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Articles 4171 - 4200 of 11266

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Sex Education Policy In Florida: Strategies For Change, Jenna Cawley Jan 2008

Sex Education Policy In Florida: Strategies For Change, Jenna Cawley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sex education policies and programs in Florida are largely dominated by the abstinence-only approach. This paper makes the case that abstinence-only education is a failing policy in Florida, and evaluates strategies advocates may use in order to accomplish reform. Three different strategies are evaluated: countywide school district reform, statewide rejection of federal abstinence-only funding, and statewide standardization of sex education via legislation. Contrasts are drawn between all three strategies with regard to their potential impact on sex education policy in Florida, viability, and the challenges they present to advocates. This paper concludes that statewide standardization of sex education in Florida …

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The Disparity Of Military Power Between The United States, Europe And Its Effect On Transtalantic Defense Project Cooperation, John-Michael Johnson Jan 2008

The Disparity Of Military Power Between The United States, Europe And Its Effect On Transtalantic Defense Project Cooperation, John-Michael Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated what determines successful transatlantic defense policy cooperation and how that cooperation can reduce the military capability gap between the United States and its European NATO allies. It examines the differing defense policies and defense capabilities between the United States and its European NATO allies. Several theories in International Relations were also used as a foundation for the argument that cooperation is needed. The approach to defense policy is very different between the United States and Europe. The strategic vision of the world of both parties differs as well. Policy, doctrine and defense projects are all taken into …

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Rapprochement: The Necessary Engagement With The Islamic Republic Of Iran, Roberto Tello Jan 2008

Rapprochement: The Necessary Engagement With The Islamic Republic Of Iran, Roberto Tello

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the decision making process in Washington which led to the current non-existence of political and economic relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States. The study examines the U.S.-Iran relationship at three levels-of-analysis: the individual, state, and system levels. From a geopolitical perspective, Iran and the United States have often been natural allies that pursued similar policy goals. After 9/11, the U.S. entered Afghanistan and Iraq which further necessitated the reengagement of Tehran. Iranian regional clout would play a vital role in stabilization of Iraq and Afghanistan and without Iran's assistance; peace will not …

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Hyperactivity In Boys With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Ubiquitous Core Symptom Or Manifestation Of Working Memor, Jennifer Bolden Jan 2008

Hyperactivity In Boys With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Ubiquitous Core Symptom Or Manifestation Of Working Memor, Jennifer Bolden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hyperactivity is currently considered a core and ubiquitous feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between working memory (WM) and activity level. The current study investigated whether children s activity level is functionally related to WM demands associated with the domain-general central executive and subsidiary storage/rehearsal components using tasks based on Baddeley s (2007) WM model. Activity level was objectively measured 16 times per second using wrist- and ankle-worn actigraphs while 23 boys between 8 and 12 years of age completed control tasks and visuospatial/phonological WM tasks of increasing memory …

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Cross-Modal Effects In Tactile And Visual Signaling, James Merlo Jan 2008

Cross-Modal Effects In Tactile And Visual Signaling, James Merlo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using a wearable tactile display three experiments were conducted in which tactile messages were created emulating five standard US Army and Marine arm and hand signals for the military commands, namely: "Attention", "Halt", "Rally", "Move Out", and "Nuclear Biological or Chemical event (NBC)". Response times and accuracy rates were collected for novices responding to visual and tactile representations of these messages, which were displayed either alone or together in congruent or incongruent combinations. Results indicated synergistic effects for concurrent, congruent message presentations showing superior response times when compared to individual presentations in either modality alone. This effect was mediated by …

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Moderators Of Trust And Reliance Across Multiple Decision Aids, Jennifer Ross Jan 2008

Moderators Of Trust And Reliance Across Multiple Decision Aids, Jennifer Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present work examines whether user's trust of and reliance on automation, were affected by the manipulations of user's perception of the responding agent. These manipulations included agent reliability, agent type, and failure salience. Previous work has shown that automation is not uniformly beneficial; problems can occur because operators fail to rely upon automation appropriately, by either misuse (overreliance) or disuse (underreliance). This is because operators often face difficulties in understanding how to combine their judgment with that of an automated aid. This difficulty is especially prevalent in complex tasks in which users rely heavily on automation to reduce their …

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Motorcycle Conspicuity: The Effects Of Age And Vehicular Daytime Running Lights, Lorenzo Torrez Jan 2008

Motorcycle Conspicuity: The Effects Of Age And Vehicular Daytime Running Lights, Lorenzo Torrez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that riding a motorcycle can potentially be much more dangerous than operating a conventional vehicle. There are factors inherent in driving or riding a small two wheeled vehicle, such as a motorcycle, moped or even bicycle that can potentially decrease their ability to be seen or noticed by other drivers. This disadvantage is reflected in the disproportionate over-representation of injuries and/or fatalities incurred by this particular driving group. This creates a significant problem which deserves dedicated evaluation as to causative factors and/or influential variables. The following research was conducted with intentions to investigate the topic of motorcycle …

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The Impact Of Organizational Politics On Mentoring Relationships, Nicholas Bencaz Jan 2008

The Impact Of Organizational Politics On Mentoring Relationships, Nicholas Bencaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring in the workplace has become an increasingly popular trend because of its touted success at addressing the career and social related needs of employees. While the majority of the research on mentoring has examined protege benefits, far fewer studies have examined the potential negative effects of mentoring. Moreover, little is known about the antecedents of negative mentoring experiences. A primary objective of the present study was to investigate relations between mentor and protege perceptions of organizational politics and reports of functional and dysfunctional mentoring. In addition, I examined the joint contribution of functional and dysfunctional mentoring to a number …

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Multimedia Computer-Based Training And Learning: The Role Of Referential Connections In Supporting Cognitive Learning Outcomes, Sandro Scielzo Jan 2008

Multimedia Computer-Based Training And Learning: The Role Of Referential Connections In Supporting Cognitive Learning Outcomes, Sandro Scielzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multimedia theory has generated a number of principles and guidelines to support computer-based training (CBT) design. However, the cognitive processes responsible for learning, from which these principles and guidelines stem from, are only indirectly derived by focusing on cognitive learning outcome differences. Unfortunately, the effects that cognitive processes have on learning are based on the assumption that cognitive learning outcomes are indicative of certain cognitive processes. Such circular reasoning is what prompted this dissertation. Specifically, this dissertation looked at the notion of referential connections, which is a prevalent cognitive process that is thought to support knowledge acquisition in a multimedia …

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The Influence Of Cultural Diversity On Initial Decisions To Trust In Newly Forming Teams: A Policy Capturing Approach, Heather Priest Walker Jan 2008

The Influence Of Cultural Diversity On Initial Decisions To Trust In Newly Forming Teams: A Policy Capturing Approach, Heather Priest Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of diversity on the decision to trust at team formation when no history or prior relationship exists. The study consisted of two phases: 1) a selection phase and 2) a policy capturing phase. The first phase consisted of demographics, propensity to trust, and prejudice scales that were used to select participants for phase 2. The second phase consisted of a full factorial design, policy capturing study which consisted of 64 scenarios which varied the level (i.e., high and low) of 6 variables: cultural diversity, attribution, perceptions of risk, trustworthiness, third party information, and role clarity. …

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Work-Family Conflict And Performance Evaluations: Who Gets A Break?, Kara Hickson Jan 2008

Work-Family Conflict And Performance Evaluations: Who Gets A Break?, Kara Hickson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Forty percent of employed parents report that they experience work-family conflict (Galinsky, Bond, & Friedman, 1993). Work-family conflict (WFC) exists when role pressures from the work and family domains are mutually incompatible. WFC is associated with decreases in family, job, and life satisfaction and physical health; intention to quit one's job; and increases in workplace absenteeism. Women may be more impacted by WFC than men, as women report completing 65-80% of the child care (Sayer, 2001) and spend 80 hours per week fulfilling work and home responsibilities (Cowan, 1983). Research suggests that WFC can be reduced with social support, such …

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The Effects Of Training On Goal Orientation, Mentoring Relationship Processes, And Outcomes, Shannon Scielzo Jan 2008

The Effects Of Training On Goal Orientation, Mentoring Relationship Processes, And Outcomes, Shannon Scielzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of preparatory training for mentors and proteges with respect to relationship processes and outcomes. Specifically, it was proposed that training provided to mentors and their proteges should foster a high learning goal orientation and a low avoid goal orientation. The former is associated with learning for the sake of continuous improvement and the latter is associated with a willingness to be perceived by others as having failed at a task. It was hypothesized that mentors and proteges who received goal orientation training prior to beginning their formal mentoring sessions …

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Family Conflict And Emerging Adults' Attributions Of Conflict In Romantic Relationships, Arazais Oliveros Jan 2008

Family Conflict And Emerging Adults' Attributions Of Conflict In Romantic Relationships, Arazais Oliveros

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The impact of parents' marital conflict and parent-child conflict on the adjustment of children is well documented. Given the theoretical and empirical data to support a relationship between experiencing interparental and parent-child conflict during childhood and later conflict in romantic relationships, it is important to investigate the potential mechanisms that operate in this relationship. Thus, the present study sought to investigate the extent to which attributions of conflict mediate the relationship between experiencing interparental and parent-child conflict and later conflict in a romantic relationship. Results were based on the responses of emerging adults (190 males and 473 females) enrolled in …

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Determinants Of Turkish Police Officers' Perception Of Integrity: Impact Of Organizational Culture, Bahadir Kucukuysal Jan 2008

Determinants Of Turkish Police Officers' Perception Of Integrity: Impact Of Organizational Culture, Bahadir Kucukuysal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of police organizational culture on officers' perception of integrity in the Turkish National Police (TNP). Adopting an organizational rather than an individualistic perspective, this study focused on police organizational culture to investigate the causes of integrity problems in the TNP. While focusing on police organizational culture, this study also aimed to determine to what extent officers' perceptions of integrity are influenced by personal and occupational attributes such as age, gender, rank, income, educational level, years of employment, and assignment type. The research was conducted in Turkey's two largest cities, Istanbul …

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Determinants Of Human Resources Management Performance On County Efficiencies: A Study Of Florida Counties, Janet Davis Jan 2008

Determinants Of Human Resources Management Performance On County Efficiencies: A Study Of Florida Counties, Janet Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Performance measurement has been adopted and implemented in the private sector as a tool to measure and improve performance. Performance measurement is relatively new to the public sector, yet counties could benefit from establishing performance measures. This study uses the 67 Florida counties to compare Human Resource performance measures to county efficiency measures through path analysis to assess the contribution compensation and recruitment practices have on county efficiency measures of fiscal, process and technical efficiencies. It includes county contextual variables in the models. The data was collected via professional publications and organizations, survey and personal contacts and entered into a …

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Characteristics For Success: Predicting Intervention Effectiveness With The Job Characteristics Model, Sallie Weaver Jan 2008

Characteristics For Success: Predicting Intervention Effectiveness With The Job Characteristics Model, Sallie Weaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines the effects of the five core job characteristics (skill variety, task significance, task identity, autonomy, and feedback) proposed by Hackman-Oldham (1974) at the team level by investigating whether the model variables are related to the effectiveness of a motivationally-based team-level productivity enhancement intervention. Previous literature has almost exclusively focused on the effects of these job characteristics at the individual level and their direct relationships with employee attitudes and subjective measures of performance. This thesis aims to further the job characteristics literature by exploring the effects of the characteristics at the team level, as well as the …

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The Influence Of Medical Education On The Frequency And Type Of Medical Board Discipline Received By Licensed Florida Physicians, Richard Bonnell Iii Jan 2008

The Influence Of Medical Education On The Frequency And Type Of Medical Board Discipline Received By Licensed Florida Physicians, Richard Bonnell Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been estimated that in the United States, between 44,000 to 98,000 patients succumb to medical errors each year. Due to a shortage of graduates of domestic medical schools, many graduates of foreign medical schools are practicing in the United States. The medical education received in foreign medical schools may not be equivalent to the medical education received in domestic medical schools, which are schools located in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Differences due to the educational backgrounds of the foreign-schooled physicians may contribute to an increase in medical board disciplining. Furthermore, graduates of medical schools where …

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Memories And Milestones: The Brighton Seminole Tribe Of Florida And The Digitization Of Culture, April Van Camps Jan 2008

Memories And Milestones: The Brighton Seminole Tribe Of Florida And The Digitization Of Culture, April Van Camps

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project discusses individual photographs of the Brighton Seminole Tribe of Florida from the early 1900s to the current period, each organized by way of their institutional significance, not their place in chronological history. Following Jean Mohr and John Berger's model in Another Way of Telling, I create a narrative for the pictures with a discussion of historical information, current data from interviews, Tribal members' stories, and my own personal story as it is tethered to the tribe. The research addresses the following questions: Can photography offer a technological means to communicate culture in a vital, organic way? Can …

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Using A Contingency-Based Method For Combining Individual Assessment Center Dimension Ratings Into Overall Assessment Ratings, Keisha Wicks Jan 2008

Using A Contingency-Based Method For Combining Individual Assessment Center Dimension Ratings Into Overall Assessment Ratings, Keisha Wicks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study applies a newly proposed mechanical combination method along with four traditional mechanical combination methods to assessment center scoring. These comparisons were made for two job levels (Fire Lieutenant and Fire Captain). The study further assesses the level of adverse impact for the various methods at three cut-off scores. Results indicated that the new contingency-based scoring method was successfully implemented in the assessment center. Results were mixed regarding whether the contingencies developed for the two job levels were different. Further, results indicated that although the various combination methods were highly correlated as expected, there were clear distinctions in …

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How Stigma Affects Information Sharing By Gay Men And Glbt Communities, Kathryn Shephard Jan 2008

How Stigma Affects Information Sharing By Gay Men And Glbt Communities, Kathryn Shephard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how stigma and dialectical tensions affect information sharing by gay men. One specific area that was investigated is the use of interpersonal boundary spanning techniques in managing information related to being gay. The research used a qualitative, interpretive method to gather and analyze data from eleven in-depth interviews. An interview schedule was developed based on the critical incident technique in order to focus the interviews on specific events and direct observation. The questions in the interview covered individuals experiences with sharing their sexual orientation with someone else for the first time, times when they have specifically chosen …

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Evolution Of Political Cleavages And Entry Of The Far-Right In Government Coalitions In Italy And Poland, Maxim Chernyshev Jan 2008

Evolution Of Political Cleavages And Entry Of The Far-Right In Government Coalitions In Italy And Poland, Maxim Chernyshev

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project focuses on a comparative analysis of governing coalitions between conservative and far-right parties in recent years in Italy (1994) and Poland (2005). The aim is to show how the inclusion of the radical right in government coalitions in these countries reflects recent changes in Western and Eastern European party systems through the reformulation of the old and formation of new party cleavages. The focus in the recent literature on personality clashes of party leaders over the distribution of ministry portfolios does not explain the nature of the disagreement between these leaders about key issues of national politics. I …

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Tools Of A Local Economy: Standardization And Function Among Small Chert Tools From Caracol, Belize, Lucas Martindale Johnson Jan 2008

Tools Of A Local Economy: Standardization And Function Among Small Chert Tools From Caracol, Belize, Lucas Martindale Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis undertakes detailed analysis of a sample of 229 small chert tools from a single locus at the Maya site of Caracol, Belize. Emphasis is placed on determining the function of these tools and on the nature of their use in the broader Caracol economic system. Analysis sought to determine whether they were used for day-to-day household tasks or for specialized craft activity within the specified household locus and/or if they were prepared for broader distribution at Caracol. By focusing detailed analysis on artifacts from a single locus, greater insight is provided into the impact of household production on …

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Technological Disasters: An Investigation Of The Conservation Of Resources Theory On Depression, Brian Gentry Jan 2008

Technological Disasters: An Investigation Of The Conservation Of Resources Theory On Depression, Brian Gentry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers studying the affects of resource loss following a technological disaster have exclusively investigated the acute period directly after the event occurred. This study applied Hobfoll's (1988, 1989) Conservation of Resources model in order to examine the long term effects of resource loss on depression in Cordova, Alaska a decade after the Exxon Valdez Oil spill. Results suggest that resource loss was a more prominent predictor for depression than demographics, involvement in the on-going litigation, or commercial fishing jobs. The research concludes that certain aspects of resource loss are critical in the development of depression after a technological disaster, and …

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The Social Construction Of Claims-Making: Bahamian Anglers Vs. Non-Resident Sports-Fishermen, Sara Neuenschwander Jan 2008

The Social Construction Of Claims-Making: Bahamian Anglers Vs. Non-Resident Sports-Fishermen, Sara Neuenschwander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On January 1, 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in the Department of Marine Resources of the Bahamas promulgated significant revisions to their sports-fishing regulations. While the new laws were designed to benefit the Bahamian fisheries, they caused a vociferous uproar among non-resident anglers who frequent the islands of the Bahamas to sports-fish. Of particular concern are the new regulations that limit the maximum weight and number of fish which non-resident anglers may keep on their boat. My research examines the claims-making activities made by American anglers on four different sports-fishermen/cruising forums. The analysis focuses on the motifs, …

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We Are Not Responsible For Our Addictions, But We Are Responsible For Our Recovery": A Qualitative Exploratory Study Of The Li, Rachel Rayburn Jan 2008

We Are Not Responsible For Our Addictions, But We Are Responsible For Our Recovery": A Qualitative Exploratory Study Of The Li, Rachel Rayburn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is an exploratory, qualitative study of homeless, recovering alcoholics and the problems they encounter maintaining sobriety. Using semi-structured interviews, I analyze the experiences of ten men in their forties, who are in a recovery program designed for homeless men. I ask them how they stay sober without a place to live. Three kinds of problems are inferred from their narrative histories. First, the men have difficulty identifying as alcoholics. They have trouble fully integrating into the AA program. Second, the men struggle to form relationships with others, especially with a sponsor. Third, the process of "working the steps" is …

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The Impact Of Religiosity On Sexual Victimization Experiences And Reporting Behaviors Among College Students, Nicole Bauer Jan 2008

The Impact Of Religiosity On Sexual Victimization Experiences And Reporting Behaviors Among College Students, Nicole Bauer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between religiosity of female college students and sexual victimization experiences. These experiences include the reporting behaviors that take place subsequent to an act of sexual victimization. The study utilized secondary data gathered from the forth wave of a longitudinal study funded by the National Institute of Justice between 1990 and 1995. The study used multidimensional levels of religiosity to analyze and to assess its impact on the sexual victimization experiences. Findings ascertained that certain behavioral measures of religiosity were consistently found to be a protective factor against sexual victimization. On the other hand, subjective measures …

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Brothers & Sisters: A New Impetus For Social Construction And Its Impact On Traditional Cultivation Analysis, Scott Elmore Jan 2008

Brothers & Sisters: A New Impetus For Social Construction And Its Impact On Traditional Cultivation Analysis, Scott Elmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scholars recognize television's ability to influence culture. According to Gerbner, television creates socially constructed realities through the cultivation of its viewers. Television is designed to satisfy the diverse needs of large audiences. The mainstream messages conveyed via television have power to alter perceptions and change culture. Gerbner's theory was constructed from the analysis of crime dramas with single plot lines. Using the ABC television program Brothers & Sisters, this thesis explores the theoretical implications dramas with multiple plot lines have on traditional notions of cultivation theory. Through a content analysis and focus groups, evidence was acquired to suggest that cultivation …

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Let's Give Them Something To Talk About: Exploring Racism And Racial Tensions As Potential Face Threats In Black And White Interracial Relationships, Gina Castle Jan 2008

Let's Give Them Something To Talk About: Exploring Racism And Racial Tensions As Potential Face Threats In Black And White Interracial Relationships, Gina Castle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how racism and racial tensions potentially threatened the face needs of Black and White interracial couples. Specifically, this study investigated the benefit of family approval of one's interracial relationship. Couples use of corrective face work in response to prejudice was also examined. This research used a qualitative, interpretive method to gather and analyze data from 14 personal interviews. The interview schedule enabled interviewees to use storytelling to share their experience of being in a Black and White interracial relationship. Interviewees were asked questions surrounding their experience as the partner in an interracial relationship. Couples shared how they …

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Time On Florida's Death Row: A Theory Of "Benign Neglect", Angela Willis Jan 2008

Time On Florida's Death Row: A Theory Of "Benign Neglect", Angela Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to identify and explain what influences the length of time an inmate spends on Florida's death row. A systematic random sample of 33 Florida death row inmates was drawn from the Florida Department of Corrections death row roster and the Florida Commission on Capital Cases inmate roster. Documented for each death row inmate was how long he spent on Florida's death row navigating the various stages and steps in Florida's post-conviction capital punishment process. The data show that petitions to the state trial courts and appeals to the Florida Supreme Court take the longest time in Florida's …

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Alternative Methods Of Eliciting Individual Willingness To Pay For Travel Time Savings: A Pilot Study, Ashley Lascelles Jan 2008

Alternative Methods Of Eliciting Individual Willingness To Pay For Travel Time Savings: A Pilot Study, Ashley Lascelles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

How does one estimate the value of an individual's time? One possible way is to estimate how much a person is willing to pay for time savings. The majority of transportation studies have used stated preference surveys to estimate an individual's willingness to pay (WTP) for travel time savings. However, stated preferences approaches are subject to hypothetical bias since they elicit WTP for hypothetical outcomes instead of real outcomes. One study used a revealed preference approach in a natural experiment to elicit WTP for travel time savings but the data was for a non-recurring event, which was not replicable. The …

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