Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Stream Bank Erosion And Land Use/Land Cover Along The Gun River, Allegan County, Michigan, Kenneth James Sexton

Masters Theses

The Gun River, located in Allegan County, MI, is experiencing profound erosion and sedimentation due to past channel modifications and current land use activity. The Gun River historically has been dredged and straightened to drain water faster and more effectively for agricultural production. Additionally, human land use activities in the watershed influence the current land cover and riparian vegetation. The purpose of this study was to determine if variations in land use (residential, agricultural, and forested) and vegetative cover along the banks of the Gun River influence erosion. Additionally, the study provided a unique opportunity to compare the upper portion …

The Politics Of Exclusion And Paranoia: The Know Nothing Party As A Case Study In Frustration-Aggression Analysis, Elton W. Weintz

Masters Theses

Historically, American democracy has been based on a policy of exclusion where the empowered have enjoyed the luxury of deciding which groups would be eligible to participate fully in the great American experiment--a flawed system based upon discriminatory notions of class, racism, sexism, and nativism. Richard Hofstadter's paranoia interpretation--that irrational beliefs in conspiracies led to civic participation in exclusionary movements--provides some rationale for this exclusionary behavior.

Taking a multidisciplinary approach, this paper applies the social psychological theory of frustration-aggression analysis in conjunction with Hofstadter's paranoia interpretation in an attempt to further understand exclusionary behavior in American history. In particular, this …

Assessing The Acceptance Of The New Environmental Paradigm In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Jaclyn Rose Burke

Masters Theses

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, there has been an expanding popular movement to protect the environment and a growing consciousness that humans are an integral part of nature. The New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) is a worldview that emphasizes the relationship that exists between humans and the environment. The purpose of this Master's Thesis is to assess Kalamazoo County, Michigan residents' attitudes on the environment based on their acceptance of the NEP. The acceptance of the NEP by Kalamazoo County residents was evaluated by residents' responses on a survey developed to measure their environmental attitudes. Kalamazoo County was found …

The Nonprofit Sector In Saudi Arabia: A Descriptive Study, Abdulrahman Al-Othaimeen

Masters Theses

As Saudi Arabia's economic and social environments have become more complex, the role of the nonprofit sector has grown in importance. At the same time, the sector faces the challenges of technology changes, shifting demographics, global influences, and increasing connectedness to the private and government sectors. In past decades, charitable services depended on individuals. It has, however, moved from individual services to charitable organizations. This study describes the work of hundreds of private and community organizations and agencies that practice the charitable work. They provide similar service and programs: human service, childcare, education, health care, and consulting. Philanthropic agencies influence …

Social Agency And Dieffenderfer Ware: A Multiscalar Analysis Investigating Current Archaeological Perspectives Concerning Style, Social Dynamics, Chaine Operatoire And Practice Theory, Timothy L. Bober

Masters Theses

Dieffenderfer Ware is a recently defined ceramic type found exclusively at the Dieffenderfer site (20SJ179) in southwest Michigan. This Late Woodland (ca. A.D. 1000-1400) pottery exhibits Iroquoian traits which are atypical in this region, but beyond that, very little is known about this ceramic type and the people that produced it. Research assessing the social agency of the producers of Dieffenderfer Ware was carried out by employing the chaine operatoire model, which examines the life history of artifacts. Dieffenderfer Ware was compared to the locally produced Allegan Ware. Social groups will procure, construct, use, and discard ceramics differently. Significant differences …

Style, Ethnicity, Technology, And Practice: Analysis Of A Material Culture Assemblage From The Paleoindian-Archaic Cultural Transition In The Northwestern Great Lakes, Matthew R. Laidler

Masters Theses

This study examines issues concerning the theoretical basis of style and ethnicity in archaeology through analysis of a material culture (lithic) assemblage from the Late Paleoindian-Archaic cultural transition period In the Northwestern Great Lakes region of the United States. A theoretical framework utilizing practice theory as expounded by Pierre Bourdieu is applied to an interpretation of both the theoretical and concrete issues involved in this analysis. Using the context of an interpreted ritual/mortuary site, a social archaeology concerned with the social, political, and organizational context of production, use, and deposition of technological objects is developed to address style and ethnicity …

Shoreline Perceptions And Planning Of Five Lakes In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Jonathan Peter Marsch

Masters Theses

Lakeshore development can have adverse affects on inland lakes. Effective planning and control is necessary to help communities and lakes stay healthy in the future. This paper provides planning for five lakes in Kalamazoo County, Michigan through the examination of lakeshore residents' perceptions of lake issues and the zoning ordinances of their local jurisdictions. Shoreline residents and jurisdictions around Austin, Gull, Long, West, and Woods Lakes are targeted in the survey and ordinance reviews. Evaluation of the survey through various statistical tests provides insight on residents' views of their rationale for living on the lakes, identification of lakeshore problems, and …

Crimes On College Campuses, Angela M. Turner

Masters Theses

A college or university is not a place where crime is expected. Crime was not recognized as a discrete campus problem until recently. Information on this topic is limited and difficult to obtain. The purpose of my research is to measure the amount of crime on the campus of Western Michigan University (WMU). My research is focused on the crimes of rape, sexual assault and theft. The victims I study are students and resident hall assistants. My research method includes a self-report survey from a sample of 300 students and resident hall assistants enrolled at WMU.

I provide statistics from …

Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Of Gull Lake Water Quality Summer Of 1998, Jill Downing

Masters Theses

Suspended sediments derived from surface runoff can cause deterioration in aquatic ecosystems by reducing sunlight penetrating through suspended solids to reach subsurface biological organisms. It can also have an adverse effect on recreational, agricultural, and industrial uses. Monitoring the spatial distribution of suspended sediments is important in resource management of surface waters. Field spectrometry has been applied successfully toward establishing relationships between spectral response and water quality parameters including suspended sediment concentrations. The objective of this research was to develop possible correlations between hyperspectrum and water quality attributes of depth, turbidity, and nutrients of an inland freshwater lake in southwest …

Soil Survey Enhancement Of Landsat Thematic Mapper Delineation Of Wetlands: A Case Study Of Barry County, Michigan, Rosemary Ann Anger

Masters Theses

The Landsat Thematic Mapper Satellite system has provided a unique platform for the study of natural and man-made features since 1972. This suite of sensors has become an important tool in assessing vegetation type and health over large areas of the earth. This paper reviews the Landsat Thematic Mapper’s ability to categorize wetlands using an unsupervised classification scheme. A preliminary exploration of an unsupervised classification of wetlands using soil engineering characteristics from the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s soil survey as a pseudo bandwidth is described. The result of this project suggests that when compared to the National Wetlands Inventory, a …

An Exploration Of Parental Involvement In Head Start Programs, Shaundra Shanese Ceaser

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Body Image Perceptions Of Seventh Grade Male And Female Adolescents: A Qualitative Analysis, Laura A. Collins

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Democratic Consolidation In Eastern Europe, Michael Rudy

Masters Theses

This thesis examines democratic consolidation in five Eastern European countries. The Baltic States have consolidated their democratic regimes but Romania and Bulgaria have struggled to do so. I attempt to explain why this has happened. In chapter one, I introduce the topic and provide an overview for the next six chapters.

In the second chapter, I examine the literature that pertains to this topic. The literature focuses on several aspects of democratic consolidation. I examine how economic growth, privatization, foreign direct investment, modes of transition, violence, initial post-communist political contest winner, electoral laws, and the citizenship law all play an …

Political Leadership And The Quest For Unity And Development In Africa, Thierno Thiam

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Practice With Decodable Texts On The Reading Fluency Of Low-Achieving First Grade Children, Nicole Forsythe

Masters Theses

This study examined the effect of a reading intervention using practice with decodable text on the reading fluency skills of four struggling first grade students. Participants received guided practice reading short decodable books twice a week for seven weeks. Pre and post-test standardized word reading scores were obtained using the Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE). Word reading fluency was assessed after each session by a list of words from the decodable texts. Results showed a marked improvement in each participant's fluency score, with all four participants at least doubling their baseline fluency as measured by words read accurately per …

The Relationship Among Gender, Gender Orientation, And Class Participation Of Middle School Students, Rebecca M. Fisher

Masters Theses

Middle school students were observed to examine the relationship among gender, gender orientation, and class participation. Instances of volunteering and verbal participation in class were recorded.

In addition to being observed, participants completed Harter et al.'s (1998) Gender Orientation Questionnaire to identify their gender orientation. A student's gender orientation could be masculine, feminine, androgynous, or unclassified.

Results indicated that male students participated more in class than female students. Also, class participation rates did not differ for girls based on gender orientation. There were no differences between male and female students in solicited participation rates. However, male students participated more than …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Incidence And Management, Julie M. Olson

Masters Theses

ADHD continues to be a common diagnosis of school children, and according to the DSM-IV, it affects approximately 3-5% of the population. Teachers are often the primary source of information regarding ADHD diagnoses in school children. A previous study by Glass and Wegar (2000) found that teachers were over-identifying children with ADHD and that medication was preferred as the primary treatment for these students. This study further examines teacher perceptions on the causes, incidence, and appropriate treatment methods of ADHD. In addition, this study also examines the prevalence of ADHD as determined by the ADHD Rating Scale-IV (School Version) (DuPaul …

Turning Toward Or Away From God: Religious Coping Strategies Activated In Times Of Crises, William Andrew Robinson

Masters Theses

This study, which consists of two phases, explores the relationships between religion and coping with stress within the framework of interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. Both pastors and congregational members (n = 855) were surveyed about their perceptions of the role of religion in managing and coping with stress. A focus group involving five members of the clergy was implemented to conduct phase II of the research. This thesis examines how church relationships (i.e. with God, the pastor, and among congregational members) affect our abilities to function through stressful times. For phase I, a modified RCOPE survey (Pargament, Smith, Koenig, & …

The Use Of Silence As A Political Rhetorical Strategy, Timothy J. Anderson

Masters Theses

Existing research on the rhetorical strategies of politicians has mainly focused on the speeches, appearances, and debates of political figures. Yet the absence of a clear response when expected, or silence, is a significant and frequently utilized rhetorical strategy. More directly, Erickson and Schmidt (1982) posit that, even though it is important to study, the topic of political silence has only received meager attention. Various politicians including President Clinton and California Congressman Gary Condit have both used political silence as responses to situations, and each instance had a different outcome. The focus of this study is on how the strategy …

The Accounts That Defendants Give For Crime: Relationship Between Accounts Given And The Perceived Seriousness Of The Crime, Danielle Bree Trammell

Masters Theses

The present study examined whether the accounts that defendants give (i.e., apology, excuse, or justification) would have an effect on the perceived seriousness of the crime and assigned penalty. The study focused specifically on burglary, a non-violent crime. It also examined how participant characteristics, such as age, gender, political ideology, and history of victimization, affected the perceived seriousness and assigned penalty. This is a growing area of interest, given the societal impact of crime. There is significant disparity in sentencing that exists for perpetrators who are convicted of similar crimes. It is important to examine the possible explanations for this …

Impact Of Service Delivery Model, Presenting Problem, And Consultee Characteristics On Teachers’ Preference For Academic And Behavioral Remediation, Kathy Wilson

Masters Theses

This study examined teachers' preferences for academic and behavioral remediation. Specifically, the impact of service delivery model (traditional or flexible), type of presenting problem (academic or behavioral), and selected consultee characteristics (age, years of experience, grade level taught, years at current school, and level of teacher education) on teacher preferences was investigated. Individuals completed a demographic information sheet and an analog study. The survey consisted of two hypothetical scenarios of two different students found within the classroom. The first scenario described a student who only exhibited behavioral/emotional issues. The second scenario described a student who presented with only academic issues. …

A Study Of Role And Function Differences Between School Psychologists Working Within The Flexible Service Delivery System And More Traditional Settings, Jaime L. Hahn

Masters Theses

Practicing school psychologists were surveyed including those working within the Flexible Service Delivery System (FSDS) and traditional settings. The questionnaires were completed by 91 school psychologists from throughout Illinois and Indiana. Participants completed questionnaires examining their specific role and function as a practicing school psychologist. Specific roles that each respondent was asked to rank used a Likert scale consisting of (1) Standardized Testing, (2) Curriculum Based Assessment, (3) Individual Therapy, (4) Group Therapy/Social Skills Training, (5) Consultation with Teachers, (6) Consultation with Parents, (7) Organizational Consultation, (8) Conducting Research, (9) Classroom Intervention, (10) Pre-referral Meetings, (11) Psychological Reports, and (12) …

Factors Influencing Substance Abuse/Dependence And Treatment Outcome Of Adolescents In A Residential Substance Abuse Program: An Exploratory Study, Melissa L. Moody

Masters Theses

Previous research examining the risk factors associated with alcohol and other drug use has primarily focused on the adult population. Few studies have investigated the factors which influence adolescent substance abuse and the respective effects on treatment outcome. This in spite of the considerable decline in the age-of-onset for problematic substance use that could, if gone untreated, escalate into dependence and a variety of other interpersonal problems which extend across the lifespan. Effective interventions targeting the adolescent population would therefore seem to be of utmost importance to both researchers and clinicians. It has been suggested that individualized treatment programs focusing …

Prediction Of Mental Health Treatment Outcome In Asian American College Students, Jamie Michelle Pitzman

Masters Theses

The current study aimed to examine the relationship between presenting problems and treatment outcome among Asian American college students compared to non-Asian students. The present study also provides information about the relationship between treatment outcome and the following types of demographic and treatment related variables: age, gender, ethnic status, year in school, religion, marital status, parents' marital status, referral source, previous counseling, medical problems, and family history of medical, emotional, or substance abuse problems. Data for this study were obtained from an existing database from an East Coast university counseling center. The entire sample consisted of 173 males and 271 …

Predictors Of Recurrent Child Maltreatment, Bridget Kielty

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between child maltreatment recurrence and several predictor variables in 7 rural counties in central Illinois, an under-studied population in the child maltreatment literature. Additionally, factors that contributed to the decision by Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) to provide post-investigative services were also examined. Data were obtained from an integrated database maintained by Illinois DCFS. All indicated cases of maltreatment occurring between January 1, 2000 and March 31 of 2001 were examined for a 12-month period following the initial indicated report for child revictimization or perpetrator recidivism. The …

Does Knowing Cost Of Enteral Supplements Affect Preference Or Acceptance By Free-Living Older Adults?, Michelle J. Acklie

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

African Americans And Caucasian Americans Perceptions And Experiences Related To Racial Identity And Stereotypes, H. D. Crockett

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Reading Beauty And Fashion Magazines And The Use Of Pathogenic Dieting Methods Among College Females, Kathryn A. Hyla

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing Body Image Perception Of Eastern Illinois University Track And Field Athletes, Sandra L. Hussey

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing Undergraduate Students' Career Choice In Dietetics, Christy Lyn Bolibol

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.