Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Expressive Theories Of Law: A Skeptical Overview, Matthew D. Adler

Faculty Scholarship

An "expressive theory of law" is, very roughly, a theory that evaluates the actions of legal officials in light of what those actions mean, symbolize, or express. Expressive theories have long played a role in legal scholarship and, recently, have become quite prominent. Elizabeth Anderson, Robert Cooter, Dan Kahan, Larry Lessig, and Richard Pildes, among others, have all recently defended expressive theories (or at least theories that might be characterized as expressive). Expressive notions also play a part in judicial doctrine, particularly in the areas of the Establishment Clause and the Equal Protection Clause.

This paper attempts to provide a …

Implementing Cost-Benefit Analysis When Preferences Are Distorted, Matthew D. Adler, Eric A. Posner

Faculty Scholarship

Cost-benefit analysis is routinely used by government agencies in order to evaluate projects, but it remains controversial among academics. This paper argues that cost-benefit analysis is best understood as a welfarist decision procedure and that use of cost-benefit analysis is more likely to maximize overall well-being than is use of alternative decision-procedures. The paper focuses on the problem of distorted preference. A person's preferences are distorted when his or her satisfaction does not enhance that person's well-being. Preferences typically thought to be distorted in this sense include disinterested preferences, uninformed preferences, adaptive preferences, and objectively bad preferences; further, preferences may …

Introduction, To Cost-Benefit Analysis, Matthew D. Adler, Eric A. Posner

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Cruel, Mean, Or Lavish? Economic Analysis, Price Discrimination And Digital Intellectual Property, James Boyle

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Unifying Approach For Researching Disasters: Disrupted Social Logic And Triangulating Interdisciplinary Methods, Andrew J. Hund

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis develops a meso-level theory of disrupted social logic and suggests triangulation for its study. This theory addresses the inadequate definition, classification, and theoretical foundations of disaster research. The lack of control groups and researchers’ reliance on single methods are also addressed. Based on over 400 academic articles, books, published reports, and non-verbal communications, from 2500 BC to present, analytical induction was employed to develop the theory of disrupted social logic. A best evidence synthesis was also used to examine seventy-two proposed or in practice disaster research methodologies. Implications of this interdisciplinary theoretical approach are discussed. A new historical …

Empowerment Through Dancing?: Perceptions Of Occupational Power And Control Among Female Exotic Dancers, Patricia A. Hernandez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The purpose of this thesis is to examine female sex workers and issues of power. My investigation focuses specifically on female exotic dancers and whether they perceive power in their work. The question I intend to answer is do exotic dancers see themselves as having power in relation to the men they dance for? Drawing on both feminist theory and women’s experience in the sex industry, I expect to discover whether or not strippers gain a sense of power from their work, whether they feel they have control over the conditions of their work, and how power and control can …

Racial Trends And Comparisons In Nm_Jan 2000, University Of New Mexico Bureau Of Business And Economic Research

BBER Publications

Through the use and application of data produced by the U.S. Census Bureau, this publication seeks to describe and increase understanding of New Mexico's distinctive and evolving racial landscape.

Toward A Model Of Team Situation Awareness, Alexis Anne Fink

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Situation Awareness (SA) is a construct that is considered important to safety in dynamic, risky, time-constrained and complex environments, such as military aviation, nuclear reactors and emergency management. Research consideration of SA is complicated by the fact that there is no clearly superior methodology for SA measurement. Typically, SA is considered at the individual level; however, the nature of the SA context often requires more than one individual for safe and effective operations. Team SA is a qualitatively different phenomenon than individual SA. Few models of team SA have been proposed. The primary purpose of this paper was to develop …

Increasing Readiness To Change Among Smokers In A Primary Care Setting, Sheila F. Collicott

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study compared the effectiveness of two brief interventions, direct advice and motivational interviewing, for increasing motivation to quit among male smokers in the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages of change who were primary care patients at an Eastern urban VA medical center. Contrary to expectations, participants receiving motivational interviews did not increase more in readiness to change, motivation, and actions to quit, than those receiving direct advice or a control conversation, nor did they smoke fewer cigarettes per day. As expected, contemplators reported more cutting down and quit attempts than pre-contemplators. Factors that may have limited the effectiveness of interventions …

The Dislocated Textile Worker In Rural Alabama: A Portrait, Sharon G. Lankford-Rice

The Qualitative Report

This is a study that delves into the attitudes of the rural Alabama textile worker at the point of being laid off. The methodology and findings are discussed and a personal interview transcribed from a former dislocated worker concerning her feelings, attitudes, and aspirations on how the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) program has impacted her life and career.

Community Social Disorganization Theory Applied To Adolescent Academic Achievement, Spencer Ross Baker

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Over the years, the public education system has been transformed by outside political and societal forces to provide an equal opportunity for all students. Investigations of the public education system were not consistent and yielded divergent results on how to improve adolescent academic achievement. These divergent results were caused by different operationalizations of variables, data analytical procedures that possibly provided biased parameter estimates, and a failure to use a comprehensive theory. Although these results were inconsistent, the latest transformation of the public education system currently involves holding schools, administrators, parents, and students accountable for learning.

The measurement of success in …

Unemployment Compensation And Older Workers, Christopher J. O'Leary, Stephen A. Wandner

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

Unemployment compensation in the United States is provided through a federal-state system of unemployment insurance (UI). UI provides temporary partial wage replacement to active job seekers who are involuntarily out of work. For older workers, UI is an important source of income security and a potential influence on work incentives. For many, the transition from full-time work in a career job to retirement is voluntary and orderly. For others, job displacement greatly disrupts plans. The transition often involves many intermediate steps. The chain of transitions may include full- or part-time work on another job which most often is not in …

A Note On Commutes And The Spatial Mismatch Hypothesis, Kelly Derango

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

A number of empirical studies have tested the spatial mismatch hypothesis by examining the commuting times of blacks and whites. This note points out that the link between spatial mismatch and commuting times may be weak when employment probabilities decline as the distance from job site to residence increases. A simple spatial model of urban employment is developed in which a fixed number of agents live in the central city. Two examples are presented in which increased spatial mismatch may either increase or decrease the average commuting time of central city minorities, depending on the rate at which employment probabilities …

The Role Of Wine Tourism In Economic Development: A Case Study Of Niagara Region (Ontario), Gillian Mary Northwood

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Wine tourism is an expanding form of rural tourism which has recently become popular in several wine regions of the world One such area, the Niagara Region in southern Ontario, Canada, is used as a case study for this research. This study examines the role that wine tourism plays in sustainable rural tourism, and determines if wine tourism can be used as a tool for economic development. By completing a survey of winery visitors in the Niagara Region, as well as performing interviews with winery personnel, it was found that wine tourism plays several roles in rural tourism and can …

Developmental Precursors Of Men's Relationships, Shirliana Bruce

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Research drawn from both the sexuality and relationship literatures largely omits the experiences, attitudes, and issues of adult men. In addition, the information we have about males is typically generalized from either adolescent or university populations. Although existing research provides substantial information about the precursors to both adolescent males’ and females’ sexual activities, it is limited in its presentation of adult male experiences. The present study surveyed 190 men, ages 19 to 82, who completed questionnaires assessing their parents’ sexual views and communication, peer influences on sexuality, gender composition of friendship networks, and sexual and relationship histories. Descriptive information and …

The Lived Experience Of People Receiving Assertive Community Treatment: A Phenomenological Study, Salinda A. Horgon

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In recent years the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model of service delivery, which has held considerable influence in policy and decision making in the mental health field over the past 30 years, has recently been promoted at the provincial policy level in Ontario. Previous studies on ACT have been primarily quantitative in nature and have contributed greatly to the body of knowledge that we now possess regarding the clinical outcomes produced by the ACT model. However, with the Ontario government’s financial plan to significantly increase the number of ACT programs in this province, the mental health field would benefit from …

Two Views Of Identity Development In Adolescence: An Empirical Comparison Of The Narrative And Status Approaches, Kathleen Mackey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationships among personal life stories, identity status development and family climate during late adolescence. The current study examines the parallels between two conceptions of identity: Marcia's interview assessment of identity status development, and McAdams’ narrative conception of identity development as revealed through the life story. A sample of 131 high school students, 51 males and 80 females, were asked to recall and discuss a critical incident that had a crucial impact on their beliefs and values. Marcia's interview assessment of identity status was also administered for vocational and religious domains. …

Changing Landscapes: Stories Of Five Women Farming Ecologically, Sherri Joy Van De Hoef

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Community and the natural environment have always played an important role in my life. I have had the opportunity in the past few years to explore these areas in more depth. My introduction to Community Psychology during my undergraduate degree exposed me to agricultural initiatives that emphasized community and respect for the environment. I explore these initiatives further by conducting a study (van de Hoef, 1998) of Ontario couples who live self-reliantly (that is, they grow their own food, build their own homes, live off the electricity grid, and find supports in their local communities). Subsequent to that study I …

Partner Abuse In Gay Male Relationships: Challenging 'We Are Family', Jeffrey Aguinaldo

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purposes of this study are twofold: a) to explore the material experience of partner abuse among gay male relationships and b) to explore the discursive conditions from which gay men must draw to negotiate the experience of relationship violence. I incorporated Standpoint epistemology and Queer theory to inform the theoretical basis of this thesis. To achieve the research objectives, I conducted a total of seven interviews with gay men. The findings from the interview data are presented in two phases. First, I presented three stories of gay men who had experienced violence and abuse at the hands of their …

Public Participation In A Government Land Decision In Prince Edward Island: The Case Of Tracadie Cross Waste Watch Facility, Billie-Jean Flynn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Public participation is a comerstone of democracy and a central value of Community Psychology. The purpose of this participatory action research was to develop an understanding of public participation as through the experiences of Islanders engaged in land decision making in Prince Edward Island. In particular a case study of the Tracadie Cross Waste Watch Facility was developed through document analysis and in-depth interviews. A sketch of public participation in Prince Edward Island was grounded in in-depth interviews from case study participants. as well as additional in-depth interviews with Islanders who have been engaged in land decision making independent of …

Psychological Mechanisms Responsible For The Moderating Effects Of Need For Cognition On Attractiveness Stereotyping, Samantha D. Hansen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis focuses on the psychological mechanisms responsible for the moderating role of need for cognition (NFC) in attractiveness stereotyping. Attractiveness stereotyping refers to the tendency to attribute more positive characteristics to attractive than to unattractive individuals. Recent research has found that people high in NFC show less of this attractiveness bias. The present research used two approaches to test the hypothesis that NFC moderates the bias because persons higher in NFC have greater motivation and ability to engage in systematic thought processes. First it included measures to assess the types of thoughts that participants high and low in NFC …

Adolescent Openness To The Parental Viewpoint In Narrative: Longitudinal Prediction Of Adolescent Adjustment, Cheryl Ann Hicks

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Adolescent openness to the parental viewpoint, as assessed through a narrative methodology, was tested as a longitudinal predictor of adolescent adjustment. Thirty adolescents (14 females, 16 males) were asked to describe their parents’ perspective on matters considered important to their values and development. These narratives were scored via a newly developed ‘parent voice’ measure, which quantitatively rates the degree of openness and respect the adolescent extends to the parental viewpoint. Parent voice scores significantly predicted adolescent adjustment four years later. Furthermore, the findings suggest voice may be mediating the positive relationship between authoritative parenting and subsequent adolescent adjustment. The quality …

The Relationship Of Social Dominance Orientation And Political Efficacy To Political Participation Of Women, Cherie D. Werhun

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Two studies were conducted to examine the factors that influence women’s choices of political participation. In the first study 600 University students were asked their likelihood of engaging in 35 traditional and non-traditional political activities to create social change (the Political Activity Scale). Factor analysis identified 5 factors, one of which represented traditional and political activities, one of which represented non-traditional political activities and three of which represented a mix of traditional and non-traditional. In the second study, 80 University students read a social issue concerning poverty or the environment, and completed a revised political activity scale. They also completed …

Traditional Land Use As Starting Point Opening Cross-Cultural Dialogue At Crater Lake And Lava Beds, Douglas Deur, Steven Mark

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Kennewick Man: Cultural Affiliation Report, Chapter 2: Review Of The Archaeological Data, Kenneth M. Ames

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Portland State University Professor Kenneth M. Ames was one of 18 distinguished scholars chosen to investigate and report on the cultural affiliation of the Kennewick human remains. This report reviews the extant archaeological record for the Southern Columbia Plateau.

Recent Geographical Research On Indians And Inuit In The United States And Canada, Robert Rundstrom, Douglas Deur, Kate Berry, Richard Winchell

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

A geographical survey on Indians and Inuit in the United States and Canada..

Lesbian Gender Identities: An Expansion Of Bern's Sex-Role Inventory, Sheilagh Van Belthowing

Dissertations and Theses

The central research question of the current study had to do with self - an stereotypically- gendered identities of lesbians. The purpose was to determine the nature and form of gender identity and gender stereotypes among women who self-identify as lesbians, and more specifically, to determine whether or not “gender” means the same to lesbians as it does to heterosexual women. Identity measures were Bern’s (1974) Sex-role Inventory (BSRI) and a butch-femme rating scale. The sample consisted of 65 women who self-identified as lesbian. The lesbians in the current sample did identify more strongly with masculine attributes (Masculinity scale mean …

Tribal Constructs And Kinship Realities : Individual And Family Organization On The Grand Ronde Reservation From 1856, Aeron Teverbaugh

Dissertations and Theses

This project examines marriage and residence patterns on the Grand Ronde Reservation between 1856 and the early 1900s. It demonstrates that indigenous cultural patterns continued despite a colonial imagination that refused to see them. Members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde continued to live in family groups much as they had in the pre-reservation era. They continued to exhibit patterns of marriage and kinship that were described in the ethnographies and by the earliest explorers in the Oregon area.

Economics Of Oil Mallees : Report, Allan Herbert

Agriculture reports

Economic assessment of the profitability of oil mallees for a range of sites in Western Australia where farmers might invest on their own land.

Just For Money? : An Exploratory Study Into The Motivations Of Nude Dancers, Elaine Vance

Dissertations and Theses

Women working as nude dancers have been depicted both in academia and popular literature either as victims of patriarchal exploitation and economic oppression, or as empowered women choosing the most profitable form of work out of the limited options provided for them. This study explores these opposing motivational factors for the entrance and continuance of nude dancing, integrating the theoretical framework of Sex Positive feminism with Strauss and Corbin's (1990) grounded theory approach. Sex Positive feminism asserts that sex work is neither oppressive nor exploitative but rather can be a consensual and legitimate avenue resulting in an increase in women's …