Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Dispositional Approach To Job Satisfaction: Trait Or State?, Sharlyn K. Whingham

Student Work

Job satisfaction has been one of the most extensively researched areas of Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Although situational influences on job satisfaction have traditionally been the primary focus of research, staw and Ross (1985) asserted that job satisfaction may be determined as much by personal dispositions as situational factors. Specifically, they proposed that an individual's predisposition toward optimism or pessimism is a critical determinant of job satisfaction. However, subsequent empirical investigations purporting to test the influence of the trait-like predisposition of optimism/pessimism have employed measures of positive and negative affective states. This study attempted to disentangle the influence of temporary negative and …

Looking At Barbie: Social Comparison Processes And Body Esteem Among Women, Sally Elizabeth Ware

Student Work

In this thesis, three areas are described: the phenomenon of body dissatisfaction among apparently normal-sized women from a sociocultural perspective; social comparison theory, which is proposed to be the mechanism by which the phenomenon operates; and the results of an experiment designed not only to test the nature of the phenomenon itself, but also to test certain components of social comparison theory, such as selection of comparison targets and the role of derogation.

The study reports women’s responses to inescapable social comparison on the attribute of body size and shape with two groups of social comparison targets: photographs from popular …

A Mandate For Liberty: Requiring Education-Based Community Service, Benjamin R. Barber

Special Topics, General

The extraordinary rise in American interest in community service has inspired widespread participation by the nation's young in service programs. It has also provoked a profound and telling debate about the relationship of service to voluntarism on the one hand, and to civic education and citizenship on the other. Two complementary approaches to service have emerged that are mutually supportive but also in a certain tension with one another. The first aims at attracting young volunteers, particularly students, out of the classroom and into service projects as part of a strategy designed to strengthen altruism, philanthropy, individualism, and self-reliance. The …

Making A Case For Collaborative Problem Solving, Christopher T. Gates

Partnerships/Community

As the number and diversity of actors expecting to be part of any community decision increase, so must the process for making those decisions become more open and accessible. Bringing diverse/layers together- finding common ground, defining share interests - is a process of self-realization whereby all community members can discover that they have the talent and ideas necessary to improve community life for themselves and their neighbors.

Cpar Review Vol. 02, No. 04, Uno Center For Public Affairs Research

Publications

Businesses and individuals registered with CPAR's NEB-INDEX on-line computerized bulletin board and database service have access to the latest 1990 population figures prior to any public notification.

Psychophysiological And Personality Correlates Of Repression And Sensitization, John Patrick Kline

Student Work

This study assessed relationships among indices of modulation of stimulus intensity by the autonomic and central nervous systems, perceptual defense, and repressive coping. Subjects were twenty female and nine male paid volunteers between the ages of 19 and 38. Perceptual defense, defined as the difference in recognition thresholds for unpleasant versus pleasant words, was assessed with a tachistoscopic masking paradigm. Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were obtained in an augmentation reduction paradigm that evaluated cortical responses to discrete tones of varying intensity. Cardiac responses to these same tones were also obtained. Amplitude/intensity slopes were determined for P2 amplitudes obtained from the …

Touch Avoidance And Eating Disorders: A Relational Study, Christine L. North

Student Work

This relational study had therapists from an eating disorder program distribute a touch avoidance questionnaire to patients currently in treatment for an eating disorder. This study looked at touch avoidance among three groups: subjects with an eating disorder and non-sexual abuse background, subjects with an eating disorder and sexual abuse background, and a control group. The questionnaire consisted of the 20 question Same-Sex Touching Scale (SSTS) (Larsen & LeRoux, 1984) and the Touch Avoidance Measure (TAM) (Andersen & Leibowitz, 1978). T-tests revealed a significant value of -2.19 on the TAM between eating disorder and eating disorder/sexual abuse, a score of …

Communication Attitudes And Job Effectiveness Of Debt Collectors, Robert S. Embrey

Student Work

This study investigates the relationship between rhetorical sensitivity attitude sets (rhetorical sensitive (RS), noble self (NS), and rhetorical reflector (RR)), effectiveness and debt collectors. The questions to be answered are: (1) do debt collectors hold predominantly one attitudinal set more than another, and (2) does collector effectiveness correlate with any specific attitudinal set held. The measurement of attitudinal sets was accomplished using the RHETSEN instrument operationalized by Hart, Carlson, and Eadie in 1980. Collector effectiveness was determined by the collectors' manager or supervisor rating them from 1 through 7 on a semantic differential scale (1 labeled Poor and 7 labeled …

S.T.A.R.T. Exchange Vol. 02, No. 01, Uno Center For Public Affairs Research

Publications

Oxford "Goes Bananas" Over Economic Drought

Researching Student Community Service: An Opportunity To Promote Reflection?, Cecil D. Bradfield, R. Ann Myers

Service Learning, General

In recent years there has been a growing interest in student community service. It is suggested that the students of the 1980's and 90's are returning to an ethic of community service. Organizations have developed to promote service from both the student and the academic perspectives. The Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL) is a student movement promoting community service. Campus Compact represents the academic administration interest in promoting student community service with presidents of institutions forming the membership in the organization. A third organization, the National Society of Internships and Experiential Education (NSIEE), includes student community service as a form …

Involving Older Volunteers, In Public Schools, Kristen J. Amundson

Intergenerational

Each day, 5,000 Americans celebrate their sixty-fifth birthday. As this age group becomes larger, it will also become more powerful. As voters, seniors make up the most conscientious of the voting group in our society.

The Business Incubator: A Rural Economic Development Tool, Raymond A. Marquardt, Steven A. Schulz

Marketing and Management Faculty Publications

In the 1980s universities and economic development agencies encouraged the establishment of business incubators to bolster economic development. Business incubators are designed to cultivate the formation of new business ventures in an environment conducive to success.

Cpar Review Vol. 02, No. 03, Uno Center For Public Affairs Research

Publications

CPAR's current studies include projects from both the private and public sectors:

The Role Of Service-Learning In Today's College Curriculum, Dwight E. Giles

Higher Education

When I am given a topic or question to address I find that playing with the topic produces intellectual stimulation, helps to develop a clearer focus for my thoughts, and provides a respectable form of procrastination. This topic has been no exception in providing all three of the above; I'd like to begin by suggesting some ways we might play with the topic together over the next few minutes.

Community Service And Critical Thinking: An Exploratory Analysis Of Collegiate Influences, Eric L. Dey

Higher Education

Interest in encouraging undergraduates to become involved in community service has grown rapidly over the past several years. In addition to the formation of groups such as the Campus Compact, this interest can be seen in the curricula of numerous colleges which have instituted community services requirements for graduation. Interest in critical thinking has increased as well, with widespread agreement among educators that critical thinking should be an important, if not central, goal of education. Although critical thinking has long been valued by educators at all (Siegel, 1980), the importance placed upon the development of critical thinking has recently been …

Occasional Paper No. 091-1: Small Towns Lack Capacity For Successful Development Efforts, B. J. Reed, David F. Paulsen

Publications

Smalltown residents in Nebraska put a high premium on the need for economic development efforts, yet most think their towns' efforts fall short. Some towns, especially the smallest, don't even try to put together a development project. And those that do try often need help of a kind that State and Federal agencies do not offer. Nonetheless, Nebraska is trying some new programs that match State aid with a town's needs and willingness for self-help. Based on a survey of 135 small towns in Nebraska.

Cpar Review Vol. 02, No. 02, Uno Center For Public Affairs Research

Publications

Since the final 1990 Census counts have been released, The Nebraska State Data Center at UNO's Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) has averaged 20 to 25 requests for information each day, and usage has doubled on the NEB-INDEX electronic bulletin board.

"...Something Shining, Like Gold--But Better." The National Indian Youth Leadership Model: A Manual For Program Leaders, Mcclellan Hall

Tribal Nations Documents

A lot of people are talking about education these days, including President Bush,who recently launched his America 2000 plan here in St. Paul. It hasn't been like this for many years, certainly not during the 1980s when the issue of young people dropping out, pushed out, or bored out was almost invisible on the national agenda.For McClellan Hall, however, concern for how children learn-especially Indian children, has been a lifelong mission. As national interest focuses on education, it is essential that credible voices such as McClellan's, voices which neither claim nor seek a national limelight, be heard amid the current …

A Study Of The Impact Of Educational Reform On At-Risk Students In Texas, Texas Education Agency

School K-12

This report was prepared by the Texas Education Agency's Division of Program Evaluation in an effort to provide preliminary information about the impact of educational reform on at-risk students in Texas.

Using Law-Related Education As An Intervention With "High-Risk" Youth, Drake Buzzell

Special Topics, General

During these times of scarce resources, policymakers are increasingly devoting more attention to areas where they feel they can make the greatest impact. Many local and state policy discussions are focusing on the relationship of "high-risk" youth, crime, and drug abuse Policymakers as well as social service program directors are particularly interested in the factors contributing to the likelihood that a young person will abuse alcohol or other drugs, and engage in delinquent behavior. We have known for some time that there is a significant correlation between these two behaviors. What is perhaps ironic is that we are back to …

Preliminary Review Of Research In Service Learning, James Krug, Richard J. Kraft

Special Topics, General

The following cursory review is taken from the Literature Review on Service Learning conducted by Mr. James Krug (1991) at the University of Colorado. Mr. Krug's research has been on the effects of service learning on four groups of high school young people: at-risk youth in a special program, student assistants (primarily minority) within the school, nature guides, and tutors at a primary school. Preliminary results indicate that, while all the experimental groups gained on measures of potency, activity involvement in the community, self-concept and other factors, the statistically significant growth at the .01 and .05 levels was found almost …

Field Experience And Cooperative Education; Similarities And Differences, Joyce K. Fletcher

Service Learning, General

Of all of the benefits associated with experiential education, those related to student development are of the most interest to educators. Those of us who work with students do not need to be convinced of the positive impact work experience has on participants. Anecdotally we share with one another our success stories - stories of individual students who have grown, matured, gained self-confidence or a new sense of direction and purpose because of exposure to what we like to call the real world. Yet, we recognize that these outcomes are not guaranteed, and that in fact, not all students achieve …

Improving Broadcast Internships, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

Broadcasting internships have come under attack during the last two years since the release of the Roper Study on Electronic Media Career Preparation. Universities should not be surprised by the results, which indicate a need to strengthen basic broadcasting courses. Internships should be viewed as an extension of these courses, and as an important part of the broadcast curriculum. This article offers some suggestions to help both the university and the broadcast industry upgrade the internship programs.

National Youth Service: A Democratic Institution For The 21st Century, National Service Secretariat

Conference Proceedings

Proceedings from a conference to explore issues in moving toward a new institution for national youth service are presented in this booklet. Chapter 1 presents a historical overview of youth participation in the United States, focusing on trends in the labor market, schooling, incarceration, and social problems. The assertion is made that due to population and technological influences on labor supply and demand, schools no longer effectively socialize or control youth. Therefore, the development of alternative institutions, such as a diverse and voluntary national youth service,must be considered. Chapter 2 defines a national youth service as the manifestation of mutual …

Youth Policy Conference: A Summary, Ron Jenkins

Conference Proceedings

On January 25 and 26, 1991 in Eugene, Oregon, approximately 200 people attended an unprecedented state-wide training event.The purpose of the gathering was to discuss and debate the question: How best to promote/increase the participation of youth in Oregon's decision-making activities throughout Oregon.

By design, the conference was an accredited college course, offered by the University of Oregon for approximately 100 of its graduate/undergraduate students. Other attendees were adults and youth affiliated with a variety of Oregon's youth agencies.

Reflection: At The Heart Of Experiential Learning, Robert D. Shumer

Evaluation/Reflection

Life is nothing but a series bf experiences. Many experiences pass us by, quickly forgotten. Others make an impact, for some reason, and we remember them well. How we deal with our experiences measures how much we can learn from them: whether we think or reflect on what has happened determines if an experience will be lasting and rewarding or simply slip into oblivion.

The Volunteer Potential Of First-Time Entering Students: Interest Areas And Incentives, Victoria J. Balenger, William E. Sedlacek

Higher Education

First time entering students at a large, eastern university were given a survey assessing their interest In various campus volunteer opportunities. The relationship between incentives and volunteer interest was also studied. The findings suggested that, generally, students did not differentiate between "serving as a volunteer," "earning course credit as a volunteer," and "earning a monetary award as a volunteer." Overall, students were most interested in volunteering for the homecoming committee and the campus recruitment organization, and least interested in volunteering for the counseling center and the health center. Specific volunteer interests are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical …

Student Involvement In Community Service: Institutional Commitment And The Campus Compact, Alexander W. Astin

Higher Education

Although interest in involving students in community service has been growing rapidly among higher education institutions, there has so far been little systematic study of who the volunteers are and of which institutional practices actually encourage student participation in community service. The study reported here presents some provocative new findings concerning factors that contribute to student participation in, and institutional commitment to community service. The data on which the study is based were recently collected in connection with a large-scale national study of undergraduate education that we have been conducting with support from grants by the Exxon Education Foundation and …

Do Faculty Connect School To Work? Evidence From Community Colleges, Dominic J, Brewer, Maryann Jacobi Gray

Higher Education

Despite an emphasis in recent policy on connecting school to work, relatively little is known about how these connections are made and what they look like. In this article, we explore the relationship between community college faculty and their local labor markets.We use a unique national survey that provides the first systematic data from a large number of faculty on this issue, supplemented by case studies. We show that faculty engage in a range of relatively low-level connecting activities; stronger connections are rare. Faculty receive minimal institutional support for such efforts. There are several important barriers to improving linkages related …

The Next Literacy: Educating Young Americans For Work And Citizenship, David Fleming

Civic Engagement

The emerging global economy presents the American workforce with many challenges. As national economic borders disintegrate and U.S. manufacturing jobs disappear, more and more opportunities are opening up in "complex services" (insurance, engineering, law, finance, computer programming, advertising) and "person-to-person service" (re- . tail, education, health care). Many of these new jobs offer high-skill, high-wage work; unfortunately, the majority of American workers lack the education and training for them. What those workers·are left with are an increasing number of low-skill, low-wage, nonunion jobs. One feature of this economy, then, is a growing split between the few who are benefiting from …