (project culture, project commitment, project citizenship, and project satisfaction) …

Understanding Reflection, David Michael Moutray

Masters Theses

understanding reflection is a collection of poems which examines reflection both as an element of memory and self-image. The thirty-six poems represent devices and conventions employed by Philip Larkin, Donald Justice, Kamala Das, and Adrienne Rich. The style and voice mastered by these four poets served as an inspiring force in my creative efforts. The thesis introduction examines the voices of these poets and their influence on my work -- particularly in respect to my exploration of sexual, cultural and familial tensions.

The introductory essay, in essence, introduces my progression through reflection. Throughout the course of my progression, Larkin and …

The Soldier's Strife: An Introspective View Through The Work Of Tim O'Brien, Mandy Solomon

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Lacunae: Narrative "Lacks, Holes Or Gaps" In Faulkner's And Morrison's Novels, Phyllis Ann Karpus

Masters Theses

The moment a reader opens a book, turns to the opening lines and begins to read, a circular relationship immediately develops with the author and the text. An implied alliance is formed wherein the author, most often through a narrator, omniscient or otherwise, proposes to the reader that he/she accept a degree of responsibility for understanding the plot, theme, and the underlying meaning in the work.

Retrospectively the theory sounds simple and, with many authors, it is effective. William Faulkner and Toni Morrison, however, not only command but also demand, the reader's absolute attention in, and responsibility to, many of …

The Mermaid's Dress: Marriage And Empire In The Voyage Out And Mrs Dalloway, Melissa Wharton-Smith

Masters Theses

This thesis examines how socio-historical influences shape the protagonists of Virginia Woolf’s The Voyage Out (1915) and Mrs. Dalloway (1925)-- Rachel Vinrace and Clarissa Dalloway. During the writing of these two novels, attitudes about roles for women before and after World War I shifted as pre-war domestic strife was replaced by a post-war push to return to normalcy. Throughout the period, imperialist ideology demanded that women conform to traditional gender roles by marrying and reproducing. Woolf depicts this pressure as it affects her two protagonists.

In The Voyage Out, the British Empire's imposing presence is exhibited through the setting of …

Love, Violence, And Creation: Modernist Mediums Of Transcendence In Sylvia Plath's Poetry And Prose, Autumn Williams

Masters Theses

Many critics who study Sylvia Plath's works discuss the autobiographical significance of her poetry and prose, labeling her art as primarily confessional. My research shows that Sylvia Plath's awareness of and sensitivity to contemporary and historical cultural events, along with her acute sense of literary tradition, shape her art and widen the scope of critical interpretation. My study, although conceding that aspects of her writing are autobiographical, focuses on the modernist elements in her poetry and prose. By identifying her writing through the lens of modernism, I view her art in terms of its cultural, historical, political, and aesthetic qualities. …

Negotiated Families: Lesbians And Institutions In Southwest Michigan, Cynthia E. Foor

Masters Theses

In this thesis, I look at the practices of certain lesbians and locate them within a particular historical and cultural context. I argue that the resources, the capital, both material and social, as well as the internalized orientations and expectations each woman brings to the crafting of her family, accounts for the particular family each has negotiated. It is within the particular historical constraints and opportunities that we can understand each family's experiences. The uniqueness of family experience is predicated on differences in the women's ages linked to the particular historical trajectory of sociopolitical changes in the U. S. Yet …

The Social Construction Of Personal Protection Orders: Gendered Differences?, Kristen E. Devall

Masters Theses

Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) were enacted as one method of responding to the issue of domestic violence that was thought to be escalating in epidemic proportions across the United States. This research was grounded in social constructionist theory and sought to examine the perspectives of judges who authorize/deny PPOs and the implications these perspectives have for the legal process as well as the larger criminal justice system. Through my examination of the petitioning process, I gained insights about the relationships that exist between petitioners and respondents as well as the reasons petitioners cite for why s/he is seeking a PPO. …

Non-Prescriptive Behavior Therapy: Effectiveness Of A Self-Help Book In Teaching Parents How To Manage Their Child’S “Picky Eating” Behavior, Sean T. Smitham

Masters Theses

The term "nonprescription" behavior therapies was first used by Rosen (1979) to describe behavioral interventions that could be totally self-administered without professional consultation. In his article, Rosen warned that empirical validation of self-help programs was needed. The present study examines the effectiveness of one such self-help program intended to help parents manage a minor pediatric feeding problem - "picky eating". "Picky Eating" (i.e., mild selectivity or selective eating) appears to be a common and relatively persistent feeding concern of otherwise typically developing children. Mild selectivity is usually regarded as a sub-clinical feeding problem. In the present study, five families with …

Tales Of Forbidden Love: A Sociological Analysis Of Interracial Intimacy, Candice L. Bryant

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the constructions of race, marriage, and love insofar as these components promote the exclusion of interracial intimacy and marriage from the dominant discourse. The study focuses on the ways in which the social sciences have polarized "blacks" and "whites" (linguistically, socially, and economically) thus, making it difficult for persons living in black and white skin to experience social affirmation through literature, media, and agents in everyday life.

A qualitative content analysis of historical and contemporary literature regarding interracial marriage and intimacy were conducted in conjunction with an auto ethnography of the author's …

Examining The Effects Of Conducting Behavior-Based Safety Observations, Joseph R. Sasson

Masters Theses

Eleven computer terminal operators participated in a series of interventions aimed at increasing safe ergonomic performance. All participants received ergonomics training and performance feedback, and approximately one half of the participants conducted observations for safe behavior. Conducting observations of safety-related behavior is a critical component of the Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) process, yet few researchers have studied the effects of conducting observations on the behavior of the observer. This study sought to examine the effects of conducting BBS observations on the safe performance of the observer in an applied setting. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to assess the …

Examining The Effects Of Individualized Computer Work Station Adjustments And Performance Management On Safe Behavior, Kathryn Culig

Masters Theses

The first purpose of this study was to examine the effects of office ergonomic assessments and resulting computer workstation adjustments on safe behavior. The adjustments were designed to reduce or eliminate barriers to performing safely, thus creating an environment that would allow participants to assume safe behaviors. The second purpose of the study was to examine the effects of a performance management (PM) package, including ergonomic information, graphic feedback, and praise, which targeted those behaviors that did not substantially change as a result of the workstation adjustments. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to assess the effects of …

Evaluation Of The Picture Exchange Communication System, Anne Rena Cummings

Masters Theses

The Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) is a picture-based augmentative communication method that is widely accepted and utilized across children with a variety of disabilities. Despite its extensive dissemination, there is a dearth of empirically based support to document the effectiveness of PECS. The current study is the first to experimentally evaluate the effects of training during each of the 6 phases of PECS. Results indicated that with all 7 participants, the level of PECS responses consistently increased only after training was completed in Phases 1 through 4. In addition, all of the participants showed an increase in PECS responses …

Practical Evaluation Of Psychotropic Medication, Lynne E. Turner

Masters Theses

Surveys indicate that 25-40% of students with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities receive one or more psychotropic medications, however, almost nothing is known concerning how the effects of the medications are monitored. Parents/guardians and teachers were interviewed to ascertain information regarding current monitoring procedures in the home and in the school setting. Additionally information was gathered to ascertain their knowledge regarding: 1) the reason for which their students were prescribed psychotropic medications; 2) the behavioral domains that those medications are intended to affect, 3) the current status of those behavioral domains, and 4) consumers' satisfaction with the pharmacological intervention. …

An Examination Of The Frequency Of Unethical Practices In High School Among 9th Grade Science Students, Russell Joseph Chudy

Masters Theses

This research is a study of 147 high school freshman science students at Forest Hills Central High School. A survey was given to each student regarding academic dishonesty in science classes. This survey was taken voluntarily and each student was given identical surveys. The data was then collected, combined and analyzed. Results indicated that cheating among 9th grade science students occurs every day at Central High School, regardless of sex or academic achievement, and is common practice. Freshman students participate in academically dishonest behavior less currently than they did a year ago. Although they are afraid of getting caught, most …

An Inquiry Into The Application Of A Curriculum Chart In Science Education, Karen R. Fuller

Masters Theses

When a teacher decides how to teach science to the classroom of individuals, the fist consideration to make is how to best meet the needs of the students. It is important to know what their prior knowledge is. A science curriculum chart would work like a checklist where the teachers would write when the student learned a science topic and how they succeeded in learning the science concept. The chart would also show education standards and benchmarks met.

The author surveyed West Michigan teachers, K-12, in order to determine if they would value the use of the chart. The teacher …

Adolescent Drinking And Driving: A Descriptive And Intervention Study, Emalee M. Fields

Masters Theses

Given the high rates of alcohol use and abuse among adolescents in our society, it is not surprising that drinking and driving is also relatively common. This paper starts with a summary of national statistics, which is followed by a critical review of previous interventions. The purpose of this project was to attempt to find an effective drinking and driving intervention for high school students which was relatively inexpensive, less time intensive than past interventions and required little or no training for the facilitator to present. Two related intervention conditions (a video only intervention and a slightly more extensive package …

The Development Of Occupational Therapy In Kenya, Mindy C. Owens

Masters Theses

Occupational therapy is a profession that is growing throughout the world. Kenya is one country in which occupational therapy is fairly well established. The purpose of this study was to document how occupational therapy has evolved over recent years. A major focus of this study was to identify the educational levels of occupational therapists in Kenya, types of practice settings, prominent diagnoses of patients treated, utilization of rehabilitation services, current trends and practice in occupational therapy, and acquisition, use, and maintenance of adaptive equipment.

The Development of Occupational Therapy in Kenya survey was sent to 28 practicing occupational therapists in …

The Effects Of Televised Violence On Students, Bobbi Jo Kenyon

Masters Theses

Violence among our youth today has skyrocketed, and we continue to hear reports of violent acts and aggressive behavior, especially in our schools. This growing level of negative behavior has prompted many educators and communities to look for an explanation. One suggestion often proposed is that our youth learn violent and antisocial behaviors by watching televised violence.

This paper examines over forty years of laboratory and field research on the effects of televised violence on children. The vast majority of studies conclude that televised violence can lead to behaviors such as aggressiveness, desensitization, and fearfulness. These findings were then compared …

Self-Perceived Language Competence And East Asian Students’ Oral Participation In American University Classrooms, Ee Lin Lee

Masters Theses

This study examined English language related competence factors that contribute to East Asian students' (EAS) oral participation levels in American university classrooms. Specifically, this study posited that EAS' self-perceived English communicative competence, English speaking anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation affect their level of oral participation. The results of the statistical analyses supported the hypothesized relationships, indicating (a) EAS' self-perceived English communicative competence correlates positively with their level of oral participation, (b) EAS' reported level of English speaking anxiety correlates negatively with their level of oral participation, and (c) EAS' level of fear of negative evaluation correlates negatively with their …

Earning The Right: Exploring The Communication Strategies Of European Americans In Interracial Relationships, Angela L. Putman

Masters Theses

In a societal context, European Americans are the dominant majority group. However, when European Americans are involved in interracial relationships, they may often find themselves in the minority (numerically speaking) when they interact with their partner's friends and/or family members. This research explores lived experiences of European Americans involved in interracial relationships with African Americans. Specifically, the general question addressed was, "What communication strategies and behaviors do European Americans exhibit when they communicate with their African American partner's friends and/or family members?" The acculturation process and Communication Accommodation Theory were explored in order to provide initial insight into this relatively …

Playing The Game: Exploring Dialectical Tensions And Co-Cultural Communication Strategies Of Black Males In Predominantly White Organizational Structures, Mark C. Hopson

Masters Theses

As non-dominant group members enter and attempt to succeed within the United States' organizational structures, there continues to be a need for scholarly examination concerning how their communication is impacted by culture and power. This thesis focuses specifically on how discourse is influenced by these factors. It is an exploration of the dialectical tensions that beset the communication of African American males whose interactive success or failure in academic and professional organizations is often associated with the historical differences of culture and power. A review of existing literature addresses the communication dilemmas and co-cultural strategies that "outsiders within" (Collins, 1986), …

The History Of The Music Therapy Program, Western Michigan University; Its Origin And Development To 1980, Cynthia L. Goodson

Masters Theses

The histories of music therapy programs at colleges and universities in the United States have not been widely researched and documented. The purpose of this study was to examine the history of the music therapy program at Western Michigan University from its origin and development until 1980. Specifically, the author was interested in learning what conditions existed that were favorable to the creation of a music therapy program, the chronological progress of the music therapy program (including the individuals responsible for the program's inception and development), and development and changes in curricula that demonstrated responsiveness to music therapy practice and …

Parties And Realignment: The President’S Role In Political Party Realignment, Kevin B. Dockerty

Masters Theses

Using "The Youth-Parent Socialization Panel Study" that covers 1965-1982, the role of individual presidential candidates in bringing about changes in mass partisanship and party realignment is studied. Previous research has ignored the role of popular, prestigious, charismatic presidential candidates shaping and changing citizens' partisanship. Historical political party realignments guide my research in showing the strong influence of the chief executive in realignment periods.

Following the work of Niemi and Jennings (1991) I expand on their issue model explaining partisan choice by creating a candidate-issues model to provide a more complete explanation of party identification. I specifically look at the presidential …

Evaluation Of Clozapine Discriminative Stimulus Properties As A Function Of Training Dose, Adam J. Prus

Masters Theses

Clozapine (CLZ) is an atypical antipsychotic with negligible extrapyramidal side-effects. Unfortunately, CLZ drug discrimination (DD) research has yielded inconsistencies with CLZ's known pharmacological characteristics. Porter et al. (2000) have suggested that the standard 5.0 mg/kg CLZ training dose is too high, thus accounting for difficulty in assessing clozapine's discriminative stimulus (S^D) effects. Therefore, 16 male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate either 1.25 (Group II) or 5.0 mg/kg (Group I) CLZ from vehicle in a two-choice DD task. The typical anti psychotic haloperidol (0.1-0.4 mg/kg) did not substitute for either CLZ S^D, with the exception of …