Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Diversity In The 21st Century: Perceptions Of Minority Professionals In Organizations, Nancy Greer-Williams

Masters Theses

We end this century at a unique moment for the United States, when our power and prosperity are greater than at any time in our history. However, there is one area where U.S. leadership is blighted: effective racial diversity in the workplace. In other words, the law mandates that organizations have a diverse workforce, but if the racial history is any indication, there will be resistance to this order, especially by the group in power: white males. This thesis takes a phenomenological approach and explores the traditional styles that organizations use to approach diversity, as well as the barriers minorities …

Community Schools: Planning Space For Democracy And Civic Engagement, Jamey L. Dobbs

Masters Theses

American society in the twentieth century has been characterized by a decrease in voter turnout, a decline in membership in civic organizations, decreasing volunteerism, and a decline in several other indicators of civic engagement and social capital. Enhancing democratic civic engagement and civic space is worthy issue that has not typically been at the forefront of the agenda of planning. This study investigates the role of community schools as a catalyst for enhancing citizen interaction and community planning, and for creating civic space. While school space represents one of the largest investments of public tax revenue in most municipalities, it …

Development Along The Northwestern Boundary Of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Can The Park's 'Soft-Edge' Boundary Be Preserved?, Robert Edward James

Masters Theses

Development along the Great Smoky Mountains National Park's northwestern boundary threatens the "soft-edge" characteristics of its bordering communities. The "soft-edge" characteristics enable visitors to gradually transition from the urban to natural environment, and mitigate human impacts on the natural environment. Between 1970and 1994 the Knoxville Metropolitan Area population grew from 424,586to 631,097. Between 1988and 1997Park visitation increased from 8.8million to 9.9million. This thesis questions whether the "soft-edge" character of the Park's northwestern boundary can be preserved in light of the increasing population and development pressures on the bordering communities. In this thesis I have reviewed the roles of the parties …

The Biomechical Analysis Of The Kinetics And Kinematics For Three Figure Skating Jumps, Laura Blazok

Masters Theses

The problem of this investigation was to describe the kinetics and kinematics of three figure skating jumps: axel, double toe loop, and double loop. Specifically, the researcher investigated impact force, kinetic energy, and selected kinematic variables of female skaters during the landing phase of the three figure skating jumps. Kinetic energy and impact force were calculated during three phases of landing: Initial, Mid, and Final. Each of these phases represented a third of the time spent in landing each of the jumps. The kinematic variables measured during the landing phase of the jumps were vertical velocity, horizontal velocity, shoulder rotation, …

An Analysis Of The Lithic Assemblage From The Armintrout-Blackman Site (20ae812), Allegan County, Michigan, Arthur L. Desjardins

Masters Theses

Middle Woodland period Hopewell manifestations in western Michigan were mainly concentrated in the St. Joseph, Grand and Muskegon River Valleys. By constrast, the Kalamazoo River valley is lacking in a significant Hopewell expression, suggesting this area was peripheral to Hopewell developments elsewhere in western Michigan. The Armintrout-Blackman site (20AE812) is a Middle Woodland period encampment in the middle segment of the Kalamazoo River valley and has yielded artifacts bearing Hopewell stylistic attributes. More specifically, this thoroughly excavated site exhibits spatial separation of temporally sensitive ceramic components, reflecting early Havana-Hopewell through late Middle Woodland occupations. This project examines such a situation …

The Sense Of Coherence In Adjustment To Widowhood, Nora Dorothy Hartung

Masters Theses

The purpose for this study is to discover if a feature of personality, the Sense of Coherence, is a factor in the adjustment of women to widowhood. It has been suggested that women with a strong Sense of Coherence (SOC) will use adaptive behaviors and resources in their transition to widowhood. My observation at the church I attend is the reason for this inquiry.

The method used in this research is a questionnaire administered at six senior centers of Senior Services Inc., in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A sample (n tested. 50) of widowed women were tested.

A questionnaire was administered to …

Gender Equality And Agricultural Development: Women And Agricultural Extension Programs In Malawi, Amanda Bigelow

Masters Theses

Since it gained independence, Malawi has struggled to produce enough food to feed its quickly growing population. As the Ministry of Agriculture has tried to implement new policies regarding agricultural development, it has restructured key organizations within the government.

Initially, women were largely ignored in governmental and international aid agencies' development plans. However, after several unsuccessful projects, most implemented by the World Bank, a new project created by USAID revealed statistics that attributed part of the failures to gender-related biases in planning. Once these biases were identified, the government of Malawi requested assistance in reaching women farmers for purposes of …

A Histological Approach To Taphonomy: The Freeze-Thaw Cycle And Water Immersion, William A. Souchick

Masters Theses

Previous taphonomic studies have failed to fully study how freeze-thaw cycles, fresh water immersion and salt water immersion affect bone microstructure. Knowledge of how these environs modify bone can help narrow post mortem interval estimations or allow medico legal investigators to differentiate between perimortem damage and damage caused by the surroundings. To date, previous studies of water immersion and freeze-thaw cycles have failed either to relate their findings to forensic taphonomy or to address how bone microstructure was modified. This study was conducted to determine how bone was modified by freeze-thaw cycles and water immersion and to apply the findings …

Nudists In The Know: Investigating Social Assumptions Of A Clothed Society, Sandra E. Schroer

Masters Theses

This work is an institutional ethnography on the ruling relations of clothing in society. Research was conducted through a standpoint methodology which combines interviews, participant observation and the first hand experiences of the researcher.

The interview data reveals nudists' belief in a social preoccupation with body ideals and the power structures created by some uses of clothing. The subjects in this research apply their experiences in both the clothed world and the non-clothed world to expose the implications of the social structures of clothing which appear to effect interpersonal relationships, gender and disability, inequality, prejudice and ageism.

In addition, the …

The Incidence And Diversion Of People With Mental Illness In The Kent County Correctional Facility, Marleah Bevelacqua

Masters Theses

Many individuals with mental illness are arrested specifically due to symptoms of their mental illness for charges such as trespassing or disorderly conduct. This study involves several facets of determining an appropriate diversion program for Kent County Correctional Facility to place people in community based treatment programs rather than jail. The quantitative portion of the study was to replicate an earlier study performed in 1994 to determine an accurate number of persons with mental illness incarcerated in the facility. The remainder of the study was more qualitative in nature, studying jail diversion programs in other areas to determine similarities and …

The Social Construction Of Sexuality: Deconstructing Masters And Johnson, Jason Kennedy Kae-Smith

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Adolescent Breastfeeding And Illinois Women, Infant, And Children (Wic) Program Participants, Rebecca A. Antonacci

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Phonemic Awareness: One Approach To Individualized Instruction, Kimberly M. Ochs

Masters Theses

This study examined the effectiveness of a recently developed set of individualized lessons for kindergarten children at-risk for reading problems because of limited phonemic awareness skills. Four participants were selected via teacher referral and a score below the 25^th percentile on the Test of Phonological Awareness. Sixteen lessons (focusing on six phonemes) and weekly assessments followed the selection of the participants. Each child was individually instructed in two 10-15 minute sessions each week for eight weeks and then given an assessment at the end of each week. Single case design was utilized to document the effectiveness of the …

The Effects Of Cognitive And Affective Persuasion On Supporting The Death Penalty, Jason Wayne Hortin

Masters Theses

This thesis examined how participants with cognitively based favorable attitudes toward the death penalty were influenced by cognitive or affective arguments that criticized the death penalty. College students' general attitudes toward the death penalty were measured using a Likert-type scale. They were then asked to write out their thoughts and/or feelings about the death penalty. Some of the participants received two cognitive arguments while others received two affective arguments against the death penalty. After reading these counterarguments, the participants' positions and thoughts/feelings were once again measured.

Only participants with cognitively based attitudes that were supportive of the death penalty were …

Effects Of Gender And Position Of Test Stimuli On Undergraduates ' Spatial Task Performance, James Brenton Curley

Masters Theses

This study predicted that sex differences in performance can occur where the sense of touch serves as vision, and that the position of the test array may significantly affect performance. Sixty-four college undergraduates (32 males and 32 females), with ages ranging from 18-27 (M = 20.06, SD = 1.82) were recruited from the psychology subject pool of Eastern Illinois University for participation. Apparatus consisted of templates with raised line drawings of tilted jars containing water drawn on them. The subjects were blindfolded and instructed to interpret four jar drawings at a time. The task consisted of identifying the jar with …

Depressive Symptoms And Academic Achievement In Fourth Grade Students, Michelle L. Harrison

Masters Theses

The relationships among depressive symptoms, peer acceptance, and academic competence were examined in 43 fourth-grade students using a self-report measure of depression (Children's Depression Inventory); a teacher-rated measure of depression (Behavior Assessment System for Children — Teacher Rating Scale); peer acceptance and peer rejection; and grade point average. Results indicated higher levels of self-reported depression than previously found in children of this age. Correlations between self-reports of depression and peer rejection and self-reports of depression and grade point average were significant. The current study also found a significant positive correlation between the two depression scales (Children's Depression Inventory and Behavior …

The Convergence Theory: Causal Affects Of Media Violence Communicated To Our Youth, Allan R. Alldredge

Masters Theses

This paper observes present violent activities and how there appears to be a correlation communicated through media and societal influences that we, as natural observers, have noticed affecting our youths. Over 3000 studies have attempted to prove that television, music, film, Internet, even video games, and news is the single cause of violence. This paper does not confirm evidence that any of the mediums are responsible for the violence in our youth alone. Instead this paper expresses a theory that convergence of all the mentioned mediums along with other societal factors contribute to the violence. This paper explores the possibility …

The Effectiveness Of Non-Directive Play Therapy On Decreasing Inappropriate Behavior, Heather M. Sawyer

Masters Theses

The present study investigated the effectiveness of non-directive play therapy, operationalized as non-contingent attention (NCA), no-demands, and an enriched environment, on three developmentally normal children with a history of abuse or neglect. A single-case reversal-replication design was employed. Baseline consisted of contingent attention, demands, and a relatively non-enriched environment. Results indicated that for one of the participants, NCA, no-demands, and an enriched environment successfully decreased inappropriate play behaviors. More specifically, destructive and disrupted play behaviors occurred much less frequently in both treatment conditions compared to the two baseline conditions. The other two participants did not show any clear pattern of …

The Construct Validity Of The Behavior Assessment System For Children (Basc) And The Preschool And Kindergarten Behavior Scale (Pkbs), Lindsay A. Barton

Masters Theses

The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) and the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS) are two relatively new behavior assessment scales that measure emotional and behavioral problems of children. The BASC is designed to evaluate the behavior and self-perceptions of children aged two and a half to eighteen years old. The PKBS is designed to evaluate social skills and problem behavior patterns of preschool and kindergarten aged children including the ages of three, four, five, and six years old. There are no studies in the empirical literature comparing the preschool form of the BASC and the PKBS behavior rating …

Attitudes Toward Affirmative Action, John Summerhill Morris

Masters Theses

This article reports the results of a survey of individuals from Paris, Illinois. The survey was conducted in 1999 regarding their attitudes toward affirmative action.

Based on the survey research, the findings indicate that knowledge of affirmative action is a primary determinant of attitudes toward affirmative action. In addition, misperceptions about affirmative action also appeared to be a strong indicator as well. This study has implications for supporters of affirmative action as well as for the presidential race for 2000.

A Neuropsychological Perspective On The Efficacy Of Typical And Atypical Medication Treatment For Chronic Schizophrenia Regarding Executive Functioning, Eric Hart

Masters Theses

This study investigated the efficacy of current medication treatment procedures for chronic schizophrenics on neuropsychological measures. A total of twenty participants from the Coles County Mental Health Center, who met DSM-IV criteria for chronic schizophrenia, volunteered to be administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)-64 card version as a means of assessing neuropsychological executive functioning. A total of twenty participants free of any diagnosable psychological disorder also volunteered to be administered the WSCT-64, which served as a control group. The staff psychiatrist at the Coles County Mental Health Center completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in order to …

Differences In Motivation Between Division I Collegiate Female Basketball Players And Swimmers, Meghan Mcgovern

Masters Theses

Previous research has shown that motivation to participate in athletics is influenced by a variety of factors. A great number of studies have identified several of these factors including age, gender and scholarship status (Amorose and Horn, 2000). However very little research has been conducted regarding how the type of sport may influence motivation.

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed in the types of motivation exhibited by team sport athletes and individual sport athletes when assessed using the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) (Pelletier et al, 1995). It was hypothesized that team sport athletes would display …

Perceptions Of Prison Guards By Prison Visitors And Nonvisitors, Frances N. Huber

Masters Theses

Social interaction has been found to be a large factor in the recidivism of criminals. Many prison inmates have limited access to social interaction with other inmates as well as those outside of prison. This creates tension between inmates, guards, and society. The breakdown of barriers to open communication between inmates and others may be beneficial to the rehabilitation of criminals. Providing more access to visitations, telephone calls, and electronic mail reduces inmate aggression and encourages compliance to the prison and social rules. In addition, interaction with those outside of the prison acts as a continual reminder to an inmate …

Personality Correlates Between Fundamentalist And Non-Fundamentalist Individuals As Measured By The Neo Pi-R And The Religious Fundamentalism Scale, Jason Andrew Witt

Masters Theses

The relationship between religious fundamentalism and personality was examined. Over 150 students total, from two Midwestern universities were administered the NEO PI-R and the Religious Fundamentalism Scale. It was predicted that the individuals who scored highly on the RF Scale would score significantly higher on the Neuroticism scale and significantly lower on the Openness scale of the NEO PI-R than the non-fundamentalists. Results of the study confirmed the prediction that Openness would be significantly lower for fundamentalists, F (1, 103) = 11.093, p < 0.001. Results did not confirm the prediction that Neuroticism would be significantly higher for fundamentalists, but showed that Agreeableness was significantly higher for fundamentalists, F (1,103) = 11.127, p < 0.001. Possible reasons for the differences in personality scores between fundamentalists and non-fundamentalists were discussed, as well as suggestions for future research in this area.

From Olden To Golden: A Historical Analysis Of Perceptions Of Aging, Megan Elizabeth Sherrard

Masters Theses

As we enter the twenty-first century, issues of aging and the aged are becoming more prominent in scholarly literature due to advances in medical technology that enable more individuals to live to old age, increasing the proportion of elderly in society. This study examines the social construction of "old age" as it has been perceived historically. Using burial records from a large cemetery located in central Illinois, this thesis compares all cases said to have died of "old age" or "senility" to all cemetery cases in the same age range that died of causes other than "old age" or "senility." …

A Study Of Respite Care Program Effectiveness, Paula Mcknight

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Financial Institution Sponsored Senior Membership Programs: Salient Characteristics & Marketing Strategies To The Mature Consumer, Elaina Flynn Osterbur

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Construct Validity Of The Behavior Assessment System For Children And Adjustment Scales For Children And Adolescents, Eric Scroggs

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Positive Peer Reporting On Children's Social Involvement, Kristyn B. Moroz

Masters Theses

This investigation examined the effectiveness of positive peer reporting (PPR) on increasing the social involvement behavior and peer acceptance of four socially withdrawn children within a general education setting. PPR is a social skills intervention where children are taught how to publicly praise a target classmate's appropriate behavior. The positive peer reporting procedure was implemented daily by each participant's classroom teacher and its effects were observed during recess using behavioral observations. The results indicated that PPR had no effect on peer status. However, results from the behavioral observations indicated that three of the participants exhibited higher rates of social involvement …

Functional Analysis Of Abused/Neglected Children's Inappropriate Play, Jessica Bauer

Masters Theses

This study investigated the possible governing mechanisms of inappropriate play behaviors of three developmentally normal children with a history of abuse/neglect. A functional analysis was performed using three conditions—contingent attention plus demands, contingent attention, and non-contingent attention. For one child, functional analysis revealed that inappropriate play behavior occurred more frequently in those conditions where contingent attention was present. Demands, at least when contingent attention was provided, did not appear to elicit or evoke inappropriate play behavior. For the other two children, functional analysis did not reveal any significant differences between conditions. The results of this study suggest that for some …