Digital Commons Network^™

A Longitudinal Examination Of The Contribution Of Perceived Motor Competence And Actual Motor Competence To Physical Activity In 6 To 9 Year Old Children, Fleur Mcintyre

Theses

This study examined the relationship between perceived motor competence, actual motor competence and physical activity. In particular, it aimed to identify the impact of perceived motor competence (PMC), actual motor competence (AMC), and age and gender on the physical activity levels of young children. A number of factors have been identified as key contributors to children’s physical activity levels. However, there had been little investigation into their developing impact and subsequent relationship with emergent physical activity levels, particularly in the younger primary age groups.

Physical activity, AMC and PMC measures were collected from 6-, 7-, 8-, and 9-year-old boys and …

Moral Enquiry In A Pluralist Society: From Contention To Conversation, Philip Matthews

Theses

Over the last five hundred years, several conceptually incommensurable theories of ethics have been promulgated. For some moral philosophers, this incommensurability is a matter of deep concern because, in complex cases, there is no tradition-independent method for resolving moral conflict. More recently, a new discipline of applied or practical ethics has emerged. Practical ethics attempts to fill the void between rival moral theories by appealing, first, to the role of reason from an impartial observer perspective and, second, to decision making protocols based on moral principles. This ―first generation‖ attempt at codifying practical ethics failed to bridge the incommensurability gap …

The Use Of The Child Observation Record As A Tool For Predicting Early Literacy Skills In Preschool Children, Christopher R. Singer

Theses

Reading is an important part of a child's schooling. Identifying students with literacy difficulties early in the academic process can provide them with early intervention services to keep them from falling behind. The use of an observational assessment when dealing with preschoolers can yield vital information to help identify children who may be at risk for developing reading difficulties. The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS; Good & Kaminski, 2002) is a standardized assessment currently used to identify and evaluate students' reading abilities. The Child Observation Record (COR; High/Scope, 1992) is a preschool assessment tool used to assess …

The Meaning And Personal Significance Of The Small Group Experience For A Group Of Recent Graduates From The Bachelor Of Counselling Degree At The University Of Notre Dame Australia, Martin Philpott

Theses

This research is a phenomenological study investigating the meaning and personal significance of the small group experience (personal growth) for a single cohort of eight mature-age graduates (male and female) who completed the Bachelor of Counselling degree at The University of Notre Dame Australia in the years 2005 and 2006. Two facilitators of these personal growth groups were interviewed, as were two agency supervisors who had access to these graduates during their clinical practice.

The research used qualitative methods in the collection of data. A semi-structured interview was conducted with purposefully selected participants to determine their understanding of the significance …

Workplace Privacy: An Environmental-Behaviour Analysis Of Etisalat Offices In Al-Ain, Latefa Ali Saleh Ahmad Alkuwaiti

Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore environmental quality factors in the workplace and to examine the level of job satisfaction among the employees of Etisalat Al-Ain through three main factors: visual privacy, acoustical privacy and social interaction. The theoretical and conceptual elements of the study evolved from the literature of office history, behaviour studies, building performance evaluation and job satisfaction.

Data were gathered in two stages, first phase with a population of 10 and second stage with 100 subjects of Etisalat employees, including both those working in open plan workstations and those who work in enclosed offices.

Using …

Teenage Consumer Behaviour: Factors That Influence Their Purchase Decisions Towards Clothing Brands., Regina Baylor

Theses

This study explores the perceptions held by Irish teenage consumers in relation to branded clothing and investigates the different factors which influence them in their decision-making process. In seeking to expand the understanding of teenage consumer behaviour and the factors that influence their clothing brand choices, this study focuses predominantly on the susceptibility of teenage consumers to peer and reference group influence. This study examines the social and psychological concepts of attributing status, social value and specific purchase intent to clothing brands in relation to teenage consumer decision-making.

This study is therefore interested in exploring the hypothesis that branded clothing …

Impact Of Heavy Metals On Childhood Behaviors And Development: A Uae Study, Said Yousef Ahmad Abdel Razeq

Theses

BACKGROUND: Environmental toxic metal exposure is well known to adversely affect children's development and behavior. To our knowledge, there are no studies that carefully examined this potential hazard in UAE and Gulf countries.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this case-control study was to determine blood concentrations of 12 heavy metals in school-age children in Al Ain City. The other aim was to correlate the blood levels with developmental (e.g., learning disability) and behavioral (e.g., Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) problems in children.

METHODS: One hundred and forty seven subjects (73 with developmental and/or behavioral disorders and 74 controls) participated in the study. The …

Origination, Rachel Huckins

Theses

My thesis is focused on progressions found within the human life cycle, specifically on the acts of creation, birth, and growth. I am inspired by the idea that all new life contains a certain potential, yet to be fulfilled. Some of the are a series of parts, which represent a change and movement over time. Color plays an important role, visually and conceptually using a pallet of whites to create a sense of purity and freshness associated with the beginning of life. I see my sculptures as a microcosm of the human life cycle, which symbolically represent the various types …

Spiral Of Silence And The Iraq War, Jessica Drake

Theses

Discussing controversial issues may be hard for some individuals because they fear they may become isolated. The Iraq War serves as one such controversy in which some individuals might avoid publicly expressing their opinion. Spiral of silence, a communication theory set forth by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann can be used to explain why some individuals will publicly express their opinion of the Iraq War while others will not. A Web-based survey was distributed to Rochester Institute of Technology faculty, staff and students. This study investigated public opinion expression through interactive forms of media such as discussion forums, blogs and Web sites.

Differences In Self-Reported Perceptions Of Privacy Between Online Social And Commercial Networking Users, Jessie Hughes

Theses

Previous research suggests individual privacy is affected in an online environment, and users’ experiences while on those sites may also have an effect on their perceptions. Users’ personal perceptions of their privacy may be shaped by multiple variables such as the frequency in which they use the site, if they are a social or commercial networker, and their age. The present study investigates users of social and commercial web sites and their self-reported perceived levels of privacy when using those sites. The present study discovered that users showed concern over what information should be given when socially and commercially networking. …

Communication Strategies Of Successful Coaches: A Content Analysis Of Books By Coaches About Coaching, Fredyne Yust

Theses

Communication behaviors of coaches are critical in motivating athletes and creating a climate of success. Coaches learn their techniques from a variety of sources—mentors, education, and lessons learned from other coaches. For this study, university coaches were surveyed to determine five books written by successful coaches: The Smart Take from the Strong (Pete Carril), Sacred Hoops (Phil Jackson), Leading with the Heart (Mike Krzyzewski), Reach for the Summit (Pat Summitt) and They Call Me Coach (John Wooden). Using grounded theory, the researcher analyzed these texts and discovered discernible categories of communication techniques deemed significant to the process of successful coaching. …

Brilliance, Contrast, Colorfulness, And The Perceived Volume Of Device Color Gamut, Rodney L. Heckaman

Theses

With the advent of digital video and cinema media technologies, much more is possible in achieving brighter and more vibrant colors, colors that transcend our experience. The challenge is in the realization of these possibilities in an industry rooted in 1950s technology where color gamut is represented with little or no insight into the way an observer perceives color as a complex mixture of the observer’s intentions, desires, and interests. By today’s standards, five perceptual attributes – brightness, lightness, colorfulness, chroma, and hue - are believed to be required for a complete specification. As a compelling case for such a …

The Visual Analysis Of Heterogeneous Sex Role Interactions: A Content Analysis Of Popular Music Videos, Deanna Niccole Kimbrel

Theses

Hip Hop cultured music videos have raised concern among our nation’s leaders, parents and communities. Since the introduction of music videos in the early 1980s the medium has crossed cultural, regional and ethnic boundaries (Rose, 1994). This medium has been well researched since the 1980s. The focus of this study is Hip Hop cultured music videos from years 1989-2006. The uniqueness of this study is that it focuses on nonverbal sex role interactions in this genre of music videos. This study found many useful trends. For example, men were portrayed as more dominant and/or vertical than women in the sampled …

Chiasm, Christine Heusner

Theses

This thesis explores the convergence and divergence between the mind and multimedia environment as perceptions are formed. The digitally constructed representation of the space investigated in the thesis work illustrates an abstract impression of the modern environment, somewhere between the real and the imaginary, the actual and the representational. The installation of the thesis images, off the gallery walls and at varying levels throughout the space, encourages the viewers to question realities and perception. I discuss the creation of the thesis work through a variety of different processes and media, both digital and traditional, and how this mimics environmental reality. …

Human Behavior Centered Museum Guided Tour System, Yenmin Chen

Theses

As new technologies appear, many devices or tools become more and more powerful. New technology also gives us more options to choose from in our daily lives, not only in ways used for school, but also with the devices used to surf the Internet. Certainly, we have more variety available in the various aspects of our lives, such as entertainment, education, work etc.--but new technology brings with it more problems, too. If new technology doesn't come with new thinking, life may not be better than before.

Some designers focus on human factors too much; they forget to consider how people …

Effects Of Local-Market Radio Ownership Concentration On Radio Localism, The Public Interest, And Listener Opinions And Use Of Local Radio, Michael J. Saffran

Theses

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 and ensuing radio ownership consolidation are blamed for harming radio localism and the public interest. Prior studies examined impacts attributed to consolidation on format diversity and other measures; however, none explored influences on listener perceptions. The present research sought to determine effects of local-market ownership concentration on listener opinions and use of radio—potentially indicative of stations’ localism and public service—by surveying listeners in markets categorized by ownership concentration levels. Findings suggest concentration does not strongly influence perceptions; however, overall results indicate potentially negative consequences from local and national consolidation on amounts of local music, news, …

Time-Measuring Device: Making Your Own History Of Remembrance Box With Childhood’S Physical Growth, Sang Hee Huh

Theses

Memories, for most of us, are precious indeed. Reminiscing helps us recall long gone events and a wide range of emotions. However, our recollection is imperfect and we know our memory is limited. Our memories may change or we may forget. We are unwilling to entrust precious memories solely to the unassisted mind. Children, in particular, undergo considerable physical, mental, and emotional changes. It is not easy for them to realize or later recall their growth process without assistance. At present, children can review their growth with different types of records: written data on a medical history, photos in family …

Face Recognition In Low Resolution Video Sequences Using Super Resolution, Somi Ruwan Arachchige

Theses

Human activity is a major concern in a wide variety of applications, such as video surveillance, human computer interface and face image database management. Detecting and recognizing faces is a crucial step in these applications. Furthermore, major advancements and initiatives in security applications in the past years have propelled face recognition technology into the spotlight. The performance of existing face recognition systems declines significantly if the resolution of the face image falls below a certain level. This is especially critical in surveillance imagery where often, due to many reasons, only low-resolution video of faces is available. If these low-resolution images …

Imagination And Phenomenal Experience, Blake Austin Myers

Theses

In this paper I argue that the zombie conceivability argument, as developed by David Chalmers, is unsound. My primary contribution in the paper is a critique of the claim that zombies are positively conceivable. I argue that phenomenal experience (that which zombies purportedly lack) is not something we can imagine; it is only something we can have. We can only imagine the contents of experience, and in doing so we have a new phenomenal experience of the imagined contents. Without being able to imagine phenomenal experience we have no way to determine whether a creature we imagine has or lacks …

Internet Dependency, Motivations For Internet Use And Their Effect On Work Productivity: The 21st Century Addiction, Megan L. Hilts

Theses

Past research has studied peoples’ addiction to the radio and television. Today some media scholars suggest that one can become addicted to or dependent on the Internet. The present study compares Internet use among college students and full-time employees to determine differences between those who are dependent and non-dependent Internet users, their motivations for Web sites visited and the effect of dependency on work productivity. The present study discovered that dependent Internet users are more likely to report that Internet use negatively affected their work productivity at both school and work and also reported higher levels of motivation for going …

Using Reading Screening Measures To Create Risk Indicators For Student Performance On The New York State English Language Arts Examination, Kimberly Davis

Theses

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine whether the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills Oral Reading Fluency (DORF) measure and the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) will accurately predict student failure on statewide assessments of reading performance, and (b) establish risk indicators for both DORF and the DRA that are predictive of student failure on a statewide reading assessment. One hundred ninety-five second grade students were administered DORF probes during the fall, winter, and spring and the DRA during the fall and spring. They were then administered the New York State English Language Arts Examination (NYS ELA) …

The Influence Of Context On Message-Making And Audience Reception In Graphic Design, Sarah Kirchoff

Theses

The reception of a graphic design solution is greatly affected by the environment in which it is viewed: the space around it, and how it is approached and accessed. Obviously, the designer cannot control the specific life experiences that shape a viewer's personal response, or how that viewer may be situated in a broader, cultural context. Designers often have at least some degree of control over contextual factors that contribute to the message-making potential of a graphic design solution, as well as the form the solution takes, and how it is presented to an audience. When carefully constructed, content, application, …

Timing Considerations In Visual Communication, Ahmad Eissa Aloumi

Theses

Viewers are surrounded by visual stimuli on a daily basis. These visuals, which may have intriguing and/or exciting qualities, enable designers to propose effective design solutions that could have heightened impact on the viewer. With this in mind, some designers attempt to construct crystal-clear messages that are eye-catching and easily understood, while other designers try to deliver messages enveloped by a planned ambiguity, which offers diverse paths of comprehension. In the end, this intentional ambiguity can eventually guide viewers toward a single understanding. Since ambiguity is an outcome of complex principles related to aesthetic and conceptual decision-making, often it is …

Torn Away, Jonathan Schnapp

Theses

Why am I so afraid all the time? Why do I feel so alone? Why can't I just be like everyone else? This thesis is an attempt to find answers to these and other questions that I face every day—it unearths the very assumptions and perceptions that make up the reality I experience. My strategy is to create a visual context, a common denominator with the outside world so differences and inaccuracies between my perceptions and those of others' become readily apparent. Magazines are a real, physical part of our common cultural landscape and they play a role, even if …

The Ephemeral Form And Objects Of Inspection, Desireé Rose Schanding

Theses

The series The Ephemeral Form is my attempt to communicate the ways in which women are similar in order to empower women so that they may overcome their differences creating a way for more open communication. This series of prints explore the notion of femaleness from a personal perspective and aesthetic. The main subject in each piece is the female torso as a static figure or a figure in motion. There is a specimen-like quality to the images as well as direct references to medieval panel paintings. Within each image the torso of the female is transparent revealing the biology …

American Sign Language: An Influence On Graphic Design Problem-Solving, Allison Ucci

Theses

In American Sign Language (ASL), variables of communication such as volume, tone, emotion, and emphasis are represented through the deliberate use of these variables which include: handshape, location of the sign in proximity to the human body, movement, direction, and repetition. ASL imposes strict rules of how and when to use each of these variables. Together, the rules and variables create a language of communication that is of equal value to spoken language. Similarly, these attributes currently exist in graphic design message making. The alternation of one or all variables in design can also result in an entirely new idea. …

Cancer Rumor Effects On Sense Making, Nicole M. Robinson

Theses

A cancer rumor is collective sense making in response to uncertainty or threat regarding a cancer diagnosis. This study explored the types of cancer rumors in circulation, how these rumors spread, why people believed them, and how people made sense of these rumors in order to cope. Web survey responses from 188 participants found that both negative and positive rumors were spread. These rumors were believed due to perceived source credibility and plausibility. While participants held more faith in medical sources, 71 percent changed their behavior after hearing a rumor from a non-medical person. Results suggested that rumor participation aided …

The Effect Of Image Size On The Color Appearance Of Image Reproductions, Mahdi Nezamabadi

Theses

Original and reproduced art are usually viewed under quite different viewing conditions. One of the interesting differences in viewing condition is size difference. The main focus of this research was investigation of the effect of image size on color perception of rendered images. This research had several goals. The first goal was to develop an experimental paradigm for measuring the effect of image size on color appearance. The second goal was to identify the most affected image attributes for changes of image size. The final goal was to design and evaluate algorithms to compensate for the change of visual angle …

English Language And Culture Cues Found In Advertisements In Selected Print Publications For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing People, Cindy Kay Mcallister

Theses

hard This research investigated advertisements in Deaf Life and Deaf Rochester News use of written English and culture cues to communicate to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) audiences. DHH audiences have indicated that seeing more DHH actors and sign language in advertisements will increase their response to the advertisements. English and characteristics of culture were analyzed to determine the extent of understandable English and appropriate culture cues for DHH audiences. Deaf Life did not use understandable English and appropriate culture cues to a high extent. Deaf Rochester News did use understandable English, but did not use appropriate culture cues …

Somnambulance, Jon Karafin

Theses

An exhausted man looks for rejuvenation in caffeinated beverages during the lull between lovemaking. Somnambulance is an experimental film exploring the interaction between exhaustion and caffeine through various 2D and 3D techniques. The following thesis discusses the technical and metaphorical considerations that were needed to create the film.