Digital Commons Network^™

An Examination Of Scent-Marking, Individual Odors, And Individual Discrimination In The Raccoon (Procyon Lotor)., Laura Alice Kent

Theses

This study had three objectives: 1) to characterize the patterns of scent-marking in captive raccoons; 2) to determine if wild-trapped raccoons can discriminate individual differences in the odors of urine, feces or anal sac secretions; 3) to analyze the variation in chemical composition of urine samples among individuals. I observed five raccoons living in a semi-natural enclosure at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska and recorded all behaviors related to scent-marking. For the studies on individual differences and discrimination through odors, I used the familiarization-discrimination technique with raccoons housed in conditions that approximated their natural environment. In the chemical …

The Predictive Utility Of The Model Of Multiple Identity Tracking In Air Traffic Control Performance, Ryan Hope

Theses

This paper reports an experiment designed to investigate whether the Model of Multiple Identity Tracking can be use to predict air traffic controller performance in terms of situation awareness. The experiment tests a number of predictions derived from the Model of Multiple Identity Tracking. This model posits that when tracking multiple moving objects, the location of 4-5 objects can be acquired in parallel but the identification of any one target needs serial attention. While one object is being identified, an error factor associated with the location of all other objects increases with respect to an objects speed and the amount …

The State Of Media Education Implementation In Rochester, Ny K-12 Schools, Lydia S. Palmer

Theses

Through a series of interviews with education professionals in the Rochester, New York, area, this study assessed the status of media education programs in the area's schools. It focused on curricula currently in place in three grade level spans, facilities and resources available to students, and the degree to which public and private/faith-based schools differ in their implementation of media education programs.

Epistemic Modals And Contextual Projection, Jeffrey Joseph Dauer

Theses

The last few years have seen a growing interest in the semantic analysis of epistemic modal claims. By my lights, the most appealing analysis of epistemic modals is the relativistic approach. However, in their paper, “CIA Leaks”, Kai von Fintel and Anthony Gillies present some problems they think the relativistic approach must explain. I aim to defend a variation on the relativistic analysis of epistemic modals. I argue that when we determine the truth-value of sentences containing epistemic modals, we are free to evaluate modal claims from contexts other than the standard context of utterance. This freedom to evaluate the …

Spontaneous Strategies, James D. Borders

Theses

My thesis body of work combines sculptures and paintings which are visual essays reflecting the interrelationships of color and form. The sculptures are simplified geometric shapes integrated with brilliant saturated color fields. This thesis is an investigation into the process of making art and the condition of receiving it. I have explored ideas produced through the experience of chance, color, movement, rhythm, and form with a cohesive vision evolving into a personal direction that enables experimentation without the loss of integrity.

The Dispute Between The Creek Nation And The State Of Georgia: United States Diplomacy In The Formation Of The Federal Union, 1784-1790, Michael William Beatty

Theses

During George Washington's first presidential term, Federal authorities faced the challenging task of defining what the new republic meant to themselves, their constituents and diverse populations on both sides of the United States's border with the Indian nations. The Constitution of 1787 had created a plan for government; the task of Federal officials was to make that plan a concrete reality, in the face of opposition from entrenched political and economic interests that neither trusted nor favored the new government in New York City. The most pressing domestic task facing the new government was to define the relationship between the …

The Quest Of Childhood Memory, So Yeon Yang

Theses

An articulation of my experience is found in my artworks. The works are confessional because their themes are based on my autobiographical traces. Each piece of artwork represents a personal situational narrative in itself. The creation of life size underwear and outfits in plastic - the whimsical, transparent, and glittery images of cutout silhouettes depict hidden desire as well as nostalgia. Because dresses possess distinctive nuances such as activeness, fantasy, and intimacy, I will research a variety of styles along with different poses and gestures to explore their expressions. By interpretation and analysis of the object - the artwork produced, …

A Pedagogy Of Process: Using Arts Based Research With Community Development Co-Researchers To Explore Campus Community Dialogue, Brian Hand

Theses

This thesis will outline how I employed an arts informed participatory research process with four women members of the Southend family resource centre in Wexford town. The primary context for this research was the introduction of a module in community based learning on the BA (hons) in Art at the Wexford Campus of I.T. Carlow combined with a desire to participate more actively in the community sector outside the campus. The choice of an arts based methodology was to capture knowledge in a multifaceted way, to give depth to the many meanings of individual experiences and finally to suggest a …

The Effect Of Prior Knowledge In Undergraduate Performance In Chemistry: A Correlation – Prediction Study, Michael K. Seery

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Grouping And Curriculum On The Self-Concept Of Gifted Children, Valerie A. Beaman

Theses

The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect predicts gifted students educated in heterogeneous settings develop higher academic self-concept than those educated in homogeneous settings. Academic self-concept of students in multi-age classroom using the Primary Years International Baccalaureate Program (Primary IB) was compared to academic self-concept of students in single-aged classroom learning traditional curriculum. Data were collected (N=65) on third and fourth-graders using the Self-Description Questionaire (Marsh, 1992). It was hypothesized that gifted and non-gifted students educated in multi-age classrooms taught with Primary IB have higher academic self-concept than children in single age classrooms. Results of 2x2 ANOVA indicated no significant differences between gifted and …

Phenomenally Happy: An Examination Of The Ways Heidegger Can Critique And Support Positive Psychology, Samantha Crow

Theses

This thesis argues that Positive Psychology, one of the newest branches of Psychology, conforms to sets of ideas about the human person which have been accepted from within the Western philosophical and scientific traditions, and that these ideas obstruct its dual ambitions to provide a balance to the weakness model in Psychology and to enhance human flourishing, since these require a comprehensive account of the human person. Heidegger’s work is nominated as a likely source of remedy, for three key reasons: Both systems of thought share superficial similarities which provide the basis for the clarification and development of key ideas …

Improving Electronics With Use: Design To Wear, Sung Hye Park

Theses

Today's products are designed to exude high fashion and flawless beauty, which are inevitably susceptible to deterioration over time, making the aesthetic value disappear due to wear and tear. The purpose of this thesis is to design modern products not only to improve their aesthetic value and meaning but also their usability, while taking advantage of wear and tear in order to improve value. The majority of previous studies focused on preventing the deterioration of products, whereas, this thesis approaches the opposite view of allowing wear to boost the product's value, thereby improving functionality with desirable appearance by design. The …

Reliability Of Resting Brain Networks Using Fmri, Suril Rajeshkumar Gohel

Theses

Resting state FMRI studies on human subjects are primarily focused on elaborating effects of resting state brain networks on task induced paradigm and to check consistency of these networks between different groups of populations. Recent studies have shown consistency of RSFC networks within same subjects with intra-site and intra-session variation.

The primary objective of this study was to check consistency of resting state networks between sites and between different groups of people in spite of change in scanning parameters and population. A total of 437 subjects resting state FMRI data from six different sites were collected varying in age group …

The Potential For Misleading Visual Communication On Food Packaging, Terry Ann Hayes

Theses

Consumers today are becoming more health conscious in light of America's growing obesity epidemic. Because of this, food companies often selectively highlight the healthfulness of their products, while carefully de-emphasizing the unhealthy components. These messages are frequently communicated by the food packaging itself, because packaging is a major influence on a shopper's perception of the food inside. The design of the food package, comprising both the two-dimensional surfaces and overall three-dimensional form, conveys these messages through variables related to color, imagery, typography, language, and shape. This thesis examined both organic and natural food packaging to uncover how healthfulness is communicated …

The Experience Of Grey, Andrew Super

Theses

This text is an accompaniment to an endeavor spanning approximately thirteen months in which I used photographic and literary processes to create documents concerning my history. These nearly universal processes were chosen because of their correlative nature. Images are read in a similar fashion to texts and both facilitate discourse. This thesis is an investigation on a personal level about the manner in which experiences are had, documented, and in many ways conditioned. The photographs that amount to the physical portion of this thesis explore the personally anecdotal within the context of generalized methods of documentation. In this work I …

Sleep Shift, Neal Dhand

Theses

An overview of the process of the proposal, attempt at production, re-proposal, and ultimate result of the live-action feature film, Sleep Shift. The goal of Sleep Shift on the technical level is to write a feature-length script, raise funds, and produce and finish the film. The aesthetic purpose of Sleep Shift is to evoke a visceral response from the audience as they watch a murder mystery unfold. Included are the original proposal and re-proposal, sample budgets, sample business plans, a finder's agreement, a letter of intent from a production company, storyboards, trailer stills, and the script.

Black Box, Ryan N. Shuler

Theses

Fear and paranoia are steadily on the rise throughout the world as a result, in part, of media's presentation of violent and traumatic imagery. The dissemination and reception of these types of images are consequential for a viewing public, including an increasing desensitization to violence through over-exposure; the potential for aggressive behavior by people of all ages; and the loss of a viewer's accountability as witness to a disturbing event. Black Box is an aesthetic investigation of the reception of traumatic images by a viewing public. In order to trace this reception, the image of the American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), …

What Surfaces From One, Danielle Johns

Theses

What Surfaces From One is an exploration of the emotive aspects of the human form. I present the figure at a vulnerable moment, in a compromising and often uncomfortable position. In life, people turn away from these awkward moments. My work presents the viewer with the opportunity to reconcile with the uneasiness and vulnerability of human experience. Through a body of prints and paintings I examine the fragility and ephemeral qualities of the human form.

Private Viewing, Ryan Barone

Theses

This thesis explores my birthplace and hometown of Gloversville, New York, using loss as a primary theme. Issues related to memory and the photographic medium such as the trace and latent image are investigated through a range of interdisciplinary projects. The thesis also addresses the language of early Conceptualism, often utilizing systematic methodologies and employing common materials as a means of addressing amateur uses of the photographic image. Photographic production and circulation are interrogated on a consumer level, emphasizing vernacular optimism for the medium while illustrating their ultimate shortcomings

Motive And Responsibility As Influences On Graphic Design Outcomes, Jackie Clements

Theses

In the world of visual communication many message-making strategies are used to convey information to a defined audience. The ways in which these strategies are used can greatly impact the meaning and success of a graphic design solution. Often strong emotion is employed to intentionally influence a defined audience. In addition, the format and context in which facts are presented in a message are also greatly effective. When looking at the potential communication power that solutions can hold, it is important to assess the types of messages being communicated and related ethical responsibilities that accompany them. This thesis study focuses …

Evaluating The Effect Of Peer Feedback On The Quality Of Online Discourse, Timothy D. Wells

Theses

This study explores the effect on discussion quality of adding a feedback mechanism that presents users with an aggregate peer rating of the usefulness of the participant's contributions in online, asynchronous discussion. Participants in the study groups were able to specify the degree to which they thought any posted comment was useful to the discussion. Individuals were regularly presented with feedback (aggregated and anonymous) summarizing peers' assessment of the usefulness of their contribution, along with a summary of how the individuals rated their peers. Results indicate that continuous, anonymous, aggregated feedback had no effect on either the students' or the …

Monitoring Reading Fluency Progress With The Use Of Graphs, Emily Lewandowski

Theses

Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) is a scientifically based approach used to

collect progress monitoring data, and is often used to monitor reading development.

Graphing a student's reading data over time allows educators to view the student's rate of progress, goal, and interventions. This leads to timely changes to ineffective instructional programs, often resulting in more academic success for students. Graphs can be a communication tool for educators to share progress data with students, parents, and other staff. The current need for educators to monitor student progress has resulted in an increasing need of programs that can be used in the educational …

Architecture And Urban Design As Influences On The Communication Of Place And Experience In Graphic Design, Candice Reese

Theses

Most architects and urban designers are challenged to design schemas and structures to create a particular experience and sense of place. It is through the manipulation and design of actual three-dimensional spaces that they are able to achieve this. How then is a three-dimensional experience of a place conveyed in two dimensions? Distilling an actual experience into a graphic solution can be exceptionally challenging, but graphic designers may need to accomplish this for particular clients. Examining the ideologies and methodologies of architecture and urban design may offer new and thoughtful approaches for graphic interpretations of three-dimensional experiences. This thesis first …

The Plan Put Into Practice: Usaaf Bombing Doctrine And The Ploesti Campaign, Sean Herbert Seyer

Theses

This thesis is a contribution to the continuing study of the development of American daylight precision strategic bombing doctrine. Using the multiple USAAF bombing attacks on the oil targets of Ploesti, Romania, it concludes that the USAAF entered the war with preconceived, untested notions regarding the effects of bombing and, because of bureaucratic inertia, failed to adjust to German passive and active defenses. The new technology of bombardment aviation therefore did not result in the desired destruction of the industrial targets, but only inflicted damage at high costs to the attackers. Resting on extensive archival research, the study brings to …

Exploring The Relationships Between Executive Functions And The Big Five Personality Traits Using The Behavior Rating Inventory Of Executive Functioning-Adult Form, Kira Formicola

Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between three subscales of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Form (BRIEF-A) and the Big Five personality traits. The data used for this study consists of 126 hearing, college age participants from the Rochester Institute of Technology who were used as a control group for a previous study. As hypothesized, Emotional Regulation and Shift scales of the BRIEF shared a significant negative correlation with Neuroticism. Contrary to the hypothesis, the scale Inhibit shared a positive correlation with Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Shift was significantly correlated with Openness to Experience. No …

Coping With Relational Aggression: A Qualitative Study, Rebecca M. Haderer

Theses

This study explored effective techniques girls use in coping with relational aggression victimization. A qualitative approach was used to capture the experience and problem solving process in arriving at solutions. Participants included 7 female students age 12 to 14 who attended a western New York junior high school. A semi-structured interview format was employed. Results indicated that victims of relational aggression were targets of rumors that frequently involved a theme of denigration. Initial reactions to the victimization always included a negative emotional response followed by a behavioral response. Victims engaged in a step-by step problem solving process to arrive at …

Big-Screen Aftershock: How 9/11 Changed Hollywood’S Middle Eastern Characters, Matthew Dana

Theses

Did the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, carried out by extremists from the Middle East, affect the way Hollywood portrayed Middle Eastern characters in films? This content analysis compares Middle Eastern characters in films from the five years before September 11, 2001 to those in films from the five years after. On average, Middle Eastern characters in post-9/11 films were found to be significantly darker-skinned, less intelligent, more likely to wear traditional (non-Western) clothing, and more likely to commit acts of terrorism.

Greater Sensitivity To The Stimulating And Anxiety-Like Effects Of Methamphetamine In The Hiv-1 Transgenic Rat, Marley D. Kass

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Computer-Based Interventions In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Policy Implications For Violence And Delinquency Prevention In Community Corrections, Chad M. Posick

Theses

Abstract: This thesis tests the applicability of computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy for building skills that prevent deviancy and delinquency among youth. This is accomplished by first understanding cognitive behavioral therapy through an extensive literature review and then through data analysis of the SMART program which emphasizes anger management and conflict resolution skills using a pre- and post-test questionnaire. This thesis uses the SMART program as a self-administered cognitive behavioral intervention with youth between the ages of 12 and 17 who are on juvenile probation with a juvenile delinquent status. This is an innovative way of using the SMART program from …

Genesis, Xinxin Su

Theses

Genesis is a feature-length science fiction/fantasy screenplay written for partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MFA degree in Imaging Arts/Film. The script tells the story of two parentless children and their rescuer as they journey across a barren landscape in a world disintegrating before an impending catastrophic event. Their goal is to reach a generation ship called Genesis designed to save only a portion of humankind. Along the way they encounter rebels and misfits who threaten and assist the three along their way. This submission includes: a thesis report which contains an analysis of the conception and writing process; …