Sociology Commons^™

Cytotoxic T Cell Response To Influenza Vaccination In Older Adults, Caroline R. Letter

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Influenza infections result in activation of cellular and humoral immune responses, leading to stimulation of cytotoxic T cells (CTL) and helper T cells with subsequent viral clearance.

By using an assay of granzyme B activity, the in vivo cellular-mediated immune response of old adults was found to be significantly decreased in comparison to young adults. The effect of aging on the CTL response was further investigated via enzyme-linked immunospot technique. A significant increase in number of virus-specific T cells occurred in older adults after vaccination, although the magnitude of the CTL response decreased in comparison to young adults. These data …

Comparative Study Of Economic Adjustment And Housing Quality Of Migrants And Natives In The State Of Virginia, Bayram Unal

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This research has directed attention towards comparing and understanding the characteristics of both native and migrant populations and both recent and long-term migrant populations in the state of Virginia. The research question is: how does migrant population differ from native population? And how do recent migrants differ from long-term migrants in terms of their employment status, occupation, income, home ownership, quality of housing and amount of rent. This study utilizes data from the 5 percent sample of the U.S. 1990 Census. Cross tabulation and analysis of variance are used to compare migrant with native population and recent migrants with long-term …

Perceptions Of Childhood Relation With Parents Related To Current Functioning, Peter O. Lielbriedis

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the relationships between perceptions of childhood relationships with parents, certain current self-conscious emotions, current religious orientation, and current risk-taking behaviors. The study also sought to develop models that would predict risk-taking behavior based on the other variables.

At an eastern university, 174 students (79 males) completed the Test of Self-Conscious Affect, Religious Life Inventory, Clark-Parent Child Relations Questionnaire, and the Past Frequency scale of the Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Events Questionnaire. Of these, 30 students were solicited from on-campus, religious organizations.

The data did not show an inverse relationship between “positive parenting” and shame proneness or risk-taking …

Social Disorganization Theory The Effect Of Social And Economic Factors On Crime And Delinquency, Tonya G. Anderson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate which social and economic factors impact juvenile arrest rates and crime rates. In addition this study hopes to lend support to Shaw and McKay's (1942) theory of social disorganization. A large body of research exists on this topic. Scholars have analyzed and debated the validity and strength of the relationship between social disorganization indicators (unemployment, poverty, welfare dependency, single female-headed households, and changes in an areas population size) and increased delinquency and crime. This study will add to existing literature by providing a measure for juvenile crime that focuses on specific offenses. …

Television, Low Self-Control, And Deviance: Examining Basic Elements Of Gottfredson And Hirschi's General Theory Of Crime, Moises O. Mina Jr.

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

In a secondary analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), this study examines the basic concepts of Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime. A set of variables measured at ages 6-9 was used to operationally define the concepts of self-control, parenting, and deviance. The study tests for empirical associations between self-control, deviance, and parenting. Also, television viewing is introduced as a possible cause of low self-control. Age, race, and gender are included as statistical controls. Models of self-control and deviance were developed to analyze these relationships. Results found qualified support for the existence of significant …

An Exploratory Study Of The Correlates Of Drug Use Among Juveniles: Analysis Of Regional Variations In The United States, Denise D. Nation

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Research on substance use and abuse has increased exponentially over the past twenty-five years. However, research focusing on regional differences in drug use seems to be very limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the correlates of drug use among juveniles in the four major geographic regions of the United States: the Northeast, the North Central, the South and the West. Here, drug use is defined in terms of alcohol and marijuana use for the age group 12-19. Four research hypotheses are proposed. The 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse data was used to assess and analyze …

Computer Crime: Software Piracy Among College Students, Stephanie E. Stockdale

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

There is a limited amount of research covering the topic of computer software piracy. Few studies focus specifically on software piracy, while the vast majority looks at various forms of unauthorized access and computer hacking. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether students possess attitudes that are supportive of computer-software piracy. Here, attitude means the feeling one has about a certain topic. Operationally, attitude is defined as holding a favorable or unfavorable view of computer-software piracy. Eight research hypotheses are proposed. In order to explore the research question and test the hypotheses, a thirty-six-item questionnaire was administered to …

Gender Roles Presented In Children's Literature: A Random Selection And Analysis Of Non-Award Winning Books, Renae M. Poarch

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the gender role stereotyping that occurs in children's non-award winning literature. This vast selection of non-award winning books has been neglected by researchers when selecting a sample to study. Past research has concentrated on the Caldecott and Newbery Award Winning books, which are not the majority of those owned by public libraries, hence not the majority being read by young readers. The purpose of this study was not to provide a list of appropriate reading material for parents and educators to select from, but rather provide an awareness of the issues so …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Effects Of Multicultural Education On The Racial Attitudes Of Pre-K Through Grade 12 Students: A Comparison Of Curricular Intervention And Reinforcement Dimensions In Suburban And Urban Educational Settings, Ogochukwu Nkeiruka N. Okoye-Johnson

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This meta-analysis examined the effects of multicultural education on the racial attitudes of students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. Multicultural education, which evolved as a direct result of the push for ethnic studies in schools, was operationalized for this study as programs and curricula dealing with racial and cultural diversity.

The findings of thirty selected studies were synthesized in this meta-analysis to examine whether students exposed to multicultural education developed more positive racial attitudes than students who did not. This meta-analysis compared the effect sizes of two dimensions of multicultural education, curricular intervention and reinforcement, to see the relative effectiveness …

The Influence Of Extra-Legal Factors On The Sentencing Of Drug Offenders In A Determinant Sentencing State, Ramonsa D. White

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate how extralegal factors such as race, gender, and age influence judicial sentencing decisions. This research utilizes data collected by the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission for the fiscal years of July 1989 to July 1992. For the purpose o~ this study, only data specifically relating to drug convictions were analyzed.

Multivariate analyses were conducted to see if extralegal factors were significantly related to sentence length, whether or not offenders receive a prison sanction, and whether or not offenders receive the first time offender waiver. Analysis was done using both legal and extra-legal …

A Comparison Of Cognitive Development Between Whites And African Americans Based On William Perry's Scheme Of Intellectual And Ethical Development, Joan Johnson

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study compared cognitive complexity between student groups based on cultural background and academic class utilizing William Perry's (1970) cognitive theory of intellectual and ethical development. In addition, the study examined the influence of gender and socioeconomic status (SES) on cognitive development. The goal was to ascertain whether Perry's theory, developed from his research on a relatively homogeneous college student population without consideration of the impact of a culturally diverse environment, would be valid for culturally diverse students.

The research design employed to investigate cognitive development used a cross-sectional sample of entering freshmen and graduating seniors attending a predominantly White, …

Factors That Affect Recidivism Of Offenders On Electronic Monitoring In Norfolk, Virginia, Michael P. O'Toole

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate which factors impact offenders' recidivism on electronic monitoring. Research on electronic monitoring has mainly concentrated on individual program completion rates. A review of the available literature on electronic monitoring reveals few evaluative studies focusing on offender recidivism. No long term recidivism studies are available for electronic monitoring. The present research reviews 277 offenders five years after completing their electronic monitoring sentence in Norfolk, Virginia. The following factors as they may relate to offenders' recidivism, while on electronic monitoring are measured: current offense, prior conviction, offenders' age, sentence length, and employment history. Analyses …

The Effects Of School Uniforms On Student Behavior And Perceptions In An Urban Middle School, Jacqueline M. Mccarty

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Public opinion polls have consistently highlighted the prevalence of violence in America's schools. Specifically, school personnel have witnessed increased assault and theft related to the wearing of expensive clothing. Concomitantly, administrators have noted decreased attendance rates triggered by clothing issues. Given the gravity of these problems, school officials nationwide have enacted uniform policies in hopes of improving school safety and student behavior. However, current research establishing the effectiveness of these policies is largely anecdotal. The few studies utilizing empirical measures mainly highlight short-term outcomes and often fail to address student perceptions regarding clothing-related problems.

By contrast, this study investigated the …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Considering The Impact Of Educational Institutions And Teacher Perceptions, Cynthia S. Glass

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This research examines teacher perceptions about the nature of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ("ADHD") and the teaching strategies used to work with students who display ADHD behaviors. It also examines the relationship between classroom size and perception of incidence of ADHD within the classroom.

Results indicate that older and more experienced teachers are more flexible than younger, less experienced teachers in their teaching strategies when working with students who display ADHD behaviors. Teachers who received information about ADHD from their school administration utilized flexible methods more often than those who did not receive information. The proportion of students identified as …

Use Of Selected Mmpi-A Factors In The Prediction Of Clinical Outcomes In A Community-Based Treatment Program For Juvenile Sexual Offenders, Linda Marks Hunter

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study was designed to evaluate the use of MMPI-A factors to make predictions about clinical outcomes within a community-based treatment program for juvenile sexual offenders. Specifically, selected MMPI-A factors were used to predict client acceptance into the program and client compliance with program expectations over a 12-month period. Results showed that program acceptance was best predicted by the MMPI-A factor, “Immaturity.” No MMPI-A factors were found to be statistically significant in the prediction of program compliance. A high degree of collinearity was found between MMPI-A factors, raising questions about their discriminative utility. Results are discussed with regard to the …

The Effects Of Group Counseling On The Self-Esteem, Anxiety, And Behavior Of Children With Deployed Parents, Nancy Taylor Mitchum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a six-session group counseling intervention for children who had a parent experiencing military-induced deployment. Participants were 65 children (30 boys, 35 girls) of enlisted military personnel attending elementary schools near the Norfolk Naval Base. Elementary school counselors facilitated the counseling groups.

An experimental/control group pretest-posttest design was employed. Independent variables were the child's participation in the Children of Deployed Parents-Group/control group, child gender and age. Dependent variables were self-esteem, anxiety, and behavior as measured by the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), the Child …

A Study Of Community Satisfaction, Environmental Concern, And Attitudes Toward Development On Virginia's Eastern Shore, Tasha M. Brown

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study assesses community satisfaction, prodevelopment attitudes, environmental concern and intent to move on Virginia's Eastern Shore, an area that is experiencing population decline, high poverty levels, and competing interests of economic development and environmental concern. Poverty levels on the Eastern Shore differ substantially by race with 35 percent of Blacks compared to 12 percent of Whites living in poverty in 1990. Human capital theory suggests that rural residents, and rural minorities in particular, have lower incomes and more unemployment because they are not increasing their human capital through education and training. A review of previous research led to four …

Medicaid Fraud: Medical Students' And Physicians' Attitudes And Perceptions, Kristin M. Byars

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the attitudes and perceptions of medical students and physicians concerning Medicaid fraud. The primary tool was an anonymous survey distributed to both medical students and physicians in the Hampton Roads area. Previous research suggests that physicians would be more likely to view Medicaid fraud as less serious and less justifiable than medical students would. Since little research looks specifically at the attitudes and perceptions of medical students and physicians two theories, Differential Association and the Theory of Organizational Misconduct, were used because they best fit the research already out there. The analyses …

Transgenerational Attachment, Life Stress, And The Development Of Disruptive Behavior In Preschool Children, Mary Jane Call

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

While a great deal of research focuses on representations of attachment, behavioral disorders, and life stress separately, research integrating these concepts has just recently begun (DeKlyen, 1996). The current study focuses on the links between transgenerational attachment, life stress, maternal psychopathology, and the development of behavior problems in preschool boys. Participants included 52 mothers of preschool boys (Mean Age = 56 months) who attended private preschool (N = 23) or a Head Start Program (N = 29). Participants completed a battery of assessment instruments including the Attachment Style Inventory (ASI) (Sperling & Berman, 1991), the Q-Set (Waters & Deane, 1985), …

A Study Of The Knowledge And Attitudes Of Physicians Toward Victims Of Spouse Abuse, Ramani N. Garimella

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to measure the knowledge and attitudes of physicians toward victims of spouse abuse. All 150 practitioners in the specialities of emergency medicine, family medicine, obstetrics-gynecology and psychiatry, in a large area general hospital are included in the sampling frame; 76 responded (RR = 51%). Knowledge and attitudes were measured using the Physician Survey on Spouse Abuse. Rosenberg's Tripartite Model of Attitude formed the theoretical basis for this study. Participants were 72% male, 90% white, 88% currently married, with a mean age of 44 years (SD = 7.99). Mean years in practice was 14.61 (SD …

When Officers Get The "Blues": Factors That May Determine Which Officer Is More Inclined To Feel Job Stress, Olivia Poppy Nelson

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors may determine which officers may feel job stress. In today's law enforcement agencies stress is becoming an important topic to study. With the knowledge of what factors may determine stress in officers, stress can be reduced to avoid departmental loss. The data collection was conducted in 1998, during the Christmas season at a California law enforcement agency. This thesis looks at the impact of age, education, and job satisfaction on stress. It also looks at the relationship of age and education to job satisfaction. Multiple regression was run on all …

The Rape Victim's Response An Examination Of The Impact Of Situational Factors On Self-Protective Strategies Utilized By Sexual Assault Victims, Sharon K. Flax

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the impact of several factors on a victims' responses during sexual assault and/or rape. Specifically, the relationship between self-protective measures taken and the victims age, race, social economic status and the victim-offender relationship were examined. The study utilized the 1995 rape subset of the 1992-1995 redesigned National Crime Victimization Survey. The sample consisted of 350 female rape and/or sexual assault victims. Findings suggest that the victim-offender relationship significantly effects victims' self-protective strategies. Victims of intimate-perpetrated assaults utilize more passive-verbal self-protective tactics. Implications for law enforcement efforts and future research are discussed.

Factors That Affect African-American Enrollment In Urban Agricultural Degree Programs In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Thomas Earl Tracy

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine reasons why few African Americans are in leadership positions in the urban agriculture industry. The lack of leaders will probably continue because there is a dearth of African Americans enrolled in agriculture programs at colleges and universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Six research questions guided the study in its endeavor to determine perceptions about the urban agriculture industry. Data were collected through surveys and interviews. A background questionnaire, developed by the researcher collected data on age, academic interests, urban background, exposure to agriculture occupations, and factors that affected selection of college …

An Evaluation Of An Urban Community College Single Parent And Displaced Homemaker Program, Linda Myers Rice

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of an urban community college Single Parent and Displaced Homemaker program composed primarily of minority women, many of whom were receiving public assistance. The critical dimension of mattering (Schlossberg et al., 1989) formed the conceptual framework for the evaluation.

Program effectiveness, impacts, efficiency and participant needs were assessed. The primary methodology was survey research. A descriptive and a causal comparative study were conducted to determine if there were significant differences in the number of semesters completed and the number of credits taken by program participants when compared to students …

School-Based Juvenile Boot Camps: Evaluating Specialized Treatment And Rehabilitation (Star), Chad R. Trulson, Ruth Triplett

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Implemented in Montgomery County, Texas, STAR deviates from traditional boot camps in a variety of ways. The program is closely coupled with school jurisdictions, the juvenile court, and correctional authorities. In addition, the program is non-residential and serves status, misdemeanor, and felony juvenile offenders and mandates parental participation. STAR was initiated to address several goals: enable individuals to remain in school while reducing their disruptive behavior, use school expulsion as a last resort, improve the academic performance of participants, coordinate a joint effort between juvenile authorities and school jurisdictions, instill a sense of pride and discipline in participants, and reduce …

Anomie, Deviant Behavior, And The Olympics, Brian K. Payne, Bruce L. Berg

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Criminal and deviant behavior is known to occur in all places, settings, and times. The Olympics, both Summer and Winter, are not immune to deviant behavior. This paper focuses on the specific types of deviant and criminal acts arising out of the Olympic settings and the anomic factors that possibly lead to deviance in this particular arena. The way that athletes are conformists, innovators, ritualists, and retreatists is considered along with the way that norm confusion influences the Olympic event. Also considered is the role of norm saturation in confusing the way actors interpret appropriate behavior in this setting. Implications …

Validation Of The Risk And Needs Assessment Used In The Classification For Parole And Probation Of Virginia's Adult Criminal Offenders, George Michael Yacus

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

This study analyzes the effectiveness of risk-needs assessment used in the classification of probation and parole for adult criminal offenders in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The use of risk-needs classification instruments dramatically increased in the 1980's and 1990's, but some research has indicated that these instruments do not have universal applicability and must be validated to the population to which they are applied. The research selected a useable cohort (n = 13,011) of probationers/parolees in the Commonwealth of Virginia from the 20, 647 cases opened in 1994 and tracked them for three years, using Virginia Department of Corrections records, to …

Assessing Levels Of Cooperation Between Pace And Patrol Officers In The City Of Norfolk Virginia Police Department, Michael G. Goldsmith

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to evaluate two facets of the Norfolk Police Department's Police Assisted Community Enforcement, or PACE, program. While there has been much research on how community policing affects officer and citizen attitudes, there has been very little that focuses on organizational aspects of implementing this philosophy. This research uses a survey instrument to examine how Norfolk's structuring of their community policing program may have an impact on the way the officers involved cooperate with one another. Levels of cooperation and training are measured, as well as the effects that years on the department and education …

The Causes And Consequences Of Migration: The Case Of Chinese Women, Janet L. Warren

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to determine the causes and consequences of migration. Specifically, it focuses on Chinese women. Using 1988 survey data collected from Chinese respondents in Hubei, a province located in central China, questions about migration status, reasons for migration and contraceptive use were utilized. Analyses reveal that Chinese females migrate for non-economic reasons. This study also revealed that migrants want fewer children than non-migrants, migrants use contraceptives more than non-migrants, and migrants use different methods of contraception than non-migrants. This research also suggests that age, education, and parity makes a difference in the respondents' want for …

Understanding Juror Decisions: The Influence Of Other Jurors' Votes, Unanimous Versus Majority Decision Rule, And Juror Gender, La Donna Flanagan James

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Jury deliberations are secret and there is great curiosity, both among academics and the lay population, about what goes on inside the jury room. Prior research suggests that individuals are very susceptible to the social pressures of others and that this has important implications for decision-making among jury members. Research on jury decision-making also suggests the importance of the assigned decision rule and gender in jury deliberations and trial outcomes. This study used a fictional vignette clearly constructed to elicit a not guilty reaction. The impact of other jurors' votes, assigned decision rule (unanimous versus two-thirds majority), and juror gender …