Leadership Studies Commons^™

Person Perception Of Leaders With Adult Adhd, Maxwell P. Teschke

Honors Theses

Following this review of the literature this thesis describes three empirical investigations into people's beliefs about individuals who are diagnosed with the Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and the relationship between those beliefs and leadership perceptions and judgments. In addition to documenting the content of the ADHD beliefs, the work will also test the hypothesis that the qualities stereotypically associated with ADHD are incongruent with those qualities individuals spontaneously and intuitively associate with leadership. A third study then considers the experience of individuals who are diagnosed as experiencing ADHD but also hold positions of leadership. By the end of …

Reducing The Negative Attidudes Of Religious Fundamentalists Toward Homosexuals, John A. Frank

Honors Theses

In this study, participants who vary in their level of religious fundamentalism were exposed to different interventions designed to change their attitudes toward homosexuals. The interventions involved writing a few paragraphs about positive gay figures in society or thinking about a passage from the Bible about acceptance. Their attitudes toward homosexuals were measured using the Implicit Association Test and Herek's Attitudes toward Gay and Lesbian scale. They also completed some behavioral intention measures that examined how their attitudes relate to their behaviors. It was hypothesized that short- term contact with an admired outgroup member would change the negative attitudes or …

Treating Animals Right : Introducing A New Fairness Approach, Xenia Corali Schneider

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis, thus, is to provide a convincing account of the proper ethical treatment of animals. I will discuss some of the most popular theoretical frameworks, utilitarianism, Kantianism, and contractarianism, and see how they apply to animals. After explaining and critiquing these theories I will provide an alternative theory for the ethical treatment of animals, which should serve as the basis for our actions and guide our behavior towards animals, especially the eating of meat.

The argument I will be defending is neither abolitionist-granting animals the same rights as human beings and therefore rejecting all institutions involving …

Can She Ever Be "The Man"? : The Effect Of Gender On Implicit Perceptions Of Leadership Ability In An Applied Hiring Task, Rebecca S. Frazier

Honors Theses

Despite numerous advances in the eld of women's rights and a general decline in explicit discrimination, there still exists a dramatic lack of women in leadership positions across America. This research seeks to expand upon past studies suggesting that there is a basic cognitive incongruency between traditional male and leadership roles which leads ordinarily "unbiased" individuals to perceive women as less suited r leadership positions than men. Thus, this experiment investigates the implicit biases against women leaders by asking if the subtle addition of gender information alters individuals' initial impressions of leadership capability in an applied hiring task involving resumes, …

Power And The Rejection Of The Competent Attitudinal Deviant, William Stanton

Honors Theses

This thesis describes an empirical investigation of the rejection of the deviant and operates under the hypothesis that a powerful leader will be more tolerant of those who disagree with him or her than would a low power leader. Before presenting the results of the study, this chapter will provide an overview of previous work on this topic. In the next few pages I will present a review of the available research concerning group reactions to deviancy, namely that groups reject deviants. Then, I will review available research concerning the psychological effects of power. By the end, this thesis will …

Political Socialization And The Youth Vote : A Study Of Political Engagement During The 2008 Election, Meredith Hull

Honors Theses

I began my research on political socialization struck about the political apathy I was observing among my friends. Through studying those very same peers here at the University of Richmond in both a survey and interviews, I am even more determined to find ways to encourage high levels of knowledgeable engagement and volunteerism among college aged students. The United States will have to continue to compete in a global market in the future and citizens of other democracies understand and care enough to vote about the changes in that government-what is the problem here?

The results of the survey and …

Deliberative Democracy At The Local Level, Tony Derosa

Honors Theses

This thesis addresses the role that deliberative democracy can play in local politics. Deliberative democracy is a theory that posits discourse among free and equal citizens as a route to better public policy outcomes, a more just society, the fostering of social capital, and the cultivation of civic virtues. While both liberals and civic republicans have endorsed the theory, it stands in direct contrast to the economic theory of democracy. This view equates citizens to consumers, whose private preferences are to be aggregated by the political system. Votes are the equivalent of capital in the market, according to the economic …

Empathy, Group-Level Guilt And Identification : Measuring Their Relationship Through Past American-Cambodian Relations, Laura Musser

Honors Theses

A collective approach to emotions suggests that, in some cases, members of groups may experience collective guilt when they consider the negative actions performed by other members of their group, even when they were not personally involved themselves. Social identity theory suggests that such group-level reactions are more likely when individuals strongly identify with their group, and less likely when their sense of identity is not linked as strongly to their group membership.

This hypothesis was examined by directly manipulating the salience of individuals' collective identities through priming through an identification manipulation. The identification manipulation primed participants to feel more …

The Interaction Of Nuclear Fiction And Leadership Studies, Kathryn Elberson

Honors Theses

This project is not solely a commentary on leadership studies, nor is its significance exclusive to the field of English. Rather, it is an effort to unite the two fields in a way that offers valuable contributions to both areas of study while pointing out the necessity of further interaction between the topics of leadership and literature. The few works which are traditionally regarded as having something to contribute to leadership studies are those which are either included in the canon of English literature, or those which directly demonstrate a leader-follower relationship and have a particular lesson to teach about …

Crisis Rhetoric : A Theory Of Communication In Times Of Crisis, Eric D. Loepp

Honors Theses

We conducted an experiment to assess the effect of presidential rhetoric in a time of crisis. Our study was based in part on terror management theory, which posits that subtle reminders of death (mortality salience) lead to increased support of leaders an authority figures. Subjects were randomly placed in either a mortality salient condition or control condition. We also composed two speeches - one charismatic and one non-charismatic - and subjects were randomly assigned to hear one of the two. Based on elements of terror management theory, we hypothesized that in a time of crisis the charismatic speech would be …

Democracy In The Workplace : Leadership In Cooperative Business, Jordan Wade

Honors Theses

It is the intent of this thesis to explore alternatives to the current methods of corporate governance and to examine business models that apply democratic ideals in the economic sector. Specifically I address one normative and three empirical questions. First, why should democratic principles and ideals be a part of the economic sector? After addressing this normative question by presenting several theoretical responses, I address three practical questions related to worker-participation: Is it possible for democratic and alternative businesses to function successfully in the capitalist market? What would a democratically organized firm look like to the common laborer? What type …

Fostering Leaders For Social Justice : Ally Identity Development And Efficacy, Allison M. Duval

Honors Theses

The goal of this thesis is to develop a conceptual understanding of ally identity and effective and sustainable ally behaviors in order to analyze ally development at the University of Richmond and synthesize brief recommendations for practical applications for cultivating allies. This first chapter on "Enduring Inequality and the Need for Allies" defines allies, explores privilege and constructions of difference in terms of race and gender, exposes the reality of current injustices, and demonstrates the need for allies as leaders of dominant social groups to work alongside leaders of non-dominant social groups in effecting broad social change. The second chapter …

The Effects Of Stereotype Activation On Women's Reactions To Leadership Situations, Or, How Reading Cosmo Might Prevent You From Becoming Ceo, Stefanie L. Simon

Honors Theses

The present experimental study investigated the effect of stereotype activation on women's responses to a leadership situation. Participants were exposed to either gender-stereotypic or gender-counterstereotypic magazine advertisements picturing women and then performed a leadership task involving two confederate s. Results supported the prediction that participants exposed to stereotypic advertisements would exhibit more negative reactions to the leadership situation than those exposed to counterstereotypic advertisements such that they reported lower perceived performance, self-esteem, and well-being. Sex-role orientation moderated this effect such that' advertisements had a stronger effect on feminine-oriented participants' domain identification, intent to lead in the future, and experienced cognitive …

The War On Inequality : Subtleties In The Perceptions Of Women Leaders, Adrienne Supino

Honors Theses

We studied whether the incongruity between the female gender role and stereotypically masculine leadership roles can lead people, particularly men and sex-typed individuals, to negatively perceive women in this type of leadership role. A study was designed to investigate whether the gender of a potential appointee to the historically masculine leadership role of Secretary of Defense, in either a time of peace or terror, affected people's perceptions of this person. Fifty-three participants read one of four articles containing biographical information about either a male or female candidate for the post, in either a peace context or a terror context. We …

Deficit Reduction In The U.S. Senate : The Search For Moral Leadership In The Budget Process, David Kendall Roberts

Honors Theses

Contemporary deficit reduction and fiscal responsibility are central to the economic wellbeing of future generations as well as their ability to freely decide their own policy priorities. Many scholarly publications and popular commentary on budget policy describe the obstacles to deficit reduction and political leaders' unwillingness to address the nation's long-term fiscal problems. However, current discussions of budget deficits and the national debt have not been informed by a comprehensive empirical analysis of attempts to reduce the deficit. This thesis examines all deficit-affecting floor amendments to budget legislation from 1975 to 2005 in order to assess whether the bleak account …

The Rise And Fall Of America's Education President : George W. Bush's Political Leadership And The Passage Of The No Child Left Behind Act, Ethan L. Mcwilliams

Honors Theses

On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush proudly signed the "No Child Left Behind Act," thus ensuring that H.R. 1 became Public Law 107-110. During the signing ceremony, the President triumphantly proclaimed that, "as of this hour, America's schools will be on a new path of reform, and a new path of results."1 The legislation, which totaled more than six hundred pages, was intended to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and expand its aim according to four central principles: accountability for results; state and local flexibility; focusing resources on successful methods; and expanding choice? Although substantively notable …

How Should Physicians Be Motivated To Fulfill Social Obligations?, Jackie Knupp

Honors Theses

Health is instrumental to the ability of individuals to fulfill their potential. The societal systems designed to nurture health are thereby particularly important both for the flourishing of the individual and that of society, for a society flourishes to the extent that each of its individual members flourishes. The medical professionals who strive to preserve good health in their communities through these systems are integral to the maintenance of a thriving society. They are the individuals most directly responsible for the quality of health care available to community members. It is their medical prowess and critical thinking skills that determine …

The Effects Of Single-Sex Student Leadership Positions On Leadership Style Used, Perceptions Of Effective Leadership, Self-Efficacy, Domain Identification, Intent To Lead In The Future, And Perceptions And Evaluations Of Leaders, Alyson Emrick

Honors Theses

Included in this paper are two studies, a survey study, and a vignette study. The survey research, Study 1, examined the effects of single-sex student leadership positions on leadership style used, perceptions of effective leadership, leadership self-efficacy, domain identification, and intent to lead in the future. It compared a group of male and female leaders of single-sex organizations, a group of men and women holding leadership positions in coeducational groups, and a group of male and female non-leaders. Male and female leaders reported using different leadership styles; men reported higher levels of the autocratic-task style while women reported higher levels …

The Impact Of Gender-Linked Tasks On Female And Male Leaders, Ashley Pyle

Honors Theses

Because gender inequalities still exist, research is needed to better understand the differences in leadership perceptions and preference between genders. This research examines the role of gender, sex role orientation, and gender-linked tasks in shaping leadership efficacy, perceived preference, and leadership persistence. It was predicted that men and women will have higher levels of leadership efficacy, perceive themselves as better leaders, have a stronger desire to attain leadership roles in the future and be more likely to persist in the leadership role for the gender congruent task than the gender incongruent task. I also predicted that sex role orientation will …

Political Differentiation In Consumer Preferences For Underdog Businesses : Does Everybody Love A Winner?, Kelly O'Connor

Honors Theses

In an exploratory study of the intersection between the worlds of social behavior and personal economics, this experiment will examine the links between political ideology and consumer preference for an ''underdog" business. The stereotypical image of the Mom and Pop comer store is romantic, but when we juxtapose this sentiment with the convenience and predictability of shopping at a giant retailer, it is unclear which store consumers will prefer, and why. This study tested the hypothesis that individuals with more liberal political orientations will be more likely to exhibit a preference for underdog businesses than individuals with conservative political leanings, …

The Politics Of Judicial Restraint : The Rehnquist Court And The New Federalism, Sarah J. Vinson

Honors Theses

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and the Supreme Court under his leadership have been charged, respectively, with leading and enacting a federalism revolution. From the beginning, Rehnquist, first as an associate justice and later as Chief Justice, has displayed a commitment to notions of constitutionalism, originalism, and federalism. In the years before Rehnquist joined the Supreme Court, the idea of federalism, what Felix Frankfurter described as "the happy relation of States to Nation," certainly underwent numerous transformations, altering it from what was originally intended into a doctrine far friendlier to the expansion of national power at the expense of the …

"I Respectfully Dissent" : Intellectual Leadership In The Nation's Highest Court, Alison M. Smith

Honors Theses

The right of an individual to dissent from the ideas of his or her peers, or even his or her government, has been one of the defining characteristics of American civil society. The United States itself was founded as a result of American colonists' dissenting from the British government, and our Constitution established a governmental system that would not only accommodate, but encourage a process of deliberative democracy in which the views of both the many and the few would be taken into account and considered thoroughly. A system of internal checks and balances between the legislative, judicial and executive …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind? : American Citizens And The Genocide In Rwanda, Colette T. Connor

Honors Theses

As citizens of the most powerful country in today's global world, Americans can no longer make the excuse, "out of sight, out of mind." Ten years ago Americans betrayed Rwandans. Their betrayal was mild yet widespread, but had repercussions of tremendous human cost. Each individual American most likely did not feel responsible for the genocide, but the collective outcome of their bystander behavior contributed to the world's inaction. This sad truth can serve as an inspiration: this does not have to happen next time, as American citizens have the agency to influence U.S. foreign policy decisions.

Valuing Servants Ends : A New Theory Of Ethical Service, Patricia Grace Devlin

Honors Theses

Many of today's universities encourage students to develop an ethic of service. Administrators, faculty, and staff members accompany students in campus-wide service activities; a number of collegiate honor societies reward students who engage in community service; and some academic programs require students to volunteer with local non-profit organizations. At its best, service learning inspires students to make a general commitment to service. The current emphasis placed on service learning in today's educational system reveals an emerging academic perspective not only on the value service has as an educational device but also on the significant role service plays in society. For …

Women Leaders Combining A Career In Higher Education With Raising A Family : A Study Of Leadership, Anne Simmons Williamson

Honors Theses

Much of the research within the field of Leadership Studies focuses on whether men and women lead differently and whether women can break "the glass ceiling." This study will examine women leaders in higher education administration who have children and have already broken the glass ceiling, focusing on their work-life challenges and analyzing the structural and attitudinal issues in their organization and society that impact their leadership.

Virginia Schein (1995) identified the larger challenge for society by asking,

How can we restructure work in a society in which work and family no longer are separate, but interface?...It is when this …

From Being To Doing : The Impact Of Modernization On Cultural Values, Cultural Conceptions Of Time, And Effective Leadership, Ryan S. Babiuch

Honors Theses

The foundational constructs of modernization and time conceptions are interdependent. First, I will illustrate and argue that an important relationship exists between modernization, cultural values shifts, and societal conceptions of time. In basic terms, the process of modernization and the motivations for development stimulate shifts in both cultural values and societal understandings·oftime. Second, expounding upon the relationship between modernization, cultural values, and societal conceptions of time, this project will create two different types of interpersonal cultural ethics: an "ethic of being" and an "ethic of doing." The implications of the differences between these two cultural ethics will be explored.

Foremost …

The Ethics Of Service : A New Approach To Service Learning, Jonathan C. Zur

Honors Theses

The new model of service presented in this paper gives a framework for considering the possibilities for ethically grounded service. It does not solve al I of the problems with competing interests or tradeoffs in wellbeing, but is a solid foundation upon which many important discussions can be based. By examining the continuum of self-interest, the discussion of intent, preparedness, and outcome, and consideration for mandatory service, the paper has offered a comprehensive assessment of the ethics of service. The four parties - the volunteer, the client, the university, and the service site - have particular responsibilities to their own …

A Blueprint For Environmental Sustainability Along The James River, Trevor S. Macdougall

Honors Theses

The paper is the result of a research project conducted through the University of Richmond, the desired end of which is to produce a Blueprint for Environmental Sustainability Along the James River, a document that provides guidelines for managing the urban riverfront in a sustainable fashion.

The first chapter is designed to outline the layout of this report. The subsequent literature review is divided into four chapters: The Ecological Model, An Overview of Sustainability, Sustainable Practices in Other Cities, and Richmond Development: Past and Present. The first pair of these chapters provide a general assessment of two important environmental paradigms, …

Trusting Organizations : Organizational Structure, Trust, And The Implications For Leaders, Jeremiah Robert Winters

Honors Theses

The religious context blurs vision and judgment when looking at issues related to matters that can be construed as theological matters. Religious issues are anchored deep inside individuals and the slightest challenge or questioning of an individuals beliefs brings about defensiveness. Long standing traditions are extremely difficult to change much less do way with. The structure of the two organizations clearly has an impact on the type and style of leadership practiced.

The Presbyterian Church structure, the denominational structure that places the power in the hands of the people was a direct response to the abuses found in the Catholic …

Leading A 'Torn Country' : Turkey's Ideological And Civilized Divide, Joshua Walker

Honors Theses

Turkey, since 1923, has proven to be a valuable case study in ideological and religious tensions and national identity crisis; however, with a newly elected government, Turkey appears ready to write a new chapter in its history. The complexity of the issues that exist within a modern state along with the diversity of traditional cultures and rich history of Turkey do not allow for a singular civilizational inclusion as Huntington advocates, nor a single ideological path to follow. The Kemalist heritage of this young country has presupposed the necessity for adopting modernity as defined by the West. but the tension …