Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Note On Civil Disobedience And Professional Ethics Codes, W. Bede Mitchell

University Libraries: Faculty Publications

In her exemplary book The Ethical Archivist, Elena S. Danielson devotes a chapter to professional ethics codes and points out that “[m]any informed observers do not feel that complying with the law has any place in a statement on ethics since laws enforce existing power relationships, which may be unfair.” (p.45) I will argue that including civil disobedience principles in ethics codes may be preferable to rejecting legal compliance as a consideration.

Actions, Practices, And Workplace Conditions That Characterize High-Engagement Workgroups In A Hospital Environment, Barbette Weimer-Elder

Dissertations

In the United States a large number of people are not engaged at work. The lack of engagement affects the service outcomes as well as financial bottom line of organizations. The cost of actively disengaged employees in the U.S. is about $300 billion a year. Research cites the importance of examining business units that scored high on employee engagement to learn about actions and practices that drive business outcomes.

Between 2005-2010 The Community Hospital (TCH), part of a Healthcare Corporation in Valley Town, USA (pseudonym), assessed employee engagement using Gallup’s Q12 survey. Some groups scored in the top quartile and …

An Evaluation Of Performance As It Relates To The Adventist Community Services Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program In The United States, Sung Kun Kwon

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to understand the effectiveness of the Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program (NLCP) by examining the relationship between an individual’s completion of the program and their individual performance growth in attitude, knowledge, and skills. Since the program represents a major financial investment on the part of the Adventist Community Services (ACS) organization, ACS leaders need to know if the time, resources, and effort that have been poured into this leadership program are actually improving the participants’ performance in skills and knowledge, and if they have effectively contributed to changes in leadership attitude.

Method

This study …

Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions Of And Expectations For School Readiness: Self-Regulation And Success, Latoya Mccrea

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Early childhood education plays a very important role in influencing the success of a child later in the learning process. Because of this, scholars in the field of education have consistently sought to predict factors that ensure school readiness. Unfortunately, there is not enough information on factors that ensure school readiness and particularly on how teachers perceive school readiness. This study examines teachers' perceptions regarding the specific readiness skills and self-regulation needed by children entering kindergarten, as well as their familiarity with and their training in early childhood learning programs and executive functions. The study reviews the current literature on …

Farmers Markets And Food Security: A Critical Evaluation Of The Sociodemographic Factors Influencing Market Patronage In The Mississippi Delta, Mary Margaret Saulters

Honors Theses

Characterized by extreme poverty, limited access to fresh foods, and a high prevalence of nutrition-related disease, the rural Mississippi Delta represents an understudied and highly at-risk population in terms of food security. This paper explores the role of alternative foodways in the Delta, specifically examining the potential for farmers markets to improve community food security in rural, low- income areas. This study uses a mixed-methods approach to measure farmers market patronage among different racial and socioeconomic groups in the Mississippi Delta. The findings of this study indicate that while sociodemographic factors, such as race, income, and education are associated with …

The Role Of Religious Orientation And Ethnic Identity On Religious Coping Among Bereaved Individuals, Luis G. Cruz-Ortega

Dissertations

Problem: The literature suggests that religious orientation and ethnic identity inform the religious coping process, which is better understood in the context of a particular stressor. However, research on this topic is limited, particularly among ethnic minorities.

Method: A survey was used to collect data on religious orientation, ethnic identity, and religious coping from a sample of 319 adults who had lost a significant other within 36 months of the study. A total of 11 variables were measured using The Means-Ends Spirituality Questionnaire, the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised, and the Brief RCOPE.

Results: A canonical variate labeled "religious engagement" was …

Relationship Between Trust And Perceived Value Of Faculty Unionization Among Full-Time Faculty In Selected Michigan Community Colleges, Stacy L. Horner

Dissertations

Problem Statement. There are conflicting studies on the relationship between the union and nonunion faculty and trust. Studies have shown that the union environment inherently produces a distrustful atmosphere and, with a union, employees are actually more dissatisfied than their nonunion counterparts. On the other hand, this has created a cycle where faculty may not trust administration, and administration may not trust faculty. For example, when doing negotiations, each party fights on behalf of itself, instead of fighting for the betterment of the organization. However, unions can give faculty a voice with administration and state and federal government, and may …

The Relationship Of Servant Leadership Attributes To Sales Performance Of Salespersons In The Healthcare Industry In 2011, William R. Auxier

Dissertations

Problem. Servant leadership scholars have claimed that servant-led business organizations are more financially viable, but these claims are based on anecdotal evidence. This quantitative study examines the relationship of servant leadership to revenue generation in business organizations by analyzing the predictability of servant leadership attributes on sales performance. This was accomplished by studying salespersons in the healthcare industry.

Method. One hundred ninety-four study participants completed questionnaires providing quantitative measurements of the seven factors of servant leadership: (a) developing and empowering others, (b) humility, (c) authentic leadership, (d) open participatory leadership, (e) inspiring leadership, (f) visionary leadership, and (g) courageous leadership, …

Book Review. Tax And Spend: The Welfare State, Tax Politics, And The Limits Of American Liberalism By Molly C. Michelmore, Ajay K. Mehrotra

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Staying Hungry, Staying Foolish: Academic Reflections On The Life And Career Of Steve Jobs, Amy E. Hurley-Hanson, Cristina M. Giannantonio

Business Faculty Articles and Research

The 2011 death of Steve Jobs, Apple CEO and cofounder, generated a flood of articles in the popular press acknowledging his influence on the design and delivery of consumer products that changed the way multiple generations work and play. As one of the most visible, yet controversial CEOs in recent history, stories of his management style are likely to fuel a debate over his leadership effectiveness. It is expected that scholarly and academic articles will emerge in the next few years detailing the business lessons that can be learned from the way that Jobs ran Apple Computer, NeXT, Pixar, and …

The Organization Of Banking And Supervision, Introduction And Overview, Clas Wihlborg

Business Faculty Articles and Research

"The focus of this Special Issue is on organizational reforms in the financial sector in the aftermath of the financial crisis 2007-2009 and the subsequent euro-zone crisis. In particular, the perception that many banks were too big and too complex to fail during the crisis, which led to very costly bailouts at tax-payers expense in several countries, has fueled a number of proposals to limit the size and the complexity of financial institutions, as well as proposals to reorganize public authorities responsible for supervision and crisis management."

The Green Port Policy: Sustainability In Long Beach, Casey Connorton

Whittier Scholars Program

This project revolves around sustainable development which aims to achieve economic growth and industrialization without environmental damage. This project specifically focuses on sustainability especially that of the Port of Long Beach. Sections include defining sustainable development, a history of port pollution, the green port policy, essential components of a sustainable strategy, pollution prevention, cutting emissions at the POLB, Mitigation Projects, and Community Involvement.

The Costs Of The Pay-To-Play Model In High School Athletics, Micah Bucy

University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

No abstract provided.

Coalition For Prisoners' Rights Newsletter, Vol. 38-X, No. 1, Coalition For Prisoners' Rights

Coalition for Prisoners' Rights Newsletters

What are we Buying? What are we Gettiing?

Derecho de las Mujeres a la Cuidad

In Memoriam

LifeLines Poetry Competition 2013

Crime of the Month

Developing A Premodern Manuscript Application Profile Using Dublin Core, Sheila A. Bair, Susan M.B. Steuer

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

Librarians and catalogers, particularly at small repositories, often do not have the training or access to experts to fully describe a medieval manuscript for cataloging, much less digital access. But some descriptions must be available to attract researchers to work with the materials, which are often considered institutional treasures. Approaching manuscripts can be daunting for metadata specialists and catalogers. The Dublin Core Premodern Manuscripts Application Profile (PMAP), currently under development, is designed to be an educational and simple tool for medievalists with little knowledge of metadata and librarians with little knowledge of manuscript studies to facilitate discovery of manuscripts in …

Opening PandoraʼS Stream: Piping Music Into The Information Literacy Classroom, Kathleen Langan, Dianna E. Sachs

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

Although it is well known that music can affect cognitive processes, little research has been conducted examining the influence of background music on students in information literacy classrooms. In 2010, librarians at Western Michigan University investigated the effect of background music on student engagement and retention of information literacy concepts. This article examines the theory and practical applications of background music to improve a classroom atmosphere and its impact on students’ learning. Results from this qualitative and quantitative study indicate positive correlations between background music and student comfort, confidence, and retention. DOI: 10.1080/15228959.2013.785876

Inspiring Results: Designing Innovative Instruction Using Faculty Feedback On Technology Use And Attitudes Toward Library Research Instruction, Maria A. Perez-Stable, Dianna E. Sachs, Patricia F. Vander Meer

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

The importance of information literacy (IL) at the college level is well documented. Like many other institutions, Western Michigan University (WMU) has come to recognize the value of IL, after years of deliberate and steady promotion of its benefits to the WMU community by the University Libraries. A crucial question that has emerged as part of the Libraries’ strategic plan to meet the University’s IL needs is this: What are the best ways to deliver library instruction to address the needs of today’s students and faculty, keeping in mind emerging and changing technologies to which faculty and students relate?

In …

Purposeful Mentoring In Academic Libraries, Kevin Ross

Library Articles and Research

This article offers statistical information about the future of our profession and the role that mentoring may play in retaining and promoting academic librarians into leadership positions within an organization. An overview of the history and definition of the word mentor and current terminology is offered to provide the reader with understanding of the complexity surrounding the concept of mentoring. Mentoring as process is explained, and both formal and informal mentoring processes are discussed and examples provided. The benefits of mentoring are detailed and include the benefits for mentors, mentees, and academic libraries, with a special focus on minorities and …

A Study On The Effects Of Tertiary Education On Open Source Information Gathering Skills, Sara T.K. Cunow

Theses : Honours

Since the introduction of the World Wide Web (WWW), a large amount of information has become available and accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. Where in the past, the art of the intelligence profession was finding scarce information, currently information gathering is more focused on sorting relevant information from the available abundance. The purpose of the current study was to gain a better understanding of how information is gathered on the Web by potential intelligence analysts. Although the WWW is used by many people to search for information daily, relatively little research exists on how this source should be …

The Effect Of Depressive Symptoms, Mental Distress And Empathy On Embodiment Of The Rubber Hand Illusion, David Parrick

Theses : Honours

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of depression, mental distress and empathy on the strength of the rubber hand illusion (RHI). The RHI is a perceptual illusion that is thought to occur as a result of visual capture during multimodal sensory stimulation. The RHI was induced in participants by synchronous stroking of their real hand and the visible fake hand for two minutes. Participants were then requested to complete a nine-item questionnaire on the strength of the illusion, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), which was used to screen for depressive symptoms and general mental …

The Effect Of Background Music On Emotional Processing : Evaluation Using A Dot Probe Paradigm, Haans Drieberg

Theses : Honours

Music plays an important role in all of the world's cultures, and background music is an ever-present phenomenon. Despite this, few studies have formally addressed whether background music influences the way people think. The aim of this study was to discover whether the presence of background music can influence cognition. Specifically, the differential effects of music rated as being positive (inducing happy emotions) and negative (inducing anxiety) on a person's allocation of attention was investigated. A dot probe task with positive and negative word pairings, matched for length and frequency was used in order to test the hypotheses that the …

Exploring Wellbeing In Older Male Farmers In Western Australia, Jessica L. Mckee

Theses : Honours

In the context of an ageing population it has become increasingly important to identify the determinants of wellbeing in older adulthood. A review of the literature relevant to wellbeing and strengths relevant to older male farmers in Australia was conducted. This body of knowledge was identified to be sparse. Existing literature on farming primarily had a deficits focus, and only a small number of qualitative studies were specific to older male farmers. Four broad, overlapping areas representing the meaning of wellbeing were identified as potentially important: farming work; connectedness; the land; health and wellbeing. The inter-connected nature of farming life …

Associative Stigma Among Families Of Alcohol And Other Drug Users, Olivia Marshall

Theses : Honours

Stigma is the devaluation of groups and individuals because of traits or behaviours that deviate from social norms. Drug use is a highly stigmatised behaviour, as it is mainly viewed as a controllable behaviour or character weakness. Stigma may occur by association and this is known as courtesy or associative stigma. A comprehensive review investigated associative stigma among families of psychoactive substance users. Searches of psychological databases located articles pertaining to associative stigma among families. Articles located indicated that associative stigma occurs toward families in other populations, such as those living with mental illness and HIV. A lack of research …

Fathers At Birth : Women's Experiences Of Their Partner's Presence During Childbirth, Sarah Dlugosz

Theses : Honours

Childbirth is an ordeal of nature. It is an experience that elicits a range of emotions for the labouring woman; recognition of which has highlighted women’s needs for psychological support during the birth process. Research has shown that a mother’s perception of a positive birth is influenced by how supported she feels throughout her experience. In Australia it is common practice for the labouring woman’s partner to be her main support person; however research into women’s experiences of this phenomenon is scarce. This research aimed to explore the lived experiences of women in this context, asking the question “what meaning …

Distinct Effects Of Enriched Environment On Dopamine Clearance In Nucleus Accumbens Shell And Core Following Systemic Nicotine Administration, Jun Zhu, Michael T. Bardo, Linda P. Dwoskin

Psychology Faculty Publications

Environmental enrichment during development may reduce drug abuse liability by modulating dopamine transporter (DAT) function. Nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell and core respond differentially to regulate the rewarding properties and locomotor stimulant effects of psychostimulants. The current study evaluated dopamine (DA) clearance (CL_DA) in the NAc shell and core using in vivo voltammetry in rats raised in an enriched condition (EC) or an impoverished condition (IC) and determined the effect of nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) on CL_DA. Baseline CL_DA in NAc shell and core was not different between EC and IC rats. In the saline control group, …

The Personal, Political, And The Virtual? Redefining Female Success And Empowerment In A Post-Feminist Landscape, Linda Elizabeth Chardon

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Furious Activity Vs. Understanding: How Much Expertise Is Needed To Evaluate Creative Work?, Learning Research Institute, John Baer, David H. Cropley, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

What is the role of expertise in evaluating creative products? Novices and experts do not assess creativity similarly, indicating domain-specific knowledge’s role in judging creativity. We describe two studies that examined how quasi-experts (people who have more experience in a domain than novices but also lack recognized standing as experts) compared to novices and experts in rating creative work. In Study One, we compared different types of quasi-experts with novices and experts in rating short stories. In Study Two, we compared experts, quasi-experts, and novices in evaluating an engineering product (a mousetrap design). Quasi-experts (regardless of type) seemed to be …

Reanalysis Of Genetic Data And Rethinking Dopamine's Relationship With Creativity, Michelle Murphy, Mark A. Runco, Selcuk Acar, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Several genetic analyses of creativity have recently been reported. A key finding is that dopamine might be related to ideational fluency (Runco, Noble, Reiter-Palmon, Acar, Ritchie, & Yurkovich, 2011) or even to creativity per se (Reuter, Roth, Holve, & Hennig, 2006). Previous analyses have ignored an important part of genetic theory, however, namely the likelihood of polygenetic contributions. Many human characteristics are polygenetic.

Incorporating I-O Into An Introductory Psychology Course: A New Set Of Custom Modules By The Education And Training Committee, Joseph A. Allen

Psychology Faculty Publications

One concern that SIOP members often express at conferences and other gatherings of I-O psychologists is the general lack of visibility of I-O among the majority of the undergraduate students in psychology. Although interest in I-O psychology has grown among students, very few introductory psychology textbooks cover the topic. In an effort to address this concern, Mikki Hebl, the former Education and Training Committee Chair, invited a subcommittee composed of committee members and others who have expertise in undergraduate education to develop “shovel-ready” modules that introduce I-O topics to an introductory psychology audience. Those responsible for preparing the modules include …

Maternal Mortality And Female Literacy Rates In Developing Countries During 1970–2000: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis, Vijayan K. Pillai, Arati Maleku, Fanghsun Wei

Social Work Faculty Publications & Presentations-Archive

No abstract provided.