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Articles 4801 - 4830 of 5784

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Social Norms And College Dating Violence Among Gay Bisexual Transgender And Queer (Gbtq) Students, Lashawn Rivera Jan 2009

Social Norms And College Dating Violence Among Gay Bisexual Transgender And Queer (Gbtq) Students, Lashawn Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is minimal research on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (GBTQ) dating violence on college campuses. This qualitative study was facilitated using focus groups that included students that identified as being GBTQ at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The focus group questions were open ended in a discussion format. Participants were recruited from student organizations like the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Student Union (GLBSU) and Knight Allies on campus. There were a total of 10 students that participated in 2 different focus group sessions. Student's attitudes, thoughts and opinions about dating violence on college campuses in GBTQ relationships were …


The Effects Of Teacher Self-Disclosure Of Political Views And Opinions, Regina Weiler Jan 2009

The Effects Of Teacher Self-Disclosure Of Political Views And Opinions, Regina Weiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between classroom disclosure of political views and opinions by professors and student perceptions. A sample of students (N = 158) chose to participate in a survey asking questions about their perceptions of the amount, depth, and inappropriateness of teacher political disclosure, as well as whether or not they agreed with their professor's disclosed political ideology. The questionnaire also measured student perceptions of the teacher's subsequent competence, goodwill, trustworthiness, student state motivation, and student affective learning (content and teacher). The data revealed negative relationships between perceived inappropriateness of political disclosure and perceived competence and goodwill of …


Listening To The Applause And Boos: Television, Online Message Boards, And A Call To Action, Shanna Dinobile Jan 2009

Listening To The Applause And Boos: Television, Online Message Boards, And A Call To Action, Shanna Dinobile

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between television shows and their corresponding websites featuring interactive message boards looking at the motivations and gratifications that users cited as reasons for being connected to a program. Information found provides knowledge on why viewers are drawn to TV, and what rewards they gain from the actions they perform beyond viewing the show. Specifically, this study examines if viewing a television show and discussing it on an online message board created the gratification of a greater sense of emotional attachment with the show, and if this sense of heightened emotional connection encouraged the board user …


The Role Of The Internet As A Tool To Aid In U.S. Adult Consumers' Weight Loss, Jaclyn Kirby Jan 2009

The Role Of The Internet As A Tool To Aid In U.S. Adult Consumers' Weight Loss, Jaclyn Kirby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on ways the Internet can positively influence and educate U.S. Americans to become healthier and eventually lose weight. Throughout the past 30 years, the percentage of overweight and obese adults in the U.S. has increased immensely, resulting in a nationwide epidemic (American Association for Public Opinion Research, 2006; Center for Disease Control, 2006; Goodman, 2005; The Obesity Society, 2008). The research question for this thesis is the following: What are the perceptions of U.S. adult consumers regarding the positive influence the Internet has on weight loss? In order to determine the influence of the Internet on U.S. …


Connecting Self Enhancement And Self Verification Messages In Friendships, Ann Bloch Jan 2009

Connecting Self Enhancement And Self Verification Messages In Friendships, Ann Bloch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the connection between self-enhancement and self-verification and confirmation and emotional support. The hypotheses predicted that there is a positive relationship between confirmation and self-enhancement and self-verification; people feel good about themselves when confirmed by friends, people feel that friends know them well when they are confirmed. The hypotheses also predicted that there would be a positive relationship between emotional support and self-enhancement and self-verification; people feel good when friends provide emotional support, and people feel that friends know them well when provided emotional support. A research question was also posed: Does family functioning have an effect on …


The Effects Of Psychoeducation On Thought-Action Fusion, Thought Suppression, Magical Thinking, And Responsibility, Teresa Carper Jan 2009

The Effects Of Psychoeducation On Thought-Action Fusion, Thought Suppression, Magical Thinking, And Responsibility, Teresa Carper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thought-action fusion (TAF) is the phenomenon whereby one has difficulty separating cognitions, particularly those that are intrusive and disturbing, from their corresponding behaviors. Recent work has suggested that TAF is malleable and amenable to change. The current study examined the effects of three different psychoeducational interventions on thought-action fusion, anxiety, thought suppression, magical thinking, and responsibility cognitions. Assessments were conducted both immediately following the interventions and after a two-week period. Results indicated that individuals who received a cognitive-based intervention that targeted irrational thoughts had significantly lower TAF scores than individuals who received an intervention that discussed thoughts from a non-evaluative …


Neurocognitive Correlates Of Body Image Disturbance, Elizabeth Frei Jan 2009

Neurocognitive Correlates Of Body Image Disturbance, Elizabeth Frei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Body image, broadly defined as an individual's general experience of his or her physical appearance, is a multidimensional phenomenon that has been found to affect functioning throughout the lifetime. Although some degree of dissatisfaction has been found to be a common aspect of the female experience, research suggests that a disturbance in body image can result in a number of clinical complications, particularly the development of an eating disorder (ED). Despite the relationship between body image and EDs, examinations of the cognitive underpinnings of the relationship between body image disturbance and EDs are relatively few and inconclusive. Research indicates that …


Association Between Unirhinal Olfactory Processing And Self-Reported Empathy In Schizophrenia, Vidyulata Kamath Jan 2009

Association Between Unirhinal Olfactory Processing And Self-Reported Empathy In Schizophrenia, Vidyulata Kamath

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Empathy represents one multifaceted component of social cognition that is thought to be significantly impaired in individuals with schizophrenia. Psychophysical tasks of smell identification and hedonic processing of pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant odors share common neural networks involved in empathy. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between odor identification, odor ratings, and self-reported empathy in 25 outpatients with schizophrenia and 25 nonpsychiatric individuals. Group differences on empathy scores and unirhinal smell identification performance (with hedonic and intensity ratings) were examined, along with the relationships between smell identification scores, self-reported empathy, and schizophrenia symptomatology. The preliminary findings suggest that individuals with schizophrenia …


What Do We Know About Interpersonal Skills? A Meta-Analytic Examination Of Antecedents, Outcomes, And The Efficacy Of Training, Cameron Klein Jan 2009

What Do We Know About Interpersonal Skills? A Meta-Analytic Examination Of Antecedents, Outcomes, And The Efficacy Of Training, Cameron Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite extensive statements about the importance of possessing good interpersonal skills, little quantitative evidence has been brought forth to investigate these claims. At the same time, training in soft, or interpersonal, skills continues for organizational managers, customer service representatives, and members of formal work teams. Based on these considerations, the current research was guided by five broad questions. First, are gender and the Big Five personality variables important predictors in the use and effectiveness of interpersonal skills? Second, what is the relationship between various interpersonal skills and important personal and workplace outcomes? Third, given that training in interpersonal skills is …


Predictors Of Parental Discipline In Families Raising Youth With Hearing And Communication Disorders, Jenny Klein Jan 2009

Predictors Of Parental Discipline In Families Raising Youth With Hearing And Communication Disorders, Jenny Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with disabilities are at high risk for several forms of maltreatment, including abuse and neglect (Ammerman, Hersen, Van Hasselt, Lubetsky, & Sieck, 1994; Sullivan & Knutson, 1998b), and children with hearing and communication disorders comprise a substantial portion of children at risk (e.g., Sullivan & Knutson, 2000). For example, some literature investigating the parenting practices of parents raising children and adolescents with hearing and communication disorders suggests that these parents have a tendency to use physically harsh discipline practices (Knutson, Johnson, & Sullivan, 2004; Sullivan & Knutson, 1998b). Further, high prevalence rates of emotional and behavioral problems are documented …


Adhd And Working Memory: The Impact Of Central Executive Deficits And Overwhelming Storage/Rehearsal Capacity On Observed Inattentive Behavior, Michael Kofler Jan 2009

Adhd And Working Memory: The Impact Of Central Executive Deficits And Overwhelming Storage/Rehearsal Capacity On Observed Inattentive Behavior, Michael Kofler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inattentive behavior is considered a core and pervasive feature of ADHD; however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between working memory and inattentive behavior. The current study investigated whether inattentive behavior in children with ADHD is functionally related to domain-general central executive and/or subsidiary storage/rehearsal components of working memory. Objective observations of children's attentive behavior by independent observers were conducted while children with ADHD (n=15) and typically developing children (n=14) completed 10 counterbalanced tasks that differentially manipulated central executive, phonological storage/rehearsal, and visuospatial storage/rehearsal demands. Results of latent variable and effect size confidence interval analyses …


Factors Influencing Effectiveness Of Interorganizational Networks Among Crisis Management Organizations: A Comparative Perspective, Bahadir Sahin Jan 2009

Factors Influencing Effectiveness Of Interorganizational Networks Among Crisis Management Organizations: A Comparative Perspective, Bahadir Sahin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Crisis management has become one of the most important public policy areas in recent decades with greater numbers of manmade and natural disasters. History showed that well-implemented crisis management policies can save lives and reduce costs in a disaster. Literature offered various suggestions for more effective crisis management policies with different techniques utilizing different theoretical frameworks. Informal relationships among crisis management employees were suggested to have a positive impact on crisis management effectiveness. Yet it was not demonstrated with advanced statistical tools if there is such a relationship. This study considers crisis management effort as a network effort and employs …


A Multivariate Model Of Parent-Adolescent Relationship Variables In Early Adolescence, Cliff Mckinney Jan 2009

A Multivariate Model Of Parent-Adolescent Relationship Variables In Early Adolescence, Cliff Mckinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine a multivariate model of parent-adolescent relationship variables, including parenting, family environment, expectations and conflict. These variables are examined simultaneously to investigate their relationships with adolescent adjustment in early adolescence. The sample for the current study consists of 710 culturally diverse participants who range in age from 11- to 14-years and who attend a middle school in a Southeastern state. Of these participants, 487 have a mother and father who participated in this study as well. Correlation analyses indicate that parental warmth and overprotection, family cohesion and adaptability, developmental expectations, and conflict are …


Man Up Or Punk Out: The Role Of Masculinity In Prison Rape, Melanie Carlson Jan 2009

Man Up Or Punk Out: The Role Of Masculinity In Prison Rape, Melanie Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using the dataset, "Ethno-Methodological Study of the Subculture of Prison Inmate Sexuality in the United States, 2004-2005," this study investigated the relationship between masculinities and prison rape. These data was collected in 23 men's correctional institutions in 10 states. Between April 2004 and September 2005, 409 males were interviewed (Fleisher & Krienert, 2006). Findings showed that masculinity plays a complex and crucial role in the phenomenon of prison rape. Recommendations were made for inmate-oriented education and training which should include a discussion of masculinity as a possible preventative measure.


Integration Of Computer-Based Virtual Check Ride System - Pre-Trip Inspection In Commercial Driver License Training Program, Alpesh Makwana Jan 2009

Integration Of Computer-Based Virtual Check Ride System - Pre-Trip Inspection In Commercial Driver License Training Program, Alpesh Makwana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pre-Trip Inspection of the truck and trailer is one of the components of the current Commercial Driver's License (CDL) test. This part of the CDL test checks the ability of the student to identify the important parts of the commercial vehicle and their potential defects. The Virtual Check Ride System (VCRS), a computer-based application, is an assessment and feedback tool that mirrors the inspection component of the actual CDL. The VCRS has provided an after action review (AAR) via a feedback session that helps in identifying and correcting drivers' skill in inspecting parts and for overall safety. The purpose of …


Family Support And Mental Health Care Quality In Nursing Homes Serving Residents With A Mental Health History, Kathryn Frahm Jan 2009

Family Support And Mental Health Care Quality In Nursing Homes Serving Residents With A Mental Health History, Kathryn Frahm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of mental health disorders among the nursing home population is well recognized. However, providing adequate mental health services for nursing home residents who need them remains a challenging endeavor. The social support of family has long been recognized as a key resource for older adults with a mental health history and older adults residing in nursing homes. The purpose of this study is to examine the quality of mental health care provided for nursing home residents with a mental health history and to determine if family support influences the quality of their mental health care accounting for other …


Globalization And Identity: A Cross-National Study Among Chinese, Indian, Colombian, And American College Students, Min Cheng Jan 2009

Globalization And Identity: A Cross-National Study Among Chinese, Indian, Colombian, And American College Students, Min Cheng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arnett (2002) has suggested the development of a typology similar to one that has become popular in the ethnic identity literature (Berry, 1993; Phinney, 1990) whereby people are surveyed in terms of strength of identification with both the dominant national culture and their particular sub-group minority culture. Based on this typology, we have developed a paper and pencil measure, the Global Identity Survey (GIS), which asks participants about the degree to which they identify with either the local or global culture. A new typology is proposed, with behaviors and attitudes falling into one of the four following categories: "locally encapsulated" …


Education And Spiritual Internalization, Donavan Bowers Jan 2009

Education And Spiritual Internalization, Donavan Bowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A growing body of research has addressed the relationship between religiousness and spirituality. In addition, recent research focuses on the variations in definition and operationalization of the two concepts. Most of this literature examines spirituality as a construct under religion. Conceptualizing those who are spiritual but non-religious has received far less attention. This study uses recent data from the General Social Surveys to assess the relationship of those who are spiritual but not religious with education and a number of socio-demographic variables. The analysis shows that there is a positive relationship between one identifying as someone who is spiritual but …


Hurricane Katrina And The Perception Of Risk: Incorporating The Local Context, Nnenia Campbell Jan 2009

Hurricane Katrina And The Perception Of Risk: Incorporating The Local Context, Nnenia Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper identifies social conditions that shape perceptions of risk to environmental toxins among residents in the Gulf Coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. Demographic information from a randomly selected sample of 2,548 residents was used to explore the concept of the "White male effect" as discussed in previous literature, which has found that white males are particularly risk accepting compared to all other race and gender groups. This analysis also evaluated the influence of trust in government and beliefs about environmental justice on perceived exposure and compared responses from residents within and outside the City of New …


The Effects Of Religious Affiliation And Participation On Racial Discrimination, Jason Levine Jan 2009

The Effects Of Religious Affiliation And Participation On Racial Discrimination, Jason Levine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between religious affiliation and racially discriminatory attitudes. Several investigations have been conducted on the topic, yet they did not choose national representative samples. My research examines four decades of NORC General Social Surveys to analyze how religious affiliation and attendance affect the outcome of a survey question which tests the level of discriminatory attitudes among respondents.


A Study Of Regional Language And Identities In A Small Occitan Village, Patrick Sacleux Jan 2009

A Study Of Regional Language And Identities In A Small Occitan Village, Patrick Sacleux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study utilized qualitative methods to approach regional language abilities of local respondents and how it affects their regional identity. The theoretical framework of this study explored some of the tenets of symbolic interaction emphasizing on identity theory and how the flexible aspect of face-to-face interaction can define the self and someone's regional identity as it relates to their regional language use. Data for this study were collected in a small Occitan village in Southern France. In particular, the study explored the link between an individual residential setting, his/her age and his/her ability to speak the regional language. The …


Cyberterrorists: Their Communicative Messages And The Effect On Targets, Elizabeth Minei Jan 2009

Cyberterrorists: Their Communicative Messages And The Effect On Targets, Elizabeth Minei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study provides a semiotic perspective on cyberterrorism and its opportunity to cause maximal damage while using terrorist propaganda. The very definition of cyberterrorism refers to Internet use, technology, and computer-based networks against critical infrastructures. The application of Stamper's Semiotic Ladder - morphological, empirical, syntactical, semantic, pragmatic and social world - to the various methods of propaganda utilized by cyberterrorists will uncover aspects on the transition from traditional to modern methods of attack, cyberterrorist communication, and the recruitment of new members to their cause. Additionally, this research focused on the role of the media in the equation of planning …


Different Time, Same Place, Same Story? A Social Disorganization Perspective To Examining Juvenile Homicides, Minna Laurikkala Jan 2009

Different Time, Same Place, Same Story? A Social Disorganization Perspective To Examining Juvenile Homicides, Minna Laurikkala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2007, juveniles were involved in a minimum of 1,063 murders in the United States (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2008), and a concern over juvenile homicide offenders remains. While increasingly more macrolevel research on juvenile homicide offending has been accumulated, particularly since the 1980s, research focusing on macrolevel correlates of juvenile homicides is still relatively scarce (MacDonald & Gover, 2005; Ousey & Campbell Augustine, 2001). In the first part of this study, several variables relating to the offender, victim, setting, and precursors to the homicide by race and gender were examined in order to provide details on the context of …


Analyzing The Factors Behind Crude Oil Price Increases From 2002–2007 And The Implications For The Oil Industry: A Non-Technical Assessment, Brian Patrick Shepherd Jan 2009

Analyzing The Factors Behind Crude Oil Price Increases From 2002–2007 And The Implications For The Oil Industry: A Non-Technical Assessment, Brian Patrick Shepherd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this paper I analyze how various price regimes inherent to different oil industry structures affected crude oil prices in the 20th century. Overall, there are strong relationships between oil prices and the corresponding price regimes. Using an informal approach as well as concepts from economic theory, I also analyze the effects of supply and demand variables including spare capacity, stocks, futures prices, OPEC production, and GDP on crude oil prices from 2002 - 2007. The results of my analysis are fairly consistent with economic theory as they elucidate the consequences of severe underinvestment in the oil industry and price …


Testing Bias In The Occupational Interview: A Pilot Study On Racial Discrimination, Brandon Presley Jan 2009

Testing Bias In The Occupational Interview: A Pilot Study On Racial Discrimination, Brandon Presley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the possibility of the occupational interview utilizing tests that prove to be bias towards one particular race or another. This study is a pilot study and represents the first step in developing a more extensive research design to examine testing bias within the occupational employment interview setting. Ten black students and ten white students are asked to complete two types of occupational interview samples. Those samples are then reviewed by two black hiring managers and two white hiring managers. The results are examined to determine if one test had a greater impact …


Achievement Gaps Throughout The Education Pipeline: Tracking The Trends Before And After The Florida Education Governance Reorganization Act Of 2000, Rachel Emas Jan 2009

Achievement Gaps Throughout The Education Pipeline: Tracking The Trends Before And After The Florida Education Governance Reorganization Act Of 2000, Rachel Emas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To assess the effectiveness of the Florida Education Governance Reorganization Act of 2000, I analyze the achievement gaps across different levels of the education pipeline: elementary, secondary, and postsecondary. This paper evaluates three objectives of Florida's new system: strengthening of foundation skills, improvement of college and career readiness, and the expansion of opportunities for postsecondary degrees, by asking: Has the introduction of a PreK-20 seamless system in Florida reduced the educational achievement gaps between students, compared to Texas, which has not instituted a seamless system? At the elementary level, the analysis looks at 4th and 8th grade National Assessment of …


Geophysical Survey Of Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando, Florida, Dennis Wardlaw Jan 2009

Geophysical Survey Of Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando, Florida, Dennis Wardlaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advances in geophysical and remote sensing technology, specifically with ground penetrating radar (GPR) and geographic information systems (GIS), have led to increased use for archaeological research within cemeteries. Because of its non-invasive manner and high resolution of subsurface anomalies, GPR is ideal for surveying areas with marked or unmarked graves within cemeteries. Using a GIS assists cemetery research by facilitating integration of datasets and projection of spatial data. What has not been attempted to this point is systematic attempting to correlate detection rates of marked graves using a GPR with the time frame of the grave while incorporating the data …


India And China Space Programs: From Genesis Of Space Technologies To Major Space Programs And What That Means For The Internati, Gaurav Bhola Jan 2009

India And China Space Programs: From Genesis Of Space Technologies To Major Space Programs And What That Means For The Internati, Gaurav Bhola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Indian and Chinese space programs have evolved into technologically advanced vehicles of national prestige and international competition for developed nations. The programs continue to evolve with impetus that India and China will have the same space capabilities as the United States with in the coming years. This will present new challenges to the international community in spheres civilian, to space and military applications and their residual benefits.


Taking The Initiative: Exploring The Influence Of Citizen Legislating On Good Goverance In The American States, Kerri Milita Jan 2009

Taking The Initiative: Exploring The Influence Of Citizen Legislating On Good Goverance In The American States, Kerri Milita

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The citizen legislator is both a controversial and recurring phenomenon of interest in political science research. A longstanding concern for the discipline has been whether or not involvement of the public in the lawmaking process is an asset or a liability to quality governance. This study explores the desirability of citizen legislating in the American states. A four dimensional index is created that includes empirical indicators of "substantive" and "procedural" governance. These indicators include voter turnout, fiscal health, the ideological distance between government and the citizenry, and the diversity of a state's interest group system. The total number of initiatives …


The Effects Of Suicide Terrorism In Afghanistan And Iraq On Us Policy And Military Strategy, Michelle Whalen Jan 2009

The Effects Of Suicide Terrorism In Afghanistan And Iraq On Us Policy And Military Strategy, Michelle Whalen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The international political landscape of the 21st century is strewn with terrorist groups that choose to act violently in order for their political messages to be heard. Around the world groups have been formed to defend their ideologies and fulfill their political agendas through acts of terrorism. The Baader-Meinhof Gang [also known as the Red Army Faction], the Weather Underground, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, HAMAS, and the Irish Republican Army have existed for many decades. They represent only a small handful of terrorist groups that have kidnapped, targeted public institutions with …