Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Prehistoric Firewood Exploitation: A Case Study From The Carolinian Biotic Province, David Gordon De Fant

Masters Theses

A case study approach is applied to the problem of prehistoric firewood selection and utilization within a heterogeneous woodland environment. Prefaced by an indepth survey of theoretical and methodological approaches relevant to understanding resource exploitation, a wood charcoal analysis of the Schwerdt site (20AE127) is presented. This analysis is then discussed in regard to environmental, preservational, and functional contexts. It is suggested that this wood charcoal assemblage represents a subtle yet pervasive pattern of firewood selectivity operating within the overt bounds of expedient procurement.

Increasing Key “Sales Related” Behaviors Through The Use Of A Self-Monitoring Checklist, Susan M. O'Brien

Masters Theses

The present study investigated the effects of self-monitoring alone to increase targeted key sales related behaviors with an outside sales representative. The data collected over a five-month period of time revealed a temporary increase in the overall percent of targeted behaviors performed on each sales call when self-monitoring was implemented. Performance dropped to baseline levels near the end of the first treatment phase prior to the reversal phase. The data were inconsistent across behaviors as to whether implementing self-monitoring caused them to change in the desired direction or not. Additional measures which were not directly influenced by the self-monitoring technique …

A Statistical Analysis Of The Lithic Material From The Zemaitis Site (200t68), Ottawa County, Michigan, Michael L. Murphy

Masters Theses

An analysis of the lith ic tools and a representative sample of debitage from the Zemaitis site is presented. The methodology employed in lith ic analysis is described with the goal of comparab ility with other studies. Based upon this comparison i t is suggested that the major occupation of the site was during the Middle Woodland Period and the site appears to have been occupied year-round. Because the Zemaitis site was undisturbed by modern agricultural techniques, special attention is given to the artifact distributions both vertically and horizontally across the site.

With the aid of various statistical models the …

The Use Of Repeated Acquisition As A Technique For Establishing A Behavioral Baseline With Victims Of Alzheimer's Disease, Michelle D. Stone

Masters Theses

Three subjects suspected as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) victims were trained on a behavioral chain of three sets of three poker chips, each set differing in color and position, to investigate subtle changes in learning and performance behaviors over time. For each session the subjects learned a new three-response sequence with a marked poker chip serving as the correct response for each set. A within-session learning curve resulted for all three subjects with the errors in the learning trial (LT) exceeding the errors for the performance trials (PT1 and PT2). Only Subject III demonstrated a stable pattern of learning, with the …

Becoming A Nurse: A Study Of Aspects Of Professional Socialization, Arlene Christian

Masters Theses

This study examined aspects of the professional socialization of student nurses into the role of the professional nurse. Comparisons were made between senior and freshmen nursing students, between those 25 years of age and over with those under 25, between those who had two or more years of college with those who had less than two, and between those who were nursing externs with those who were not.

The results of the data analysis offered mixed support for the hypotheses proposed. Senior nursing students exhibited higher levels of professionalism in two aspects, while the older students, those with more college, …

Female Criminality And Feminism – Is There A Causal Relationship?, Heather Whitcroft

Masters Theses

In the past, many criminologists have viewed the collective sentiments of feminism as potentially crimogenic (Lombroso, 1985; Thomas, 1923; Pollak, 1950). Even female academics writing in the last decade have claimed the women's movement has a "darker side" (Cowie, 1968; Adler, 1975; Simon, 1975; Hart, 1975; Dening, 1977). Substantial sceptics appear to remain unheard amongst those who profess that "liberated" women are committing more masculine, violent, serious, male-dominated and occupational crimes. Such remarks are generally unsubstantiated by research.

Box and Hale (1983:36) suggest that "... those who are attempting to prove a causal connection between emancipation and female crime by …

Trying To Publish An Article On American Painter Thomas Eakins, Elise Hempel

Masters Theses

Freelance writing for magazines is an uncertain business; that is, one cannot specifically school oneself to guarantee even a modicum of success in this career. A writer may, of course, learn the "proper" procedures for preparing and submitting an article by reading any of several reference books written by those who have "made it" in the business. These procedures vary, however, with each author; also, they say little or nothing about the actual business of writing well. Ultimately, then, a writer must test the waters of freelance magazine writing by trying and failing and trying again.

This paper details the …

The Free Negro In Illinois Prior To The Civil War, 1818-1860, Steven J. Savery

Masters Theses

Free Negroes embodied one of the great dilemmas in the ante-bellum history of the state of Illinois. Nominally a free state, Illinois endeavored mightily to suppress, exclude, and dispose of a class of people who were the ultimate result of the anti-slavery movement. While a majority of Illinoisans deemed the peculiar institution undesirable, they had no intention of accepting free Negroes as equal citizens. Free blacks were often regarded as dangerous and a menace to the well-being of the entire society. Yet, Illinois reconciled its apparently contradictory views on slavery and the free Negro to a remarkable degree.

The reconciliation …

Wit And Humor In Asl, Keila Tooley

Masters Theses

In his article "Linguistics and the Study of Poetic Language," Stankewicz (1960) characterizes poetic organization as "completely embedded in language and fully determined by its possibilities." The purpose of this study is to examine the form that poetic function assumes in a language that itself has a structural organization fundamentally different from that of oral languages and in which, accordingly, the possibilities for poetic organization are radically different.

In wit and poetry, elements of form and meaning—a linguistic system--are used to create complex multi-layered expressions with multiple meanings and systems of form and meaning. Similarities--and differences—in form, function and meaning …

Assembly Process To Collective Behavior Episodes, Karen M. Glumm

Masters Theses

There have been three major reviews of the field of collective behavior out of which have come a challenge for future research. In response to that challenge this thesis is the investigation of growth and dispersal patterns of one short-range non-periodic extemporaneous gathering from beginning to end.

A brief review of the literature will be presented to focus on what has been done with regard to collective behavior episodes. The research has been somewhat limited and has tended to focus on retrospective accounts rather than on-the-spot interviews and observation.

The research for this thesis was conducted on the day of …

What's On Tv? A Demonstration Of The Utility Of Contextualism And Content Analysis In Mass Media Research, Craig P. Gaumer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis has been to develop, test and utilize a reliable method to quantify the prevalence of pro- and anti-social behavior on children's television as assessed from a contextualist perspective. Many previous studies in the area of television have arbitrarily assigned either pro- or anti-social labels to television programs without the benefit of analyzing the content of these programs

The few studies that have attempted to analyze the pro- and anti-social content of children's television have used only physical parameters to define pro- or anti-social behavior. Through the development of a reliable method of analyzing the contextually …

Facial Nonverbal Communication And Deception Detection, Teresa Y. Collard

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The American Reaction To Germany's Annexation Of Austria, Mark A. Tarner

Masters Theses

Germany's annexation of Austria in March 1938 was the cumulation of almost twenty years of Austrian dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Saint Germain, the lack of consistent political and economic support by the western democracies and the international instability of the 1930s. All these factors worked in favor of pro-Anschluss Germans and Austrians and to the handicap of the allies. Once Adolf Hitler came to power, he drastically changed German policy toward Austria. Anschluss had special significance for Hitler and his decision to abandon an evolutionary revision of Austria's political status to one of radical expansionism and annexation proved fatal …

The Republican Party And Civil Rights, 1877-1976, Gordon E. Sparks

Masters Theses

There have been many works written on both the Republican and the Democratic parties. Many works have also described the problem of civil rights and the historical difficulties blacks have had in an attempt to fit in politically. These works, however, have left out one major aspect of this process. Relationships of blacks to the political parties themsevles must be studied to understand one aspect of their continuous struggle for civil rights in America.

It is time that an overview be done on how the political parties have dealt with the civil rights problem throughout their histories. The Republican party …

The Development Of A Program For Minority Dropout Prevention In The Decatur, Illinois Public School District #61, Priscilla Marjorie Palmer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field study was to identify the need and present a workable model designed to address minority dropout prevention for the Decatur, Illinois, Public School District #61. The overall district dropout rate at the time this field study commenced was 26.6 percent. However, the dropout rate for minority (Black) males was 43.1 percent and 24.9 percent for minority (Black) females. The data shows that a problem of minority dropouts did exist in Decatur School District #61 and that a preventive program was needed to address this problem.The Program to Improve Student Attendance (PISA), was designed for use …

Stress And Anxiety Levels Of Exercising Versus Sedentary Male Adults, Michael James Hanley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare stress and anxiety levels of exercising and sedentary male adults at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois.

Forty-four male adults were selected as subjects for the study. Thirty-two subjects were chosen from an Adult Fitness group and comprised the exercising group. The sedentary group, chosen at random, consisted of twelve staff members who were not currently in a regular exercise program.

The Anxiety Scale Questionnaire developed by the Institute for Personality and Ability Testing (IPAT) was used. Using a provided answer key, a raw score was obtained for each participant. Raw scores …

One County's Experience With Community Corrections: An Assessment Of The Harm, Charles C. Crider

Masters Theses

Most correctional systems include pre-parole community placements. This study followed 114 inmates released to halfway house placement in one Michigan county over six years to determine the harm these inmates inflicted on the host community through new crime during halfway house placement and for three years following parole. Their criminal behavior was compared to statistical expectancies of criminal behavior for similar risk parolees. In a second analysis, the volume and seriousness of their criminal behavior was compared with non-comparable parolee controls. In both analyses, the extent and seriousness of crime by experimentals were comparable to that of controls. Criminal activity …

Tamoxifen Effects Upon Body Weight, Water Intake, And Several Behaviors, And Tamoxifen’S Unconditioned Stimulus Properties In The Conditioned Taste Aversion Paradigm, Steven J. Anderson

Masters Theses

The antiestrogen tamoxifen citrate (Stuart Pharmaceuticals) is indicated for treatment of breast cancer. Tamoxifen (TMX) is frequently employed because of demonstrated effectiveness in tumor reduction and a low incidence of debilitating side effects compared to similar agents. Even though side effects are uncommon with use of TMX, medical and behavioral sequalae have been noted. The present , . study investigated several behaviors in female rats administered TMX in two separate studies. In the first investigation, the effects of 25 daily treatments of TMX upon body weight, water intake, and several behaviors were assayed. In the second study, aversion to a …

An Exploratory Study Of The Relationship Between Moral Development And Communication In Small Groups, Beth Hartman Ellis

Masters Theses

This study explored the differences in communication between groups comprised of persons in different stages of moral development. Hypotheses were developed related to the task dimension and the process dimension of group discussions. These hypotheses were based on the appropriateness of the content of the communication in the groups to stages with in Kohlberg's theory of moral development. Trends in the direction of the hypotheses were found in analyses of utterances of the individuals in the group.

Rule-Governed Behavior In Preschool Children, Cassandra Ann Braam

Masters Theses

The control exerted by different types of rules on the behavior of preschool children was determined. Using a variation of a multielement design, four topographically similar rules were presented to seven four-year-old children. The rules varied in the deadlines and delay of consequences (rewards) specified. The results showed that: (a) requests or mands specifying only response requirements generally exerted poor control; (b) rules specifying an immediate deadline and an immediate reward exerted strong control; (c) rules specifying deadlines and a one-week delay of the reward exerted good control; and (d) rules specifying no deadlines for completion and a one-week delay …

The Depo-Provera Controversy: A Sociological Analysis, Pamela A. Hayman

Masters Theses

This study is a sociological analysis of the Depo- Provera Controversy. The strong programme in the sociology of science was the method employed for examining the social and political dimensions of the decision-making process underlying science and technology as it relates to the approval of Depo-Provera as a contraceptive in the United States. The data were consistent with the social constructionist perspective, rather than the positivistic view of science. In almost every instance, scientific conclusions followed alignment rather than arising from objective, universalistic analysis. Upjohn scientists and family planners concluded that Depo-Provera was safe and advocated its use; feminists and …

A Comparison Of Similar Versus Dissimilar Competing Response Practice In The Treatment Of Muscle Tics, Ellen L. Sharenow

Masters Theses

Miltenberger, Fuqua, and McKinley (1985) reported that the competing response component of the habit reversal treatment package (Azrin & Nunn, 1973) when presented alone was as effective as the entire habit reversal procedure in suppressing muscle tics. In a related study, Miltenberger and Fuqua (1 9 8 5 , in press) reported that the performance of the competing response contingent on the occurrence of a variety of nervous habits resulted in greater response suppression than the non-contingent performance of the competing response. In an effort to determine whether the topography of the competing response was important to the reported effects, …

A Bormannean Fantasy Theme Analysis Of “The Big Book" Of Alcoholics Anonymous, Leigh Arden Ford

Masters Theses

Utilizing Bormannean fantasy theme analysis, this study examined the rhetoric of "The Big Book", the basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous. Three dominant rhetorical visions were found corresponding to Cragan and Shield's conception of rhetorical visions as social, pragmatic and righteous at the metalevel. These rhetorical visions were labeled The Rich Man, Poor Man Vision (social), The Greater Power Vision (righteous), and The Solution Vision (pragmatic). The accompanying fantasy themes of dramatis personae, setting, plotline and sanctioning agent were delineated. The implications of this study for substance abuse therapists and AA members were examined and further research was suggested.

Investigating The Economic Impact Of Increasing Agricultural Production In A Peri-Urban Environment, Ronald L. Marbeiter

Masters Theses

The intention of this study is to investigate the economic impact of increasing agricultural production in a peri-urban environment. The Rural Development Area Program (RDAP) in Swaziland is aimed at increasing rural income through improved agricultural practices. The mathematical technique of linear programming is applied to two distinct farmer categories, i.e., cattle owners and non-cattle owners, in order to ascertain information pertaining to the inability of expanding crop production in an area which offers higher renumeration in the urban sector.

Both farm categories have ample labor to expand agricultural production, but the non-cattle owners have limited access to land and …

Instructional Control Of Leniency In Self-Appraisals, Maria Barnum Nelson

Masters Theses

Self- and supervisor ratings were obtained on four classifications of non-teaching public school employees across two instructional conditions. Self-ratings showed more leniency in the condition where employees were instructed not to meet with the supervisor to discuss the ratings; self-ratings showed less leniency in the condition where employees were instructed to meet with the supervisor to discuss the ratings. Despite foreknowledge of the research question and instructional conditions, supervisors showed a tendency to rate employees differentially according to the instructional conditions. The results of the analyses demonstrate the potency of instructional control on rating behavior by employees and supervisors. Questions …

A Cinematographical Analysis Of The Execution Of Three Types Of Pitches Using The Windmill Style Softball Delivery, Bonni L. Kinne

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to identify the specific kinematic and kinetic variables associated with a successful fast ball, drop ball, and rise ball using the windmill style softball delivery. The subjects chosen for the investigation were female pitchers who participated in the Women's National Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament held in Buffalo, New York from August 17, 1984 to August 24, 1984.

After analyzing the data obtained from these subjects, the investigator concluded that: (a) there is a great deal of variability between the fast ball pitching mechanics of elite windmill style softball pitchers; (b) the success of a drop …

Use Of A Supervisory Safety Checklist And Safety Meetings To Reduce And Prevent Hazardous Safety Conditions In An Automotive Plant, Todd Alan Brighton

Masters Theses

Hazardous safety conditions and incidents were operationally defined for an assembly division at an automotive plant. The conditions were observed and recorded on two different employee shifts for an 11 week period. The experimental design used had three distinct phases. In the first phase baseline data were recorded on the number of hazardous safety conditions by two safety observers. In the second phase two shift supervisors used the safety checklist to record hazardous safety conditions. In the last phase data were taken but the supervisory safety checklist was not used. The data from all observations were discussed in safety meetings …

The Use Of Job Aids As An Alternative To Training New Employees, William D. Powers

Masters Theses

Lack of knowledge required to perform a job, has often been dealt with by implementing some sort of training program. However, some businesses cannot afford to implement training. This study tested the effectiveness of using job aides as an alternative to training two new employees at a small business which had no training program. Step-by-step instructional aids were developed for rebuilding Series 40 MT Delco starters and Series 10 SI Delco alternators. A multiple-base-line between subjects design, with an ABABAB reversal, was used.

The data showed the average time required by the new employees to rebuild Series 40 MT Delco …

The Prehistory Of The Birch Run Road Site, Saginaw County, Michigan, Caven P. Clark

Masters Theses

The Birch Run Road site (20SA393), located in the archaeologic ally complex Saginaw Valley, was partially impacted by the extension of Birch Run Road across the Flint River. In many respects typical of Saginaw Valley sites as a whole, the Birch Run Road site produced artifacts attributable to the Early Archaic, Late Archaic, Late Woodland and historic periods. The prehistoric occupations are evaluated with special attention to the context and form of lithic raw materials, and use of projectile points in determining temporal placement. The Late Woodland component, ca. A.D. 800-1100, represents the most intensive occupation of the site. Physical …

Applied Undergraduate Training In Psychology And Career Choice, Nancy S. Hinga-Wright

Masters Theses

The present investigation evaluated the relation between additional undergraduate practical training in psychology (other than standard course credit) and the graduate school or career choice of graduates with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Based on data from questionnaires and university student records, the results indicated a positive, significant relation between graduate school choice and subsequent career choice, although there was no significant relation between additional applied training and career choice. The results also showed no significant relation between grade point average and career choice, and sex and career choice. The conclusions suggested several outside variables that may influence students' decisions …