Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Investigation Of Characteristics Associated With Student Leadership, Aseret Gonzalez

Masters Theses

This study was constructed to examine characteristics associated with student leadership. Participants were 261 students who were involved in a Registered Student Organization in the fall of 2013. The researcher completed a quantitative approach to gain students' perceptions of their student leadership characteristics. Results suggested that students' overall perception of their leadership characteristics was positive, with males and females perceiving their leadership characteristics similarly as well did those who replied to be general members and officers in registered student organizations. Future recommendations for student leadership development are included.

Subjective Time And Mindfulness, Ian Lesueur

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how time is subjectively experienced when one is being mindful or fully engaged in the present moment. Although attending to and being aware of the present moment is a defining feature of mindfulness (Brown & Ryan, 2003), there has been little research done concerning how time is experienced when being mindful. Thus, the present study examined the relationship between mindfulness and four different conceptions of the subjective experience of time: Time Perspective, Balanced Time Perspective, Temporal Focus, and Temporal Depth. One hundred and forty-two university students responded to …

Impact Of Health Expenditure On Economic Growth: A Comparative Study Of Developed And Developing Countries, Md. Zubair Zuven

Masters Theses

This paper assesses the impact of health expenditure on economic growth for countries at different income levels. A panel dataset over the period of 1995 to 2011 for 136 member countries is taken into consideration. These countries are segregated into four groups according to their income. Based on the regression analysis, the study investigates the effect of health spending on gross domestic product by applying panel least squares along with country and year fixed effects. The study reveals that health expenditure per capita has a significant positive effect on gross domestic product not only for high and upper middle income …

Online Social Networking And Political Participation: The Role Of Social Media And Students' Engagement In Politics, Ellen M. Eckert

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

"Every Child In Our World Will Know His Name!": Malcolm Gladwell's Theories As An Explanation For The Cultural Phenomenon Of Harry Potter, Alicia Morgan

Masters Theses

When Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone hit stores in the United States in 1998, children and adults alike went wild. Not only had Rowling's first book made huge waves in the UK, but Americans were talking about the struggling, single-parent who had penned a children's classic before the book even reached American stores. American audiences accepted Rowling's first novel with open arms, making it one of the first children's books to reach and occupy The New York Times best-seller list for so long. While certain marketing techniques and the rise of the Internet did contribute to Harry Potter's initial …

Economic And Environmental Comparison Of Different Ordering Policies For An Integrated Inventory Control And Supplier Selection Problem, Sepideh Almasi Monfared

Masters Theses

"This study analyzes an integrated inventory control and supplier selection problem in stochastic demand environment under carbon emissions regulations. In particular, a continuous review inventory model with multiple suppliers is investigated under carbon taxing and carbon trading regulations. We analyze and compare the optimal supplier selection and order splitting decisions with single sourcing and two alternative delivery structures for multi-sourcing, namely, sequential ordering and sequential delivery. For each of the three ordering policies, a solution method is proposed and these policies are compared in terms of their economic as well as environmental performances. A numerical study is conducted to demonstrate …

Quench The Thirst: A Content Analysis Of The Persuasive Techniques Of Unicef's Tap Project, Rachel Chadalavada

Masters Theses

This study analyzes the persuasive techniques utilized by UNICEF's Tap Project. This water related campaign began in 2007 and since then has created four themes. These themes are: Dine out, Celebrity Tap, Facebook Push and Cellphone Challenge. The study finds that the videos employed by the Tap Project portray all six Facets of Effects. However, their usage was based on the message that was being delivered. That said, not all videos utilized all of the facets. This implies that an advertisement need not necessarily use all six Facets of Effects to be successful. The facet of association however, stood out …

Folkloric Musicians Among The Bugakhwe, Robert Veith

Masters Theses

Increased access to global media by traditional culture in remote parts of Africa has, in many cases, seen indigenous music marginalized in favor of imported forms. In some places, a folkloric tradition thrives, though this music may face extinction if those who practice it do not document their art in a way which can be passed down to future generations. For this project, I recorded seven musician/composers of the Bugakhwe, a Khoisan people group living in the Okavango Delta region of Botswana. Two were given enough studio time to create a complete CD-length set, so as to show off the …

Master Of The Universe: The Theatrical Director As Artist And Communicator, Audrey Thomas

Masters Theses

This qualitative study was undertaken to examine the processes by which theatrical directors determine the theme for a production and communicate their unifying artistic visions to the agents who, in turn, relay it to the audience. The research revealed that the director's message is formed through comprehensive study of the text, the artifact around which the system is formed, as well as information which provides context for the work of the playwright; consideration of the theatrical organization's missional objectives (the environment in which the system exists); and concerns of artistic leadership. Communication of the concept to stakeholders, and ultimately to …

Duck, Duck, Oops!: A Content Analysis Of The Crisis Surrounding Phil Robertson, Sarah Malinda

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to apply Benoit's theory of image restoration to apologetic discourse offered by those involved in the crisis surrounding Phil Robertson following his January 2014, GQ Magazine interview. This content analysis applied the theoretical framework to a collection of news segments, articles, and letters that contained apologetic discourse and analyzed them to identify the strategies of image restoration used. The results indicated that the most prevalent strategy used was transcendence- placing the act that caused offense in a different context. Robertson and those involved in his image restoration directed the audience's attention to higher moral …

A Study Of Student Leaders' Facebook Use, Valerie Penn

Masters Theses

Facebook and other social media have changed the way that our society communicates. As student affairs professionals, it is important to understand how this shift in communication affects our students and their development. This study aimed to learn more about how students leaders use Facebook, how they perceive Facebook, and how their leadership position has impacted their use and perception. The researcher used an electronic questionnaire, a Facebook tracking log, and a personal interview to examine the Facebook use and perceptions of eight participants. These participants represented the following groups: Greek leadership councils, orientation leaders, resident assistants, and student government. …

"They Want All Of Your Kids To Be Gay And Oppose God": Incivility And Othering In Yahoo! News Comments, Emily Vajjala

Masters Theses

In 2004, many newspapers in the U.S. allowed public commenting on news articles posted to their websites, however since then, many U.S. news websites have removed public comment boards, ceased archiving public comments, or turned to moderators to edit or delete hateful or overly aggressive comments (Hughey and Daniels, 2013). Yahoo!, however, continues to utilize comment boards on Yahoo! News reports, in which incivility continues to run rampant. Utilizing critical discourse analysis, this study addresses incivility and "othering" in Yahoo! News article comment sections from news reporting on LGBTQ-related stories. From a sample of 1000 Yahoo! News comments using open …

The Effects Of A Pro-Eating Disorder Website Across Different Races, Lucrecia Ann Lawer

Masters Theses

This study sought to examine the effects of viewing a Pro-Eating disorder website and how the effects of this website vary across women of different races, what impact the website's racial content has, and what impact the ethnic identity of the participant has on the negative effects of viewing the website. In order to examine the effect of website content, two different Pro-Eating disorder websites were used - one containing images of Black women and one with images of Caucasian women. 93 Black and Caucasian female undergraduate students were recruited to participate in the research study, and the women viewed …

A Monetary Analysis Of Ghana: Examining The Relationship Between Monetary Policy, Price Stabilization, And The Real Exchange Rate, Nana Quaicoe

Masters Theses

The primary objective of this study involves evaluating the link between monetary policy, price levels, and the bilateral real exchange rate in Ghana. To make up for the sparse and inadequate monetary economics literature in Ghana, the study makes a substantial contribution by delineating between different monetary policy instruments. Using monthly data from 1992-2013, a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) is developed for exploring and measuring the relationship between monetary policy, inflation rate, and the bilateral real exchange rate in Ghana. The growth of broad money supply (M2) and the Monetary Policy Rate are used as the principal monetary policy …

Conditional Goal-Setting As A Mediator In The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Well-Being, Adam De Fina

Masters Theses

Mindfulness is defined as the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Current research on mindfulness has begun to focus on how mindfulness works by identifying the various mechanisms through which it facilitates well-being (e.g., Carmody, Baer, Lykins, & Olendzki, 2009; Coffey & Hartman, 2008; Hölzel et al., 2011). The present study examined if engaging less in conditional goal-getting (CGS) is one of the mechanisms of action of mindfulness. Conditional goal-setting (GCS) occurs when individuals have become highly committed to accomplishing certain concrete …

A Retrospective Study Of The Link Between Maternal Social Anxiety And College-Student Social Anxiety: Mediating The Role Of Maternal Cognitions & Behaviors, Kyung Won Kim

Masters Theses

Parental social anxiety is a well-established risk factor for child social anxiety. In addition to being passed along genetically, parental anxiety seems to be transmitted partially via environmental factors, such as parental cognitions and behaviors that convey negative expectations toward the child. This paper reviews the current literature linking maternal social anxiety, maternal cognitions, and offspring social anxiety. Using a retrospective design, a mediated model, examining the association between maternal social anxiety and later offspring social anxiety, with maternal cognitions and behaviors during childhood as a mediator was tested. Consistent with the hypothesis, maternal fear of negative evaluation served as …

Public Wars, Private Warriors: An Analysis Of Private Military Contractors In American Foreign And Domestic Policy, Phillip Andrew Roughton

Masters Theses

At the end of the Cold War, the global political arena was forever altered. One of the major changes was the introduction of private military contractors as legitimate actors of foreign policy. Despite this assertion made by scholars, private military contractors are an under studied political actor. This paper traces the historical, economic, and legal legacy of private military contractors in American history.

Implementation Of Renewable Portfolio Standards In The United States, Luke J. L. Eastin

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Black Friday Consumer, Lori A. Logan

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Curriculum Development For Computer Numerical Control Course, Brad Curry

Masters Theses

This study analyzed the past Machine Tool Advanced Skills Technology (MAST), and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc (NIMS) standards of workforce competency to be used to develop a curriculum, learning objectives and skill sets need by industry for a course on CNC machining. Instructional methods and strategies for delivery were determined for best practices. The coursework was designed and delivered, with an analysis of student learning based on learning objectives performed. Students were surveyed in regard to their understanding of the material covered in the course.

Categories of knowledge needed include machining knowledge about tooling and tool selection, …

Breaking Into The House: An Analysis Of Freshman Members Of The U.S. House Of Representatives, Aaron R. Hacker

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Deindustrialization In The American Labor Economy, 1960-2010, Joseph Camp

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Emotional Intelligence, Coping Styles, And Psychopathology, Letizia Boin

Masters Theses

Despite its relatively recent origins, Emotional Intelligence (EI), which is the ability to perceive, understand, and manage one's emotions, has been shown to contribute to a variety of outcomes, including academic achievement and relationship satisfaction. Considerable support has been gathered to implicate EI in the development of mental illness such as depression and social anxiety. It has been theorized that a potential pathway in which EI affects mental health is by contributing to the development of coping styles. Stress and coping literature reports enough empirical evidence to suggest that broadly speaking, problem-focused coping is 'adaptive' while avoidant coping is 'maladaptive.' …

Building And Maintaining Legitimacy Online: Unicef's Use Of Facebook, John Kraps

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploratory Factor Analysis Of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptom Clusters, Rachel A. Maxwell

Masters Theses

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a distressing condition that involves a preoccupation with a perceived defect(s) in appearance. Despite the importance of early identification, it is often misdiagnosed. The literature suggests that issues with diagnosis may be because BDD is typically defined by the single symptom of dysmorphic concern (i.e., over concern with an imagined or slight defect in physical appearance). Dysmorphic concern is insufficient to fully characterize the disturbance. This study used exploratory factor analysis to identify symptom clusters from four well-known BDD measures completed by 457 undergraduate students. The extracted content suggested the following symptoms: (a) Dysmorphic Concern, …

Fear Of Negative And Positive Evaluation Across Social Evaluative Situations, Jarvis Howe

Masters Theses

Fear of negative and fear of positive evaluation are both important in understanding social evaluative anxiety. Fear of negative evaluation has been linked with social anxiety, public speaking anxiety, and test anxiety; whereas fear of positive evaluation has only been linked with social anxiety. This paper reviews the literature on fear of negative and positive evaluation in relation to each of the social evaluative situations and then presents the findings of a study that will attempt to differentiate the three types of social evaluative situations. Fear of negative evaluation was correlated with each of the three social evaluative situations; whereas …

Foreign Direct Investment Led Growth And Its Determinants In Sub-Saharan African Countries, Tewodros Zerihun Demelew

Masters Theses

Despite FDI's growth in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, the evidence from earlier studies on FDI led economic growth and key determinants of FDI in SSA countries have been inconclusive. This paper provides up-to-date evidence on the question: does FDI lead to economic growth? And if so, what are the key determinants of FDI growth in SSA countries? In this study we use three estimation approaches, OLS with robust standard errors (robust regression), multi-level random-effects regression, and fixed-effects regression. The multi-level and fixed-effects regression are aimed to help us control for within-country and between-country effects. Based on a panel dataset for …

The Effects Of Existential Salience On State Anxiety, Joseph Morger

Masters Theses

Existential anxiety is theorized to result from one's knowledge of human existence. Four givens of life have been identified that result in existential anxiety: death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness (Yalom, 1980). Terror management theory purposes the knowledge of one's own death to be a great source of distress. The theory posits that to cope with these distressing thoughts, one is motivated to adhere to a cultural worldview. Adhering to a cultural worldview allows one to view the world as a structured place, in addition to raising one's self-esteem. Terror management research has shown that making mortality salient results in harsher …

Incremental Validity Of The Learning Behavior Scale In Special Education Evaluation, Margaret Lakebrink

Masters Theses

The Learning Behavior Scale (LBS) was developed as a teacher rating scale to assess students' learning behaviors hypothesized to affect academic achievement. Research utilizing the LBS has primarily stemmed from the standardization sample. The present study attempted to examine the incremental validity of adding the LBS to standardized intelligence test scores in order to predict standardized academic achievement in students participating in initial evaluations for determining disability and eligibility for special education services. Due to difficulty obtaining a sufficient sample, reevaluation cases were also obtained in the sample of first to eighth grade students (N=40) in the study. Results provided …

Does Parent Management Of Past Childhood Sibling Aggression Predict Young Adult Emotion Regulation? A Retrospective Study, Joseph P. Berry

Masters Theses

Childhood sibling aggression and its influence on an individual's ability to regulate emotions later in life have not been extensively studied at this point in time. Prior research indicates that repeatedly being the victim of childhood aggression can lead to concurrent social, psychological, and emotional difficulties (Crick, Bigbee, & Howes, 1996). This study used a retrospective approach to explore whether 139 college students' experiences of overt and relational childhood sibling aggression are related to current difficulties with emotion regulation in young adulthood. Overt sibling aggression or relational sibling aggression in childhood predicted difficulties in current emotion regulation. Beliefs about the …