Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

On The Effect Of Cranial Deformation In Determining Age From Ectocranial Suture Closure: A Test Of The Meindl And Lovejoy Method, Ingrid L-A Sensor

Honors Program Theses

Available techniques for determining age from human cranial remains are limited. This unique study examines the usefulness of Meindl and Lovejoy's method of determining age based on ectocranial suture closure patterns and compares it to a multifactorial approach which employs various age determining factors from across the cranium. In this study, the multifactorial model includes the following cranial aging indicators: dental development and attrition, the amount of closure of the maxillary and basilar sutures, and general pathological degeneration. What makes the study different is that the sample of crania upon which this comparison is performed contains mostly crania that exhibit …

Educational Programs In Correctional Facilities: Are They Worth The Cost?, Adam Robert Baggett

Honors Program Theses

The examination of correctional facility education programs is important because it will identify whether or not the correctional system is going beyond just confining inmates and is actually attempting to help prevent inmates from returning to its facilities. This study will focus on Iowa's correctional facilities due to the fact that residents of Waterloo, Iowa voiced their concern about correctional facility education, which was then passed on to the principal investigator. If the correctional system is not providing educational programs to inmates, then this will verify local concerns. It will also show that the correctional system is not providing inmates …

Father-Son Bonding: The Influence Of Paternal Relationships On College Males' Sexual Behavior And Values, Erica L. Spies

Honors Program Theses

While several studies (DiClemente, Wingood, Crosby, Cobb, Harrington, & Davies, 2001; Pistella & Bonati, 1998; Whitaker, Miller, May, & Levin, 1999; Whitaker & Miller, 2000) have found a relationship between close mother-child relationships during adolescence and adolescents' delayed initiation of sex and increased contraceptive use, only a handful of studies (Diiorio, Kelley, & Hockenberry, 1999; Dittus, Jaccard, & Gordon, 1997; Rodgers, 1999) have examined the influence of father-son relationships on college males' sexual behavior and contraceptive use. To examine how father-son relationships influence college males' sexual behaviors and values, this study surveyed 18- to 28-year-old college males (N=l 15) about …

Język: Attitudes Toward Language In Poland, Angela Ott

Honors Program Theses

Perceptual dialectology is the study of how people perceive differences in language. This study was designed to discover Polish college students' attitudes toward the dialects in Poland. Modeled after Dennis Preston's 1986 study of language attitudes in the United States, a map questionnaire was distributed to 100 Jagiellonian University and Krosno College students in Fall 2006. Participants drew boundaries around the areas where people speak differently in Poland and rated each area's correctness compared to Standard Polish. Most participants indicated between three to five regions; the most commonly named regions were Podhale, Katowice, Katowice/Wroclaw, Poznan, and Warsaw. Over half of …

Academic And Social Self-Efficacy In Honors And Non-Honors University Students, Carmen Marie Krapfl

Honors Program Theses

Self-efficacy research has shown that successful past experiences have an influential impact on self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977). The purpose of this study was to compare academic and social self-efficacy between university honors and non-honors students. It was hypothesized that honors students would score higher on academic self-efficacy, but would have lower social self efficacy than their non-honors peers. Participants were invited to complete questionnaires on self-efficacy and background information. Results show that honors and non-honors students do not differ significantly in their general or social self-efficacy, but honors students had significantly higher academic self-efficacy. Further research is needed into the cause …

Repeat After Me: The Use Of Errorless Learning In The Foreign Language Classroom, Mark Adam Foster

Honors Program Theses

Errorless learning is one of these concepts. It is a technique that allows for efficient learning devoid of the frustrating process of making countless errors; something that is usually associated with the mastering of almost any topic. Errorless learning has proved beneficial to many specialized populations, yet has eluded implementation in a normal classroom setting. It seems especially well suited for use in foreign language classrooms. It has been noted that these classrooms often lack specialized teaching strategies, particularly in regards to vocabulary and pronunciation learning (Gonzalez-Bueno, 2001; Barcroft, 2004). Errorless learning is an effective teaching strategy, and could be …

Everybody's Doing It But Me: Comparing Pluralistic Ignorance Across Behaviors, Katherine S. Corker

Honors Program Theses

This study examined pluralistic ignorance (PI) for a variety of behaviors and attitudes such as health behaviors ( exercise frequency, fruits and vegetables consumed, personal hygiene, marijuana use), subjective well-being, and television habits. Student and nonstudent participants indicated their, their best friend's, the average student's, and the average American adult's attitudes on various topics (e.g., drugs, personal well-being; Prentice & Miller, 1993) and completed measures of alienation (Dean, 1961 ). Student and nonstudent populations showed PI; however, some items showed greater PI than others. High PI items tended to be health behaviors for the student sample and television habits for …

The Effects Of Facial Attractiveness, Weight, And Immediacy On Social Influence: A Test Of Dynamic Social Impact, Melinda Bullock

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Social impact theory (Latane, 1981) explains social influence as a multiplicative function of strength, immediacy, and number. Dynamic social impact theory (Latane, 1996a) states that four phenomena occur as a result of social influence: a) clustering (those living close together have similar attitudes), b) correlation (once unrelated attitudes become associated), c) consolidation (reduction in overall attitude variance), and d) continuing diversity (in spite of social influence attitudes diversity persists). This study used these two theories to examine how facial attractiveness, weight, and immediacy affect social influence. It. was expected that clustering, correlation, and consolidation would occur to a greater extent …

Counseling Children Of Alcoholics In Schools, Melinda Voss

Graduate Research Papers

Children of alcoholics (CO As) make up a large population of students in the school system. These youth are at high risk for behavioral, emotional, social, safety, and academic problems due to the dysfunction within their homes. This paper will identify (a) the definition and prevalence of children of alcoholics, (b) the effects of parental alcohol abuse on children, (c) possible signs and symptoms displayed by COAs, and (d) implications for school counselors to best meet the needs of these students. School counselors can assist this population by providing the skills and support needed to cope effectively with parental alcoholism …

Poverty Reduction: An Evaluation Of Micro Finance And Foreign Aid, Wade Summers

Honors Program Theses

Over the last 50 years, the United States has been pouring money into foreign aid, yet this aid has failed to bring the poor out of poverty. Micro finance institutions claim to they are able to increase the wealth of the poor. This paper will compare micro finance's ability to alleviate poverty against traditional uses of foreign aid. The results of this paper are while the profitability of micro finance is not clear, independent studies indicate that it has been successful in bringing the poor out of poverty. This paper concludes that micro finance should receive a larger portion of …

The Private Rates Of Return To Undergraduate Education By Major, Nick Johnson

Honors Program Theses

The private returns to undergraduate education are important to understand for high school graduates trying to decide between the work force and college. The IRR method is the best measure of the private returns to education because it allows for important variables to be accounted for and includes the time value of money. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of 1972, there are large differences in the returns to college by major. This model allows the returns to college to vary by college selectivity and, through ability, within an individual major.

Perceptions Of Parental Rejection, Peer Rejection, And Peer Victimization In Relation To Self-Reported Depression, Clayton Joseph Egli

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study compared perceptions of parental rejection, peer rejection, peer victimization, and depression in a sample of children from the Midwest. Self-report measures were completed by 71 participants (ages 7-12) in their regular classroom setting. Correlational analyses were conducted and found significant positive relationships between the identified constructs. Maternal rejection, paternal rejection, relational victimization, overt victimization, and peer rejection were found to correlate with depression for girls. Boys had significant correlations for maternal rejection, paternal rejection, and relational victimization with depression. Overt victimization did not significantly correlate with depression for boys. The peer rejection measure showed insufficient reliability for …

The Role Of Interpersonal Communication As A Branch Of Relationship Management In Law Enforcement, Nermin Ferkic

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Police officers are often recognized as tough action figures whose only job is to fight ruthless criminals. A highly rated TV show called "Cops" presents police officers as such figures. Police officers drive noticeable squad cars with top lights and a printed motto reading "to protect and serve." They are well known for their work equipment, such as: night sticks, pepper sprays, armor, handcuffs, and most noticeably, guns. This, of course, easily confirms people's idea that police officers' jobs are all about using their physical abilities. However, while working as a police officer and with police officers I realized that …

The Influences Of Gender Identity On The Expectancies For Success And Perceived Task Value Of Three Different Activities, Chi Ching Chow

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of gender identity on expectancies for success and perceived task value. The Short form of the Bern Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI-SF) was used to identify four gender identities, androgynous, feminine, masculine, and undifferentiated. The Self- and Task- Perception Questionnaire measured expectancies and task values on three physical activities. One hundred thirty-three students (62 males and 71 females) at the University of Northern Iowa who were enrolled in the aerobic training session of the personal wellness class participated. The mean age of the participants was 20.2 years (SD= 1.9). AN OVA results …

Validation Of The Suicide Resilience Inventory-25 (Sri-25) With Chinese And American College Students, Qijuan Fang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Suicide Resilience Inventory-25 (SRl-25; Osman et al., 2004) among Chinese and American college students. This instrument was designed to tap into the factors that help defend against suicidal thoughts and behaviors and includes three factors: Internal Protective (IP), External Protective (EP), and Emotional Control (EC). Three hundred and eighteen Chinese college students and 328 American college students completed the Chinese or English version of the SRI-25, the Multi-Attitude Suicide Tendency scale (MAST; Orbach et al., 1991), and the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R; Osman et al., 2001). American participants scored significantly higher on …

Advisory Programs : Organization And Implementation, Angela Ruth Black

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review examined how to implement an advisory program into middle schools. This review looked at the pros and cons of advisory programs, and what needed to be considered before implementing an advisory program.

The topic of advisory programs was chosen after having discussions during my graduate program, as well as with work colleagues. During class discussions, advisory programs sounded like a wonderful concept. But when I went to work, my coworkers made advisory programs sound like a waste of time. I decided I needed to learn more about advisory programs, so I could make my own decision about …

"Feelin' Blue, Oh What To Do?": Coping With Negative Emotions, Jana L. Brinkman

Graduate Research Papers

Over the past five years I have had the opportunity to work with children and youth, ages birth to eighteen, in a variety of environments. The settings in which I have interacted with children include nonprofit agency environments, after school programs, church environments, parks and recreation programs, individual and small group counseling sessions, classroom guidance settings, and home environments. My own observations and experiences along with those of parents, school staff, university faculty, fellow undergraduate and graduate students, and co-workers have supported my conclusion that children from early childhood to high school youth struggle with knowing how to appropriately respond …

Significance Of The General Public For Public Relations: A Study Of The Blogosphere's Impact On The October 2006 Edelman/Wal-Mart Crisis, Sergei Golitsinski

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The focus of this study is the general public and its significance in a public relations context. The study questions one of the fundamental principles of public relations, according to which organizations communicate only with those publics which have the potential to cause them negative consequences. The general public, according to -this principle, is considered insignificant and even nonexistent. This study's hypothesis is that new communication technologies have given the general public the power to cause direct negative consequences for organizations. To evaluate this hypothesis, the study examines the October 2006 Edelman/Wal-Mart crisis caused by the "Wal-Marting Across America" blog. …

Tree Species Identification In An Urban Environment Using A Data Fusion Approach, Matthew A. Voss

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis explores a data fusion approach combining hyperspectral, LiDAR, and multispectral data to classify tree species in an urban environment. The study area is the campus of the University of Northern Iowa.

In order to use the data fusion approach, a wide variety of data was incorporated into the classification. These data include: a four-band Quickbird image from April 2003 with 0.6m spatial resolution, a 24-band AISA hyperspectral image from July 2004 with 2m spatial resolution, a 63-band AISA Eagle hyperspectral image from October 2006 with lm spatial resolution, a high resolution, multiple return LiDAR data set from April …

Differences In Junior High, High School, And College Coaches’ Self-Perceptions Of Behavior, Scott D. Salthun

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine coaches' self-perceptions of their competence in (a) training and instruction, (b) positive feedback, and (c) social support. Also, differences in coaches' gender, competitive level, leadership style, gender of athletes, age, and number of years coaching were investigated in relation to their self-perceptions. A modified questionnaire from Ipinmoroti (2002) was used as the instrument in this study. The questionnaire included three of the five subscales of the leadership scale for sport: (a) training and instruction, (b) positive feedback, and (c) social support. A total of 85 coaches participated in this study. A series …

Life Threatening Communication: Assessing Suicide Threat And Its Relation To Psychological Factors In Adolescent Inpatient Sample, Jennifer Bailey

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Suicide is currently the third leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14 years and adolescents ages 15 to 19 years. Numerous studies have identified factors such as gender, exposure to suicide, psychosocial stressors, and psychological factors as potential predictors for suicide related behavior. In comparison to individuals who attempt suicide, individuals who threaten suicide generally do so to friends and relatives. Given that adolescents who threaten suicide are least likely to come to the attention of mental health care professionals than those who attempt suicide, it is important to understand some of the specific factors that differentiate …

A Cross-Cultural Community: An Evaluative Study Of The Global Health Corps Training Program At The University Of Northern Iowa, Kalani Kee Brown

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Despite the current increase in the globalization of companies and the increase in the number of international assignees there has been very little research showing the significance of cross-cultural training in reducing international assignee failure rates. The current study was completed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Global Health Corps (GHC) organization as a training program for improving cross-cultural adjustment. An analysis was conducted on data obtained from 108 GHC students for the purpose of understanding the influence of cross-cultural experience and its effect on the cross-cultural adjustment of a successful person in this environment. Results indicated that students immersed …

Surviving Katrina: A Qualitative Narrative Inquiry, Farren Keith Clark

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Using ethnographic methodology, the experiences, opinions, emotions and interaction of 12 participants of different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds who survived Hurricane Katrina were explored through the analysis of their narratives. Narratives were analyzed through interactive interviews that were transcribed and organized by themes. Both family group and individual interviews were conducted and supported by field notes. Inquiry was focused upon the experiences of Katrina survivors before, during and after the storm made landfall in order to explore how survivors characterized their lives in the face of disaster. Participants described the powerful impact Katrina made upon their family's lives following an …

Estimating The Economic Impact Of Tourism: A Comparative Analysis Of Albania, Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia And Greece, Arjana Çela

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study assessed the economic impact of tourism on investment, government and imports expenditures in Albania, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia, and Greece. The objectives of this study were to develop a model to determine the impacts generated from an incremental change in tourist expenditures in the economy of Albania, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, and Greece; to estimate the multipliers of the tourism expenditures on investment, government and imports expenditures in Albania, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, and Greece and to investigate the differences and similarities of the economic impact of tourism between Albania, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, …

Building Relationships To Support Self-Regulation, Sherice Hetrick-Ortman

Graduate Research Papers

Discouraged students come to school unable to learn. Emotional and social factors affect their intrapersonal and interpersonal awareness and place them at high risk for school failure. This paper discusses the application of strategies influenced by; sociomoral atmosphere, trust development, self regulation, emotional intelligence, attachment theory, and cultural awareness.

The research addresses the question: Will emotionally discouraged children be able to regulate their emotions through positive relationship building with the classroom teacher? The results contribute to our knowledge of how to support children's ability to regulate themselves in the absence of external devices.

Validation Of The Suicide Resilience Inventory-25 (Sri-25) With African American High School Students, Stephanie Elizabeth Gantt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Suicide is the cause of death for nearly 30,000 deaths per year in the United States (Henkel, 2005). Studies show that rates of suicide have increased dramatically among African Americans ages 10-19 years, yet the overall suicide rate of African American adolescents is still lower than that of their Caucasian counterparts (Gould & Kramer, 2001 ; Greening & Stoppelbein, 2002). Some researchers have begun to study protective factors, particularly resilience, as one of the factors that should be maximized to reduce the rate of adolescent suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In particular, resiliency is an adaptive, stress-resistant personal quality that allows …

Hegemonic Masculinity Within Television Commercials, Jonathan A. Hutchins

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examines the portrayal of masculinity and the socialization patterns that can be found within television commercials. Television commercials' depiction of social members and their roles act as guides for social members in which they desire to portray during day to day social interactions and situations. Social members are generally unaware of this social phenomenon because they take for granted their social world and the logistics within it. While television commercials aim to create and encourage consumption, the purchasing of a product, service or event, television commercials also create and encourage social members to believe that these advertised items …

Framed: Youth Conceptions Of Citizenship, Jennifer Lea Farrell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Much attention has been paid to the youth voting record and youth participation in politics and civic activities. Some recent scholarship suggests that youth are apathetic and disengaged. Other scholars argue for a more inclusive definition of citizenship and analyze youth's involvement in various service activities. Further analysis of youth voting and conceptions of citizenship is needed in order to mobilize youth and work to sustain a healthy democracy. The MTV "Choose or Lose" Campaign encourages youth voters to get registered, get educated and vote. In 2004 the "Choose or Lose" Campaign increased the ante by offering one youth a …

An Analysis Of Coaching Efficacy In Volunteer Soccer Coaches, Christopher Lee Kowalski

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between five independent variables and volunteer soccer coaches' overall coaching efficacy as measured by motivation efficacy, character building efficacy, game strategy efficacy, and technique efficacy and five independent variables. The five independent variables explored included the age of a coach, a coach's gender, previous years of coaching experience, participation in a coaching training/licensing/certification program, and previous playing experience.

The study involved 69 participants who coached for the Cedar Valley Youth Soccer Association (CVYSA). The first part of the instrument used to measure coaching efficacy was a questionnaire discussing the various …

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V02n4, Autumn 2006, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Inside This Issue:

--Executive Director Message

--Science Teaching Section Name Election

--Changes to IAS Sections

--Iowa Junior Academy of Science Supporting Student Inquiry

--ISTS President's Message

--Iowa Science Teachers Section Fall Conference

--In Memoriam: James A. Van Allen