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The Effects Of Mephenytoin On Schedule-Controlled Responding In The Pigeon, Victoria Mary Pellettiere

Masters Theses

Acute and chronic effects of mephenytoin (30 - 360 mg/kg) were examined in pigeons responding under a multiple fixed-ratio 50 fixed-interval 90-sec schedule of food delivery. The highest dose administered acutely (240 mg/kg) produced substantial reductions in rate of responding under both components of the multiple schedule; the effects of other doses were small and inconsistent. Tolerance appeared to develop to the rate-decreasing effects of mephenytoin following chronic exposure to the drag.

Frames, Brains, And Chinese Rooms: Problems In Artificial Intelligence, Jeffrey David Koperski

Masters Theses

Advocates of strong artificial intelligence believe that properly programmed computers can go beyond the simulation of intelligent acts so as to instantiate and exhibit true intelligence, that is, intelligence equivalent to that of man. In this thesis, I consider three problems for strong-AI.

First, John Searle's well-known thought experiment of the "Chinese Room" is used to reestablish the syntax-semantics distinction and to show how this distinction applies to computer programs. I review the Chinese Room, consider a variety of objections to it, and then expand on the key points in Searle's work.

Second, I examine the Frame Problem in artificial …

Frames, Brains, And Chinese Rooms: Problems In Artificial Intelligence, Jeffrey Koperski

Masters Theses

Advocates of strong artificial intelligence believe

that properly programmed computers can go beyond the

simulation of intelligent acts so as to instantiate and

exhibit true intelligence, that is, intelligence equivalent

to that of man. In this thesis, I consider three problems

for Searle.

First, John Searle's well-known thought experiment of

the "Chinese Room" is used to reestablish the syntax-semantics

distinction and to show how this distinction

applies to computer programs. I review the Chinese Room,

consider a variety of objections to it, and then expand on

the key points in Searle's work.

Second, 1 examine the Frame Problem in artificial …

Added-Purpose Versus Rote Exercise For Dynamic Standing Balance Training In Hemiplegia, Ching-Lin Hsieh

Masters Theses

Adding purpose to daily occupation in order to promote performance is a basic premise of occupational therapy. This study investigated the hypothesis that in individuals with hemiplegia, two added-purpose occupations would elicit more exercise repetitions than a rote exercise occupation. In a counterbalanced order, twenty-one hemiplegic patients aged 51 to 78 experienced all three conditions of a dynamic standing balance exercise involving bending down, reaching , standing up, and extending the arm. One condition of added purposes involved materials (small balls and a target); another prompted imagery of those materials; the third involved the same physical exercise without added purpose. …

The Effects Of Public Posting On Job Performance With And Without Supervisory Participation, Jan Marie Miller

Masters Theses

The intervention was tested using a sequential presentation of conditions to assess the performance of clerical employees in a university admissions office. Ten workers received feedback on completion of mailroom tasks on a daily basis. Tasks included time of mail delivery and accuracy and quantity of responses to information requests. For mail delivery, two intervention elements were applied. First, group performance data were posted publicly. Second, verbal feedback from a supervisor was added to public posting. Improvement in time of mail delivery was observed when public posting was implemented; however, no reliable improvements were observed when supervisor feedback was added. …

The Effects Of A Performance-Based Lottery System On Accident Reduction In The Kalamazoo Office Of The United States Postal Service, Dale F. Polley

Masters Theses

The effects of a performance-based lottery system on the accident rates of mail carriers were examined. Two hundred and eight mail carriers in five United States Postal Service facilities participated. The experimental design consisted of a multiple-baseline with reversal. In addition, the accident rates for the intervention period were compared to the accident rates for the same period of time during the preceding two years.

A Safety Bingo game served as the lottery system. If an accident did not occur in a work unit during the day, a bingo number was drawn. The bingo game continued until either a bingo …

The Effects Of A Conditioned Establishing Operation On Performance Of A Two-Component Chain, Kenneth Lee Alling

Masters Theses

Subjects were exposed to a discrete-trial procedure in which reinforcement following the completion of a two-component response chain was dependent upon the presence or absence of the houselight. The procedure used closely resembles the hypothetical procedure suggested by Michael (1982) for developing control by a conditioned establishing operation. All subjects came to respond differentially in the presence and absence of the houselight. However, removal of the supposed conditioned reinforcer following completion of the first component of the response chain had little effect on control by the houselight, casting some doubt on Michael's (1982) theoretical analysis.

A Comparison Of Functional Equivalence Training And Timeout Procedures In The Reduction Of Disruptive Behavior, Steven D . Goodman

Masters Theses

The use of nonaversive or aversive procedures continues to be debated regarding treatment of behavior problems of persons with developmental disabilities. This study compared the efficacy of a punishment and a nonaversive procedure in the reduction of problem behavior. The nonaversive technique involved the teaching of alternative, functionally equivalent, responses. Timeout was employed as the punishment procedure. The functional equivalence training included a functional analysis to identify the motivating conditions for the disruptive behavior of three boys with severe mental retardation. Treatment conditions were evaluated on rate of disruption, effects on learning trials, and time engaged in training. Results indicate …

Effects Of Phenobarbital In Combination With Phenytoin Or Valproic Acid On The Delayed-Matching-To-Sample Performance Of Pigeons, Catherine Ann Karas

Masters Theses

The present study examined the effects of phenobarbital (S, 10,20, and 40 mg/kg), phenytoin (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 15 mg/kg), and valproic acid (40, 60, 80, and 120 mg/kg), and those of phenobarbital (10 and 20 mg/kg) in combination with phenytoin (2.5,5, and 7.5 mg/kg) or valproic acid (40, 60, and 80 mg/kg), on the delayed-matching-to-sample performance of pigeons. In general, high doses of each individual drug reduced accuracy. Drug combinations also reduced accuracy relative to control values. Reductions in accuracy produced by drug combinations were very similar in magnitude to those predicted by a response-addition model of drug interaction.

Test-Retest Reliability Of The Levels Of Rehabilitation Scale Iib, Maura Katherine Murphy

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate test-retest reliability of the Levels of Rehabilitation Scale IIB (LORS IIB), developed by Carey and Posavac in 1982. Reliability is an important concept when a therapist begins to assess a client's activities of daily living skills. If a test is reliable, the therapist will have a dependable means by which to measure client progress with stability and accuracy.

This study was conducted with eight volunteer post-stroke victims. The study found that the LORS IIB assessment was highly significant in test-retest reliability.

Improving The Performance Of Corporate Instructional Designers, Karolyn A. Smalley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent the job aid developed by Brethower (1968) controlled instructional designers’ behavior so that they effectively and efficiently produced performance-based learning programs. This study consisted of developing and testing two iterations of the Analysis-Design Instructional Guide (job aid). Instructional designers who used either version of the job aid were able to meet a higher percentage of general criteria for performance-based learning programs than designers who did not. In addition, they took less time to develop programs than industry norms suggest. Even though the behavior of the designers was not completely …

Enhancing Cooperative Education Programs For Indian Valley Conference High Schools, William R. Estes Iii

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study is to examine the alternatives by which small rural schools in the Indian Valley Conference could offer a broader education base for their students through cooperative education programs. Data was collected by personal interviews from the principals of the thirteen Indian Valley Conference high schools. The study focused on four areas, a) the factors necessary for effective cooperative education programs, b) the advantages of cooperative education programs, c) the disadvantages of cooperative education programs,d) and the desire for increased participation in cooperative education programs.

The survey results, relative to the cooperative education program needs of …

A Comparison Of Attendance And Self-Esteem At Assumption High School, Connie Lee Falconer

Masters Theses

Nonattendance has historically been a problem for teachers and administrators. Only recently has the effect of self-esteem and attendance been the focus of serious research. This study was conducted at Assumption High School, Assumption Community School District #9, Assumption, Illinois. The study encompassed those students in grades 9 through 12 for attendance purposes in the school year 1990-1991. Those students who were added or dropped during the given school year were not included in the study. Since this research involved some of the factors of ten associated with nonattendance of high school students, all of the students continuously enrolled from …

Mmpi Profiles Of Sexual Perpetrators, Steven G. Vaupel

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare MMPI scores of 60 men referred for assessment and/or counseling at community mental health facilities. No MMPI protocols were excluded due to elevated validity configurations (70T or above). Forty of the referrals were referred for suspected child sexual abuse. Twenty of the referrals admitted (Admitter) to sexually abusing a child at the time of referral and twenty did not admit (Nonadmitter) to sexually abusing a child when referred. A control group of the remaining twenty subjects were referred for various offenses, none of which included sexual offenses against children. Significant differences were …

A Review Of The Literature On Self-Care Children: A Need For Empirical Studies, Stephanie L. Perry

Masters Theses

The term "self-care child'' refers to a young child who returns from school and remains at home unsupervised for an indefinite period until the parents arrive from work, or one who is alone before school in the mornings. In this paper, the emotional functioning, social functioning, and academic performance of self-care children were compared to adult-supervised children. Also, programs designed for self-care children were examined.

When examining the current literature on the self-care child regarding loneliness, anxiety and behavior problems, susceptibility to peer pressure, sexuality, social functioning, and academic performance, no significant differences were found between self-care and adult-supervised children. …

The Validity Of Studies That Test The Effectiveness Of Psychotherapy, Ian K. Isaacs

Masters Theses

This thesis is a review of the validity of studies on the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Ten randomly selected studies are examined to determine if the validity of the study was affected by threats to statistical conclusion, internal, construct, and external validity. All of the studies examined were published after 1985. The results indicate that validity of the research on the effectiveness of psychotherapy is affected by some threats to validity: History, Testing, and Selection bias, (ie. internal validity). In addition, external validity was affected by the lack of use of appropriate control group, lack of a description of the therapy …

A Comparison Between Physiological And Perceived Exertion During Maximal And Submaximal Treadmill Exercise At Three Menstrual Cycle Phases, Kathleen M. Mccune

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in physiological and subjective perceived exertion levels at maximal and submaximal treadmill exercise between three phases of the menstrual cycle in eumennorheic women.

Nine females of varying fitness levels were subjects in the study. None of the subjects were using oral contraception or hormone altering medications at the time of the study.

The subjects performed three separate maximal graded exercise tests (GXT) using the Balke protocol. During each GXT, oxygen uptake (VO₂), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory quotient (RQ), rate of perceived exertion, and total time …

A Study Of Baudelaire's Symbols Of The Feminine In Les Fleurs Du Mal, M. Allison Harris

Masters Theses

Using French and American feminist theory, I analyze Charles Baudelaire's symbols in Les Fleurs du Mal in an attempt to come to terms with symbolic representations of the female that are at once traditional and transgressive.

By examining the images of solids (statues, jewels, metals), lesbians and woman's hair which appear frequently in Baudelaire's text, I reveal Baudelaire's desire to eliminate a woman's generative power and her association with the procreative cycle of nature. His desire for a preoedipal union with the maternal female becomes evident in his early poems and his poems on the subject of a woman's hair. …

The Effects Of Laboratory Induced State Anxiety And Frustration On M, Y, Fy, And Yf Rorschach Responses, Gregory T. Eells

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between laboratory induced anxiety and frustration on m, Y, FY, and YF Rorschach responses. Forty-eight subjects, 16 male subjects and 32 female subjects, ranging in age from 19 to 43 years of age were selected for this study. All subjects were enrolled in a psychology course for the summer term of 1991 at Eastern Illinois University. Frustration was induced by erroneously telling subjects that most people could solve the Tower of Hanoi puzzle in 5 minutes then giving the subjects a 5 minute time limit. Anxiety was induced by telling …

The Relationship Of Osteoporosis Health Beliefs And Knowledge To Calcium Intake, Karen L. Boyer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between health beliefs (susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, health motivation and self-efficacy) and knowledge, to calcium intake. The study used a descriptive correlational design and a convenience sample of 201 women was selected. Data collection took place in a metropolitan area of west Michigan and a structured interview method was used. The subjects ranged in age from 35 to 95. Ninety-six and one half percent of the sample was white. The hypothesis--"knowledge and the health beliefs account for a significant amount of variance in calcium intake" was partially supported. Self-efficacy and …

Bedtime Routines And Sleep Patterns Of Hospitalized Elderly, Marie E. Vander Kooi

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine whether performance of a familiar bedtime routine was related to the self-reported nocturnal sleep pattern quality of the hospitalized elderly. A descriptive correlational design was used to analyze data collected on a convenience sample of 30 elderly patients. The Bedtime Routine Questionnaire was used to describe the bedtime routine at home and measure to what extent it was maintained in the hospital. The nocturnal sleep pattern quality was measured using the Richards Campbell Sleep Questionnaire. The most common bedtime routine activities of the elderly were found to be: going to the bathroom; …

Nursing Care Of The Elderly In The Acute Care Setting: An Investigation Of Powerlessness, Dorothy De Boer Zylstra

Masters Theses

This study's purpose was to identify whether persons 65 years of age or older hospitalized with congestive heart failure perceive personal powerlessness. Cognitive competence of the subjects was determined by the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. A Powerlessness Interview Schedule (PIVS) was used to identify subjects' perceptions of personal powerlessness.; Perceived powerlessness was not conclusively apparent in the fifty-one subjects of this study. No subjects received a score of 38 or below. Ten of fifty-one subjects received scores ranging from 46 to 56 which may place them at risk for perceived personal powerlessness. Forty-nine subjects had areas of limited feelings …

Maternal Employment Status Following The Birth Of An Infant, Julie A. Hyde

Masters Theses

A descriptive correlational study was conducted in partial replication of the Youngblut (1989) study for the purpose of determining the relationship between variables related to mothers' employment status and the infants' developmental status at three months. Families of the sample (n = 105) were termed working, non-working or leave of absence (LOA) depending on the mothers' employment status at the infant age of three months.; Variables examined included demographic, reproductive histories, mother-child interaction, employment status, family functioning, neonatal morbidity, developmental outcomes and home/work orientation. Findings revealed that despite a higher SES category than nonworking and LOA families, working mothers also …

Patient Perceptions Of Nurse Caring Behaviors, Patricia A. Devries

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine which nurse caring behaviors in the critical care unit are perceived as most important and least important by patients with myocardial infarction. A sample of 44 subjects responded to an open-ended question and an assessment scale, the Caring Behaviors Assessment. Two comparison groups of 22 subjects each were formed from the sample to determine if number of previous admissions to the critical care unit made a difference in perceptions of most important and least important nurse caring behaviors.; Descriptive statistics along with t-test, chi-square, and two-way analysis of variance were used to …

Adolescent Suicide: Accurate Assessment Of Suicide Lethality Factors By High School Students, Susan L. Karolus

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Killer Trees And Homicidal Grass: The Anthropomorphic Landscape In The American Prose Narrative Of The Vietnam War, Timothy F. Poremba

Masters Theses

Reading the landscape of Vietnam (the climate, the jungle, the topography) as an anthropomorphic character in the American prose narrative of the war provides a unique insight into the inner landscapes of the men who fought there and now write about it. William V. Spanos writes that the urge to name--to anthropomorphize--is man's method for dealing with the existential nothingness of being. Zohreh T. Sullivan, in discussing the landscape of Joseph Conrad, perceives landscape as a projection of the author's own psychic turmoil. Furthermore, Gaston Bachelard in The Poetics of Space recognizes the imaginative value that man places on space, …

A Comparison Of Personality Traits Of Female Interscholastic Athletes And Female Intercollegiate Athletes Involved In Basketball And Softball, Katheryn M. Myers

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare personality traits of female high school athletes to female collegiate athletes.

Eighty female athletes participated in the study. Forty-two of them competed at the high school level and thirty-eight participated at the college level. The high school subjects came from either Arcola, Casey/Westfield, or Charleston High School. The college athletes came from either Eastern Illinois University or Illinois State University. All athletes participated in either softball or basketball.

The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire was administered to each of the subjects. Following Cattell's recommendations, raw scores were used for statistical analysis. Form A …

The Effects Of Discrimination Therapy Administered To Preschool Children, Steven E. Deal

Masters Theses

Recent research in the area of phonological development has indicated phonemes are mastered earlier than previous research demonstrated. Research has also indicated phoneme discriminatory skills are acquired with a similar pattern of development as phoneme production skills. Additionally, many research studies have demonstrated a relationship between children's ability to discriminate phonemes and their ability to articulate phonemes. Phonological skill development at younger ages implies that children will be eligible for articulation therapy at younger ages. Traditionally, articulation remediation begins with sensory/perceptual or discrimination training. Currently, available research has not addressed the effectiveness of discrimination training at pre-school age levels.

Six …

The Relationship Between Elements Of Symbolism In Drawings And Language, Sarah Lynn Williams

Masters Theses

A relationship between the development of drawing skills and overall development has been well documented. Furthermore, a relationship between language development and drawing development has been suggested by a number of research findings. The research goal of this project is the following: to determine whether there is a predictable relationship between the elements of symbolism in drawing and language development.

Twenty-six children were given a standardized language assessment and a drawing assessment. The children were divided into two groups according to age. Language scores for Group 1 included the following Test of Language Development-Primary subtests (Newcomer & Hammill, 1982): picture …

Maintaining A High School Elective/Vocational Program With The Increase In College Entrance Requirements, Clyde W. Frankie

Masters Theses

This field experience examines how 21 selected Illinois unit district high schools have maintained their elective/vocational enrollments with the 1985 increase in college admission requirements. The 21 high schools identified had a student population between 700 and 1000. A questionnaire was sent to each school requesting information regarding their master schedule. Questions specifically requested data on number of class periods, length of class periods, number of graduation units, faculty teaching load, class maximums and minimums, and percent of college-bound students in respective schools. This data was analyzed through comparative data tables to identify potential solutions or trends high schools are …