Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Local Attitudes Towards Bear Management After Illegal Feeding And Problem Bear Activity, Sara Dubois, David Fraser

Wildlife Population Management Collection

The “pot bears” received international media attention in 2010 after police discovered the intentional feeding of over 20 black bears during the investigation of an alleged marijuana-growing operation in Christina Lake, British Columbia, Canada. A two-phase random digit dialing survey of the community was conducted in 2011 to understand local perspectives on bear policy and management, before and after a summer of problem bear activity and government interventions. Of the 159 households surveyed in February 2011, most had neutral or positive attitudes towards bears in general, and supported the initial decision to feed the food-conditioned bears until the autumn hibernation. …

Too Many Immigrants?: Examining Alternative Forms Of Immigrant Population Innumeracy, Daniel Herda

Sociology Faculty Publications

The tendency to overestimate immigrant population sizes has garnered considerable scholarly attention for its potential link to anti-immigrant policy support. However, this existing innumeracy research has neglected other forms of ignorance, namely underestimation and nonresponse. Using the 2002 European Social Survey, the current study examines the full scope of innumeracy for the first time. Results indicate that underestimation and nonresponse occur commonly across twenty-one countries and that overestimation is far from ubiquitous. Nonresponders in particular are found to represent a distinct innumeracy form associated with low cognitive availability and high negative affect. Multilevel models indicate that underestimation associates with greater …

Exceptionalist-In-Chief: Presidents, American Exceptionalism, And U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1897, John A. Dearborn

Honors Scholar Theses

“American exceptionalism” has been an important part of presidential foreign policy, especially since the end of the nineteenth century when the United States emerged as a global power. I argue that presidents’ beliefs, rhetoric, and actions during their administrations reveal their attitudes toward exceptionalism. In this work, I propose four types of Presidential American Exceptionalism that presidents’ foreign policies since 1897 can be categorized into: messianic Americanism, messianic internationalism, realist exemplarism, and pragmatic moralism. I define these categories and explain them using case studies of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, and …

Attitude Accessiblity As A Determinant Of Object Construal And Evaluation, Alison I. Young, Russell H. Fazio

Faculty Scholarship – Psychology

Attitude accessibility, the ease with which a given attitude comes to mind, has been demonstrated to affect attention. The current experiments focus on the construal of multiply-categorizable objects. They seek to provide evidence that (a) construals toward which individuals have more accessible attitudes, i.e., those that are more attitude-evoking, are more likely to influence the evaluation of related objects and that (b) this effect of attitude accessibility on construal processes can be extended to a whole series of objects which vary along multiple dimensions. Experiment 1 provides evidence that construals whose related attitudes were made more accessible via attitude rehearsal …

Effects Of Disclosing Autism On Coworker Attitudes, Jordan G. Stewart

Honors Projects

Individuals with autism tend to have difficulty with social relationships in the workplace, which makes it hard to obtain and maintain employment. In order to help individuals with autism navigate the workplace, it is important to examine possible stigma management strategies. Using principles from the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) theory, I investigated the effects of disclosing autism on coworker attitudes by having participants view and react to a video of an individual with autism. I also investigated the effects of displayed interpersonal warmth (e.g., greeting others) on potential coworker attitudes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions formed …

Awareness And Beliefs Regarding Intimate Partner Violence Among First-Year Dental Students, Rhonda J. Everett, Karl Kingsley, Christina A. Demopoulos, Edward E. Herschaft, Christine Lamun, Sheniz Moonie, Timothy J. Bungum, Michelle Chino

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Intimate partner violence (IPV) may affect one to four million individuals per year in the United States, with women accounting for the majority of both reported and unreported cases. Dental professionals are in a unique position to identify many types of IPV because injuries to the head and neck may be indicators or predictors of IPV abuse. Fewer than half of dental programs surveyed have reported having IPV-specific curricula, and most dental students surveyed have reported having little experience or training to recognize IPV. Based on this information, this pilot study sought to assess the awareness and beliefs regarding IPV …

Investigations Of Attitudes Towards Offshore Wind Farm Development In Ireland: Their Implication Towards Future Development Of The Industry., Aidan Melia

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

This current research investigates what the attitudes of Irish people are towards the development of offshore wind farms in Ireland. Using a qualitative approach, a questionnaire is carefully designed and distributed among a sample population from three coastal communities. One is located on the west coast and two on the east coast. The two locations on the east coast have an involvement in offshore wind farms. One of the locations plays host to Ireland’s only offshore wind farm, while there are plans in place for an offshore wind farm at the other location. The results from the questionnaires are analyzed …

Political Attitudes Bias The Mental Representation Of A Presidential Candidate's Face, Alison I. Young, Kyle G. Ratner, Russell H. Fazio

Faculty Scholarship – Psychology

Using a technique known as reverse correlation image classification, we demonstrate that the physical face of Mitt Romney represented in people’s minds varies as a function of their attitudes toward Mitt Romney. This provides evidence that attitudes bias how we see something as concrete and well-learned as the face of a political candidate during an election. Practically, this implies that citizens may not merely interpret political information about a candidate to fit their opinion, but that they may construct a political world where they literally see candidates differently.

Perceptions Of Mental Illness And Mental Health Policy, Kristen Mcaleenan

Psychology Honors Papers

The present study examined people’s implicit and explicit perceptions of mental illness and compared those attitudes to ratings of fairness for psychiatric hospital policies. The sample consisted of 88 participants, from both Connecticut College and Amazon Mechanical Turk. Data were derived from a Hospital Policy Questionnaire created by the researcher, the Perceptions of Dangerousness of Mental Patients (PDMP) scale, as well as 2 Implicit Association Tests assessing General Attitudes and perceptions of Dangerousness. Results showed no significant association between implicit attitudes and judgments of hospital policies, nor between implicit perceptions of dangerousness and judgments of hospital policies. However, explicit perceptions …

Equine Welfare As A Mainstream Phenomenon, Bernard E. Rollin

Equine Husbandry and Welfare Collection

The 20th century has witnessed a bewildering array of ethical revolutions, from civil rights to environmentalism to feminism. Often ignored is the rise of massive societal concern across the world regarding animal treatment. Regulation of animal research exists in virtually all Western countries, and reform of “factory farming” is regnant in Europe and rapidly emerging in the United States. In 2012, a series of articles in The New York Times focused welfare attention squarely on the horse industry. Opponents of concern for animals often dismiss the phenomenon as rooted in emotion and extremist lack of appreciation of how unrestricted animal …

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 …

Community Knowledge, Behaviours And Attitudes About The 2009 H1n1 Influenza Pandemic: A Systematic Review, Rebecca Tooher, Joanne Collins, Jackie M. Street, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer, Helen S. Marshall

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

Effectiveness of pandemic plans and community compliance was extensively researched following the H1N1 pandemic. This systematic review examined community response studies to determine whether behavioural responses to the pandemic were related to level of knowledge about the pandemic, perceived severity of the pandemic and level of concern about the pandemic.

Methods

Literature databases were searched from March 2009 to August 2011 and included cross‐sectional or repeated population surveys undertaken during or following the H1N1 pandemic which reported on community response to the pandemic. Studies using population subgroups and other respiratory diseases were excluded, as were mathematical modelling and qualitative …

Individual And Contextual Factors Shaping Teachers' Attitudes And Responses To Bullying Among Young Children: Is Education Important?, Philippa Small, Cathrine Marguerite Neilsen-Hewett, Naomi Sweller

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study examined how pre- and post-service early childhood teachers' beliefs and responses to bullying among young children differ by level of qualification, type of bullying and whether or not it was witnessed. Results showed 1st and 4th-year student- and diploma-qualified teachers perceived acts of physical bullying to be more serious than verbal or relational bullying to a greater extent than did degree-qualified teachers. Degree-qualified teachers were less susceptible to bullying type and indicated they would be more likely to intervene than the other three groups. Results are discussed in relation to their implication for teaching practice and the content …

Trainee Teachers' Attitudes Towards Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Stuart Woodcock

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Policies on the inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms have focused attention on how general education teachers perceive these students. Furthermore with specific learning disabilities forming a large group of diverse students, and teachers' attitudes often not changing over the career span, preparing teachers for inclusive education is vitally important. This study aimed to identify the attitudes of trainee1 teachers towards students with specific learning disabilities and differentiation of the curriculum. Significant differences were found between the attitudes of primary and secondary school trainee teachers, and the influence of training. There were no differences in attitudes …

Exploring The Application Of Computer-Assisted English Learning In A Chinese Mainland Context: Based On Students' Attitudes And Behaviours, Jinjin Lu, Paul Throssell, Han Jiang

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has played an important role in language curriculums for Chinese schools and university over two decades; however, few researchers rare focused on this applicable tool from students' views. Based on theories of human agency, it is essential to know people' attitudes and acceptance of the information technology (Rogers, 1983). Hence, this paper explores university students' attitudes on the widespread teaching and learning approaches utilising computer-assisted language learning in the subject university in mainland China. Data was collected by using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Current computer-related behaviours were investigated by using a questionnaire; while their attitudes …

Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes Towards Overseas Professional Experience: Implications For Professional Practice, Mohan Chinnappan, Barbra Mckenzie, Phil Fitzsimmons

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Reforms in Australia about the education of future teachers have placed a high degree of emphasis on the development of knowledge and skills that are necessary for practitioners who will ply their trade in culturally rich and diverse classrooms (Ramsey, 2000). There is now a broad consensus from key stakeholders (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2012) that pre-service teachers need to be provided with a range of opportunities that are grounded in classroom practices including exposure to teaching students overseas. The aim of this mixed mode study (Creswell, 2012) is to better understand the skills and knowledge that …

Clustering Of Attitudes Towards Obesity: A Mixed Methods Study Of Australian Parents And Children, Tim Olds, Samantha Thomas, Sophie Lewis, John Petkov

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Current population-based anti-obesity campaigns often target individuals based on either weight or socio-demographic characteristics, and give a 'mass' message about personal responsibility. There is a recognition that attempts to influence attitudes and opinions may be more effective if they resonate with the beliefs that different groups have about the causes of, and solutions for, obesity. Limited research has explored how attitudinal factors may inform the development of both upstream and downstream social marketing initiatives. Methods Computer-assisted face-to-face interviews were conducted with 159 parents and 184 of their children (aged 9-18 years old) in two Australian states. A mixed methods …

Experiences Of Kenyan Healthcare Workers Providing Services To Men Who Have Sex With Men: Qualitative Findings From A Sensitivity Training Programme, Elise M. Van Der Elst, Evans Gichuru, Anisa Omar, Jennifer Kanungi, Zoe Duby, Miriam Midoun, Sylvia Shangani, Susan M. Graham, Adrian D. Smith, Eduard J. Sanders, Don Operario

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Introduction

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya are at high risk for HIV and may experience prejudiced treatment in health settings due to stigma. An on-line computer-facilitated MSM sensitivity programme was conducted to educate healthcare workers (HCWs) about the health issues and needs of MSM patients.

Methods

Seventy-four HCWs from 49 ART-providing health facilities in the Kenyan Coast were recruited through purposive sampling to undergo a two-day MSM sensitivity training. We conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with programme participants prior to and three months after completing the training programme. Discussions aimed to characterize HCWs’ challenges in …

Patient And Provider Attitudes Toward Genomic Testing For Prostate Cancer Susceptibility: A Mixed Method Study, Wendy C. Birmingham, Neeraj Agarwal, Wendy Kohlmann, Lisa G. Aspinwall, Mary Wang, Jay Bishoff, Christopher Decket, Anita Y. Kinney

Faculty Publications

Background: The strong association between family history and prostate cancer (PCa) suggests a significant genetic contribution, yet specific highly penetrant PCa susceptibility genes have not been identified. Certain single-nucleotide-polymorphisms have been found to correlate with PCa risk; however uncertainty remains regarding their clinical utility and how to best incorporate this information into clinical decision-making. Genetic testing is available directly to consumers and both patients and healthcare providers are becoming more aware of this technology. Purchasing online allows patients to bypass their healthcare provider yet patients may have difficulty interpreting test results and providers may be called upon to interpret results. …