Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Leadership: Personal Narratives Of Practitioners, R. Daniel Israel Edd

Dissertations

Leadership scholars and researchers have still not come to an agreement as to what the nature of leadership is. Most research within leadership studies has been grounded in preconceived or stated definitions of leadership. However, very little information exists about people's experiences of leadership. This project addresses the lack of experiential clarification of the leadership relationship. It utilizes a new leadership research method grounded in the experience of people. Leadership narrative research uses the stories people tell about their leadership experiences as a form of data collection This study is designed to discover if Rost's (1991) definition: "Leadership is an …

A Study Of The Rhetoric Of Rachel Carson's Spoken Messages, Kellie Dean Crump

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Communication by Kellie Dean Crump on December 8, 1994

Promoting Square Feet With Character: The Influence Of Fantasy On Meetings And Conventions At Walt Disney World, Christopher W. Tremblay

Honors Theses

The Walt Disney World Resort is a unique setting for meetings and conventions because it offers the Disney theme parks, but more importantly, it offers the opportunity to incorporate fantasy components into convention activities. Since Walt Disney World opened, Disney has capitalized on its use of characters by designing theme park attractions based on those characters. The opportunity exists to incorporate Disney fantasy and characters into meetings and conventions, which impacts decisions by businesses and meeting planners to use Walt Disney World as a convention site. The purpose of this study is to look at the influence of the fantasy …

Causal Attributions For Teen Problem Drinking, Barbara J. Seatter

Dissertations and Theses

Teen problem-drinking is a pervasive problem in our society. Teens with drinking problems utilize treatment centers and then return to school attempting to stay sober. However, many return to affiliate with problem drinkers instead of with non-drinkers, and risk for relapse is high. One explanation may be that teens without drinking problems do not accept teen problem drinkers into their peer group due to negative reactions toward problem drinkers. One way to examine their attitudes is to examine differences between teen problem drinkers and non-drinkers regarding causal attributions. Attribution theory proposes that various attributions will elicit different emotional reactions and …

Effects Of Pro-Socialization Skills Training On Self-Efficacy In Correctional Institution Inmates, Daniel Edward Fry

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Prison inmates released to the community following incarceration often have difficulty adapting socially. Previous research indicates that prison treatment programs aimed at increasing cognitive and prosocial skills can improve ex-felon adaption and decrease recidivism. The current study explored the effects of an 8-week prison treatment program (Transitional Counseling Program [TCP]) designed to teach prosocial skills. This was expected to enhance Bandura's (1977, 1982, 1986) construct of self-efficacy (SE) within inmates. Self-efficacy enhancement was seen as a first step in a program of future research which may show a connection between higher inmate SE at release, improved post prison adaption, and …

A Comparison Of The Ways That Teachers, Parents And Preschool Children Classify Toys Into Gender Categories, Linda Schneider

Student Work

This study compared the ways that teachers, parents and children classified toys according to gender categories. Fifty-eight teachers and seventy-eight parents completed a toy survey in which they were to sort a list of 49 preschool classroom toys into gender categories. The six toys most often rated masculine and the six toys most often rated feminine by the teachers were used in a toy sorting task for preschool children. Seventy-four preschool children were asked to sort pictures of the twelve toys into gender categories.

One-way analyses of variance, t-tests, and Least Significant Difference multiple comparison procedures were used to examine …

The Effects Of Part-Training On Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Skill Acquisition And Retention, David William Hagedorn

Masters Theses

Many thousands of lives could be saved annually in America with the prompt and correct execution of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The bystander is a vital resource in the basic treatment of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, studies have demonstrated that not only is retention of these lifesaving CPR skills poor, but initial acquisition of the CPR skills during training may be inadequate. This paper reviews methods and tools for CPR training, discloses areas of retention loss, and proposes solutions to be explored with further empirical research. With critical skills like CPR, the urgency to better train lay people and medical …

Zambian Nurses And The Aids Crisis: Towards A Socio-Cultural Analysis Of Hiv/Aids, Alicia Worley

Masters Theses

This study addresses the need for AIDS research that goes beyond quantitative in formation to deal with the complexities of local context. Sociocultural analyses have been frequently lost in a sea of research that is rooted in a biomedical/quantitative paradigm. As a result of this, issues of political economy, culture, and human agency are often handled at best, tangentially-this to the detriment of prevention and control programs. This study underscores the factors involved in the spread of HIV that lie outside the realm of physiology and medical "fact." The perception and responses of Zambian nurses at a governmental training hospital …

Attitudes Of Elementary Principals Toward Parent Involvement In Schools In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Linda V. Brittle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the attitudes of principals toward parent involvement in schools. The population for the study consisted of all public school elementary principals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A random sample procedure was employed and an instrument was developed specifically for the study. An initial and second mailing resulted in an overall response rate of 53%. Factor analysis identified 5 groupings in parent involvement. Factors were labeled: Decision-Making, Policy-Making, Home Tutor/Co-Learner, Socio-Economic Status, and Parent Desire and Expertise. Seven null hypotheses were formulated and tested for the study. It was found that …

Effect Of Leadership Style On Work Climate And Program Completion In Domiciliary Addiction Programs, Patricia L. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Addiction leads to homelessness, AIDS, other health problems, crimes, financial burdens, family conflict and many social and psychological problems. Relapse rates remain very high in addiction programs and employees are frustrated by the poor response of clients to treatment and to the bureaucratic style of management often found in hospitals and clinics. Relapse rates are due to stress factors, respondent conditioning processes, and lack of focus on techniques of relapse prevention. One approach to overcoming the morale problem could be a more participatory style of management to improve the work climate. This study was completed in response to the lack …

Gender Differences In Higher Education: A Comparison Of Males And Females Applying To Graduate School, Lynda Bennett

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to determine in what ways male and female applicants to graduate school are similar or different. Secondary analysis was conducted on survey data which described attitudes and behavior of students admitted to graduate programs at Western Michigan University. The purpose was to assess the relationship between gender and curricula selected, likelihood of applying for and receiving financial aid, and the influence of marital status. Gender did have a statistically significant relationship with curricula selection and influence of marital status. Furthermore, it appeared that women graduate students find marriage to be a more limiting factor …

The Effects Of Caffeine And Affective Imagery On Facial Emg In Women, Robert Francis Mirabella

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research findings on the effects of caffeine on mood have been mixed. Some studies report that caffeine increases anxiety and alertness while others do not. The variability in outcome of caffeine studies may be due to the insensitivity of self-report measures. An alternative to self-report is facial EMG which may be superior to self-report since the degree of concordance between facial EMG and affective valence ratings is considerably higher than the degree of concordance between behavioral, self-report, and physiological measures. Typically, studies investigating the effects of caffeine on mood have tested caffeine's effects on idiosyncratic mood states which prevailed in …

Revisiting The Issue Of Terrorism: An Institutional Analysis Of U.S. Sponsored Terrorism Directed Toward Cuba, Rick A. Matthews

Masters Theses

Consistent with Herman's (1982) call to more critically examine state-sponsored terrorism, this study assesses the sociopolitical and economic context in which the U.S. has terrorized the nation-state of Cuba. While the definitional framework in which the U.S. has traditionally examined acts of terrorism excludes from it the possibility of self incrimination, this research uses a single standard and nondiscriminatory definition which examines the behavior in question and harms done, as opposed to a definition based on power considerations alone. The method in which this research is conducted is qualitative, consistent with the principles of a sociohistorical case study, using an …

Job Satisfaction Among Foreign Employees In The Private Sector In Saudi Arabia, Abdulrahman Al-Suwaid

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among job satisfaction and demographic variables for foreign employees in the private sector in Saudi Arabia.

The population for this study was foreign employees in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. A sample of 206 employees participated in the study from four private organizations in Riyadh. Each organization was visited to obtain permission to collect data from foreign employees. All subjects were given a packet of forms that included the Job Description Index, Job in General Scale, and Demographic Data Sheet. The subjects' responses were entered into the SPSS …

The Al-Murrah Tribe In Qatar: Political Impact, Ali A. Hadi Alshawi

Masters Theses

Tribes and tribalism play significant roles in the Arabian Gulf. The focus of this study is on the Al-Murrah tribe, one of the largest tribes in East Saudi Arabia and Qatar. This study will provide an analysis of the Al-Murrah political structure and their relationship with the Gulf states.

This study gathered information using three methods. This researcher visited about 30 majlis (sitting rooms for men) and listening to over 900 tribesmen respond to issues provided by the researcher. Historical and official documents were investigated and personal observation and experience were also used.

Al-Murrah have strong kinship ties which leads …

The Relationship Of Parental Conflict And Parent-Child Relationship To The Sense Of Coherence Of Young Adult Children Of Divorce, Bruce K. Retterath

Theses and Dissertations

Early investigations of children and adolescents of divorce focused on the short-term negative influence of divorce on children and adolescents from "broken homes." Divorce is still seen as an important mediator in children's development, but other variables dealing with the family dynamics have been shown to be significant factors in the response of children to parental divorce. Few studies have considered the long-term influences of parental conflict and the parent-child relationship on young adults, and no studies have examined their relationship with the development of sense of coherence (SOC).

This study investigated the long-term relationship of parents' marital status, parental …

Hiv Prevention And Heterosexual College Students: The Impact Of Video Instruction On The "Safer" Sexual Behaviors Of Sexually Active Men, Cheryl L. Knight

Dissertations

Despite increasing evidence of the heterosexual transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among young adults, research with college students has been primarily restricted to descriptions of the levels of risky behavior and the correlates of that behavior. To date, few experimentally validated HIV prevention programs have been reported. Furthermore, the existing experimental investigations have seldom based an intervention on a thorough analysis of the barriers to the practice of safer sex.

Experiment One surveyed 195 heterosexual college students to assess HIV risk factors, including sexual behavior, risk perception, knowledge and 10 barriers to the consistent practice of "safer" sex. …

Evolving Sisterhood: An Organizational Analysis Of Three Sororities, Bonnie J. Galloway

Dissertations

From 1851 through June, 1993, more than 2,800,000 women have been initiated into the twenty-six National Panhellenic Conference sororities. Not only are members active during collegiate years, but many continue participation through alumnae groups. Upholding the principles of community service and moral development, sorority women volunteer time and talent in a myriad of ways that benefit local communities and the greater society as a whole. Sororities also provide women important leadership training and experience.

The research design of this project takes a sociohistorical perspective. The study utilizes the population ecology model for organizations to examine three representative sororities: Chi Omega, …

An Experimental Analysis Of Instructional Technologies Applied To The Three Contingency Model Of Performance Management, Judith S . Devoe

Dissertations

This research had four goals: (1) to refine the theory of performance management based on rule-governed behavior and refine the three-contingency model of performance. management, (2) to develop a university-level programmed instruction unit to teach the three-contingency model of performance management, (3) to test for functional independence between response classes—using concept-discrimination and concept-exemplification, and (4) to test a common assumption of programmed instruction— the necessity for active responding (this assumption was tested with both concept-discrimination training and concept-exemplification training).

Participants included fifty-nine undergraduates enrolled in a behavior analysis course. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) the …

Changes In Hypnotizability As A Function Of Suggestion-Based Experimenter Manipulations, Marlin 0. Trulsen

Dissertations

Limited behavioral research exists on the subject of hypnosis. A behavioral perspective maintains that a "responding to hypnosis suggestion" class of behaviors exists for each individual. For individuals more readily responsive to hypnosis suggestion, this "responding to hypnosis suggestion" class of behaviors exists at greater strength due to a previous history which strengthened these behaviors. These individuals respond strongly to hypnosis suggestions and behave as "high hypnotizables". For others, the "responding to hypnosis suggestion" class of behaviors exists at weaker strength due to the absence of the necessary history. These less responsive individuals could directly benefit from the many medical, …

Who's Speaking Whose Language? A Study Of Contact Signing Between Deaf And Hearing Co-Workers, Marilyn K. Plumlee

Theses and Dissertations

This study documents signed communication between a deaf woman and five hearing co-workers who have worked together for periods ranging from two and a half to twenty-three years.

The study has two primary foci:

(1) to describe the linguistic features observed during contact signing between deaf and hearing interlocutors, all fluent in English, who communicate in a manual, visual channel, and

(2) to identify the dynamics affecting the linguistic choices made by both the hearing and deaf signers during contact signing.

The primary data base for this study were videotaped recordings of conversational dyads consisting of the deaf woman and …

Criminalizing Pregnancy: An Analysis Of The War On Drugs And The Fetal Rights Movement, Sheryl R. Fett

Masters Theses

The focus of study was the war on drugs and the fetal rights movement as they relate to the criminalization of pregnancy. There was a movement in the 1980s and early 1990s to prosecute pregnant women for prenatal drug use under child abuse statutes and/or drug delivery statutes.

A social constructionist framework was used to analyze this movement. This thesis utilized a qualitative case study relying on documentary analysis. Literature on the war of drugs and the fetal rights movement was analyzed as it related to the prosecutions of pregnant drug users and the subsequent criminalization of pregnancy.

It was …

The Michigan Juvenile Waiver Package: An Analysis Of Its Use In Wayne County, Michigan, Kenneth C. Jackson

Masters Theses

On October 1, 1988, the Michigan Juvenile Waiver Package took effect in Michigan. One of the results of this was the implementation of prosecutorial waiver method in Michigan. Whereas previously juveniles could only be waived and tried in the adult court via a judicial waiver, now it was possible for the prosecutor to waive juveniles aged 15 or 16 if charged with one or more of seven specified Class 1A felonies. Data were collected for all youth subject to prosecutorial waiver in Wayne County over a five year period, from October 1, 1988 through October 1, 1993. Data included: date …

Wintertime Observations On Pig (Sus Scrofa) Decomposition, David Glynn Mcbride

Masters Theses

Detailed knowledge of the behavior of insects and other arthropods associated with decomposing remains is essential to estimate the time since death. To date, many studies have been conducted on human and animal decomposition rates in warm and/or humid climates, but little is known about decomposition rates in a northern wintertime environment. This study was undertaken to document the progression of decay and arthropod activity under these conditions and provide data that can be utilized for estimating time since death in such climates.

Six stillborn pigs (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) were placed in cages in a woodlot near Western Michigan …

Trauma In Adult Incest Survivors, Jane Kay Hedberg

Masters Theses

This study explored the traumatic effect of childhood incestuous abuse on the adult survivor. Eleven subjects were interviewed for this study. Hindman's (1989) trauma scale was revised, exploring issues of relationships, mental health, and living skills dysfunctions. In addition to the global score, the scale was disaggregated. Relationships between trauma and age at onset, physical and emotional violence, frequency, identification of self as victim, current relationship with offender, and response to disclosure were explored.

Several dimensions of feeling responsible were reported by victims, including feeling that there was something about them that made others victimize them, feeling responsible for protecting …

Freedom Of Commerce: The History And Archaeology Of Trade At St. Castin’S Habitation 1670-1701, Brooke Ann Manross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Settled on the often disputed border of New England and Acadia during the last quarter of the 17th century, the Baron Jean Vincent de l’Abbadie de St. Castin operated a trading post at the confluence of the Penobscot and Bagaduce Rivers near the modem town of Castin, Maine. Castin was an entrepreneur who traded with the Abenaki Indians of Acadia and Maine for peltry. Although he was French, Castin exchanged this peltry with Massachusetts merchants in order to get the European trade items necessary to supply his Abenaki clientele. Castin preferred trade to warfare, nevertheless, he was often embroiled in …

Autonomous Robot Navigation In Unknown Terrains Using Parallel Numerical Artificial Potential Fields, John C. Schneider

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

We present a new artificial potential field formulation for resolution complete robot navigation that unifies the purely geometric path planning problem with the lower level force control problem. Our formulation is designed for numerical computation over a massively parallel mesh of processors and is responsive to newly discovered terrain features. It does not suffer from many of the problems commonly associated with potential fields and with adequate resolution provides provably correct, collision free convergence to the goal. In addition, our formulation supports many desirable, practical features required for implementation, such as bounded actuator torques, attainable incremental constructability, realizable computation and …

The Effects Of Neuro-Linguistic Programming On The Self-Esteem Of At-Risk Students, Ben L. Turpen

Graduate Theses

A study was performed on at-risk students in the Midland Independent School District, Midland, Texas, utilizing Neuro Linguistic Programming as a counseling technique for improving the self-esteem of ninth grade students. Students were divided into control and treatment groups and pretested and post-tested using the School Attitude Measure. The treatment group was given twelve sessions of counseling utilizing Neuro Linguistic Programming. The subtests. Academic Self-Concept, Performance and Reference Based, and Instructional Mastery indicated a favorable trend. The significant differences in the means between the pretest and posttest was Motivation for Schooling and the overall School Attitude Measure. There was sufficient …

Adolescent Runaways: The Significance Between Non-Runaways And Runaways And Their Perceptions Of Self, Their Parents And Their World, Mary E. Burrichter

Graduate Theses

Adolescents who run away from home cause major problems for themselves, for their parents, and for society. In this study runaways (n = 112) are compared to non-runaways (n = 211) in their perceptions- of self, their parents and the world in which they live by use of a self-reporting survey. It was hypothesized that runaways would have perceptions of self, parents, and the world that would be skewed to society's unacceptable end of the scale. T-tests were performed on the difference of the means of each variable for the runaways and non-runaways. Out of 13 variables for each, a …

The Effects Of Perceived Coaching Behaviors On Participation Motivation And Continuance Of Sport In High School Competitive Tennis Players, Iain Norman Pound

Graduate Theses

The puqjose of the present thesis was to examine the relationship among perceived coaching behaviors, several motivational constructs (within the framework of Harters motivation theory), and continuance to participate in tennis. More specifically, male (N= 58) and female (N= 65) high school varsity tennis players from district 4,5 A (Texas) University Interscholastic League assessed their coaches behaviors in relation to perceived success and competence, effort, enjoyment, challenge in competitive tennis and participation in tennis upon graduation. Step Wise Regression analyses indicated the relationship positive perceived coaching behaviors had on motivation variables depended upon gender. Generally, athletes who perceived praise/information following …