American Studies Commons^™

Utilizing Probabilistic Reinforcement To Enhance Participation In Parent Training, Errity Jones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parental participation in parent training programs is necessary for success in behavioral parent training. Prior literature has demonstrated probabilistic reinforcement as an effective intervention for improving a wide variety of behaviors. In the present study, a probabilistic reinforcement program (i.e., lottery) was implemented in order to evaluate its efficacy as part of a behavioral parent training program. The behaviors targeted for increase included attendance, participation, homework completion, and performing role-plays or completing in-class assignments for two 10 week Tools for Positive Behavior Change courses. Participants earned lottery tickets for each of the dependent measures, and drawings took place at the …

Stress-Strain Management Of Heteroepitaxial Polycrystalline Silicon Carbide Films, Christopher William Locke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Silicon carbide (SiC) is one of the hardest known materials and is also, by good fortune, a wide bandgap semiconductor. While the application of SiC for high-temperature and high-power electronics is fairly well known, its utility as a highly robust, chemically-inert material for microelectrical mechanical systems (MEMS) is only beginning to be well recognized. SiC can be grown on both native SiC substrates or on Si using heteroepitaxial growth methods which affords the possibility to use Si micromachining methods to fabricate advanced SiC MEMS devices.

The control of film stress in heteroepitaxial silicon carbide films grown on polysilicon-on-oxide substrates has …

Nonvoters: Doing Nothing To Change The Government They Hate, Geoffrey N. Mciver

Political Science Theses and Capstones

The sporadic and often dismal voter turnout of the American public is often regarded as a hole in the democratic model. This research examines the influence of an individual‘s attitude about their government and how it affects their voting habits. Literature in the past has isolated demographic makeup as the reason for nonvoting, i.e. education or income. However, the nonvoter‘s state of mind in relation to their general feelings toward government and the social contract has been broadly overlooked. A new measure of an individual‘s attitude toward government was created using a collection of survey questions centered on a person‘s …

Introduction To Willa Cather And Modern Cultures [Cather Studies 9], Melissa J. Homestead

Department of English: Faculty Publications

To some, linking Willa Cather to "the modern" or more narrowly to literary modernism still seems an eccentric proposition. As Richard Millington has pointed out, "one will look in vain for Cather's name in the index of most accounts, whether new or old, of the nature and history of Anglo-American modernism" (52). Perhaps she fails to feature in these accounts because in her public pronouncements and certain recurring motifs in her fiction, she appeared to turn her back on modernity. Cather was skeptical about many aspects of the culture that took shape around her in the early decades of the …

Every Week Essays: Every Week’S Demise, Melissa J. Homestead

Department of English: Faculty Publications

Every Week Magazine, published from 1915-1918, was a significant magazine phenomenon of its day, with a weekly circulation of 600,000 copies. The contents provide a rich cultural resource for those interested in the World War I home front, popular fiction, advertising, and constructions of race and gender during this period. Until the development of this digital edition, the magazine could be accessed by scholars and readers only with great difficulty due to its embrittled condition and rarity. Magazines provided courtesy of the University of Wisconsin.

Every Week Essays: Interpretive Possibilities, Melissa J. Homestead

Department of English: Faculty Publications

Every Week Magazine, published from 1915-1918, was a significant magazine phenomenon of its day, with a weekly circulation of 600,000 copies. The contents provide a rich cultural resource for those interested in the World War I home front, popular fiction, advertising, and constructions of race and gender during this period. Until the development of this digital edition, the magazine could be accessed by scholars and readers only with great difficulty due to its embrittled condition and rarity. Magazines provided courtesy of the University of Wisconsin.

Every Week Essays: The Contents Of Every Week, Melissa J. Homestead

Department of English: Faculty Publications

Every Week Magazine, published from 1915-1918, was a significant magazine phenomenon of its day, with a weekly circulation of 600,000 copies. The contents provide a rich cultural resource for those interested in the World War I home front, popular fiction, advertising, and constructions of race and gender during this period. Until the development of this digital edition, the magazine could be accessed by scholars and readers only with great difficulty due to its embrittled condition and rarity. Magazines provided courtesy of the University of Wisconsin.

Regular contributors of advice and commentary included Albert W. Atwood and Burton J. Hendrick. …

Every Week Essays: Associated Sunday Magazines And The Origins Of Every Week, Melissa J. Homestead

Department of English: Faculty Publications

Every Week Magazine, published from 1915-1918, was a significant magazine phenomenon of its day, with a weekly circulation of 600,000 copies. The contents provide a rich cultural resource for those interested in the World War I home front, popular fiction, advertising, and constructions of race and gender during this period. Until the development of this digital edition, the magazine could be accessed by scholars and readers only with great difficulty due to its embrittled condition and rarity. Magazines provided courtesy of the University of Wisconsin.

Reassessing Whitman's Hegelian Affinities, Brian Glaser

English Faculty Articles and Research

This article explores Walt Whitman's Hegelian beliefs.

“Born Again Hard”: Sexualized Violence In The Creation Of American Warriors, Katherine Highfill

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cultures are built upon myths that reinforce and glorify the way citizens wish to view themselves as part of a larger, stronger whole. These myths are central to the strength of a culture due to the shared sense of greatness, responsibility, and cohesion mutual belief instills. Globally, examples of cultural myth include French elegance, Arabic divine religious sanction, and British diplomatic proficiency. Specifically American mythology includes the pioneer mentality, equality for all citizens, and global caretaker. These myths, as with those of other countries, were born of historic actuality or ideology. The basis for each of these American myths, however, …

American Manpower: Work And Masculinity In The 1970s, Victoria Ludas

All Open Access Legacy Dissertations and Capstone Projects

This paper is about three things, as examined over the course of the 1970s: the changes in the state and dependability of work, the pressures of masculinity as felt by heterosexual white men over the age of 20 in the working and middle classes, and what occurred because of the relationship between work and that masculinity. To understand 3 the third, it is necessary to understand the first two, and what happened in both cases during the decade. Even disregarding the male-female dynamic in the increase in women at work, the state of employment changed in massive and permanent ways. …

Chitto Harjo (Wilson Jones, Crazy Snake) 1846-1912 Creek Leader, Janet Butler Munch

Publications and Research

Chitto Harjo (1846-1912) was a leader of the Crazy Snakes, a traditionalist faction of the Creek Indians. He opposed federal incursions on reservation land, Indian lifestyles and governance structures; and fought against Allotment (individual distribution) of communal tribal lands and the loss of Creek sovereignty.

General Strain Theory, Race, And Delinquency, Jennifer Peck

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study drew on Agnew's General Strain Theory (GST) to examine the relationship between strain, race, and delinquent behavior. To address this possible association, five hypotheses were tested to examine if different types of strain and stress exposure influence delinquent coping and if these relationships are conditioned by race and ethnicity. Using data from the Add Health Study, White, African American, and Hispanic adolescents, the present study attempts to generalize GST to different racial and ethnic groups.

Results from OLS and negative binomial regression analyses indicate that some support was found for GST, in that indicators of strain to …

Approaches To Arc Flash Hazard Mitigation In 600 Volt Power Systems, Curtis Thomas Latzo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal regulations have recognized that arc flash hazards are a critical source of potential injury. As a consequence, in order to work on some electrical equipment, the energy source must be completely shut-down. However, power distribution systems in mission critical facilities such as hospitals and data centers must sometimes remain energized while being maintained. In recent years the Arc Flash Hazard Analysis has emerged as a power system tool that informs the qualified technician of the incident energy at the equipment to be maintained and recommends the proper protective equipment to wear. Due to codes, standards and historically acceptable design …

Making A Splash: Eliminating Water Phobia And Increasing Confident Water Skills, Paula Elizabeth Chan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to utilize a multi-component intervention to increase confident water skills for three typically developing children, and to evaluate whether fearful behaviors decreased as the intervention progressed. The intervention, comprised of goal setting, self-monitoring, behavioral skills training and positive reinforcement, was used in community pools to teach basic water skills. Results suggest the intervention was successful in increasing confident water skills, while intervals with positive affect and fearful behaviors demonstrated variability.

Optimization Of Proximity Judgment, Brian Day

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As humans, we have evolved to see in three dimensions. Our ancestors developed two eyes that only look forward, which allows the visual area that can perceive depth to be most of the field of view. A variety of sensors have been developed which can determine depth in the environment. They range from producing individual points of depth to the depth of everything in the environment. These sensors have become cheap and can now reliably produce accurate depth. Research is needed to determine how to present the proximity information to the people using the sensors. Touch, sound, and vision have …

Reducing Rapid Eating In Adults With An Intellectual Disability, Francia Echeverria

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapid eating is a frequent problem among individuals with developmental disabilities that can pose a threat to health. The following study sought to reduce the rate of eating behaviors in two adults diagnosed with moderate intellectual disability. Assessment of eating rate took place in the participants' group homes during lunch or dinner meals. Procedures included the use of vibrating pagers with and without verbal prompts to prompt eating and prevent rapid eating behaviors. Results demonstrate a clear reduction in rate of eating when using vibrating pagers and verbal prompts for both participants.

Using Contextual Cues To Influence The Role Of Priming In The Transformation Of Stimulus Functions: A Relational Frame Theory Investigation In Implicit Social Stereotyping., Jacob Daar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This basic study was designed to explore the conceptualization of prejudice as a form of contextually controlled, derived, and arbitrarily applicable relational responding. Basic studies utilizing RFT methodologies have yielded examples of how stimulus functions of one set of stimuli, such as a stereotyped group, can transform the functions of another stimulus, such as an individual. Priming procedures, as contextual cues, have been used to affect prejudicial responding. Stimuli participating in relational frames have been shown to be sensitive to such priming procedures; however, the role of context in the priming of derived relational responses has not yet been established. …

Ultra-Low Power Electronics For Autonomous Micro-Sensor Applications, Rebeka Davidova

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presented the research, design and fabrication associated with a unique application of rectenna technology combined with lock-in amplification. An extremely low-power harmonic transponder is conjoined with an interrogator base-station, and utilizing coherent demodulation the Remote Lock-In Amplifier (RLIA) concept is realized. Utilizing harmonic re-radiation with very low-power input, the 1^st generation transponder detects a transmitted interrogation signal and responds by retransmitting the second harmonic of the signal. The 1^st generation transponder performs this task while using no additional power besides that which accompanies the wireless signal. Demonstration of the first complete configuration provided proof of concept …

Performance Enhancement Using Cross Layer Approaches In Wireless Ad Hoc Networks, Murad Khallid

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ad hoc network is intrinsically autonomous and self-configuring network that does not require any dedicated centralized management. For specialized applications such as, military operations, search-and-rescue missions, security and surveillance, patient monitoring, hazardous material monitoring, 4G (4th Generation) coverage extension, and rural communication; ad hoc networks provide an intelligent, robust, flexible and costeffective solution for the wireless communication needs.

As in centralized wireless systems, ad hoc networks are also expected to support high data rates, low delays, and large node density in addition to many other QoS (Quality of Service) requirements. However, due to unique ad hoc network characteristics, spectrum scarcity, …

General Strain Theory And Juvenile Delinquency: A Cross-Cultural Study, Wen-Hsu Lin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

General strain theory (GST) (Agnew, 1992, 2001, 2006a) is an established criminological theory. Although the theory has been examined by many and enjoys empirical support, some limitations of previous studies need to be addressed. First, previous studies have not incorporated all major types of strain in their models; hence, the effects of these strains on delinquency are unclear. Second, many previous studies did not include negative emotions and even negative emotions other than anger. Finally, and the most serious limitation, many previous studies rely heavily on samples from Western countries, mostly the U.S.; thus, possible cultural influences are ignored. Although …

A Study On The Miniaturization Of Microstrip Square Open Loop Resonators, Luis Manuel Ledezma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A miniaturization technique that allows the size of microstrip square open loop resonators to be reduced by more than 80% is presented and studied. The technique is based on the loading of the resonator with a series surface mount capacitor. It is shown that this technique allows the design of microwave bandpass filters with a wider stopband when compared with conventional designs. It is also proved that the insertion loss of the miniaturized filter is not degraded, but in fact can be maintained or even enhanced by the miniaturization process; this is true whenever the quality factor of the lumped …

Novel Film Formation Pathways For Cu2znsnse4 For Solar Cell Applications, Sree Satya Kanth Bendapudi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Because of the anticipated high demand for Indium, ongoing growth of CIGS technology may be limited. Kesterite materials, which replace In with a Zn/Sn couple, are thought to be a solution to this issue. However, efficiencies are still below the 10% level, and these materials are proving to be complex. Even determination of the bandgap is not settled because of the occurrence of secondary phases. We use a film growth process, 2SSS, which we believe helps control the formation of secondary phases. Under the right growth conditions we find 1/1 Zn/Sn ratios and XRD signatures for Cu2ZnSnSe4 with no evidence …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Teaching Package Utilizing Behavioral Skills Training And In Situ Training To Teach Gun Safety Skills In A Preschool Classroom, Laura Ann Hanratty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are a number of different safety threats that children face in their lives. One infrequent, but highly dangerous situation a child can face is finding a firearm. Hundreds of children are injured or killed by firearms each year. Fortunately, behavioral skills training (BST) and in situ training (IST) are effective approaches for teaching a number of different skills, including safety skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a teaching package for preschool teachers to learn to conduct BST to teach safety skills. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of this teaching …

Using Video Feedback To Improve Martial-Arts Performance, Angela Stefanie Benitezsantiago

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Video feedback has great potential to enhance performance in many settings. The following study used video feedback to enhance the martial arts performance of capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that utilizes acrobatic movements (revesado, au de costa, and macaco). A multiple baseline across behaviors was used for 5 participants where baseline conditions consisted of standard coaching consisting of instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback and continued throughout the study. The intervention consisted of video feedback, in which the participants were filmed attempting a movement and immediately viewed the video afterwards, while receiving positive and corrective feedback from the instructor, using the …

Caribbean Hauntings And Transnational Regionalism In Nineteenth- And Twentieth-Century American Literature, Bethany Aery Clerico

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Caribbean Hauntings and Transnational Regionalism in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century American Literature offers a new literary map of U.S. history that is routed through the Caribbean and that intervenes in certain historiographic problems that exceptionalism creates for national literary studies. In the literature of Harriet Beecher Stowe, Martin R. Delany, Charles Chesnutt, William Faulkner, and Toni Morrison, I tease out references to the Caribbean that other critics have overlooked as a result of strictly national frames of analysis. These references evidence that each text is haunted by a Caribbean presence, a phrase that signifies both a "real" Caribbean, a political and …

Gringotenango : The U.S. Retirement Migration To Antigua, Guatemala, Katherine Wilnelia Platt

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation documents the migration of U.S. retirees to Antigua, Guatemala. Antigua is a charming Spanish colonial city in the middle of the Guatemalan highlands with beautiful volcano views, cobblestone roads, the presence of Mayan and Ladino cultures, and an eternal spring climate. The physical and cultural beauty of Antigua allows U.S. citizens to enjoy a permanent vacation-like retirement experience. Antigua, however, is located in a country whose recent history is characterized by 36 years of civil war, and current events are stressed by new violence criminal activities. Despite the beauty of Antigua, this colonial city is an odd retirement …

Delta Woman With Faulkner And Hitchcock, Mi-Jeong Kim

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Lacan, as a post-structuralist, combined Saussure's linguistics with Freud's psychology and linked Derrida's notion of "the other" to his notion of "objet petit a" as the impossible object of the subject's phallic desire, in order to re-think the modern consciousness of "the self." In the Lacanian account, "the other" does not exist as the 'absolute' transcendental without involvement, but ex-sists as the traumatic and 'extimate' exteriority with-in "the self." The ex-centric other is epitomized by the iconic (inverted) triangular center of Lacan's Borromean Knot. As the immanent exteriority of both the subject and the Symbolic, the feminine (w)hole, resembling vaginal …

Poison In The System : Symbols On The Body And The Body As A Symbol In Select Works Of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Kathleen Mary Crouse

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In three texts by Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Birth-Mark," "Rappaccini's Daughter," and The Scarlet Letter, the main female characters share one central trait: a problematic femininity that causes the men in their lives to regard them as something other, and thus suspect. Hawthorne develops this idea of femininity as a defect, and endows these women with actual bodily anomalies in order to explore the ways in which the symbols on the body, or the body itself, invite a variety of interpretation. In doing so, he shows that these interpretations reveal as much or more about the interpreter as they do the …

Speaking Through Self-Effacement : The Sermonic Influence In Melville, Dickinson, And Thoreau, Katsuya Izumi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation focuses on how some of the major literary authors of nineteenth-century America attempt to speak through self-effacement by adopting the preaching styles and effects of early Protestant sermons, as well as their purposes for doing so. There is the evanescence of characters in Herman Melville's novels such as Moby-Dick (1851) and Pierre (1852), of the speaker in Emily Dickinson's poems, and of the narrator in Henry David Thoreau's A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (1849) and Walden (1854). In their works there is a certain type of abhorrence toward the self, and they constantly try to …