Digital Commons Network^™

A Comparison Of An Ideal And A Real Quality Of Work Life Program, Noreen Goldschmidt

Masters Theses

The purposes of this study were to examine the differences between: (a) a real and idealized Quality of Work Life program; (b) individual groups and the idealized Quality of Work Life program, and (c) groups surveyed.

Two departments were surveyed to obtain perceptions of a Quality of Work Life program existing within a utility company located in the state of Michigan.

Percentages were calculated on the Agree and Strongly Agree response alternatives for all items included on the survey. For the three comparisons made the difference in percent was tested at the.05 level of significance. The results indicated that the …

Academic-Point Incentives And College-Student Use Of Study Skills, Afnan Ma'rouf Almasri

Masters Theses

This was a study of the effects of academic-point incentives on the use of study skills by thirty high-risk undergraduate students. The students completed a four-session study-skills training program consisting of time management, concentration and memory, note taking, and test taking. They contracted to accomplish tasks specified weekly according to their class syllabus using special forms that specified the targeted study skills. The mean use of the study skills was 95.8% when points were given and decreased to 38% when points were withdrawn; but the use of study skills increased to 98.9% when points were again given.

A Graphic Implementation Of Blocks World As An Example Of Artificial Intelligence, Shigenori Ochiai

Masters Theses

The objective of this study is to implement blocks world as a classic example of artificial intelligence both visually and realistically.

The visual representation is implemented by using a graphic system in a microcomputer. Real world constraints are implemented as rules concerning centers of gravity.

These goals are significant in realizing principles of artificial intelligence. Visual data help a human being to quickly understand the state of a system. Also, bringing a situation closer to the real world is a step toward to the final goal of artificial intelligence.

A Proposed Procedure For A Secondary School Teacher To Gain Entry Level Knowledge And Skills To Become A High School Principal, Wayne E. Mason

Masters Theses

The proposed procedure for a secondary teacher to gain entry level knowledge and skills required to assume a high school principalship was to examine the scope of the duties of a high school principal and to acquire knowledge, skills and administrative experience by assisting a high school principal as he performs his daily responsibilities.

The experience focused on procedures used to close and reopen a high school, practices used in handling student discipline, office duties needed to meet student needs, practices used to monitor facility maintenance, the practices used to maintain and improve community relations.

The experience brought to light …

The Effects Of Altruism On Activity Productivity In Elderly Women In Skilled-Care Nursing Facilities, Carol J. Getz

Masters Theses

This study investigated altruism as a factor in productivity in elderly women. Eight groups of institutionalized elderly women (n = 33) stenciled personalized (initials) stationery. Groups were randomly assigned to either the non-altruistic condition or the altruistic condition; there was control for time of day and location of the activity. Subjects in the non-altruistic condition made stationery for themselves, while subjects in the altruistic condition made stationery for abused children living in an innercity. The number of pieces of stationery produced and the duration of time engaged in activity were recorded for each subject. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed that subjects …

Jesus And Inerrancy, James Hunt

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Hypernuclear Photoproduction Via (Γ,K*), Kimberly Ann Hodgkinson

Masters Theses

The nuclear (γ,K^*) reaction is studied using plane wave impulse approximation (PWIA) and a distorted wave impulse approximation (DWIA), which includes full Coulomb and optical distortions. The model and calculations for each model are presented. For ¹²C(γ K^*)¹²B, the two approximation methods are compared at 2 energies: 1.47 Gev/c and 1.84GeV/c. ²⁰⁸Pb(γ, K^*)²⁰⁸ i s a lso examined. Distortion effects are found to greatly alter the magnitude of the cross sections, but the shape of the angular distributions remains. the same. Conclusions suggest further study.

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of An Infant-Care Skills Training Program On Fathering Behaviors, G. Joseph Vrazo

Masters Theses

This study replicated the findings and expanded the assessment procedures of a previous study that had established the effectiveness of a multi-component infant-care skills training program for first-time fathers. A multiple probe design was used in this study to demonstrate that the training program produced criterion performance of the infant-care skills by four experimental fathers; also, an increase in the frequency of infant stimulation activities initiated by these fathers was observed. A pre/post training evaluation of the effects of the training program on the fathers' performance of play and affectional behaviors and daily infant-care activities yielded negative results. Four control …

Theoretical Thermodynamic Properties Of Low Temperature Fluids, Zul Azhar Zahid Jamal

Masters Theses

The thermodynamic functions for low temperature fluids are computed using parametric integral equations and perturbation theory. Parametric integral equation N is applied to a low temperature Lennard-Jones gas. It is found that there is no significant improvement over the better known parametric integral equation C. The two parameter integral equation T is applied to a low temperature square-well potential and is found to be unsatisfactory at reduced temperatures of T*= 1.4 and 1.6, but quite accurate at T* = 2.2. The equation T results for T* = 2.2 are used as the reference system in perturbation theory computations. Tables of …

A Comparison Of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Relaxation Therapy And Cognitive Restructuring On State And Trait Anxiety In Speech Anxious Adults, Bernard C. Sefchick

Masters Theses

This study tested the following hypotheses: (a) Cognitive-Behavior Therapy would be more effective than either Relaxation Therapy in reducing speech A-state anxiety or Cognitive Restructuring in reducing speech A-trait anxiety; (b) Relaxation Therapy would be more effective than Cognitive Restructuring in reducing speech A-state anxiety; and (c) Cognitive Restructuring would be more effective than Relaxation Therapy in reducing speech A-trait anxiety.

Fifteen volunteers from a speakers organization were screened and randomly assigned to one of three treatments. The Speech Anxiety Inventory was administered before and after treatments to assess subjects' levels of speech A-state and A-trait anxiety.

Results indicated that …

Hemispheric Brain Laterality Of Perception Of Tachistoscopically Presented Erotic Stimuli By Male And Female College Students, Randall Warne Stewart

Masters Theses

The effects of hemispheric asymmetry on the perception of erotic stimuli presented in either of the two visual fields was investigated. Freshmen and Sophomore college students, 20 males and 27 females, were used as subjects in the study. Subjects were bilaterally presented with combinations of erotic, neutral, and blank visual field stimuli using a "split visual field" procedure for a total of 96 200 msec. presentations. Subjects were asked to rate the presentations on a scale of 1 to 5; 1 was equal to neutral and 5 was equal to very erotic. Males and females rated erotic stimuli presented in …

A Trace Element Geochemical Analysis Of The Lake Ellen Kimberlite, Crystal Falls, Michigan, U.S.A., Michelle Ellen Fults

Masters Theses

The Lake Ellen kimberlite located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan represents a possible bedrock source for the diamonds found in the glacial deposits around the Great Lakes. The purpose of this research was to undertake a geochemical analysis in order to better understand the evolution of the kimberlite body and to elucidate on the garnet xenolith paragenesis.

Both instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and scanning electron microscope analysis (SEM) were utilized in this research. The INAA revealed that with respect to other types of upper mantle rocks, the Lake Ellen kimberlite is enriched in both the light rare earth …

Drug Use And Abuse: A Survey Of Mentally Retarded Citizens In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Sandra Ann Burdick

Masters Theses

An abundant array of research in the area of drug use and abuse among various populations has been conducted in recent years. These studies have determined that although several demographic variables affect the prevalence of drug use, all segments of society who have access to drugs are at some risk. Whether relative risk is influenced by subaverage intelligence is unclear, however, for very little has been done to determine the prevalence of drug use and abuse among the mentally retarded.

In this survey methods were utilized to gather such information in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. A survey return rate of 73% …

An Attendance Incentive Procedure Using Group Contingencies, Norman Kevin Brown

Masters Theses

This study used a multiple baseline design to examine the effect of a lottery-based group contingency on unscheduled sick leave (USL) use by residential treatment workers. Sixty direct-care workers participated in this study. Researchers employed a group contingency that required workers to meet 2-week absence criterion levels in order to participate in a subsequent reinforcement lottery. The workers who won the lottery chose one of four rewards including 20 dollars, 4 hours paid time-off, lunch with a supervisor, and four movie tickets. The mean number of USL hours used in each of five work units was reduced significantly during intervention. …

Kinetics Of The Metal-Exchange Reaction Between N-(2-Pyridylmethyl)Iminodiacetatonickel(N) And Copper(Ii), Kassahun W. Beyene

Masters Theses

The reaction between N-(2-pyridylmethyl)iminodiacetatonickel(II) and copper(II) was studied spectrophotometrically between pH 2.30 and 3.30 over a 10-fold variation in copper concentration at an ionic strength of 1.25M, and a temperature of 25.0+0.1^oC. The reaction is first order in both NiPyIDA and copper(II). Terms involving proton attack and a copper dependent dissociation of the nickel complex were resolved from the data. Evidence is given for a stepwise unwrapping mechanism PyIDA from the nickel complex, followed by copper attack to give a dinuclear intermediate. A general mechanism is presented which is consistent with the kinetic data.

Comparisons to analogous nickel-aliphatic …

A Study Of Ion Implanted Silicon Using Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy With Ion Channeling, Thomas J. Pollock

Masters Theses

Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy with channeling is the only nondestructive method for analyzing crystals which have been ion implanted. An RBS with channeling procedure has been established at the Accelerator Lab of Western Michigan University. It utilizes a tandem Van de Graaff accelerator for an incident helium beam, a goniometer for crystal alignment, and a computer for experimental control and data aquisition. State of the art measurements can be made with accuracies comparable to other labs. Specifically, ion implanted silicon was studied wherein crystal damage due to implanting was found to vary directly with implanting energy and fluence and was also …

Modernization In West Africa: How Women's Lives Have Been Marginalized, Patricia S. Peterman

Masters Theses

Social scientists have documented the effects of colonialism and independence in West Africa, but have focused on male roles in economic institutions. Recent research reveals not only the importance of women as agricultural producers but also the marginalization of women in contemporary national society. Development projects have not eased economic hardship, rather emphasis on industrialization has led to agricultural underdevelopment, borne more heavily by women and children than by men.

This paper looks at the micro-level issues of the division of labor, the structure of the household, the status of women, and issues concerning fertility and reproduction. In doing so, …

Deposition, Diagenesis, And Porosity Development Of The Middle Devonian, Lucas Formation In The West Branch Oil Field, Ogemaw County, Michigan, Scott Gregory Park

Masters Theses

The Lucas Formation in the West Branch Oil Field contains over 1000 feet of carbonates and evaporites deposited in restricted marine environments. Deposition ranged from a tidal flat environment (Richfield Member) to subaqueous basin central type deposition (Iutzi and Horner Members).

Early diagenesis of the Lucas Formation carbonates included dolomitization and related porosity development in certain depositional facies where physiochemical conditions were favorable. Significant porosity and permeability reduction occurred during burial resulting from anhydrite, celestite, and halite cementation. Calcite pseudopar and microspar (a neomorphic product) also reduced porosity.

Hydrocarbon production from the Lucas Formation in the West Branch Field is …

Shape Recognition By Curvature Changing Points And Fourier Transform, Jianzhong Li

Masters Theses

Computer vision is a relatively new and fast-growing field. Shape representation and recognition is a very important but difficult branch in this field.

One method of using curvature changing points and Fourier transform to recognize the shape is described in this thesis. Also an important feature in computer vision, multiscaling, is achieved by this method.

Effects Of A Magnetic Field On The Thermodynamics Of Dilute Classical Spin Chains, Guoqing Hu

Masters Theses

The thermodynamics of a diluted chain of ferromagnetic classical spin in the presence of an external magnetic field is determined in the limit of the continuum model. The magnetization, susceptibility, specific heat are determined for both the isotropic Heisenberg and the classical XY models as functions of temperature, magnetic field and magnetic concentration. Scaling law for the behavior of the thermodynamic quantities in field, temperature, and magnetic concentration are obtained.

The calculations will be based on the continuum model of classical spin which was solved for the infinite chain system by McGurn and Scalapino.

The Role Of Demography In Church Planting Within The United States Of America, Roger N. Mcnamara

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Automated Reasoning In A Brain Tumor Diagnosis Expert System, Aung Zaw Maung

Masters Theses

The objective of this study is to survey various theorem-proving methods and to evaluate how these methods can be applied as inference engines in a brain tumor diagnosis expert system.

Various applications of automated reasoning based on the resolution principle are discussed. Knowledge representations and inference mechanisms used in expert systems are also surveyed.

An actual application of this method for a medical diagnosis problem is implemented and explained, and the limitations of this approach and possible future enhancements are discussed.

A Comparison Of Awareness Training And Competing Response Training In The Treatment Of Muscle Tics And Nervous Habits, Gregory A. Wright

Masters Theses

This study examines two components of Azrin and Nunn's (1973) habit reversal procedure in an attempt to separate the effects of awareness training from the effects of competing response training. Research (Miltenberger, Fuqua, & McKinley, 1985) has indicated that an intervention combining awareness training and competing response practice is as effective as the entire habit reversal package in suppressing muscle tics. However, because the competing response component is always administered in conjunction with awareness training, the effects of each component are obscured. Four subjects, two with muscle tics and two with nervous habits, received an intervention of either awareness training …

A Thermodynamic Study Of The Zeolite Stilbite, David Adams Howell

Masters Theses

Stilbite is a calcium-rich zeolite found in low-grade metamorphic and hydrothermally altered environments. In this study, measurements of the enthalpy of formation at 298.15 K, heat capacity from 5 to 350 K, and enthalpy increments horn 350 to 500 K were performed on a specimen of stilbite characterized by electron microprobe analysis. The actual formula of the stilbite is: Ca_1.019Na_0.136K_0.006Al_2.180Si_6.820O₁₆ . 7.33H₂O. Evaluation of the thermodynamic properties for stilbite at T = 298.15 K produced the following values: Δ_rH^Om(T)= -11034.6+6.6 kJ . mol …

Intracellular Protein Degradation In A Mesophile And A Thermophile Of The Genus Bacillus, Cameron C. Hoover

Masters Theses

¹⁴C-leucine was incorporated into th e proteins of the mesophile Bacillus licheniformis and the thermophile Bacillus stearothermophilus. Aliquots of the cell suspension were treated with chloramine-T in order to decarboxylate the ¹⁴C-leucine that was released as the proteins degraded. The ¹⁴CO₂ was trapped and counted. This allowed for the determination of the extent of intracellular protein degradation at various tem peratures and at various stages of the growth cun/e. For the mesophile, the extent of degradation increased with temperature from 30° C to 55° C. For the thermophile, no significant amount of degradation occurred until …

The Effects Of Music Video Violence On The Aggression Level Of Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents, Kathleen Jo Young

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of violent music videos on aggressive behavior in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Associations between male and female responses were investigated as well as responses between high-aggressive and low-aggressive subjects.

Subjects were 30 in-patient emotionally disturbed adolescents, 13 to 17 years of age. Subjects served as their own controls. Treatment consisted of the viewing of a violent video with violent lyrics, a violent video without violent lyrics, and a non-violent video. Aggression was measured prior to the treatment with a 23 True-False questionnaire completed by subjects and Behavior Rating Forms completed by …

Minimizing Stimulus-Reinforcer Contributions To Operant Latency, Mario Miguel Delgado Zambrano

Masters Theses

The present study involved two experiments using an unlighted food hopper. The first provided magazine training with the darkened hopper, followed by a test for autoshaping potential. The second, using birds that showed very little autoshaped behavior in the first experiment, and continuing to use the unlighted hopper, measured operant latencies in a Hesse (1984) discrete-trial multiple schedule using a two-key procedure for separating stimulus-reinforcer and response-reinforcer contributions. The objective here was to demonstrate latency differences between favorable and unfavorable schedule components, while limiting the possible confound of stimulus-reinforcer contributions as measured by initial stimulus-key responding.

Despite being unable to …

Nitrate Pollution Of Ground Water In Glacial Sediments Underlying A Fertigated Site In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Michael Wireman

Masters Theses

In the central part of Schoolcraft Township high yield corn crops are successfully grown on soils developed on permeable outwash deposits. The high yields are made possible with the utilization of modern irrigation techniques and regular application of nitrogen fertilizer.

Excess nitrogen which moves past the root zone is easily converted to nitrate and leached to the shallow ground water. Water quality data from 103 ground-water samples in the vicinity of a 160-acre corn field in Section 11 clearly indicate that nitrate concentrations in the ground water beneath the field and beneath the area immediately downgradient from the field are …

Power And Dependency In Close Heterosexual Relationships: A Test Of An Exchange Theory Hypothesis, Gregory L. Sanders

Masters Theses

Ninety-nine heterosexual couples were surveyed to test the exchange theory hypothesis that interpersonal power and relative dependency are inversely related in dyadic relationships. Controlling for gender, this hypothesis was examined through a path analysis for each of six groups: the overall population, dating couples, engaged couples, cohabiting couples, married couples, and couples treated as a single unit. Results indicate that males are reported as relatively more powerful than females, and this gender effect is found to increase with the permanence of the relationship. Relative dependency has effects on power which also vary according to the type of relationship. Self-reported "subjective …

The Effect Of Range Training On The Vocal Accuracy Of Restricted And Complete Range K -3 Singers, Jane Mary Rooks

Masters Theses

The study investigated the effects of remedial vocal training on inaccurate singers. A pretest given to inaccurate singers in kindergarten through third grade differentiated inaccurate complete range singers from inaccurate restricted range singers. Three equivalent groups of these singers were given vocal instruction through a Systematic Vocal Training method in either their low, high, or high/low range. A posttest was administered to ascertain gain scores.

The results demonstrated that the gain scores of the restricted range singers were significantly greater than those of the complete range singers. The results also indicated that the scores in the low range of the …