Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Urban Particulate Matter 2.5 Mass Concentrations: A Comparison Between A Drive-Through And A Park Setting, Cheryl Robertson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The focus of this thesis was to determine if light-duty vehicles idling at drive-throughs elevated ambient PM 2.5 mass more than those emitted by natural sources at a near-by greenspace. Two low-volume samplers (MiniVols), obtained from the Meteorological Services of Canada Air Quality Processes Research Division (ARQP), were set up 1.4 km apart in the west end of Kitchener, Ontario between the months of August and November, 2002. Four diurnal sampling periods were conducted on various days to determine when PM 2.5 mass concentrations were higher and at which location. Although overall results determined that the control site had obtained …

A History Of Non-Farm Rural Residential Development In Oxford County, Ontario And Its Impact On Farm Life, Jaime Lynne Patricia Gillespie

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This paper traces the history of non-farm rural residential development in Oxford County, Ontario from the early 1970s through to 2004 and investigates the impact of these non-farm uses on farm activities. In contrast to planning departments in the Province of Ontario that have been slow to develop restrictions on non-farm development, Oxford Country has a long history of safeguarding its agricultural heritage through its planning policies. This paper examines the effectiveness of Oxford County’s legislation in preserving agricultural land and in preventing non-farm rural residential development. The literature review presents an overview of agriculture in southern Ontario, Ontario’s agricultural …

Assessment And Classification Of A Modified Urban Stream: Schneider Creek, Kitchener, Ontario, J. Andrew Carnegie

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study has produced an assessment framework and classification designed specifically for urban modified streams. While many stream assessment frameworks do exist, most are designed for natural streams and as such have no provision for characteristics of urban streams such as concrete channelization, storm drains, and urban debris. Building upon previous assessment and classification schemes, both urban and natural, this framework satisfies this need. It strengths lie in its user-friendly, visual-based approach to assessment by employing representative photographs and qualitative information to aid the user. A total of ten variables were employed that are scaled on a spectrum of categories, …

An Analysis Of Community Forest Implementation In British Columbia, Canada, Ryan C. Bullock

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The community forest is increasingly seen as an alternative to industrial forestry for its perceived potential to mitigate conflict in forest resource management and planning. Theoretically, a community-based approach affords the chance to assert local values, provide local benefits, and manage resources differently than established top-down approaches. Yet practical examples of community forest initiatives in Canada reveal a host of constraints. This research uses a multiple case study design to investigate the motivations for and challenges to implementing community forests in British Columbia, Canada. Observations are drawn from four case studies (Denman Island, Malcolm Island, Cortes Island, and Creston) in …

Conceptualizing And Analyzing The Pleasure Travel Decision-Making Process, Wayne William Smith

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation explores methodological approaches to the study of the pleasure travel decision-making process. Specifically, this dissertation explores methodological approaches to studying the relative importance of motivations and constraints in the travel decision-making process. Three segmentation approaches were used, principle components analysis, cluster analysis and unidimensional sequence alignment. 522 students from two South-western Ontario, Canada universities participated in this study examining their decision-making in relation to potential travel plans for reading week (February 2005). The results indicate that individuals potentially have a multitude of constraint levels to over-come as part of the initial travel decision-making process. If these base constraints …

Modelling Relationships Between Road Access And Recreational Fishing Site Choice While Accounting For Spatial Complexities, Lenny Michael Hunt

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study examined the relationships between road access and the fishing site choices of northern Ontario recreational anglers. A revealed preference choice model (random utility model) was estimated with fishing trip data from an angling diary with resident anglers from the Thunder Bay and Wawa areas. The results showed that poor quality gravel roads and trails heavily and negatively impacted fishing site choices by Thunder Bay anglers who fished only during the open water season. Poorer quality roads and trails had much less impact on the fishing site choices of other Thunder Bay anglers. Wawa area anglers were, on average, …

The Development Of Wheel-Induced Feeding Suppression In Male And Female Rats, Olivia Dalton-Jez

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Access to a running wheel causes a feeding suppression in adult rats (Afonso & Eikelboom, 2003) but it appears this wheel induced feeding suppression is not evident in weanlings (Cortright, Chandler, Lemon, and DiCarlo, 1997). This ad lib wheel and food model (ALWF) has been suggested as an animal model of anorexia nervosa (AN). Two characteristic features of AN are the disorder's very specific age of onset and the marked sex difference in incidence, with the majority of cases first becoming evident in females during puberty. It is not clear how much of the genesis of and expression of this …

Prerequisites For Reading Proficiency In Preschoolers, Iuliana Elena Faroga

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The impact of a training program that combined phonological awareness activities with instruction in the alphabetic principle and teaching of basic vocabulary items (Zimmer, 2003) and commonly used words in school (Scarborough, 2003) was evaluated through a repeated measures design with a control group. The intervention targeted low-income preschool English-as-a-second language children (ESL) and low-income English speaking children, as well as middle-class ESL children. The results show that the children participating in the intervention group showed significantly better performance on phonological awareness and trained vocabulary measures than children in the control group. Additionally, ESL trained children demonstrated significantly better performance …

High-Risk Sexual Behaviour, Computer Experience And The Internet, Amanda E. Nosko

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study examined the relationships between computer use, sexually explicit material found on the Internet, and sexual attitudes and behaviours and the use of the Internet for conducting large surveys. The first issue explored if and how computer experience contributed to online behaviour and perceptions about sexually explicit material. In addition, sexual attitudes and behaviours were examined with respect to computer experience to assess potential relationships. The methodological question contrasted the use of traditional supervised paper-and-pencil survey techniques with supervised and unsupervised use of the Internet. This design allowed for comparison of use as a function of supervision and format …

Intuition And Correspondence Between Implicit And Explicit Self-Esteem, Mervyn Lee Whitfield

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Implicit self-esteem has recently been the focus of much research. Implicit self-esteem is distinct from explicit self-esteem and uniquely contributes to the prediction of behaviour. Relatively little is known about the nature of implicit self-esteem, however. This research examines moderators of the relation between implicit self-esteem and self-reports of self-esteem. A stronger focus on intuition was expected to increase the relation between implicit self-esteem and self-reports of self-esteem. Study 1 concerned whether high faith in intuition was associated with self-reports of self-esteem that more closely reflect implicit self-esteem. Implicit self-esteem, explicit self-esteem, and faith in intuition were measured. This study …

Cross-Sensitization/Tolerance Between Wheel Running And Amphetamine And Morphine In Rats, Clint Inkster

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether cross-sensitization/tolerance between wheel running and the drugs amphetamine and morphine is possible in male Sprague Dawley rats. Each experiment compared a non-wheel control group and a chronic wheel access group of rats. Following a 24 day period of wheel access all animals were presented with a drug and saline challenge test (counterbalanced) with either 1 mg/kg of amphetamine (Experiment 1) or 10mg/kg or morphine (Experiment 2). Prior to the challenge tests all animals were habituated to the novel testing environment in two 1 hr sessions (Experiment 1) or one 2 hr session (Experiment …

Pigeons' Memory For Sequences Of Light Flashes When Gap Duration Is Controlled, Dwayne Keough

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In Experiment 1, pigeons were trained at a 1-s dark and a 1-s houselight illuminated delay interval to discriminate between sequences of two and four flashes of light (feeder illumination). These sequences could be discriminated on the basis of the number of flashes, the number of gaps, or the duration of the gap between flashes. A choose-few bias was obtained at extended dark delays, but no biased forgetting was observed at extended illuminated delays. The pigeons may have confused long dark delays with the longer gaps between flashes on few sample trials. In Experiment 2, additional sample sequences were included …

Syntactic Processing In Individuals With Dyslexia: Using Erp To Address The Debate, Hilary Brown

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Behavioural and ERP data were collected from university and college students with and without dyslexia to determine if a deficit in syntactic processing in post-secondary students with dyslexia can be explained by the degree of phonological processing deficits. Participants read and listened to sentences of differing syntactic complexity and working memory load, particularly object relative and subject relative sentences. Slow cortical waves showed greater negativity for the objective relative sentences as the sentence progressed for the control participants regardless of presentation format. The same result was seen for the participants with dyslexia when presented with sentences in an auditory format. …

Assessing Quality Of Life For Clients Of Langs Farm Village Association: A Case For Inclusion Of The Social Determinants Of Health Approach In Addressing Quality Of Life In A Community Health Centre Setting, Annette A. Penney

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In my master’s thesis research I investigated the relationship between participant inclusion in Langs Farm Village Association, a local community health centre, and quality of life. A quality of life survey which I developed based on prior research conducted by the Canadian Policy Research Network (2001) was administered to 130 individuals, 65 participants who attended a program and/or service at Langs (Langs group), and 65 participants who did not (non-Langs group). Results of multivariate ANOVA indicated group differences of statistical significance on four out of eleven subscales of my quality of life survey. Community residents who participated in a program …

Listening To The Voices Of Women Living With Hiv/Aids: A Qualitative Study Of Psychosocial Impact And Quality Of Life Issues, Edna Aryee

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In spite of the increasing number of women infected with HIV around the world, little is known about the psychosocial experiences of these women. In the mid-1990s, medical advances dramatically altered the experiences of living with HIV/AIDS. The shifting medical climate raised new social and psychological questions such as coping strategies and the possibility of gaining access to resources and services in the community. In this qualitative study, I examined how 5 women living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Ontario deal with their daily psychosocial needs and challenges. Based on a life history methodology, responses of participants were coded and analyzed …

A Policy Analysis Of Two Preschool Prevention Programs In Ontario, Seema Aggarwal

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research was to examine issues relevant to best practices for preschooler mental health prevention policy so as to inform future prevention policy. Data were gathered through the examination of two preschool prevention programs, Ontario Early Years Centres (OEYCs) and Healthy Babies, Healthy Children (HBHC). These prevention programs were examined with respect to four major issues: (a) the ideology and origins of the program, (b) theoretical underpinnings, (c) research base, and (d) implementation and adaptation issues. To explore these four issues, qualitative methods were used in the form of document reviews (two documents for the Early Years …

'If I Wasn't Friends With These People, I Probably Wouldn't Have Adjusted Too Well': Friendship Development And University Adjustment Among First-Year University Students, Vanessa Buote

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Two studies sought to examine the relationship between new friendship quality and university adjustment. In Study 1, 706 students completed the Openness subscale of the NEO-FF Form S and the Openness to Friendship Scale in August 2005. In November, these students completed the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire and the McGill Friendship Questionnaire-Friends Functions. Results indicated that a significant positive relationship existed between quality of new friendships and university adjustment. Significant differences emerged between commuter and residence students in terms of number of new friendships, openness to new friendships and adjustment. Study 2 consisted of an in-depth qualitative interview with …

Longing To Be Heard: Examining Sense Of Community And Participation Through The Voices Of Youth, Marcie D. Mckay

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Youth often feel powerless and alienated in their communities and have expressed that they are not seen as contributing citizens. This study investigates the relation between sense of community and participation of youth aged 12-15 residing in a disadvantaged Atlantic Canadian community. The research design is a one-group, pre/post-test survey, and an intervention. The intervention is the formation of a youth action committee (YAC) from a self-selected stratified sample (N=36) drawn from randomly selected classrooms within three schools. The YAC worked collectively on a number of issues in their community using an action model. Results highlight the concerns and outcomes …

Planning For The Close And Distant Future: The Impact Of Temporal Distance On Task Completion Prediction, Johanna Peetz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Accurate project completion estimates are part of successful project completion. Thus, it is important to identify factors that reduce the tendency to make overly optimistic project completion predictions (Buehler et al., 2002). This research investigated the effect of temporal distance on project completion predictions. A review of past research provided evidence that could lead to a prediction of either increased or decreased optimism with increasing temporal distance. In a first study, participants predicted the completion date of a hypothetical school assignment that would begin either tomorrow (close future) and next term (distant future). Participants predicted to complete the project earlier …

Awakening Social Work To The Human/Nature Relationship: A Proposed University Education Framework, Seth M. Koplowitz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The social work profession has traditionally concerned itself with a wide variety of issues pertaining to human health and well-being. However, the importance of the human/nature relationship has long been ignored, despite the field’s purported dual commitment to both ‘person’ and ‘environment.’ While recent literature challenges this tendency, minimal attention focuses on the role of social work university education in making a paradigm shift toward natural-environmental concerns. This thesis is a theoretical examination of how existing social work university education could be re-envisioned to more fully integrate natural-environmental values and issues into its core curriculum and overarching educational philosophy. Several …

Caregiver's Perceptions Of The Ability Of Orphanages To Meet Child Development Needs: A Polish Case Study, Marta Zych

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the perceptions of caregivers in a Polish orphanage about how well orphanages support child development. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eleven caregivers, I explored their opinions about what does and does not work well to support a child’s developmental needs in the areas of physical growth and health, cognitive growth, emotional development and in particular the ability to form secure attachments, and the development of life and social skills. This case study also involved observations of children in an oprhange setting and a document analysis. The aim of this study was to …

Correlates Of Housing Stability Among Psychiatric Consumer/Survivors, Stephanie Anne Brown

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Deinstitutionalization, lack of affordable housing, and the rise in shelter use and homelessness highlight the need for housing stability among psychiatric consumer/survivors. This secondary analysis was carried out with three goals: (1) to determine the relationship between the utilization of health and social services and housing stability, (2) to determine the relationship between housing stability and quality of life, and (3) to compare three continuums of housing stability. Data collected through the Utilization of Hospital and Community Services Form, Brief Version of the Lehman Quality of Life Interview, and Housing History Form from 601 psychiatric consumer/survivors in London, Ontario were …

Political Will As A Determinant Of Health In Ontario: Implications For Progressive Human Services, M. Anthony Hutchinson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The social determinants of health (SDOH) are the broad range of societal factors such as income and its distribution, education and literacy, (un)employment, health care, and so on, that contribute to the overall (aggregate) health, well-being and quality of life of our society as a whole (vis-a-vis, population health). Central questions in this thesis are: "Is political will a determinant of health?" and if so, "How is political will a determinant of health?" In responding to these questions this study analyzes a never-before-assembled Province of Ontario data set (1980 through 2000) rigourously operationalized as ten indicators of political will and …

Embracing An Emerging Structure: The Employment Of Psychiatric Survivors In Ontario Community Mental Health Organizations, Jillian Gail Grant

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation discusses a mixed methods research project exploring the patterns of participation in Ontario community mental health services of those who have utilized the mental health system and exploring the characteristics of two Ontario organizations that have high levels of psychiatric survivor participation, particularly in employment. Framed by structuration theory (Giddens, 1984, 1993) and Foucault's (1969/2002, 1980a, 1980b, 1994d) formulations of power/knowledge, this study occurred in two phases. Starting with a survey of community mental health organizations in Ontario, I explored the extent to which psychiatric survivors participate in organizations. Participation was found in this order of prevalence: planning, …

Disclosure And Fair Resolution Of Adverse Events, Carol B. Liebman, Chris Stern Hyman

Faculty Scholarship

The health care system in the United States is in turmoil. Patients are being harmed by too many, often fatal, mistakes. At the same time, physicians and hospitals are trying to cope with a costly medical malpractice crisis. These two crises create a vicious cycle. When something goes wrong in patient care, physicians and hospitals withhold apologies and offer as little information as possible for fear that anything they say may be used against them should patients or family members sue. Family members, in many cases, sue not only to receive compensation for injuries, but also in search of answers …

The Ottoman Qasr At Hisban: Architecture, Reform, And New Social Relations, Lynda Carroll, Adam Fenner, Oystein S. Labianca

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Documenting The Impact Of Measure 37: Selected Case Studies, Sheila A. Martin, Katie Shriver

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Oregon has long been known for progressive planning policies and visionary government. The passage of Senate Bill 100 in 1973 ushered in Oregon’s modern era of land use planning and reflected a commitment by Oregonians to the protection of farm land and other natural resources while planning for substantial urban growth. Many other states have envied Oregon’s framework as they struggle with the pressures of urban sprawl. While other states were quickly converting farmland to residential uses, Oregon converted just over one percent of its farmland to other uses between 1982 and 1997.

On November 2, voters in Oregon chose …

Community Partner Indicators Of Engagement: An Action Research Study On Campus-Community Partnership, Sean J. Creighton

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The central purpose of this research study was to develop common indicators of engagement for civic initiatives between institutions of higher education and their community organization partners. The unique aspect of this study was that the indicators were generated by the community organizations participating as stakeholders in campus-community partnerships. Using an action research methodology that involved eleven community organization participants from the health and wellness sector, the study advocated for research that provided a deeper understanding of the perspectives of community organizations. Findings suggested that significant divides existed in core civic areas dealing with service-learning, relevance of academic research, and …

Death Of Procedural Safeguards: Prior Restraint, Due Process And The Elusive First Amendment Value Of Content Neutrality, Edward L. Carter, Brad Clark

Faculty Publications

In recent years, federal courts eroded the procedural safeguards required for prior restraint licensing schemes established in Freedman v. Maryland. The Supreme Court of the United States stated that the dangers of prior restraint were accounted for by content neutrality. But a close examination of federal courts of appeals opinions since 2002 reveals that erosion of procedural safeguards may threaten speech interests. First, procedural safeguards have not been required, in some cases, even for content-based prior restraints. Second, courts of appeals have held that, in the context of content-neutral prior restraints, the First Amendment no longer requires a time limit …

Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, Sherry Baker

Faculty Publications

This timeline is a work in progress. It is posted currently as a PDF file in order to make it available in a timely manner to scholars who are working on Mormon media history, or any other scholarship for which it might be helpful and informative. It is anticipated that the timeline eventually will be reworked into media formats that will make it more accessible, and that will allow it to be updated, enhanced, and corrected over time. If you wish to comment upon this Mormon Media History Timeline, contact Sherry Baker at [email protected].