Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Geophysical And Remote Sensing Applications For A Better Understanding Of The Structural Controls On Groundwater Flow In The Lucerne Valley, California, Dale R. Dailey

Masters Theses

An integrated study was conducted in the Mojave Basin to investigate the potential role of faults and basement uplifts for groundwater flow in the Mojave Desert. Observations made include: 1) Very Low Frequency (VLF) measurements across mapped (using LIDAR and Geoeye-1 imagery) fault traces showed significant radio field dip angles indicative of presence of shallow sub-vertical, sheet-like conductors; many of the VLF tilt peaks coincided with changes in the magnetic profiles; 2) Vertical Electric Soundings indicate shallow basement west of, and parallel to, the Helendale Fault and deep saturated zones east of the fault/basement outcrop (F/B); and 3) isotopic analyses …

The Kappa Opioid Agonist, Salvinorin A, Attenuates Locomotor Effects Of Morphine But Not Morphine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference, Stacy Dianne Engebretson

Masters Theses

Salvinorin A (SA), a selective kappa opioid receptor agonist, is the main psychoactive ingredient in the plant Salvia divinorum. The addiction potential of this naturally occurring hallucinogen is currently under investigation using well-validated preclinical screening procedures, including conditioned place preference (CPP). The primary aim of the current study was to determine the effects of SA on CPP established by morphine in adult rats. A secondary aim was to determine if the vehicle used to dissolve SA, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), influenced the outcome of SA place conditioning. Rats were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: morphine (10 mg/kg) vs. …

Experiencing "Both/And-Ness": Dialectics Of Interactions Of International Students, Yoko Kubo

Masters Theses

This research focuses on international students in the United States by examining their experiences and interactions as sojourners. Specifically, I explore international students' dialectics within their experiences and interactions in the host culture. Referring to existing concepts from relational dialectics theory (e.g., Baxter & Braithwaite, 2008; Baxter &Montgomery, 1996) and the six cultural dialectics (Martin & Nakayama, 1999, 2011), dialectics are the opposing, competing, but co existing notions or tensions. Eleven international students from 10 different countries participated in face-to-face interviews and follow up e-mail responses. By conducting a thorough thematic analysis (Aronson, 1994), six cultural dialectics, one relational dialectic, …

Public Attitudes And Gender Policy Regimes: Coherence And Stability In Hard Times, Jing Guo, Neil Gilbert

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Drawing upon data from the European Social Survey on public attitudes and social welfare, this paper analyzes the extent to which attitudes toward gender equality in work and family life vary among 13 countries which represent different welfare regimes. The analysis also examines how these attitudes have changed with the onset of the economic recession in 2007. The findings suggest that public attitudes toward gender issues are largely consistent with welfare regimes, and most notably, reveal a clear direction of moving away from traditional views of gender, family and work issues in economic hard times.

Review Of American Dreamers: How The Left Changed A Nation. Michael Kazin. Reviewed By Kim Phillips-Fein., Kim Phillips-Fein

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Michael Kazin, American Dreamers: How the Left Changed a Nation (2011). Knopf, $27.95 (hardcover), $16.00 (paperback).

Review Of Guest Workers And Resistance To U.S. Corporate Despotism. Immanuel Ness. Reviewed By Barbara Franz., Barbara Franz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Immanuel Ness, Guest Workers and Resistance to U.S. Corporate Despotism, University of Illinois Press (2011). $70.00 (hardcover), $25.00 (paperback).

Winds Of Change: The Historical Contingency Of State Crime, Kelly L. Faust

Dissertations

Destruction of the built environment during a natural disaster is by no means a new phenomenon. What has changed over time is how we as a society react to such destruction, as well as what we expect from the state in terms of protection from, and responses to, said destruction. This dissertation explores these changes through a political economic lens with the goal of gaining increased knowledge of the phenomena that constitute state crime. Social structure of accumulation (SSA) theory provides the basis for a view of the state as a social institution which acts according to the goals of …

The Role Of Focus Group Venue: A Comparative Study Of Face-To-Face, Telephone, And Internet Video-Based Venues, June E. Gothberg

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the equivalence or non-inferiority for comparisons of telephone focus group venue to face-to-face focus group venue, Internet video-based focus group venue to face-to-face focus group venue, and Internet video based focus group venue to telephone focus group venue. Research questions examined the equivalence and non-inferiority of five variables reported in the literature as fundamental reasons a researcher would choose focus groups as a data collection tool. The five variables were: participant interactions, breadth of conversation, depth of conversation, disclosure of sensitive information, and adherence to the topic. Variables were measured using content …

Child And Family Teams Building Social Capital For At-Risk Students: A Research Note, Toby L. Parcel, Joan Pennell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

We argue that sociologists interested in social capital theory and social work scholars interested in child and family teams (CFTs) can productively collaborate in studying at-risk youth. Social capital theory suggests dimensions of CFTs that delineate both family meeting intervention and implementation of the resulting plan. These dimensions reflect both bonding and bridging social capital that strengthen and widen supportive networks for students and their families. We develop a model to apply to both academic and social outcomes, specifically to student grades, students' home environments, and overall family functioning. We argue that our framework may be one of substantial generality, …

Predictors Of Time Volunteering, Religious Giving, And Secular Giving: Implications For Nonprofit Organizations, Namkee G. Choi, Diana M. Dinitto

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data from the survey Midlife Development in the United States, 2004-2006, the present study examined characteristics associated with time volunteering, religious giving, and secular giving. Multivariate analysis, guided by the theory of volunteering, showed that education and income predicted time volunteering and both religious and secular charitable giving. Generative qualities (e.g., confidence in one's skills, desire to assist others) were significant predictors of time spent volunteering and secular giving, while religious identification was the strongest predictor of religious giving. Perceived social integration was a significant predictor of time volunteering and religious giving. Implications for nonprofit organizations that need to …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 39, No. 2 (June 2012)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• PATTERNS AND PREDICTORS OF DEBT: A PANEL STUDY, 1985-2008 - Richard K. Caputo
• SOCIAL CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL, AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING IN THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY: RESULTS FROM CANADA'S GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY - Robert D. Weaver and Nazim Habibov
• NEOLIBERALISM, PIVEN AND CLOWARD'S BARGAINING THEORY, AND WAGES IN THE UNITED STATES, 1965-2006 - Thomas W. Volscho
• CHILD AND FAMILY TEAMS BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS: A RESEARCH NOTE - Toby L. Parcel and Joan Pennell
• PREDICTORS OF TIME VOLUNTEERING, RELIGIOUS GIVING, AND SECULAR GIVING: IMPLICATIONS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS - Namkee G. Choi and Diana M. DiNitto
• CLEAN NEEDLES …

Clean Needles And Bad Blood: Needle Exchange As Morality Policy, Elizabeth A. Bowen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The morality policy framework is a lens for understanding the unique characteristics of policies that attempt to regulate personal morals and behaviors. Needle exchange, a controversial intervention for reducing the transmission of HIV in injection drug users, shares many of the hallmark characteristics of morality policies. Analyzing needle exchange from a morality policy perspective, focusing on the 21-year ban on federal funding for needle exchange, reveals how value-based arguments have been used in the needle exchange debate and explains why the issue is likely to remain controversial in the United States. This analysis adds to the understanding of moral and …

Exploring Barriers To Inclusion Of Widowed And Abandoned Women Through Microcredit Self-Help Groups: The Case Of Rural South India, Margaret Lombe, Chrisann Newransky, Karen Kayser, Paul Mike Raj

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Microcredit programs have been applauded as the magic bullet for the poor, especially women with limited financial resources. Building on previous research, this study examines effects of a microcredit self-help group (SHG) program on perceptions of social exclusion among widowed and abandoned women who participated in groups established after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Tamil Nadu, India (N=109). Data were collected on key aspects of the program such as loan amount and investment patterns, group experience, demographics, and perceived barriers to inclusion. Results indicate that investment patterns and group experience impacted the women's perception of barriers to social inclusion. …

Review Of Good Jobs America: Making Work Better For Everyone. Paul Osterman And Beth Shulman. Reviewed By Mary Huff Stevenson., Mary Huff Stevenson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Paul Osterman & Beth Shulman, Good Jobs America: Making Work Better for Everyone (2011). NY: Russell Sage Foundation, $24.95 (paperback).

Review Of Rights Gone Wrong: How Law Corrupts The Struggle For Equality. Richard Thompson Ford. Reviewed By Robert Costello., Robert Costello

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Richard Thompson Ford, Rights Gone Wrong: How Law Corrupts the Struggle for Equality (2011). New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $27.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Banished: The New Social Control In Urban America. Katherine Beckett And Steve Herbert. Reviewed By Lucia Trimbur., Lucia Trimbur

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Katherine Beckett & Steve Herbert, Banished: The New Social Control in Urban America (2011). Oxford University Press, $19.95 (paperback).

Review Of The Better Angels Of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. Steven Pinker. Reviewed By Edward U. Murphy., Edward U. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, Viking (2011). $40.00 (hardcover).

Lesbian/Queer/Same-Gender-Loving Women Graduate Students In Mental Health Related Fields: A Grounded Theory Of Attitudes Toward Transgender Individuals, Bonnie M. Benson

Dissertations

Transgender (trans) issues are an emerging area of research within counseling psychology. As such, little is known about how individuals form their attitudes toward trans people. Despite evidence that lesbian women are one group that has held biased views of the trans population, the literature has not addressed the perceptions that lesbian women have of trans individuals. Furthermore, the campus climate literature has attended to how LGBT students experience campus discrimination, but this literature has not addressed within-group differences, that is, attitudes and interactions among LGBT members of a university community, such as those between lesbians and trans people. The …

College Admissions Use Of Social Media In Recruitment Marketing: A Literature Review & Strategic Plan For Western Michigan University's Office Of Admissions, Natalie Faculak

Honors Theses

Social media technology is a rapidly growing communication phenomenon that digital natives, the generation of current 18-29 years old have embraced and revolutionized daily interactions. Social media technology is defined as “web-based and mobile applications that allow individuals and organizations to create, engage, and share new user-generated or existing content, in digital environment through multi-way communication” (Davis, Deil-Amen, Rios-Aguilar, & Gonzalez Canche, 2011). Emerging social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow users to create and maintain relationships with family, friends, coworkers, and organizations. The “always connected” generation of digital natives expects constant communication and instantaneous access to information …

Community Involvement As A Tool For International Policy: Realizing The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Michael D. Eriksen Jr.

Honors Theses

Whether present in abundance or known for its scarcity, water defines the regional and geographical identities of people. It defines political and ecological boundaries globally. Water paucity and quality in burgeoning populations has been a catalyst for creative resource management policies. Conservation of water resources, in practice, has still not improved however. As a result, the health and stability of the Great Lakes as a natural resource is threatened. The Great Lakes region includes two countries, eight states, two provinces, and over 200 tribal and native influences. International agreements, such as the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 (BWT) and the …

May 16, 2012: William Saroyan International Prize For Writing, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.

May 13, 2012: Dailykos Notes Convening Of Medieval Congress, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.

May 11, 2012: Gws Event—5/17 In Center For Humanities, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.

May 1, 2012: Wmu Creative Writing Graduate 2012 Earns Merit Award, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.

April 28, 2012: Beth Amidon Retirement Party, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.

Differential Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior In A Child With Autism, Mackenzie M. Sullivan

Honors Theses

Some children diagnosed with autism engage in aggressive behavior with different functions. There is a great need to find ways to reduce these behaviors to protect these children and make them more suitable to interact with other child in classroom settings. A Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior intervention was designed in an effort to decrease aggressive behavior in child with autism. The goal of the intervention was to train Brian, the single participant, to engage in more appropriate behaviors instead of aggressing toward other children. The participant was placed in a room with another child and instances were created where …

April 26, 2012: Eclectic Mix Of Kalamazooans Noted By British Celebrity, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.

April 25, 2012: Utz Prefaces Neomedievalism In The Media, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.

The Health Care Debate And Health Care Coverage In The U.S. A. Today, Antonio Giraldi

Honors Theses

The health care system in the United State has struggled during the past few decades. This has been accompanied by many controversies and debates among U.S. policy makers and health insurance providers. Dissatisfaction with health care in the United States today can be divided into three main aspects of health care; coverage, cost, and quality. The first problem, coverage, is a major issue because about 15 percent of the population of the U.S. (45 million) is uninsured today. The first and second problems, coverage and cost, are somewhat related since the rising cost of obtaining health services is one of …

April 23, 2012: Congratulations Adam Pasen !!, Department Of English

Gleanings: Department of English Blog Archive

No abstract provided.