Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Ideology Meets The Real World: How State Collapse Affects Islamist Movements, Zachary Devlin-Foltz

Political Science Honors Projects

When states collapse, so do the most obvious obstacles to violent extremism in their territory. Extremists seem free to recruit and operate from these areas without interference from state security forces. In reality, however, state collapse creates as many constraints as opportunities for extremists. This paper uses theories of sub-state conflict and theories of Islamism to compare Islamist groups in Somalia, Iraq, and Egypt. Groups in collapsed states face a conflict between local political power and extremist ideology; pursuing one often threatens the other. Understanding which one each group will prioritize becomes the key policy imperative for counter-terrorist operations.

Defining Acquaintance Rape: College Students' Perceptions Of Sexual Consent And Coercion, Sara Elizabeth Buck Doude

Dissertations

Perceptions of rape have evolved dramatically over the past decade. Prior to the second wave of the feminist movement, rape was perceived to be committed by a psychotic man against a woman. The feminist movement brought the term "acquaintance rape" into the popular lexicon and into the forefront of women's consciousness. As a result, throughout the 1970s and 1980s state governments enacted laws to prohibit "sexual assault," or expanded existing rape laws to include a variety of relationships or sexual acts. However, public perceptions of rape did not evolve as rapidly. Despite legislative efforts, there is no universally understood definition …

Differences In Learning Motivations Of Professionals And Nonprofessionals Participating In Two South Mississippi Institutes For Learning In Retirement, Constance Marie Farmer

Dissertations

This study investigated the differences in learning motivations of (a) professional and nonprofessional, and (b) urban and rural members of two south Mississippi Institutes for Learning in Retirement (ILR) programs in an attempt to expand C. O. Houle's conceptual model of continuing professional education into the retirement years and to determine if the life transitions of the older adult unite the learning orientations of these subpopulations into self-actualizing (growth) motives as part of the maturation process identified y Abraham Maslow.

Ninety urban ILR and 60 rural ILR members were recruited. Professional was defined as having completed a bachelor's degree or …

Keeping The Faith: The Public Library's Commitment To Adult Education, 1950-2006, Brenda Weeks Coleman

Dissertations

This study examines the extent to which the conception and implementation of the public library's educational commitment to adults changed between 1950 and 2006 within the context of the institutional development of the public library and the influences exerted by internal and external forces such as philanthropic organizations, the federal government, the American Library Association, research, the public library planning process, the nontraditional education movement, and changes in public library ideology. Philanthropic organizations such as the Carnegie Corporation and the Ford Foundation's Fund for Adult Education played pivotal roles in the development of the library's liberal adult education programming in …

The Rhetorical Strategies Of Pregnancy Support Centers Including The Visual Rhetoric Of Fetal Ultrasound Technology, Raymond Kyle Jones

Dissertations

This study examined the rhetorical strategies, including verbal and visual rhetoric, of pregnancy support centers that provide clients with fetal ultrasounds to persuade those who may be considering abortion as a means of resolving their unplanned pregnancy to carry to term. Qualitative data were gathered from 12 interviews of directors and ultrasound personnel from 7 states as well as from television advertisements and printed material. Eighteen research questions investigating the rhetorical transactions between centers and clients were answered. Rhetorical analyses were performed on the verbal and visual messages used in client interactions.

The grounded theory approach of inquiry resulted in …

Attacking Ethos: The Rhetorical Use Of Uncertainty In The 2004 Election, Theron Allen Verdon

Dissertations

The rhetorical use of uncertainty in political communication (and other areas) has many implications. Uncertainty plays a major role in everyday life. Therefore, it likely plays a major role in political decision-making. Research has shown that uncertainty about a candidate affects a voter's voting preference. Uncertainty usually affects voter decisions. Uncertainty was a factor in the 2004 presidential election. The Bush-Cheney Campaign used uncertainty to corrupt the ethos of the Democratic nominee, Senator John Kerry. The Bush-Cheney campaign rhetorically manipulated information about Senator Kerry to create a perception of a leader whose actions revealed an unpredictable flip-flopper. A lack of …

The Relationship Of Emotional Regulation To Relational And Overt Aggression In Middle Childhood, Allison H. Hartzoge

Graduate Theses

As female juvenile delinquency for violence increases, the need for understanding the development of aggression as it relates to girls is also increasing. Most often, aggression is described and measured in terms of overt behaviors meant to cause physical harm and these behaviors have been found most commonly in boys. However, more recent research indicates that girls possess a relational aggression that can be best described as behaviors such as gossiping, exclusion and threatening friendships or any behavior that means to harm the relationship. In this research, these aggressive behaviors are studied to determine their relationship to emotional regulation; that …

Human Services Data Standards: Current Progress And Future Vision In Crisis Response, Nancy C. Shank, Brian Sokol, Michelle L. Hayes, Christina Vetrano

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

Interorganizational coordination is crucial among human services providers responsible for responding to both personal and widespread crises. Too often, however, agencies providing disaster relief, shelter, and connection to other social service systems operate in information silos. Moreover, organizations that assist the same people may be duplicating services or ineffectively providing services to those in need. In the past, there has been no easy way for human service organizations to share information about clients, resources, and services. Over the last decade, distinct initiatives have begun to standardize data collection, storage, and transmission standards within human service domains. This paper describes several …

Conference Agenda, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Conferences, Panels, and Events

The agenda for the 2008 conference for grantees of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's Workplace, Work Force, and Working Families Program hosted by Workplace Flexibility 2010.

Panelist Biographies, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Conferences, Panels, and Events

The biographies of panelists of the 2008 conference for grantees of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's Workplace, Work Force, and Working Families Program hosted by Workplace Flexibility 2010.

Low-Wage Workers, Jennifer E. Swanberg Phd

Conferences, Panels, and Events

A presentation: Workplace Structure and its Impact on Hourly Workers and their Families by Jennifer E. Swanberg, PhD, University of Kentucky on behalf of Workplace Flexibility 2010.

Think Again, Allison J. Smith, Rachael E. Wilson

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

A study was conducted to determine if people recall events as they actually exist or if schemas and prior expectations profoundly distort memories. The purpose was to establish if typical items present and not present in a particular scene would be recalled most frequently due to false memory, and if people are skeptical of their own mental abilities. Participants (n=45) briefly viewed 3 photos with typical and atypical items present and not present, then selected items they believed were in the picture. Analysis of the data partially supported our hypothesis because it indicated that typical and atypical items present were …

The Power Of Music, Michelle Bella, Tijana Redzepovic, Kandice Schroeder

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Music can influence one’s mood and alter one’s concentration, either in a positive way or a negative way. Such as classical music tends to soothe and focus one’s mood where as techno seems to excite and distract one’s mood. The main objective of this experiment is to determine whether one’s memory is more efficient and improves when presented with classical music rather than techno while studying a list of words. In this study, 30 participants performed a series of memory test while listening to classical, techno and no music at all. Although, music did not seem to affect performance on …

Confronting Death: Co-Infection With Hiv/Aids And Hepatitis C, Ian Parker

Social Work Theses

This paper discusses a qualitative study completed by the researcher revealing the need for assistance for people living with a co-infection of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. It is the role of a social worker to assist this at-risk population. Services must be made available to those co-infected, including courses on end of life coping skills, substance abuse, stigma, and depression and anxiety. Included in this article is a study that documents qualitative data from clients at a Drop-in Center in Providence, Rhode Island for people living with HIV/AIDS. The data proved inconclusive with regards to co-infection and death and dying, …

Does Time Distract?, Zachary A. Pashea

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of placing a large clock in front of someone would affect their performance level on a timed task. Twenty-eight undergraduate students were asked to complete a word find. Fifteen of the undergraduate students were simply told when to start and stop working while the rest possessed knowledge of exactly how much time they had left by way of a large clock, which was placed in front of them. I hypothesized that participants with the large clock in front of them would find fewer words. The results revealed a statistically …

Work Ethic In America: Urban Vs. Rural, Lindsey D. Geeding

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The present study was conducted in order to see if there were any differences in work ethic between urban and rural areas in America. The subjects were recruited from Lindenwood University Human Subjects Pool. The subjects were given a questionnaire created by the researcher, and a survey created by Mirles and Garrett (1997). As the results showed, there were not enough participants gathered to show predicted trends. However, the results did show that International students have a stronger work ethic than American students.

Spring 2008, Full Issue

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Key Counseling Skills For Highly Effective School Administrators, Tonya Christman Balch

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative research study looked at the predictability oflndiana's Public Law 221 Status for the 2005 and 2006 academic years. The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, to determine if elementary administrators' key counseling skills and select demographics can predict Public Law 221 (PL 221) status in their respective schools; secondly, to develop a valid and reliable survey supported by strong psychometric properties that identifies key counseling. iii Quantitative analyses factored key counseling skills and tested the predictive nature of those skills as well as select demographic items (school locale, administrator gender and ethnicity, building-level administrator pre-service training institution, …

Epistemic Conditions For Rationalizability, Eduardo Zambrano

Economics

In this paper I present conditions, not involving common knowledge of rationality, that lead to (correlated) rationalizability. The basic observation is that, if the actual world belongs to a set of states where the set Z of action profiles is played, everyone is rational and it is mutual knowledge that the action profiles played are in Z, then the actions played at the actual world are rationalizable actions. Alternatively, if at the actual world the support of the conjecture of player i is Dⁱ, there is mutual knowledge of: (i) the game being played, (ii) that …

Is Conscientiousness Related To Performance Rating Accuracy And Perceived Difficulty In Rating?, Jeremy Alexander

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Inaccurate ratings of job performance can have severe consequences for many organizations and the individuals in them. The present study examined conscientiousness and its relationship to performance rating accuracy and perceived difficulty in providing a rating. Rating accuracy was assessed by calculating deviations from true scores, while personality and perceptions of difficulty were acquired via self-report. Additionally, the relationship between perceptions of rating difficulty and the amount of information available for rating instrument items was investigated. The first two hypotheses were not supported, but as hypothesized, the relationship between rating difficulty and information available was negative and significant. Implications for …

May 2008 Volume 4, Number 1, Winthrop University Archives And Special Collections

Retrospect: News from the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University

No abstract provided.

The Faculty Notebook, May 2008, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

Using Evidence-Based Guidelines To Evaluate Research Support For The Use Of Social Stories With Children With Autism, Elaine Fister-Hull

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Social Stories have gained wide acceptance and popularity as an intervention for children with autism and autism spectrum disorders, yet it is unclear whether this intervention method meets the standards of an evidence-based intervention. With a push in educational and mental health fields to use only evidence-based interventions, there is a need to determine whether or not this popular method meets this standard. The research literature on Social Stories has been reviewed for this project. An analysis of each article was conducted to evaluate clinical utility and treatment efficacy. Using the clinical utility and treatment efficacy information, as well as …

Pay Increases Subsequent To Fmla Leave: The Role Of Organizational Justice, Douglas Berry

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research indicates the importance of studying organizational justice and its impact. Further, research has indicated a relationship between perceptions of organizational justice and pay increase decisions. However, the present research is the first to incorporate the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave into the equation. In short, this research addressed whether an employee's absence for FMLA-covered reasons impacts the perceived justice of subsequent pay increases for that employee. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the employee's length of absence, tenure, performance, and/or pay increase would impact justice perceptions. Participants evaluated vignettes manipulating these factors, then rated the fairness of pay …

Characteristics Of Faculty Evaluation Formats For Promotion, Tenure, And Annual Review, Angelette Gardner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study attempted to identify common and unique characteristics of faculty performance appraisal formats and procedures by analyzing characteristics of formats and procedures from the psychology departments of 28 universities, including Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education (CPE) benchmark schools for Western Kentucky University as well as schools that have Industrial/Organizational psychology master’s degree programs. It was hypothesized that schools with Industrial/-Organizational Psychology programs would have better formats as defined by eight legal factors. However, this hypothesis was not supported. The hypothesis that graphic rating scales would be the most common method for collecting appraisal data was supported. It was …

The Visual Perception Of Elasticity, Elizabeth Y. Wiesemann

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Two experiments were designed to evaluate human sensitivity to elasticity. Elastic objects bend when a force is applied to them. Observers saw two computer-generated bending rods (defined by the motions of 50 dots) on any given trial and were required to judge which rod was more flexible. Elasticity difference thresholds were calculated for each observer for each of three bending conditions. The rods bent in a plane that was either frontoparallel or oriented 42.5 or 85 degrees from frontoparallel. The results showed that observers could precisely discriminate between bending rods of different elasticities, independent of whether the bendings occurred in …

Socioeconomic Determinants Of Hiv Status In Kenya, Kimberly Fletcher

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the greatest threats to stability and development in Kenya. The country's infection rate is estimated between seven and eight percent, making it one of the highest in the world. Several studies have been done that examine subpopulations such as truck drivers, sex workers, and migrants. However, to date there is little research that examines who, across the country, is contracting HIV. Kenya's 2003 Demographic and Health Survey includes data that make it possible to determine which groups have the highest odds of being infected. The question of who is contracting …

May 2008: Travel Tips, Dacus Library

Dacus Docs News

No abstract provided.

Prospectus, May 1, 2008, Chuck Shepherd, Kathleen Serino, Beth Voigt, Aaron Geiger, Gavin J. Dow, Jason Hardimon, Andrew Serino, Briana Stodden

Prospectus 2008

No abstract provided.

La Violencia Íntima: International And Local Responses To Domestic Violence In Nicaragua, Katherine Mesner-Hage

International Studies Honors Projects

This paper looks at the legal and social advocacy dimensions of domestic violence in Nicaragua and internationally. The first chapter constructs a paradigm for conceptualizing domestic violence as an international human rights violation and then considers the Nicaraguan legal and judicial system according to that paradigm. The second chapter discusses international social advocacy networks that address violence against women and their relationship to feminist organizing against domestic violence in Nicaragua. Chapter three narrows in scope, presenting a case study of the Colectivo de Mujeres 8 de Marzo, a women's organization in Nicaragua. The final chapter explores the limitations of current …