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A Component Analysis Of Nondirective Play Therapy, Jane E. Wilson

Masters Theses

We evaluated the effects of nondirective play therapy on the inappropriate play of three developmentally normal children with conduct problems . Specifically, we examined the effects of attention (contingent vs noncontingent) and the play environment (enriched vs impoverished) using a reversal design. Our goal was to isolate one of these two variables as the primary effective component of nondirective play therapy for a particular child. For two subjects, attention remained contingent upon inappropriate play across conditions and the play environment was manipulated. Inappropriate play increased for one of these participants in an impoverished environment. For the third participant, an actual …

Older Women's Beliefs About Hormone Replacement Therapy: A Qualitative Study, Cheryl Luann Rush Towne

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Male Sexual Behavior: Revisiting The Eiu Sexual Experience Survey And Report, Justin W. Freeman

Masters Theses

The EIU Sexual Experiences Survey of 1989 was given to 1693 Eastern undergraduate students in order to determine the incidence rate of sexual assault on campus. The survey report consisted of descriptive findings only, leaving future correlational research to answer any questions that remained. This study designated 664 male survey respondents with the Illinois legal classification system, and analyzed the demographics of the men surveyed to find any correlational relationships. No meaningful correlational relationships were found across the conditions of perpetrator and non-perpetrator for the male survey respondents.

Does "Gangsta Rap" Music Cross Good Judgment Lines And Decency Values?, Ajay Kumar Ojha

Masters Theses

There has been much controversy associated with "gangsta rap" music over the 1990's decade. This manuscript takes a closer look at "gangsta rap" music through a descriptive analysis, exploring these topics: social construction of reality, sexism, violence, community actions, and their possible negative influences on societal values. The positive and negative implications involving "gangsta rap" music are compared using lyrics from artists whose music has been in question in the past. Using a semantic differential survey and focus group interviews, "gangsta rap" music is analyzed, examining its exposure to people, possible promotion and communication of negative societal values. The study …

Superstring Cosmology: An Investigation Into Low Temperature Effective Gauss-Bonnet Corrections To The Einstein Field Equations In An Inflationary Scenario, David Dressel

Masters Theses

Several problems with the inflationary cosmological model and the force coupling constants are addressed in the context of superstring theory. In order to simplify the field equations slightly, vacuum solutions are attempted. The solutions for several field equations are analyzed in order to obtain an inflationary universe that leads to a nearly static internal space. A solution is found when Gauss-Bonnet terms, as well as the Einstein terms, are used in the field equations, along with an exponential radii function for a ten dimensional product space. The solutions lead to a three-phase universe that might describe our very early universe. …

Effects Of Apolipoprotein E On Neurite Outgrowth From Adult Mice Cortical Neurons, Yanwen Jiang

Masters Theses

Apolipoprotein (apo) E4, one of the three common isoforms of apoE, has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The mechanism whereby apoE4 leads to the pathogenesis of AD is unknown. In the present study, I examined the effects of apoE on neurite outgrowth from adult mice cortical neurons (AMC) in culture. I found that neurite outgrowth from AMC neurons derived from apoE deficient/apoE gene knockout (apoE KO) mice is significantly shorter than that from age-, sex-, and strain-matched wild-type control mice. Furthermore, I present evidence for the differential effects of two isoforms of human apoE, apoE3 and apoE4, on neurite …

Does Creatine Supplementation Increase Muscle Strength In Women?, Tricia Cross

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to see if creatine supplementation increased muscular strength in women. Ten females were assigned to either a creatine (CG) or a placebo (PG) group with five subjects in each. The study lasted five weeks with one week of pre-testing, three weeks of creatine use which included one week of loading (12-13 g/day for seven days) and two weeks of maintenance (3-4 g/day for 14 days), and one week of post testing. Pre- and post-test strength were measured with a one repetition maximal lift (1RM) on the bench press and the leg press. All subjects …

Patterns And Implications Of Aberrant Singing Behaviors Of Black-Capped (Poecile Atricapillus) And Carolina (Poecile Carolinensis) Chickadees In Illinois, Patrick Caesar Enstrom

Masters Theses

I studied the singing behavior of the closely related Black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina (Poecile carolinensis) Chickadees along their range interface in central Illinois. These sibling species are parapatrically distributed from the Appalachians through the Midwest to Kansas. Where their ranges do overlap, small hybrid zones form and chickadees in these areas frequently sing aberrant songs. The majority of the songs studied were recorded 17 April-16 July 1999 in fifteen counties throughout central Illinois. I measured 8 frequency and duration characteristics of the first two notes of songs that began with two whistled notes. The averages of these characteristics …

Lessing And Emerson: Conscious Evolution And Ideal Reality, Rachel Hills Newell

Masters Theses

Although Doris Lessing writes during the twentieth century in England and Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote during the nineteenth century in America, they both explore the complexity of human existence through their work. Both authors visualize the possibility of an "ideal reality," or human evolution, and believe human beings are capable of transforming ordinary, or actual, reality into ideal reality. The human potential for the creation of the ideal, however, depends on the development of that potential to its fullest extent. Lessing and Emerson believe only the individual is capable of completely developing human potential. Through a series of steps, or …

Audre Lorde's Expansive Influence On Black Lesbians: Jewelle Gomez, Cheryl Clarke, And Kate Rushin, Denise L. Fitzer

Masters Theses

Audre Lorde, who named herself black, feminist, lesbian, mother, poet, and activist, was a pioneer for black lesbians everywhere. In her poetry and prose, Lorde challenged the myths and taboos associated with black women, lesbians, and feminists. Although her work focused on a broad range of topics that illuminated her many identities, she concentrated most heavily on issues of multiple oppression and its resulting fear and silence. In naming herself, Lorde urged others to do the same — to fight the self-imposed and socially-imposed silence surrounding triple oppression.

Countless women from the black community of writers have paid tribute to …

African American Poets Of The Vietnam War, Megan Guernsey

Masters Theses

Almost 6000 African American men gave their lives in the Vietnam War. While peaceful protests, voter registration drives, and racial confrontations occurred throughout the United States, the government continued to send young Black men to Southeast Asia to preserve the "freedom" of the Vietnamese people. The irony of this situation lies in the fact that these soldiers were asked to fight a War in the name of democracy, to kill in order to secure rights that they themselves were being denied. Although many Black Americans saw military service as a means of escaping poor ghetto life, they often were confronted …

From Hierarchy To Balance: Anne Bradstreet's Union Of Renaissance And Puritan Influences, Christy Shannon

Masters Theses

Anne Bradstreet was confronted with two very different influences when she began writing her poetry. One was the Renaissance literary style that she encountered in her native England; the other was a strict Puritan upbringing that would be the controlling factor of her life in the colonies. Both of these influences put a strong emphasis on order and a hierarchical structure. Bradstreet was unable to accept either of these influences completely, but she did manage to combine them in order to create some of the most interesting and memorable poetry of her time. The conflict that she faces is evident …

Self-Selection Vs. Writing Prompts: A Study To Examine The Effects Topics Have On Elementary Students' Writing, Julie Ann Hall

Masters Theses

The purposes of this study were: 1) to evaluate the quality of writing in first, second, and third graders who were given a writing prompt, 2) to evaluate the quality of writing in first, second, and third graders who self-selected their own writing topic, and 3) to determine if there were any differences in the quality of writing between the two groups.

The researcher was the instructor for all the students who participated in the study. Included in the study were first, second, and third grade students who were present on the day the researcher visited. Approximately half of the …

The Cultural Sensitivity Of Pre-Service Teachers: Measuring The Degree To Which Teachers Are Prepared To Work With Diverse Populations, Teresa A. Freking

Masters Theses

A study was conducted of 39 pre-service teachers regarding their level of cultural sensitivity. Participants completed a 26-item inventory adapted from the Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory created by Henry (1985). The results suggest that a multicultural field experience may have a slight positive effect on the cultural sensitivity of pre-service teachers, however, this effect seems to be limited in degree and specific to certain response types. A general, positive effect on the overall cultural sensitivity of pre-service teachers is not supported in this study. The results of the second part of the study indicate that pre-service teachers today self-report they …

Characterization Of Cosmic Microwave Background Temperature Fluctuations For Cosmological Topologies Specified By Topological Betti Numbers, Troy Gobble

Masters Theses

The cosmic microwave background explorer, COBE, and the Balloon Observations of Millimetric Extragalactic Radiation and Geophysics, BOOMERanG, have collected data from the universe and detected relic anisotropies indicative of one of the earliest events of the universe, decoupling. Hidden in the correlation between these temperature fluctuations is the signature of the global shape, or topology, of the early universe. It is possible to calculate the temperature fluctuations as due to primeval adiabatic density temperature fluctuations from the Sachs-Wolfe effect, which contains a topological term. Here we investigate some of the spaces and how they affect the microwave background.

A large …

Best Practices In Transition: A Descriptive Study Of A Rural High School Grades 9 Through 12, Michelle A. Messerli Bolander

Masters Theses

This study examined and determined the practices in transition that were currently being implemented, what transition opportunities were available, and which practices could be utilized at Litchfield High School during Fall 2000 to support a smoother transition from middle school to high school for ninth grade students with and without special needs. The study did not establish a relationship of cause and effect, but rather compared cases (administrators, special educators, and regular educators) through qualitative data that were supported by quantitative measures. The population surveyed consisted of the 33 teachers and 2 administrators at the high school level, with different …

The Noble Survivor And The Sublime Victim: A Study Of Two Hardy Heroines, Elizabeth-Jane And Tess, Wei Gao

Masters Theses

In his novel-writing career, Thomas Hardy created a host of female characters struggling to survive in nineteenth-century England. Whether center stage or in the background, these women embody Hardy's insights into the conditions of the female sex--their frailties, strength, miseries, dreams, and finally, their destinies. Throughout his career as a novelist, Hardy's representation of women has not been consistent. His earlier heroines--heroines in the novels preceding The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886)--are generally depicted as faulty characters eventually subdued or destroyed. In contrast, the later heroines are portrayed with increasing emphasis on their intellectual or mental traits and moral superiority. This …

Current Trends In Psychological Testing, Kimberle L. S. Crawford

Masters Theses

Discussions about the adequacy of psychological measurement and assessment can quickly become controversial therefore; I expect some strong reaction to portions of this manuscript. Debates about the usefulness of criticism of psychological testing are longstanding: Even early psychologists such as Cattell and Jastrow disagreed on this issue. To be clear, I do not believe that use of contemporary tests should cease. I share the view that "psychological tests often provide the fairest and most accurate method of making important decisions" (K. R. Murphy & Davidshoffer, 1988, p. xii).

My first purpose, then, is to provide a historical survey of relevant …

Evaluation Of The Freshman Seminar Program At Eastern Illinois University And Its Perceived Impact On First-Year Student Development, Jennifer E. Donahoe

Masters Theses

This study examined the development of first-year college students at Eastern Illinois University in order to determine if student development was strengthened with the assistance of an eight-week Freshman Seminar course. Additionally, this study evaluated the fall semester, 1999 Freshman Seminar course in order to determine students' perceptions of the course and its content both at the start and completion of the course. The research population consisted of first-year students who were enrolled in Freshman Seminar (N = 303) and first-year students who were enrolled in an Introductory Speech Communications (SPC 1310) course, but not enrolled in Freshman Seminar (N …

Student Perceptions Of Campus Environment As It Relates To Their Own Experiences And Institutional Perspectives, Peter P. Smith

Masters Theses

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine students' perceptions of their campus environment, including the physical architecture, landscaping, and campus layout at a medium sized Midwestern public university. The study included student explanations of the photographs they took and a commentary on how they felt the campus environment impacted students. More specifically, this study describes these students' personal experiences on their college campus.

Methodology

The reflexive photographic method was used to gather the information directly from the study participants (Douglas, 1998). The reflexive photographic method was chosen because it was a way to directly observe the perceptions of …

Intuition: Theory And Application In Counseling And Psychotherapy, Neva S. Calvert

Masters Theses

This is a comprehensive literature review rendering over 300 references to articles, books, lectures, and websites that pertain to the subject of intuition and its relationship to human consciousness. The scope of this review includes (1) statistical overviews of intuition/intuitive-related websites, book publishing and professional documents; (2) overview of professional intuition/intuitive and counseling/psychotherapy-related documents; and (3) historical and current review of (a) women's, (b) children's, (c) religious, (d) delusional, (e) mathematical, and (f) scientific intuition studies. The author reviews intuition in relationship to (1) Husserlian phenomenology in modem science and psychology; (2) savant syndrome; (3) gaia theory and Native American …

Aggressive Communication, Parental Communication, And Sibling Communication, Kristi K. Eustice

Masters Theses

The family is often seen as the center of instruction for children and the base for learning communication patterns. Aggressive communication is often seen in the family, especially as a parenting method. In this thesis, the current state of available literature on aggressive communication in the family is examined. This includes parenting styles, communication relationships between one parent and one child, and the negative effects verbal aggressive communication has on children. A t-test is used to research the responses of 100 students who have verbally aggressive parents. At 2.59, the t-test supports the hypothesis that parenting communication styles concerning aggressiveness …

Effect Of Antioxidants On Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (Uhmwpe), Clifford Schrader

Masters Theses

This thesis presents a study on the effects of antioxidants on the oxidative induction time (OIT), thermal behavior, and hardness property of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The antioxidants were dissolved into methanol alcohol before the solution was mixed with UHMWPE powder. The mixture was degassed under vacuum, and then compression-molded into disks 1.25 in. in diameter.

Different antioxidants were evaluated at concentrations up to 0.6 percent. A 0.6 percent concentration was used to screen the effectiveness of various antioxidants. Effect of antioxidant concentration was investigated in the range between 0 and 0.6 percent. OIT was evaluated on UHMWPE …

"Television And Reality: Are They Different?", Tammy L. Holmes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this paper is to discover if there is any significance between the images of television viewed by people and the increase of the social construction of reality. Stephen LittleJohn (1999) states, [Social construction of reality] consists of meanings and understanding arising from communication with others. This notion known as reality that is deeply embedded in sociological thought. The objective of this topic is to explore the effects that mass media have on life and specifically how television often distorts, and does not accurately communicate the everyday lived experiences in our lives. Television often mimics reality. Television only, …

A Comparison Of Greek Vs. Non-Greek Living On College Adjustment During The Sophomore Year, Matthew Watkins

Masters Theses

Though research with living environment and student adjustment as their focus have been conducted, the majority have focused on academic adjustment and "cognitive growth." This study was conducted to determine if a relationship existed between certain living environments (Greek and Non-Greek housing) and a student's adjustment to college in 5 areas corresponding to the scales that comprise the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). The SACQ is composed of five scales: Academic Adjustment, Social Adjustment, Personal-Emotional Adjustment, Attachment subscale, and an Overall scale of adjustment. Results indicated that Non-Greek students were significantly better adjusted on the psychologically-oriented scale (the Personal-Emotional …

Self-Disclosure Within Intimate Romantic Relationships: Determining Relevant Relational Factors, Gretchen L. Clark

Masters Theses

The Romantic Intimacy Survey assessed the value of self-disclosure in intimate romantic relationships. Males and females place a stronger disclosure importance in specific intimate relationships, such as mom/female guardian, friends from college, friends from high school, previous romantic partners, dad/male guardian, cross-gender friends, and siblings. In addition, females place more disclosure importance than males on specific intimate relationships. These specific relationships included siblings, current roommates, instructors, and peers within social organizations. Males and females categorize relationships into different factors when assessed by a factor analysis. Males and females also thought different relationships had disclosure importance. Males thought adult friends should …

Impacts Of White-Tailed Deer Grazing On Spring Wildflower Communities, Faye Frankland

Masters Theses

High deer densities on state forests and nature preserves throughout Illinois have prompted concerns that deer are impacting the growth, survival, and reproduction of spring-flowering herbaceous plants. I investigated the impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on the herbaceous vegetation, particularly spring wildflowers, at Beall Woods Nature Preserve (BWNP). BWNP was selected as the site for this study because it supports a diverse community of spring wildflowers and a large deer population. The objectives for this study were to: (1) quantify the extent of deer foraging on representative spring-flowering plant species at Beall Woods Nature Preserve, (2) investigate the effects …

The Relationship Between Burnout And Personality Dimensions In Domestic Violence Staff, Kristi J. Flatter

Masters Theses

An exploratory study was conducted examining the relationship between burnout and personality dimensions. Sixty-nine employees from domestic violence agencies completed survey materials including the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and a demographic and satisfaction questionnaire. A sample of domestic violence agencies was selected to participate from the state of Illinois using a directory listing all domestic violence agencies. Results suggested that symptoms of burnout occur both at a high and moderate (or average) level among this group of human service providers. Only one personal characteristic, age, was found to have a significant relationship with burnout. A …

Effects Of Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia Esula) Infestation On Breeding Birds Of The Sheyenne National Grassland, Nd, Daniel M. Scheiman

Masters Theses

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is an exotic invasive weed in the northern Great Plains. We examined the effects of leafy spurge infestation on densities and nest success of breeding birds in grasslands on the Sheyenne National Grassland (SNG), ND. We categorized spurge-infested grasslands into three levels of infestation, based on the area covered by spurge patches: (a) low (0-20%), (b) medium (20-60%) and, (c) high (> 60%). We surveyed 60 100-m radius circular plots (20 in each category), and searched for nests in three 16-ha plots (one in each category). There were no statistically significant differences in mean species richness …

Emergence And Reproductive Patterns In The Japanese Beetle, Popillia Japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Steven J. Van Timmeren

Masters Theses

Sex-biased emergence patterns are common in insects resulting in either protandry (males emerging before females) or protogyny (females emerging before males). The Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, has been shown to exhibit protandry but shows some characteristics of a protogynous species. For example, females mate and oviposit multiple times and this species displays last male sperm advantage. This study investigated the emergence and egg laying patterns of Japanese beetles in east-central Illinois. Although variation existed among study sites none showed protandry and overall they displayed protogyny. Females did not initiate oviposition until several days after emergence and the number of …