Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Retrospective Look At A Sample Of Juvenile Sex Offenders From Two Level Six Residential Treatment Centers In Utah: 1998-2007, Miriam Elizabeth Gunn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The study and treatment of juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) has been steadily growing since its separation from the adult sex offender category in the early 1980s. Although many studies concern themselves with one specific research variable, this study looked at the presence of twelve characteristics historically associated with JSOs: sexual abuse, early exposure to sexuality, conduct disorder problems, exposure to crime in the family of origin, personal substance abuse, family substance abuse, school performance difficulties, school behavior problems, mental health difficulties, social skills deficits, changes in family structure, and nonsexual forms of abuse. This was an effort to see if …

Preference, Resistance To Change, And Qualitatively Different Reinforcers, Christopher Aaron Podlesnik

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Preference for one stimulus context over another and resistance to disruption within those contexts are a function of the conditions of reinforcement arranged within those contexts. According to behavioral momentum theory, these measures are converging expressions of the concept of response strength. Most studies have found that preference in concurrent chains and resistance to change are greater in contexts presenting higher rates or larger magnitudes of reinforcement. The present series of experiments attempted to extend behavioral momentum theory by examining whether differences in reinforcer type affect relative response strength with rats lever pressing for different types of food. In Experiment …

Sex Differences In The Use And Evaluated Helpfulness Of Premarital Advice, Neal J. Sullivan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to explore sex differences in the use and evaluated helpfulness of advice received before marriage. In addition, this study explored who typically gave premarital advice. Advice is considered by some to be a form of social support which can be helpful or hurtful to the marriage relationship. The sex of the advice-giver and advice-receiver as well as the relationship quality between them was explored in order to highlight how these variables affect advice use and helpfulness. Utilizing a questionnaire and interviews with individual newlywed husbands (n = 56) and wives (n = …

Measuring Unawareness Of Cognitive Decline In A Population Of Elderly Individuals: The Cache County Study, Trevor Buckley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The metacognitive skills of elderly individuals were examined using a brief, seven-item questionnaire. The construct validity of the questionnaire was examined using two forms of external criteria, the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MS), and informant reports of functional ability. Analysis of Cronbach’s alpha coefficients suggested moderate levels of internal consistency for the questionnaire (alpha = .75). Factor analysis (principal components) revealed two factors, one functional and one cognitive. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that the metacognition questionnaire did not significantly predict 3MS change over a 3-year interval. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the metacognition questionnaire significantly predicted informant ratings. The metacognition …

Self-Rated Health And Community/Social Relations, Rachel Kingsford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was done to examine the relationship between self-rated health and social/community relations. Due to advances in modern medicine, multifactorial diseases are more prevalent than acute infectious diseases and a greater understanding of the impact sociological variables has on health is of great importance. In prior research, self-rated health has been demonstrated to be a robust predictor of mortality, even when controlling for other variables known to impact health. Presence of a strong social network and attachments to community have been shown to be protective of self-perceptions of health.

The Health and Living study was conducted in the Bear …

Premarital Preparation Activities And The Level Of Complaints And Perceptual Accuracy In Marriage, Suzette Dalaine Regis Todd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examined the influence that premarital preparation had on the level of complaints in marriages and the amount of perceptual accuracy that couples had in their marriage. The data for this thesis were taken from Wave I and Wave II of the Utah Governor’s Commission on Marriage study on newlyweds. The research examined four questions: (1) Do husbands and wives who have reported higher helpfulness of premarital preparation activities have fewer strong complaints in their marriage? (2) Do husbands and wives who have reported the helpfulness of premarital preparation activities have greater perceptual accuracy in their marriages? (3) Which …

Marital Satisfaction And Parental Stress, Jill Hess

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the correlations between marital satisfaction (MS) and parental stress (PS). The Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS) was used to measure marital satisfaction. Parental stress was measured at the same time through the use of the Parent Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF). Twenty-seven traditionally married couples were recruited through the CCAMPIS Grant at Utah State University. Minimum criteria were that at least one of the couple needed to be eligible for Pell grants, registered full time at Utah State University, and have at least one child. This study found that MS and PS correlate in many ways, most significantly …

Application Of Quantitative Models Of Choice To Alcohol-Maintained Behavior, Corina Jimenez-Gomez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Choice procedures and quantitative models of choice behavior have been used to assess the reinforcing efficacy of drugs. Few studies, however, have used quantitative models of choice for the study of behavior maintained by alcohol. In addition, no studies have assessed the usefulness of quantitative models of concurrent-chains performance for the study of drug-associated cues. The purpose of the present series of experiments was to test the generality of the matching law with alcohol as a reinforcer and extend the use of quantitative models of concurrent-chains performance to behavior maintained by alcohol and alcohol-associated cues. In the first experiment (Chapter …

An Assessment Of Housing Affordability In Cache County, Utah, Melanie Jewkes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Multiple housing affordability indexes are used to measure and assess housing affordability. Each index has its own definition of affordability, causing varying viewpoints on what is to be considered affordable or unaffordable. Four indexes were used in this study: two from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), one from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), and the last from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The indexes were applied to Census data to assess the housing affordability situation of both homeowners and renters in the census tracts of Cache County, Utah. The measures together show distinct differences in …

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Knowledge And Practices: A Survey Of Pediatricians And Family Practice Physicians, Kara L. Spielmans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder often treated by pediatricians or family practice physicians. ADHD knowledge held by treating physicians may be an important predictor in patient outcomes. This study examined ADHD knowledge and common assessment and treatment practices of pediatricians and family practice physicians via a national survey sent to members of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Mailings included the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale--Revised (KADDS-R) and a demographic/practice questionnaire. Although both physician types reported utilizing assessment and treatment methods consistent with current ADHD practice guidelines, findings suggested that …

Marginalia No. 24, Merrill-Cazier Library

Marginalia

Issue Number 24: Spring 2008

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY NAMES NEW DEAN OF LIBRARIES-Richard Clement has accepted job.

2008 COMMON LITERATURE EXPERIENCE SELECTION: “A LONG WAY GONE”-By Randy Williams & Noelle Call

EXHIBITION AT MERRILL-CAZIER LIBRARY: TWELVE VISUAL ARTISTS ENGAGE WITH THE WORK OF TWELVE POETS. [Rose Milovich]

GOT FINES? GIVE FOOD! A LIBRARY AMNESTY FUND-RAISER IS A SUCCESS. Reported by Vicki Read, head of Circulation.

GUEST SPEAKER: LEVI PETERSON, SPRING FRIENDS LECTURE MARCH 27TH- by Brad Cole.

THE LIBRARY WISHES TO THANK- Gail and Ned Weinshenker; Robert Malko; Allan and Kaye Steed; Jane Kennedy; Maren Jeppson.

NORTHERN UTAH SPEAKS AGAIN-Randy …

The Beat Poetry And Little Magazine Collections Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University, Denis Brunke, Bradford R. Cole

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Handout from the 2008 MPLA/ULA Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah presentation on Beat Poetry and Little Magazine Collections at Utah State University. The handout provides valuable overall information and details of the collection at Utah State University.

The Fierce Tribe, Mickey Weems

All USU Press Publications

In this ethnography that documents the folk nature of popular culture, Mickey Weems applies interdisciplinary interpretation to a subject that demands such a breakdown of intellectual boundaries. The Circuit, an expression of gay culture, comprises large dance events—gatherings, celebrations, communions, festivals. Music and dance drive complex, shared performances—electronic house music played by professional DJs and mass ecstatic dancing that engenders communitas. Other performances, from drag queens and concerts to contests, theatrics, and the individual display of muscular bodies are part of the festivities.

Body sculpting through muscle building is strongly associated with the Circuit, and masculine aggression is both displayed …

The Folklore Muse, Frank De Caro

All USU Press Publications

Folklore—the inherently creative expression, transmission, and performance of cultural traditions—has always provided a deep well of material for writers, musicians, and artists of all sorts. Folklorists usually employ descriptive and analytical prose, but they, like scholars in other social sciences, have increasingly sought new, creative and reflexive modes of discourse. Many folklorists are also creative writers, some well known as such, and the folk traditions they research often provide shape and substance to their work. This collection of creative writing grounded in folklore and its study brings together some of the best examples of such writing.

Contributors to this collection …

Vital Business Educators Perceptions About The Usefulness Of Business Education Periodicals, James C. Scott, Carol Blaszczynski, Diana J. Green, Britt A. Fagerheim

Britt Fagerheim

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Information Architecture In Designing A Third-Generation Library Website, Jennifer Duncan, Wendy Holliday

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

Library web sites have evolved over the past decade, from simple pages with a few links to complex sites that provide direct access to hundreds of different resources. In many cases, this evolution occurs with little overall planning, often resulting in web sites that are hard to manage and difficult for users to navigate. This article outlines the process of using Information Architecture (IA) to re-design a third-generation library web site from the ground up. The result was a much more usable and cohesive library web site that meets the needs of a broad range of users.

Working From Afar: A New Trend For Librarianship, Jennifer Duncan

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

Telecommuting, which once seemed impractical for librarians, is swiftly becoming a viable option for employees in both technical services and public services. Societal changes such as increased commuting time, rising numbers of dual working-parents, and an explosion of technology that facilitates remote work have fueled both the desirability and the feasibility of alternative work arrangements. Traditionally, librarians have been tethered to a facility either because their public service role demands face-to-face interaction or because they work with materials housed in the building. As collection formats and service mechanisms change, however, librarians may be poised to take advantage of more flexible …

Just Add Water: Reclamation Projects And Development Fantasies In The Upper Basin Of The Colorado River, Stephen C. Strugeon

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

The history of the development of the American West is full of countless examples of promoters seeking to encourage outside investors to buy land, invest in mines, and build railroads. The history of water projects in the region is no different. Residents of communities such as Grand Junction, Colorado, recognized early on the two-fold dilemma that they faced: irrigation and reclamation projects would be critical to the economic growth of the area, and the funding for these projects would have to be obtained from sources outside the region. The promoters of such projects relied upon booster literature in order to …

Epistemological Pluralism: Reorganizing Interdisciplinary Research, Thaddeus R. Miller, Timothy D. Baird, Caitlin M. Littlefield, Gary Kofinas, F. Stuart Chapin, Iii, Charles L. Redman

All UNF Research

Despite progress in interdisciplinary research, difficulties remain. In this paper, we argue that scholars, educators, and practitioners need to critically rethink the ways in which interdisciplinary research and training are conducted. We present epistemological pluralism as an approach for conducting innovative, collaborative research and study. Epistemological pluralism recognizes that, in any given research context, there may be several valuable ways of knowing, and that accommodating this plurality can lead to more successful integrated study. This approach is particularly useful in the study and management of social–ecological systems. Through resilience theory's adaptive cycle, we demonstrate how a focus on epistemological pluralism …

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration And Learning, Deana D. Pennington

All UNF Research

Complex environmental problem solving depends on cross-disciplinary collaboration among scientists. Collaborative research must be preceded by an exploratory phase of collective thinking that creates shared conceptual frameworks. Collective thinking, in a cross-disciplinary setting, depends on the facility with which collaborators are able to learn and understand each others’ perspectives. This paper applies three perspectives on learning to the problem of enabling cross-disciplinary collaboration: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, constructivism, and organizational learning. Application of learning frameworks to collaboration provides insights regarding receptive environments for collaboration, and processes that facilitate cross-disciplinary interactions. These environments and interactions need time to develop and require …

Accurate Mental Maps As An Aspect Of Local Ecological Knowledge (Lek): A Case Study From Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland, John Mckenna, Rory J. Quinn, Daniel J. Donnelly, J. Andrew G. Cooper

All UNF Research

A mental map of the substrate of Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland, compiled from interviews with local fishermen, is compared with maps produced by science-based techniques. The comparison reveals that the mental map is highly accurate. This finding contrasts with the spatial distortion characteristic of the classic mental map. The accuracy of the Lough Neagh map is attributed to the fact that it is a compendium of the knowledge of several generations, rather than an individual perception. Individual distortions are filtered out, and accuracy is promoted by economic self-interest. High accuracy may be characteristic of the mental maps held by artisanal …

Interactive Landuse Planning In Indonesian Rain-Forest Landscapes: Reconnecting Plans To Practice, Eva Wollenberg, Bruce Campbell, Edmond Dounias, Petrus Gunarso, Moira Moeliono, Douglas Sheil

All UNF Research

Indonesia’s 1999–2004 decentralization reforms created opportunities for land-use planning that reflected local conditions and local people’s needs. We report on seven years of work in the District of Malinau in Indonesian Borneo that attempted to reconnect government land-use plans to local people’s values, priorities, and practices. Four principles are proposed to support more interactive planning between government and local land users: Support local groups to make their local knowledge, experience, and aspirations more visible in formal land-use planning and decision making; create channels of communication, feedback, and transparency to support the adaptive capacities and accountability of district leadership and institutions; …

Communication Management And Trust: Their Role In Building Resilience To “Surprises” Such As Natural Disasters, Pandemic Flu, And Terrorism, P. H. Longstaff, Sung-Un Yang

All UNF Research

In times of public danger such as natural disasters and health emergencies, a country’s communication systems will be some of its most important assets because access to information will make individuals and groups more resilient. Communication by those charged with dealing with the situation is often critical. We analyzed reports from a wide variety of crisis incidents and found a direct correlation between trust and an organization’s preparedness and internal coordination of crisis communication and the effectiveness of its leadership. Thus, trust is one of the most important variables in effective communication management in times of “surprise.”

The Growing Importance Of Social Learning In Water Resources Management And Sustainability Science, Claudia Pahl-Wostl, Erik Mostert, David Tàbara

All UNF Research

The perceptions of what is required for sustainable water resources management and sustainability science in general have undergone major changes over the past decade. Initially, water resources management followed an instrumental “prediction and control” approach, dominated by technical end-of-pipe solutions. Pollution control, for example, relied primarily on waste water treatment instead of source control, and flood management was based on dykes and reservoirs rather than non-structural measures such as land-use zoning. This approach has yielded important results, but it came at a price. In many places, the natural dynamics of the river environment have been destroyed. Moreover, this approach no …

Managing Waters Of The Paraíba Do Sul River Basin, Brazil: A Case Study In Institutional Change And Social Learning, Lori M. Kumler, Maria Carmen Lemos

All UNF Research

This article examines the implementation of integrated water-management institutions in the Paraíba do Sul River basin in southeast Brazil. It argues that social learning has been critical in facilitating reform implementation so far, and will likely continue to be an important factor for the future sustainability of the new management system. There has been a synergistic relationship between social learning and Brazil’s water-reform hybrid governance institutions, in which social learning facilitated the implementation of the reform’s new institutions, which in turn enabled further learning in the context of the river basin committee’s decision-making process. Through interviews, surveys, and observations, we …

Psy 7670 - Literature Reviews, Spring 2008, Karl White, M. Harrison Fitt, Tom Caswell

Psychology - OCW

This course is designed to help students in doctoral programs write a literature review that is appropriate for a dissertation or thesis proposal. The course will emphasize skills for writing the Problem Statement and conducting and writing the Review of Literature. Even though the Procedures section is an important part of the dissertation proposal, it will not be dealt with extensively in this class. Other courses which deal specifically with the appropriate design, analysis, and interpretation issues which the student will use for his or her research should be taken prior to this course. Substantial time will be devoted to …

Breaking Forms: The Shift To Performance In Late Twentieth-Century Irish Drama, Christie L. Fox

English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Vital Business Educators Perceptions About The Usefulness Of Business Education Periodicals, James C. Scott, Carol Blaszczynski, Diana J. Green, Britt A. Fagerheim

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

Problem: The business education literature isn’t accessible.

Research Questions: Which business education periodicals do vital business educators perceive to be more useful? In which databases and/or indices are they found? How much literature is fugitive? What strategies might increase literature accessibility?

Research Method: Delphi technique.

Data Collection Procedures:A survey was distributed to 25 vital business educators.

Results: The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal and the NABTE Review were rated as essential to the profession; nine periodicals were rated as very useful; and six periodicals were rated as useful. Eleven databases and indices were identified as potentially useful.

Conclusions: Approximately 37% of …

An Examination Of Self-Reported Parenting Practices Among First-Generation Spanish-Speaking Latino Families: A Spanish Version Of The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, Melissa R. Donovick, Melanie M. Domenech-Rodriguez

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined the applicability of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire to a Spanish-speaking Latino population. Results of the reliability and concurrent validity testing suggest that the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire may be a valuable tool for use with Spanish-speaking Latino families. The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire in Spanish assessed parenting practices among 50 first-generation Spanish-speaking Latino families of primarily Mexican origin with a child between 4 and 9 years of age (n = 96 parents, n = 50 children). Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires in Spanish to assess parent and child behaviors. Results show that over 80% of parents included …

Incremental And Average Control Costs In A Model Of Water Quality Trading With Discrete Abatement Units, Arthur J. Caplan

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

This paper answers three questions related to the discrete nature of pollution abatement: (i) does a source's incremental control cost (as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) necessarily exceed its average control cost, (ii) is incremental control cost a better approximation of a source's willingness to pay for abatement credits than average control cost, and (iii) exactly how does trading in discrete and continuous abatement markets differ? We find that the answer to the first two questions are both "no", suggesting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needs to refine its reliance on incremental control cost as the sole …