Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Using The Survey Of Inmates Of State And Federal Correctional Facilities To Compare Female And Male Inmate Characteristics., Jacqueline Anita Black

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between female and male prison inmates using the Survey of Inmates of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 1997. Variables examined included current offense, criminal history, drug use history, victimization history, program participation in the institution, disciplinary infractions in the institution, family history, and interaction with family while in prison. Results indicate that male inmates have worse criminal histories and longer sentences than female inmates. Female inmates have more extensive drug use histories, greater victimization histories, more program participation in the institution, and more criminality in their families of origin than …

Police Officers' Perception Of The Validity Of The General Theory Of Crime., William Jaison Giesler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study measured police officers perception of the validity of General Theory of Crime. Using a sample of 117 officers and an adapted version of the Grasmick et al. (1993) self-control scale, this study measures the level of agreement officers exhibit that low self-control traits are present in property and violent offenders. Measurement is also performed to determine variation in officers agreement based on the personal characteristics gender, age, education, experience, and rank.

Findings indicate officers show agreement with self-control items across the six dimensions of self control traits, as well as significant variation in agreement with the property offender …

Perceived Effectiveness Of Conflict Management Strategies In Dating Relationships., Jaime Ann Counts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to determine how college participants view the success of different conflict management strategies: chance, manipulation, compliance, and confrontation. The success of the conflict management strategies was evaluated by how participants rated female satisfaction, male satisfaction, likelihood of marriage and success of marriage. A MANOVA, and a Roy Bargman step-down procedure were conducted on all dependent variables. A Tukey HSD post hoc test was ran to reveal which conflict management strategies differed from one another. Results indicated that participants thought women were less satisfied than men. For male satisfaction and likelihood of marriage, post …

Adjusting But Not Assimilating: International Students At East Tennessee State University., Yumiko Okuda Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the number of international students grows, the importance of understanding them grows also. This thesis analyzes in-depth interview data from 17 international students from 12 different countries at East Tennessee State University who discussed their experiences as international students. Findings show that they are willing to adjust to the new culture and a new educational system, but they are reluctant to assimilate further. After they obtain their education, most of them want to return to their home country with their degree to work, even though situations are often better in the United States. These students serve as cultural ambassadors, …

Visual Framing: A Study In Face-Ism From The Websites For The 108th United States Congress., Beth Johnson Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Websites are being used by increasing numbers to target a market with a message unfiltered by the media. This content analysis examined the website front-screens for the members of the 108th United States Congress to determine if the photographic images displayed reinforced the media's stereotypical frame of female politicians. A total of 3,892 photographic images were captured from 540 websites and coded using the face-ism index. Overall, the results supported the face-ism theory. Images of females were cropped lower on their bodies than images of males. The face-ism effect was not supported until the number of people in the photograph …

Alienation And Isolation In Interracial Marriages In East Tennessee., Sheila Dianne Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I conducted this study to determine if African American men and women who marry white men and women in East Tennessee perceive experiences of isolation and alienation from their families and friends as a result of their selection of a mate from a race other than the one into which they were born. I interviewed ten individuals who are or have been interracially married. As a result of my research, I found that my results compare favorably with those of scholarly studies that discovered alienation and isolation among interracial couples.

I used descriptive research methods to analyze a segment of …

New Media Technology: Oppression In The Modern World, Shauna Nefos

Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate

New media technology is now present everywhere in our society. This technology has a large impact on individuals with and without access to it. In the following paper, I will discuss issues of access and new media technology from history to present day. This is an effort to combine both of my majors - Sociology and Communications - into a work which could easily be expanded upon for graduate studies. By briefly reviewing the history of new media technology as well as historically outlining minority group oppression in the United States, correlations will be suggested between the development of technology …

Constructing Identity In Place : Celia Thaxter And The Isles Of Shoals, Deborah B. Derrick

Student Work

This study explores rhetorical constructions of place and self in the non-fiction narratives and letters of Celia Laighton Thaxter. Thaxter was a 19th century poet, journalist and writer who grew up on the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. Widely published in her day, Thaxter was one of the foremothers of American nature writing. This study considers the significance of place in relation to Thaxter’s development as an individual and as a writer. The study finds that the Isles o f Shoals provided a foundation for Thaxter’s personal and professional identities. Thaxter’s relationship with the Shoals was …

A Causal-Comparative Study To Determine Differences In Levels Of Awareness Of Racism Among Graduate Counseling Students, Sarah C. Wiegman

Student Work

The present study examined the differences in levels of awareness of racism among graduate counseling students. The researcher examined the hypotheses that there would be a significant difference in levels of awareness of racism between those who completed the Counseling Multicultural and Diverse Populations class and those who did not, as well as, there would be a significant relationship between levels of awareness of racism and number of credit hours completed in the counseling education program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. One hundred and six participants (91 female and 15 male) ranging in age between 22 and 57 …

Historic Period Foodways In The Danish West Indies (1718-1917): The Zooarchaeological Evidence From Cinnamon Bay And The East End, St. John, Virgin Islands, Judith A. Sichler

Doctoral Dissertations

This research concerns the faunal remains from two sites on the former Danish island of St. John, now part of the United States Virgin Islands. The first site, Cinnamon Bay, a small-scale cotton plantation that was later incorporated into a larger sugar plantation, was occupied from 1718 to 1917. The East End, a provisioning estate and later free African community, was occupied from 1725 to 1950. Cinnamon Bay and the East End are significant to historic zooarchaeological research in the Caribbean for two reasons. First, the assemblages represent subsistence choices and procurement in two contrasting occupation types in the 18 …

Predicting Academic Success: A Re-Examination Of Broad Versus Narrow Personality Traits, Susan D. Ridgell

Doctoral Dissertations

Personality and cognitive variables were examined to determine relative validity in predicting academic performance. This study investigated whether broad personality variables (in this case, the Big Five: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Openness to Experience) predicted academic success better than narrow personality variables (the construct Work Drive); it also explored the utility of operationalizing academic performance via cumulative grade point average (GPA) versus a single course grade. The highest significant correlates of GPA and course grade were Work Drive (r=.42, p<.01; r=.29, p<.01) and general intelligence, the cognitive variable (r=.40, p<.01; r=.35, p<.01). Regression analysis revealed that Work Drive was the stronger predictor of GPA (17.9% unique variance as step 1, compared to general intelligence’s 15.7% unique variance as step 1); while general intelligence was found to be the stronger predictor of course grade (11.8% unique variance as step 1, compared to Work Drive’s 8.6% unique variance as step 1). Two Big Five variables, Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability, correlated significantly with GPA (r=.15, p<.05; and r=.14, p<.05; respectively). Therefore, this study found that the narrow personality trait predicted better than the broader traits. Conflicting evidence was provided concerning whether GPA and course grade might be used interchangeably as valid criteria.

The Social Construction Of Tourism In Cuba: A Geographic Analysis Of The Representations Of Gender And Race During The Special Period 1995-1997, Michael W. Cornebise

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to critically examine race and gender as they intersect with tourism development in Cuba during the Special Period in a Time of Peace (Special Period), a government imposed austerity program that followed the loss of important Soviet subsidies in 1989.

I hypothesize that tourism development in Cuba during the Special Period betrays the Revolution in that it reconstitutes discriminatory practices along lines of race and gender and hence does not deliver benefits to average Cubans. Indeed, I argue that tourism as presently constructed may subvert the well being of ordinary Cubans.

I draw from …

Dating Violence And Psychosocial Problems: Exploratory Findings From A Sample Of Adolescents Facing Unwanted Pregnancy, Gretchen E. Ely

Doctoral Dissertations

Empirical studies of adolescent dating violence have mainly focused on changing attitudes and knowledge levels. These studies are mostly conducted in mixed gender classroom settings. Results from these studies do not provide knowledge of which psychological/social (psychosocial) problems co-occur with dating violence in at-risk adolescent populations. The current study provides exploratory information related to dating violence in adolescent pregnancy termination patients, a subset of the population virtually ignored by the adolescent literature. In this study, 120 adolescent pregnancy termination patients ages 14 through 21 completed the Conflict in Adolescent Relationships Inventory (CADRI) and the Multi-dimensional Adolescent Assessment Scale (MAAS). Linear …

Effects Of Urbanization On A Small Perennial Stream: Second Creek In Knoxville, Tennessee, Judith Laing Grable

Doctoral Dissertations

Little is known about the coarse load carried by streams in urban areas or the length of time needed for stream channel adjustments to urban conditions. In this study, I examine the history of urbanization in the basin of Second Creek, the status of the channel, and the sediment load of the creek in recent years.

Second Creek is a small perennial stream whose 18.6 km² drainage basin is almost entirely contained within the City of Knoxville, Tennessee. Almost all of the drainage basin was developed more than 40 years ago, and is now urban and suburban in character. …

Gender Differences In Accurate Route Recall In Novice Drivers Using Landmarks In Electronic Maps, Kimberly K. Brantley

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

Past literature has found a link between gender and accuracy of route recall in traditional paper maps using landmarks. Research also suggests that what is already known about wayfinding behavior in the physical world can be applied to computer-generated environments. The goal of this study is to merge these two conclusions to determine if gender and route recall differences remain constant for global, electronic maps. Analysis of gender by accuracy as measured by number of trials showed that males required fewer trials (M = 3.63) than females (M = 4.09), F (1,99) = 7.29, p < .05 and accuracy as measured by number of errors in trial 1 also showed that males had fewer errors (M = 3.33) than females (M = 4.09), F (1,99) = 5.79, p < .05. Analysis of landmarks by accuracy as measured by number of trials showed participants viewing Landmark High Maps required fewer trials (M = 3.64) than those viewing Landmark Low Maps (M = 4.12), F (1,99) = 7.68, p < .05. Accuracy as measured by number of errors in trial 1 showed participants viewing Landmark High Maps had fewer errors in trial 1 (M = 3.16) than those viewing Landmark Low Maps (M = 4.33), F (1,99) = 11.87.

Parent-Child Interaction: Development Of Measure For A Naturalistic Setting., Valarie N. Holzwarth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parent-child interaction could arguably be the most important factor in child development, including academic achievement, behavior, and personality. This study suggests that the quantity of parent-child interaction is just as important as quality, and we test the reliability and validity of our instrument developed to quantitatively measure parent-child interaction in the home under realistic conditions. Twenty-eight children’s parents participated in the study over four days. Eight families had two research observers complete the instrument simultaneously with them, and reliability measures were taken between parents (74%), parent and one research-observers (78%), and two research observers (97%). Validity measures yielded scores of …

Israeli Coalition Governments: Formation And Duration (1949-1999), Imad Salamey

Wayne State University Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation identifies key aspects that have contributed to the formation and duration of Israeli coalition governments. Most importantly, it differentiates between two historical periods that have shaped Israeli coalition politics. Prior to the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the election of the 7th Israeli Knesset in 1969, Israeli political parties formed consensual and inclusive coalitions in response to economic, immigration, and external pressures. Low levels of party competition and the dominance of Mapai in the Israeli Knessets further contributed to the formation of large alliances. Post-1969, following the gradual decline of Labor’s electoral dominance, Israeli parties became further polarized …

Assessing A Media Discernment Course For Freshmen At Illiana Christian High School: A Case Study, William Boerman-Cornell

Master of Education Program Theses

This case study examines the effectiveness of a team-taught mass-media freshman level course on discernment of media messages, and decision-making. By means of pre- and post- course surveys of students and faculty, this study examines students' decisions about consuming mass media and how after taking the course, their media selection process became more complex, deliberate, and organized. It also examines faculty response to the course in terms of how it appears to affect the students and how it affects faculty teaching and learning.

An Investigation Of Personality Correlates Of Small Business Success, Kimberly Sue Owens

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to empirically examine the relationship between personality characteristics and small business success. A cluster of 14 personality variables were examined using a work-based measure of personality, the Personal Style Inventory (PSI), adapted for small business owners. Small business success was operationally defined in terms of financial and personal dimensions of success. The two criterion variables assessed were business performance and work satisfaction. It was hypothesized that business performance and work satisfaction are positively related.

One hundred forty-seven small business owners completed the web survey. Correlational analyses revealed personality characteristics were significantly related to …

Tax Structure And Political Support: Equity-Related Goods Taxation., Jonathan Mckernan

Masters Theses

We focus this paper on a political economic question, What determines the U.S. states’ sales tax treatment of equity-related goods? We consider a good to be “equity related” when its consumption is essential to survival. States sometimes choose to tax these goods uniquely, often exempting them from the sales tax base. The equity-related goods for this paper are food, clothing, water, electricity, household fuel, and natural gas. All these goods are for home consumption. This question is relevant to the larger issue of how tax structure evolves or is determined. We test the theoretical explanation of tax structure determination that …

Subsistence, Butchery, And Commercialization In Knox County, Tennessee, Rachel Jeannine Windham

Masters Theses

A multifaceted approach to zooarchaeology is used to attain a broader diachronic view of Upland South subsistence and market activities as commercialization increased nationwide. Greater beef consumption is evidenced through faunal remains as availability and affordability increase with technological advancements. Paralleling this trend is an increased acceptance and purchase of Georgian cuts (individual hams and beef steaks) gaining popularity over time.

In order to investigate this pattern, a sample of six historic archaeological sites in Knox County, Tennessee, differing in proximity to urban markets, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and temporal context was chosen. General time ranges from the late eighteenth through …

Evicting A Neighbor: Health, Power And Discourse In Vieques, Puerto Rico, Nelson Class-Meléndez

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the two years that followed the death of a civilian, David Sanes on April 1999, when a Marine Corps F-18 pilot accidentally dropped two 500- pound bombs on an observation post on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. Following the death of Sanes and for the first time in contemporary history, all competing political parties, the Viequenses, and religious leaders apparently reached an initial consensus that resulted in a series of efforts to evict the Navy from Vieques.

Importantly, this coalition adopted an environmental discourse that is essentially anti-Navy. This thesis draws upon this anti-Navy discourse to …

Psychophysically Derived Work Frequencies Associated With Roof Shingling Operations Involving Change In Grade, Sang Dae Choi

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of roof slope on psychophysical roof shingling frequency. Twelve healthy males (21-30 years old) were used as participants. Experiment one was designed to determine Maximum Acceptable Roof Shingling Frequency (MARSF) for a workday period using psychophysical methodology. Results indicate that 198 shingles/hr is an acceptable roof shingling frequency for a workday. Furthermore, 2 hours is an acceptable testing period (equivalent to the workday). Postural sway and physiological variables support these findings. Experiment two was designed to study the effect of slope (18°, 26°, and 34°) on MARSF. Experiment two indicates …

Three Essays On Financial Intermediation, Capital Formation, And Economic Growth And Development, Md. Habibur Rahman

Dissertations

This dissertation contains three essays on financial intermediation, capital formation, and economic growth and development. The first essay presents a theoretical model explaining the role of financial intermediation in capital formation and economic growth. It outlines a model of search and matching equilibrium in financial economies where a lender owns capital and an entrepreneur owns entrepreneurial skill and output is produced when search generates a meeting between a lender and an entrepreneur. It is shown that investment in capital and skill is inefficient in autarky due to search frictions and an externality. We examine the autarkic equilibrium under bargaining-without-search and …

Culture And The Effectiveness Of Supplier Diversity Programs: A Test Of Predictors, Gwendolyn Whitfield

Dissertations

Increased globalization and diversity has brought with it unique interdependencies. As we experience demographical shifts unlike any other in U.S. history, the growth rate of minority-owned businesses may represent unprecedented opportunity for corporate buyers to partner with minority suppliers. According to the Minority Business Development Agency, the minority population will represent 37.4 percent of the total U.S. population by the year 2020, and will yield purchasing power of $3 trillion. Moreover, it is estimated that between the years 2000 and 2050 the majority of new business starts will originate in the minority business community (U.S. Small Business Administration 1994). Minority-owned …

Essays On Monetary Policy In Bangladesh, Sayera Younus

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Student Satisfaction With Michigan Community College Distance Education Courses, Eugene H. Mckay Iii

Dissertations

Distance education courses offered by community colleges and other higher education institutions are becoming popular options for students who seek a more convenient method to obtain a college education. Community colleges are actively expanding their offerings of distance education courses, both nationally and in Michigan. Yet minimal research has been conducted on a large scale to discover the factors which contribute to satisfaction with distance education courses at community colleges.

This study consists of a cross-sectional survey of over 6000 Michigan community college students in Michigan, who completed a distance education courseduring the fall semester of 2002. Sixteen of Michigan's …

The Effects Of Feedback, Goals, And Consequences On Response Time For Medical Staff In A Medical-Surgical Hospital Setting, Don K. Nielsen

Masters Theses

Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) has developed procedures useful in addressing a variety of organizational challenges. Frequently used components of OBM interventions include feedback, goal setting, and consequences. Literature on various combinations of these components is abundant but there are few reports of their use in the hospital setting. Specifically, no published studies were found that focus on response time of answering patient calls. The present study was an attempt to evaluate the effects of feedback, goals, and consequences on the latency of responses to patient calls. A multiple-baseline design across individuals was used in a hospital setting to evaluate the …

The Effects Of Individual And Group Incentives On High And Low Performance, Heather M. Mcgee

Masters Theses

This study examined the effects of individual and group monetary incentives on the performance of high and low performers. Participants were six college students who performed a computerized work task called SYNWIN. Participants earned points for correct responses and lost points for incorrect responses. The primary dependent variables were the total number of points earned per session and the percent correct per session. An ABAC within-subject reversal design was used, where A= individual incentives, B = group incentives (either high or low performance), and C = hourly pay.

The point scores of all six participants decreased when group incentives were …

Convergent Validity Of Conjoint Values For Farmland Conservation Easement Programs, Semra Ozdemir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conversion of farmland has recently become an important policy issue in the US. Between 1982 and 1997, over seven million acres of prime farmland was converted to developed land in the US, which is a 3% decrease in total farmland. This is also the case in Maine, where forty thousand acres of prime farmland has been converted to non-farm uses over the same time period. This constitutes about an 8% decrease in total farmland, where farmland is only 6% of the total land in Maine. A decrease in the amount of farmland, along with the increased public support for farmland …