Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Divided Attention On Speech Motor, Verbal Fluency And Manual Motor Task Performance, Erin Hamblin

Theses and Dissertations

Research in dual task performance varies widely in its methodology and results. The present study employed three different types of activity to provide insights into the interference that occurs in dual task performance. Twenty young adults completed a speech task (repeating a sentence), a verbal fluency task (listing words beginning with the same letter), and right- and left-handed motor tasks (placing pegs and washers in a peg board) in isolation and in concurrent conditions. Speech kinematic data revealed that during concurrent performance of manual tasks, lip displacement and peak velocity decreased, while sound pressure level and spatiotemporal variability increased. The …

Personality Predictors Of Relationship Satisfaction Among Engaged And Married Couples: An Analysis Of Actor And Partner Effects, Nicole L. Mead

Theses and Dissertations

With a sample of 3,436 engaged and married couples, this study explores the prediction of relationship satisfaction using the personality traits of neuroticism, depression, kindness, impulsivity, flexibility, self-esteem, and extraversion while utilizing controls for non-independent couple data in structural equation modeling. Both actor effects (the impact of an individual's personality on his or her own satisfaction) and partner effects (the impact of the partner's personality on satisfaction) are examined, including comparisons of the relative strength of each for males and females. A comparison is also made of engaged and married couples to determine if relationship status acts as a moderator. …

Beliefs, Practices, And Training In Marriage Preparation: A Comparison Between Members Of The Association Of Mormon Counselors And Psychotherapists (Amcap) And Select Protestant Clergy, Samuel L. Ashton

Theses and Dissertations

A sample of 127 members of the Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists (AMCAP) responded to a questionnaire regarding their beliefs, practices and training in premarital counseling (PMC). This study was a replication of a previous study of 226 clergy premarital counselors from four Protestant denominations by Jones, E.F., & Stahmann, R.F. (1994). The results of this study were compared with the results of the Jones & Stahmann study. Findings suggest that AMCAP members were less likely than Protestant clergy to believe that PMC should be required of all couples before marriage. AMCAP members and Protestant clergy both rated Enrichment, …

Triangulation Between Elderly Parents And Adult Children, Ryan J. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the extent of triangulation between elderly people and their adult children, and examines the relationship of triangulation with marital and individual outcomes such as problem solving, negative affective communication, time spent together, intimacy, depression, and marital satisfaction. Triangulation between adult children and elderly parents was found to be strongly related with negative outcomes for elderly parents in each of the dependent variables.

Gps Velocity Field In The Transition From Subduction To Collision Of The Eastern Sunda And Banda Arcs, Indonesia, Hendro Nugroho

Theses and Dissertations

Campaign GPS measurements during 2001-2003 in the transition between subduction and collision of the Banda arc reveal how strain is partitioned away from the trench and distributed to other parts of the arc-trench system. Genrich, et. al. (1996) conducted a GPS campaign (1992-1994) throughout the Eastern Sunda and Banda arcs that demonstrated partial accretion of the arc to the Australian plate. We reoccupied many of the sites from this earlier study and 7 additional stations, 3 of which are new benchmarks. Our study shortened many baselines and extended the observation epoch to ten years for many key stations. The resulting …

Microbial And Chemical Affects On Leachate From Calcareous Soils Treated With Wastewater Effluent, Craig M. Paul

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing human populations are placing greater strain on water resources, prompting the use of treated wastewater effluent for irrigation in some areas, including the desert regions of the Western United States. To determine the potential effects of using secondary effluent for irrigation, we applied wastewater effluent and irrigation waters to natural and artificially constructed calcareous soils in greenhouse and field lysimeters, and in soil columns. The leachate from one field lysimeter contained increased fecal coliform counts than the effluent. Leachate coliform counts were decreased or not significantly changed in two field lysimeters. Electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), chloride …

Research On Minority-Girl Education In China: Critique And Recommendations, Jiesu Luo

Theses and Dissertations

Minority-girl education in China is a new field of research. This study seeks to explore into this field through reviewing and analyzing the available studies that have been done. This literature has been collected through searching library holdings, Computer Assisted Research Search, and online searching. The criteria against which the literature is to be reviewed and analyzed are in the form of questions and are divided into six categories of introduction, theoretical framework, method, results, discussion (conclusion/recommendations), and abstract or summary; so that all the aspects of a study can be examined. The research filed of minority-girl education in China …

A Pilot Study Considering The Impact Of Husband's Internet Based Pornography Use Upon Marital Adjustment, Satisfaction, And Intimacy Within A Clinical Sample., Anthony T. Alonzo

Theses and Dissertations

With increased access and use of pornography over the internet, the association between pornography use and marital distress needed to be examined in a quantitative manner. There was a need to discover if, and or how, marital relationships are impacted by internet pornography use. Assessment instruments were used to measure internet pornography use (Internet Sex Screen Test revised for pornography), marital adjustment (Marital Adjustment Test items #1 and #14), marital satisfaction (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale), and marital intimacy (Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships). The results of this study suggested the following; there was a significant positive relationship between the …

Tauser Killed Both Dogs And Other Suburban American Family Folklore, Kristina Whitley Gashler

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to answer the questions "What purposes do family pets and the narratives we tell about them serve in modern American society?" and "What do these stories tell us about what Americans value and about where we locate our ‘value center’?" In Chapter 1, I discuss how Americans define loyalty in our pets now that our animals generally no longer help us work. I conclude that since the shift from agricultural to suburban settings, animals prove their loyalty individually and in human-like ways, rather than as "good" members of their own species, but at the same time because …

How To Create A Successful Team Teaching Partnership, Travis Haskins

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that there is a movement towards inclusion and team teaching in schools throughout the nation. This movement has not only affected the students who are being mainstreamed, but the teachers who are now co-teaching these classrooms. This study used questionnaires, teacher interviews, and a teacher research journal to sample a southern New Jersey elementary school. The participants' responses provided insights to answer the question "How do teachers create a successful team teaching partnership?" The study suggests criteria for successful teams and discusses possible barriers which may hinder effective teaching partnerships. The four main themes which emerged from …

Wired For Growth? Information Technology And The Future Of Rural North Dakota, Lance Olimb

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Increasing Expressive Vocabulary Through Non-Traditional Instruction, Lisa C. Washart

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined vocabulary teaching techniques. Its major purpose was to discover ways of teaching vocabulary to students that motivate them to use the words and allow them to understand and use these words appropriately. This study utilized a qualitative approach, examining instruction through the use of a case study. The study took place in an inclusive fifth grade classroom of twenty-five students. Sixteen of these students participated in the study. A checklist, student writing samples, and field notes were used to gather data surrounding varied forms of instruction and the ability of students to use newly learned words. Collected …

The Impact Of Classroom Environment On Student Learning, Amy A. Turano

Theses and Dissertations

Classroom environment is a concern among almost all educators. This thesis discusses the four major factors of classroom environment: physical environment, time and instructional management, behavior management, and teacher effectiveness. A goal of this study is to contribute to teacher knowledge about how classroom environments impact student learning. A resource center and a first grade classroom were observed and the teachers of both classes were asked to complete a self-evaluation of their classroom's environment. Both teachers were found to have classroom environments that were conducive to learning.

Testing The Principles Of The Memphis Manifesto In Successful Businesses, Shannon Belgarde

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Seven Selected Chemical Engineering Facilities' Crisis Public Relations Plans, Heather D. O'Neill

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to obtain what techniques are being used in the Philadelphia, PA area to handle crises in chemical engineering facilities. Related literature was reviewed to determine how others in the crisis public relations industry handle crisis.

The public relations contacts at 17 chemical engineering facilities were contacted to participate in the researcher's study, with seven completed responses. The seven participants completed questionnaires about the current public relations practices being used at their facilities. The information that they provided was useful in establishing commonalities among the different facilities.

This study will provide both public relations professionals …

Catastrophic Crisis Communication: A Study Of Hospital Crisis Planning Following The September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, Daniel Matthew Lockwood

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether hospitals in southern New Jersey and throughout the United States were prepared to respond to catastrophic crisis situations and find out if hospitals have changed or improved crisis plans since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

To examine preparedness and improvement of crisis plans since September 11, 2001, the researcher employed qualitative and quantitative studies. The researcher conducted in-depth personal interviews with public relations specialists from four southern New Jersey hospitals and sent email surveys to 40 hospitals throughout the United States to find out if these facilities felt prepared to …

A Study Of The Role Of Gender In The Classroom, Ryan Ann Malloy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the role gender plays in the classroom, through considering both teacher and student perceptions of gender and how those perceptions impact student learning and socialization. Conducting my early research it became evident that the three underlying forces that allow gender to impact the classroom environment are socialization, individual perceptions, and instructional practices. In order to understand the true influence of gender in the classroom I incorporated a qualitative study on these three interrelated pieces to see how they came to life in an actual kindergarten classroom. Students took part in face-to-face interviews, …

Whole-Body Vibration And Its Effects On Electromechanical Delay And Vertical Jump Performance, Deja Lee Stevenson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of whole-body vibration on electromechanical delay and vertical jump performance. Twenty college aged subjects participated in 10 intervals of whole-body vibration (WBV) at a frequency of 26 Hz and amplitude of 5 mm. Each interval consisted of 60 s of WBV in a half-squat followed by 60 s of rest. After 5 intervals, subjects had 6 min of rest before the final 5 intervals. Each subject also participated in the control which included the same 10 intervals in a half-squat without the WBV. Tests were conducted to assess electromechanical delay …

A Survey Of Certified Athletic Trainers' Knowledge Base, Personal Experiences And Attitudes Toward Public Relations Methods, Christina Pozzi

Theses and Dissertations

This study's purpose was to determine athletic trainers' knowledge base, personal experiences and attitudes concerning public relations methods and their effectiveness in promoting the profession of athletic training.

One hundred fifteen athletic trainers completed a 14-question intercept survey. Results indicate that athletic trainers face difficulty promoting their profession without learning proper public relations techniques and which public relations methods are most effective reaching their target audiences.

Sixty-three percent of the respondents created a brochure/pamphlet; 17% distributed a newsletter and 68% have never written a news release. Most respondents (89%) are familiar with the term news release, while 69% have never …

An Evaluation Of A Service-Learning Approach To Assist In Achieving The Goals Of A Comprehensive Guidance Program, Kathryn Ann Stott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was twofold: (a) to investigate how a service-learning class assisted in achieving the goals of a comprehensive guidance and development program in a junior high school, and (b) to examine the effects of a service-learning class on junior high school students. Thirty students who had been in the service-learning class participated in semi-structured interviews. Parents and teachers were also interviewed to cross-validate student perceptions. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed to identify core meanings. Using phenomenological analysis, eight major themes were identified: personal awareness, social skills development, learning skills, career interests, character education, application of …

Sexual Assault At Rowan University, Kathleen Oriti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey about sexual assault at Rowan University and to compare the survey results with reports from the Rowan University Crime Incidents Log. Data were collected anonymously from 531 male and female students from the Glassboro campus of Rowan University. Twenty-two students indicated they were sexually assaulted on or off campus from 2001 to March 2005. Three off-campus victims reported to police. None of the on-campus victims reported the crime to Rowan officials. Based on the results of this study, 5.2% of female students and 1.8% of male students surveyed indicated they …

Auditory And Visual Correlates Of The Processing Of Gapping Structures In Adults, Tara Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare event-related potential (ERP) effects of speech processing and effects in sentence reading elicited by sentences containing gapping structures, or a "missing" verb. N400 and P600 waveforms were collected in 20 adults between 18 and 30 years of age. Two experiments were conducted with each participant. In the two experiments ERP recordings were collected as sentences, some containing gapping structures, were presented to the subjects. In one experiment sentences were presented through headphones in sentences spoken at normal rate and with normal intonation. In the second experiment sentences with the same gapping structures …

Effective Messages And Channels Of Communication Used By Assisted Living Facilities To Attract Residents, Allyson L. Wisniewski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to pinpoint the most effective messages and channels of communication used by assisted living facilities to attract residents.

The study includes three in-depth interviews with marketing/public relations representatives from three successful assisted living facilities in Gloucester County, NJ. The author asked the representatives questions about their marketing/public relations efforts. The study also includes a content analysis of the promotional folders distributed by each of the three facilities.

The study shows that assisted living facilities should focus on building relationships with referral sources. Also, facilities should work to maintain their visibility by participating in community …

Investor Relations: Defender Of The Faith At Commerce Bancorp, Paul H. Welitzkin

Theses and Dissertations

The study's results will show that the investor relations department at Commerce Bancorp Inc. helped to minimize damage to the company following the indictments of two of its officials in a Philadelphia corruption probe.

Primary and secondary research will show that Commerce's IR department helped the company during its crisis after June 30, 2004. Interviews with Commerce's IR director and two Wall Street analysts reveal that Commerce minimized the damage to its reputation and brand by communicating effectively with the financial community, a major constituency.

A content analysis shows that Commerce conducted successful crisis communication despite an unusual amount of …

Predicting The Cost Per Flying Hour For The F-16 Using Programmatic And Operational Variables, Eric M. Hawkes

Theses and Dissertations

This research analyzes operational and programmatic data from all Air National Guard and 13 of 14 active duty F-16C/D Fighter Wings (FW) from 1998 to 2004 in search of explanatory variables that influence a wing's Cost Per Flying Hour (CPFH). Using data from both the Air Force Total Ownership Cost database and from the Air Force Knowledge Systems database, this research evaluates the predictive ability of the following nine explanatory variables: aircraft age, average sortie duration, MajCOM, base location, utilization rate, percent engine type, percent block, percent deployed, and previous year's CPFH, the last four of which were previously untested. …

Effects Of Career Plateauing On Turnover: A Test Of A Model, Christine Y. Rilovick

Theses and Dissertations

The structure of most organizations dictates that only 1% of the employees will retire before they reach a career plateau. It is estimated that the number of people perceiving they are career plateaued will only increase in the future since more unusually well-qualified candidates will be competing for a diminishing number of positions. Given that an estimated 80% of the work conducted in organizations is performed by employees who are career plateaued, it would be beneficial to better understand if these plateaued individuals are likely to remain with the organization despite being plateaued. Therefore adding career plateauing to an existing …

Internal Damage Detection And Assessment In Beams Using Experimental Natural Frequencies, Frances K. Durham

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the frequency response of a cantilever beam with the intent of establishing a reliable nondestructive method of damage detection. The test specimens were 12 aluminum 2024 T3 beams, each identical except for a unique, eccentrically located notch, and one reference notchless beam. The machined notches varied in length and location to simulate varying degrees of damage. Laser doppler vibrometry enabled the data acquisition. The changes in natural frequencies were correlated to notch length and notch location. A comparison of eccentric and centered notch influence on the natural frequencies also is discussed.

Fit-To-Fight: Waist Vs. Waist/Height Measurements To Determine An Individual's Fitness Level A Study In Statistical Regression And Analysis, Steven J. Swiderski

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force members are to be tested for fitness by measuring their abdominal circumference, counting the number of sit-ups and push-ups they can accomplish, and the time it takes them to run 1 and miles. The abdominal measurement is a "one-size-fits-all" fitness standard. This research determines that a person's waist-to-height ratio is a better measurement than the waist measurement to estimate an individual's fitness level. This research estimates that all of the variables used to proxy fitness (Gender, Age, Height, Waist Circumference, Waist-to-Height Ratio, Push-Ups, and Sit-Ups) are statistically significant and do represent good estimators of physical fitness. This research …

Comparing F-16 Maintenance Scheduling Philosophies, Konstantinos Iakovidis

Theses and Dissertations

In the F-16 fighter community it is believed that the flying schedule can make or break a wing's maintenance effort. Nevertheless, there is no published scientific support behind many commonly used maintenance scheduling philosophies. The problem is that a generally accepted overall scheduling philosophy to improve the long term health of the fleet does not exist. The purpose of this research is tri-fold: to identify the most important scheduling philosophies, to identify the most meaningful metrics that capture the long term health of the fleet and maintenance effectiveness, and to compare the various philosophies using the performance measures to help …

An Evaluation Of The Honor Code At Cherry Hill High School East, John Edward Burns

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this evaluation were to (a) ascertain the present status of the Honor Code at Cherry Hill High School East by conducting surveys and focus groups; and (b) make recommendations for improvement of the Code, after an analysis of the feedback. Students, staff, and parents were surveyed using an open-ended question survey technique. Focus groups of these same constituents allowed for a more in-depth analysis of perceptions, feelings, and ideas about the Code. Many of the original aspects of the Code had been lost over the past five years of its existence. Students felt that in its present …