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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Latino Family Involvement: An Exploratory Study Of Latina Mother-Daughter Relationships And Their Effects On Educational Attainment And Resiliency, Maria Ana Rodriguez Jan 2012

Latino Family Involvement: An Exploratory Study Of Latina Mother-Daughter Relationships And Their Effects On Educational Attainment And Resiliency, Maria Ana Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Latino family involvement is an important issue in the field of education. Effective strategies to promote family involvement in the Latino community are vital for the educational attainment of Latino students and emotional wellbeing of Latino families. This study used focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observations to examine Latino family involvement and the relationships and communication patterns between Latina mothers and daughters. The Latina mother-daughter relationship was studied in an effort to gain a better understanding of how this relationship affects a Latina daughter's educational attainment and sense of resiliency. Results indicated that a positive relationship between a Latina mother …


Capacity-Building Through English Language Training To Improve Long-Term Resettlement Success: A Case Study Of The Refugees Along The Thailand-Burma Border, Lorelle W. Yuen Jan 2012

Capacity-Building Through English Language Training To Improve Long-Term Resettlement Success: A Case Study Of The Refugees Along The Thailand-Burma Border, Lorelle W. Yuen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Achieving long-term resettlement success is a challenge for many refugees seeking to restart their lives after displacement and being uprooted from their lives. Refugees must deal with finding employment, integrating into a society immensely different from what they have known their whole lives, and starting over from scratch. Learning a new language enables refugees to progress towards integration and long-term resettlement success, however, resettled refugees face a multitude of barriers in the U.S. to accessing language classes and attaining English proficiency. This study seeks to bridge this problem by exploring the possibilities of implementing a standardized language training program in …


Withholding Political Authority: Civil Society And People's Power In Zimbabwe, A. Scott Dupree Jan 2012

Withholding Political Authority: Civil Society And People's Power In Zimbabwe, A. Scott Dupree

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The relationship of civil society to the state is rarely antagonistic and at most times supportive. The political regime and civil society are taken to be interdependent social structures that interact through hegemonic, supportive and socially constructed dimensions. Given this interdependency, when does civil society challenge authority or does its efforts rise to the level of a people's power revolution? When does it act to dismantle the political regime or seek to reconstruct it? This project attempts to shed light on how civil society mobilizes a people's power capable of challenging political authority through the story of its ongoing struggles …


Sub-Saharan Africa: Searching For A Social Contract, David D. Mayen Jan 2012

Sub-Saharan Africa: Searching For A Social Contract, David D. Mayen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the phenomenon of civil war and state failure in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from a social contract perspective. Its main hypothesis is that authoritarianism will lead to state failure in the context of SSA. In this regard, SSA states are political communities that have not done enough to promote and develop a social contract that is compatible with the region's sociopolitical and structural peculiarities. Since civil war and state failure have hampered different dimensions of human progress in SSA, analyzing the main patterns of conflict will inevitably lead to an underlying incompatibility between existing governing political structures and …


Aladdin's Magic Lamp: Developing Methods For Calibration And Geolocation Accuracy Assessment Of The Dmsp Ols, Benjamin Taylor Tuttle Jan 2012

Aladdin's Magic Lamp: Developing Methods For Calibration And Geolocation Accuracy Assessment Of The Dmsp Ols, Benjamin Taylor Tuttle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nighttime satellite imagery from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS) has a unique capability to observe nocturnal light emissions from sources including cities, wild fires, and gas flares. Data from the DMSP OLS is used in a wide range of studies including mapping urban areas, estimating informal economies, and estimating urban populations. Given the extensive and increasing list of applications a repeatable method for assessing geolocation accuracy, performing inter-calibration, and defining the minimum detectable brightness would be beneficial. An array of portable lights was designed and taken to multiple field sites known to have no other …


The Life Purpose Questionnaire: A Factor-Analytic Investigation, Stephanie Wood Campbell Jan 2012

The Life Purpose Questionnaire: A Factor-Analytic Investigation, Stephanie Wood Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Meaning in life has been a popular topic of philosophy and study, and the perceived presence of meaning in one's life has been associated with many positive psychological variables (e.g., life satisfaction), while the perceived absence of meaning has been associated with negative variables (e.g., depression). The Purpose in Life test (PIL) was developed in order to assess the amount of perceived meaning in a person's life. Despite good psychometric support, there have been questions about the structural validity of the measure (i.e., only one model has been replicated, consisting of two factors that reflect exciting life and purpose in …


15md158: Excavations And Lithic Analysis Of A Late Archaic/Early Woodland Lithic Workshop Site In Meade County, Kentucky., Lee Michael Creswell Jan 2012

15md158: Excavations And Lithic Analysis Of A Late Archaic/Early Woodland Lithic Workshop Site In Meade County, Kentucky., Lee Michael Creswell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes archaeological investigations carried out at 15Md158, a prehistoric lithic workshop site in Meade County, Kentucky. Although there has been a wide range of diagnostic projectile points as well as some late radiocarbon dates recovered from the site had been identified as a mostly Late Archaic special purpose site where mostly late-stage lithic reduction took place. The goals of this project were to develop a more secure chronology for the site, document a change in the use of the site in order to relate it to changes in mobility patterns of those who utilized the site, and document …


Distressed Sales And Housing Prices: A Metro And Regional Analysis, Katherine Westbrook Jan 2012

Distressed Sales And Housing Prices: A Metro And Regional Analysis, Katherine Westbrook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Housing literature has consistently found a statistically significant, inverse relationship between foreclosures and housing prices. Such research has been primarily focused on specific, local markets. This thesis expands on the literature, featuring housing and macro data for 127 metropolitan areas. This thesis constructs hypotheses on the relationships between distressed sales and foreclosures in order to structure potential relationships between distressed sales and housing prices. Using dynamic panel models and time series analysis, this thesis finds both inverse and positive relationships between distressed sales and house prices. Additionally, this thesis finds that changes in distressed sales are only predictive of future …


"...Bless Her Little Heart!": The Culture Of Honor And Emotion Recognition, Forrest J. Rackham Jan 2012

"...Bless Her Little Heart!": The Culture Of Honor And Emotion Recognition, Forrest J. Rackham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: Some researchers assert that cultural display rules may explain differences in perceiving emotions (Matsumoto, Yoo, & Chung, 2010). The current study examined the display rule of masking within the Southern culture of honor. It was hypothesized that masking within the culture of honor negatively affects emotion perception sensitivity, particularly in the speed and accuracy of recognizing anger. Southern undergraduate students were primed with the culture of honor and then presented with the Emotional Expression Multimorph Task. Participants chose one of the six emotions (i.e., sad, happy, surprise, fear, disgust, or anger). It was hypothesized participants in the masking …


The Influence Of Phenotypic Variation On Criminal Judgement, Jacque-Corey Cormier Jan 2012

The Influence Of Phenotypic Variation On Criminal Judgement, Jacque-Corey Cormier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of phenotypic variation on criminal judgment. This study had two phases. In the first phase, participants rated multiple headshot photographs on the degree to which African American men possess pronounced Afrocentric features (fuller lips, broader nose, curlier hair, darker skin, etc.). The race of the participants predicted 34.2% of the variance in average skin color ratings above all other variables. White participants rated the Black faces as darker than any other participants rated the same faces. Researchers used the faces rated least, average, and most prototypical of Blacks as the …


Bully/Victim Power Inventory: Measuring The Power Imbalance In The Bully/Victim Relationship, Marybeth Plonkey-Lehto Jan 2012

Bully/Victim Power Inventory: Measuring The Power Imbalance In The Bully/Victim Relationship, Marybeth Plonkey-Lehto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The empirical study of the power imbalance in the bully/victim relationship has impeded research synthesis, and the need for a quantitative measure of this key component has been well established in the literature. Lack of differentiation between victimization with and without power imbalance has been cited as a possible cause for imprecise measurement. Increased precision in bully victimization measurement is needed to accurately inform research investigating psychosocial health, treatment and positive outcomes, in addition to prevention and intervention programs. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was the initial development and validation of the Bully/Victim Power Inventory aimed at differentiating perceived …


Responses To Domestic Violence Public Service Ads: Memory, Attitudes, Affect, And Individual Differences, Courtney Elizabeth Welton-Mitchell Jan 2012

Responses To Domestic Violence Public Service Ads: Memory, Attitudes, Affect, And Individual Differences, Courtney Elizabeth Welton-Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public service ads (PSAs) are an increasingly visible part of efforts to decrease the occurrence and consequences of domestic violence. Like other advertising, domestic violence PSAs are designed to grab attention, influence attitudes, and enhance memory for ad content. Over the years, images in domestic violence PSAs have changed substantially; agencies have started using pictures that generate emotions - either vivid negative images (bruised faces or body parts), or positive images (smiling faces) that contrast with the negative text. It is not clear, however, how different types of ad images influence memory for the message and attitudes about domestic violence, …


Health Insurance Exchanges: A Panacea Or A Band-Aid?, Luisa Sanchez De Tagle Jan 2012

Health Insurance Exchanges: A Panacea Or A Band-Aid?, Luisa Sanchez De Tagle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2010, the 111th Congress passed the first national health care reform in the United States, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). This landmark legislation is intended to "fix" a health care system renowned for decreasing access and escalating costs. This paper examines one of the principal reforms in the ACA, the state health insurance exchanges. The author finds theoretical and empirical evidence to support the exchanges' potential (in conjunction with other relevant ACA reforms) to increase access, decrease insurers' excess profits and shift health care costs away from those least able to afford them. The exchanges fall …


Y'All Eat: Foodways, Performative Regional Identity, And The South In The Twenty-First Century, Kirsten Schofield Jan 2012

Y'All Eat: Foodways, Performative Regional Identity, And The South In The Twenty-First Century, Kirsten Schofield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

"Y'all Eat: Foodways, Performative Regional Identity, and the South in the Twenty-first Century" examines the ways in which iconic Southerners--Jim Beam and his ilk, Colonel Harland Sanders, and Paula Deen--create and sustain the hypercontemporary South. Because of their media exposure and place in the popular imagination, these characters force a specific kind of performance in both an intergroup and intragroup context. Close readings of individual appearances and selected portions of these characters' output help to shed light on how these identities are formed, upon what they rely for structure and support, and what this means for modern consumers around the …


Fighting Extremism: Strategies Used To Combat Extremism And Radicalization, Scott Michel Caldwell Jan 2012

Fighting Extremism: Strategies Used To Combat Extremism And Radicalization, Scott Michel Caldwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ever since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States has been awakened to the threat that extremist organizations pose to our national security. The greatest transnational terrorist threat to the United States right now comes primarily from extremist groups such as Al-Queda, Hamas, and Hezbollah. These extremist groups are fueled by the desire to influence political, religious, and/or ideological causes. The political "end-state" or objective of the extremist is to overthrow "heretic" governments which currently exist and replace them with Islamic governments based on the rule of the Shariah (the first book of the Quran which strongly …


An Examination Of The Relationship Between An Autism Label And Teachers' Attitudes, Expectations, And Behavioral Intentions, Corinn Nicole Johnson Jan 2012

An Examination Of The Relationship Between An Autism Label And Teachers' Attitudes, Expectations, And Behavioral Intentions, Corinn Nicole Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The number of children with autism receiving instruction in the regular education (inclusion) setting has been increasing. Instructional time in inclusion classrooms may offer benefits to children with disabilities; this appears to especially be the case when teachers utilize effective strategies. Prior studies indicate that teachers' attitudes towards children with disabilities are important in their willingness to use such strategies. Unfortunately, a number of findings indicate certain kinds of disabilities, as well as the use of diagnostic labels, may negatively influence teachers' attitudes and behavior toward inclusion. The current study examined the impact of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) label …


Assessing The Impact Of Economies Of Scale And Uncontrollable Factors On The Performance Of U.S. Cities., Mamoon Allaf Jan 2012

Assessing The Impact Of Economies Of Scale And Uncontrollable Factors On The Performance Of U.S. Cities., Mamoon Allaf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the increased interest among local governments in collecting data on performance measurement, empirical evidence is still limited regarding the extent to which these data are utilized to assess the impact on efficiency of economies of scale and uncontrollable factors. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a linear programming method designed to estimate the relative efficiency of decision-making units. In addition to assessing relative efficiency, DEA can estimate scale efficiency and incorporate the impact of uncontrollable factors. Using data from the International City/County Association (ICMA), this study utilized DEA to evaluate the impact of economies of scale and uncontrollable factors on …


Maya Use And Prevalence Of The Atlatl: Projectile Point Classification Function Analysis From Chichen Itza, Tikal, And Caracol, Andrew J. Ciofalo Jan 2012

Maya Use And Prevalence Of The Atlatl: Projectile Point Classification Function Analysis From Chichen Itza, Tikal, And Caracol, Andrew J. Ciofalo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multiple scholars have briefly discussed the Maya use of the atlatl. Yet, there has never been a decisive encompassing discussion of prevalence and use of the atlatl in the Maya region with multiple lines of support from iconographic and artifactual analyses. This thesis explores the atlatl at Chichén Itzá, Tikal, and Caracol Maya sites to prove that atlatl prevalence can be interpreted primarily based on projectile point “classification function” analysis with support from iconographic and artifactual remains. The classification functions are derived from creating mutually exclusive groups of dart points and arrow points by using discrete functional analysis. Discerning between …


The Foods And Crops Of The Muisca: A Dietary Reconstruction Of The Intermediate Chiefdoms Of Bogota (Bacata) And Tunja (Hunza), Colombia, Jorge Luis Garcia Jan 2012

The Foods And Crops Of The Muisca: A Dietary Reconstruction Of The Intermediate Chiefdoms Of Bogota (Bacata) And Tunja (Hunza), Colombia, Jorge Luis Garcia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Muisca people of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia had an exceptionally complex diet, which is the result of specific subsistence strategies, environmental advantages, and social restrictions. The distinct varieties of microclimates, caused by the sharp elevations in this part of the Andes, allows for a great biodiversity of plants and animals that was accessible to the native population. The crops of domesticated and adopted plants of the Muisca include a wide variety of tubers, cereals, fruits, and leaves that are described in detail in this thesis. The Muisca used an agricultural method known as microverticality where the different thermic …


Stable Isotopes And Multiple Tissue Analysis: Reconstructing Life Histories For Individuals From Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Noel Johns Jan 2012

Stable Isotopes And Multiple Tissue Analysis: Reconstructing Life Histories For Individuals From Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Noel Johns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stable isotope analysis is often used to evaluate elements of the lives of past peoples, such as diet and health status, at a societal level. Analysis at an individual level is exceptionally rare, and has not been conducted using a variety of tissues representing both early life and life approximate to death. In this study, δ 13C and δ15N isotope signatures are used to create life histories for single individuals from Romano-Christian period Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. Samples are obtained from several different tissues, including tooth dentin, bone collagen, hair, nail, skin, and gut content, all …


Turtle Cam: Live Multimedia Interaction For Engaging Potential Visitor Population To Canaveral National Seashore, Brian Alfred Tortorelli Jan 2012

Turtle Cam: Live Multimedia Interaction For Engaging Potential Visitor Population To Canaveral National Seashore, Brian Alfred Tortorelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project expands the outreach of the Canaveral National Seashore to its visitors, potential visitors, and virtual visitors through its goals in conservancy and preservation of its natural resources. This paper is involved with the current iteration of a series of digital media projects, the Sea Turtle Nest Camera, also known as, Turtle Cam. It details how and why this project was designed to be an ongoing initiative to assist in those goals.


Deconstructing Disability, Assistive Technology: Secondary Orality, The Path To Universal Access, Tara Prakash Tripathi Jan 2012

Deconstructing Disability, Assistive Technology: Secondary Orality, The Path To Universal Access, Tara Prakash Tripathi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When Thomas Edison applied for a patent for his phonograph, he listed the talking books for the blind as one of the benefits of his invention. Edison was correct in his claim about talking books or audio books. Audio books have immensely helped the blind to achieve their academic and professional goals. Blind and visually impaired people have also been using audio books for pleasure reading. But several studies have demonstrated the benefits of audio books for people who are not defined as disabled. Many nondisabled people listen to audio books and take advantage of speech based technology, such as …


Geographic And Environmental Influence On Maya Settlement Patterns Of The Northwest Yucatan: An Explanation For The Sparsely Settled Western Cenote Zone, Patrick Rohrer Jan 2012

Geographic And Environmental Influence On Maya Settlement Patterns Of The Northwest Yucatan: An Explanation For The Sparsely Settled Western Cenote Zone, Patrick Rohrer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most settlement pattern research and GIS analysis of the ancient Maya of the Northern Yucatan have focused on water availability in a dry landscape where cenotes are often the only water source. While water is of paramount importance, permanent settlement secondarily requires farmable soil, a resource often as precious as water in many parts of the Yucatan. The dynamics between these resources reveal areas of ideal settlement and more challenging landscapes for which the Maya developed strategies to overcome environmental conditions. A region of the southwest "Cenote Zone", however, appears to have presented the ancient Maya with insurmountably poor environmental …


Detecting Submerged Remains: Controlled Research Using Side-Scan Sonar To Detect Proxy Cadavers, Carrie Healy Jan 2012

Detecting Submerged Remains: Controlled Research Using Side-Scan Sonar To Detect Proxy Cadavers, Carrie Healy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While side-scan sonar has become a valuable geophysical tool for forensic water searches, controlled research is paramount to determine the best practices for searches in aquatic environments as it provides a structured environment in which to investigate variables that influence the effectiveness of the technology and provides valuable experience for sonar operators. The purpose of this research is to conduct controlled research in order to evaluate the applicability of side-scan sonar to searches involving submerged firearms and proxy cadavers. In addition, the best practices for employing this technology in forensic searches in freshwater ponds and lakes in a humid, subtropical …


Counselor Education Doctoral Students' Levels Of Research Self-Efficacy, Interest In Research, And Research Mentoring: A Cross-Sectional Investigation, John Petko Jan 2012

Counselor Education Doctoral Students' Levels Of Research Self-Efficacy, Interest In Research, And Research Mentoring: A Cross-Sectional Investigation, John Petko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral counselor education programs are charged to develop effective researchers; however, limited investigations have examined research constructs in counselor educators-in-training. Therefore, this study will investigate a national sample of doctoral counselor education students’ levels of research self-efficacy (Research Self-Efficacy Scale; Greeley, et. al 1989), interest in research (Interest in Research Questionnaire; Bishop & Bieschke, 1994), and research mentoring (Research Mentoring Experiences Scale; Hollingsworth & Fassinger, 2002). A cross-sectional, correlational research design will be used to test if doctoral counselor education students’ year of preparation (1st, 2nd, or 3rd year) predicts their research self-efficacy, interest in research, and research mentoring scores. …


Correlates To Police And Correctional Officer Burnout: An Exploratory Study, James Mcdonald Jan 2012

Correlates To Police And Correctional Officer Burnout: An Exploratory Study, James Mcdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study builds on the small but growing body of research examining the antecedents and effects of burnout on police and corrections officers. A review of the extant literature on burnout in general and on the literature exploring police and correctional officer burnout in particular identified several variables that contribute to the social-psychological condition of burnout. The variables identified in the literature review were grouped according to biographical factors (gender, race/ethnicity, and age), biographical stressors (marital status and level of education), organizational factors (occupational field, agency size, tenure, and rank), workplace stressors (recent promotions, transfers or discipline, and perceptions of …


Postcranial Osteometric Assessment Of Korean Ancestry, Elizabeth Carol Okrutny Jan 2012

Postcranial Osteometric Assessment Of Korean Ancestry, Elizabeth Carol Okrutny

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The determination of ancestry is an important part of an individual's identification when creating a biological profile. This thesis scrutinizes postcranial variation using over 65 osteometric sorting measurements in an attempt to identify those measurements that display the most significant differences among Koreans, Africans, and Europeans. Data was collected from four American skeletal collections and one South Korean skeletal collection for a total sample population of 306 individuals: 24 of Korean ancestry, 66 of African ancestry, and 216 of European ancestry. In an effort to minimize the number of measurements needed for ancestral assessment, stepwise discriminant analysis was performed for …


The Relationship Between Identity And Intimacy As Moderated By Culture, Garima Jhingon Jan 2012

The Relationship Between Identity And Intimacy As Moderated By Culture, Garima Jhingon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several important developmental processes occur in the young adulthood period. Young adults form their identities, determine trajectories regarding careers, and typically they form intimate relationships. Erikson (1963) stated that healthy identity development during adolescence is a necessary precursor to intimacy in romantic relationships during emerging adulthood. Although findings from cross-sectional and short-term longitudinal studies somewhat confirm the proposed link between identity and intimacy development, none of them addresses the role of culture in moderating Erikson‘s tenets of developmental ordering. The primary goal of the present investigation was to determine the role of cultural orientation in identity and intimacy development among …


Ritual Use Of The Human Form: A Contextual Analysis Of The "Charlie Chaplin" Figure In The Maya Lowlands, Lisa M. Lomitola Jan 2012

Ritual Use Of The Human Form: A Contextual Analysis Of The "Charlie Chaplin" Figure In The Maya Lowlands, Lisa M. Lomitola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Small anthropomorphic figures, most often referred to as “Charlie Chaplins,” appear in ritual deposits throughout the ancient Maya sites of Belize during the late Preclassic and Early Classic Periods and later, throughout the Petén region of Guatemala. Often these figures appear within similar cache assemblages and are carved from “exotic” materials such as shell or jade. This thesis examines the contexts in which these figures appear and considers the wider implications for commonly held ritual practices throughout the Maya lowlands during the Classic Period and the similarities between “Charlie Chaplin” figures and anthropomorphic figures found in ritual contexts outside of …


Community Participation And Travel Choice: An Analysis Of Central Florida New Urban And Conventional Suburban Residents, Laura P. Mikovsky Jan 2012

Community Participation And Travel Choice: An Analysis Of Central Florida New Urban And Conventional Suburban Residents, Laura P. Mikovsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has demonstrated a relationship between the built environment and social and transportation outcomes when comparing traditional and conventional suburban neighborhoods, but much remains to be learned about whether New Urbanism can produce similar results. Among studies where new urban neighborhoods have been assessed, most have centered on regions with highly-utilized public transit systems and with climates that are amenable to utilitarian physical activity. This research sought to build on the existing research base through direct comparison of new urban and conventional suburban neighborhoods in central Florida, a region with an under-developed transit system and a climate that renders …