Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Maternal Humanitarian Entrants “Me Time”: The Ways Social Support Works In A Facilitated Playgroup, Annmarie La Rosa

School of Psychology and Social Science Presentations

This study explored how maternal humanitarian entrants (MHE) ascribe meanings to the ways social support works in a facilitated playgroup context. The secondary research question addressed the extent to which accounts of playgroup support could be explained by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (BEST). A focus group followed by case study and follow-up interviews provided the women, staff and stakeholders the opportunity to share their narratives. Rich descriptions of their "lived" experience were central to the research purpose. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to validate the ascribed meanings of ways social support manifested in the playgroup. The role of BEST contributed …

Cognitive And Affective Correlates Of Theory Of Mind As Influenced By Task Modality, April Kane

School of Psychology and Social Science Presentations

This study investigated whether task modality influenced performance on affective and cognitive theory of mind (ToM) tasks. The sample comprised 56 “healthy” adults, including 26 males and 30 females, whose ages ranged from 19 to 59 years. Participants completed four ToM tasks, two of which were designed to assess the affective ToM process, two the cognitive ToM process. One task for each process was a visual task, whilst the second was an audio task, thereby assessing the influence of task modality. Task data was analysed to obtain correlation coefficients, which were compared. The correlations for the affective and cognitive processes …

Pet Loss And The Elderly, Daphne D’Gama

School of Psychology and Social Science Presentations

Companion animals are known to provide numerous psychosocial benefits to their owners. It is due to these prominent and positive contributions that individuals develop a deep attachment with their pet. Consequently pet owners experience intense grief reactions following the death of a cherished pet. While numerous studies have focused on the experiences for children and young adults, the experience of pet loss for the elderly remains relatively unexplored. An in-depth qualitative research design guided by a phenomenological framework was used to explore the experiences surrounding pet loss for the elderly. Data was collected though one-on-one semi-structured interviews with thirteen participants …

Improving Memory Through N-Back Training, Paul Beavon

School of Psychology and Social Science Presentations

Jaeggi and colleagues have claimed that fluid intelligence may be improved through a cognitive training regime utilising the n-back task; maintaining that the improvement in Gf is realised through melioration in working memory (WM). To date there has been no evidence to support this assertion, however Jaeggi, Buschkuehl, Jonides, and Perrig (2008) obtained a significant improvement in short term memory (STM). The current study examined the near transfer mechanisms of the single n-back task; specifically STM and WM as operationalised through the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities. Forty-seven participants were divided into experimental (n = 26) …

Can Consumers Be Wise? Aristotle Speaks To The 21st Century, Barry Schwartz, D. G. Mick

Psychology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Supreme Court Of The United States, Carol Nackenoff

Political Science Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Gender And Culture In Psychology: Theories And Practices, E. Magnusson, Jeanne Marecek

Psychology Faculty Works

Gender and Culture in Psychology introduces new approaches to the psychological study of gender that bring together feminist psychology, socio-cultural psychology, discursive psychology and critical psychology. It presents research and theory that embed human action in social, cultural and interpersonal contexts. The book provides conceptual tools for thinking about gender, social categorization, human meaning-making, and culture. It also describes a family of interpretative research methods that focus on rich talk and everyday life. It provides a close-in view of how interpretative research proceeds. The latter part of the book showcases innovative projects that investigate topics of concern to feminist scholars …

What's Up Newsletter, January 2012

What's Up Newsletter

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Milwaukee, WI

Gender Differences In Depression: Assessing Mediational Effects Of Overt Behaviors And Environmental Reward Through Daily Diary Monitoring, M.M. Ryba, D.R. Hopko

Psychology

Gender differences in the prevalence of depression are well documented. To further explore the relation between gender and depression, this study used daily diaries to examine gender differences within thirteen behavioral domains and whether differential frequency of overt behaviors and environmental reward mediated the relationship between gender and depression severity. The sample included 82 undergraduate students [66% females; 84% Caucasian; Mean age = 20.2 years]. Overall, females engaged in a significantly greater breadth of behavioral domains and reported a higher level of environmental reward. Females spent more time in the domains of health/hygiene, spiritual activities, and eating with others. Males …

Relationships Between Facebook Intensity, Friendship Contingent Self-Esteem, And Personality In U.S. College Students, T.F. Pettijohn Ii, K.E. Lapiene, T.F. Pettijohn, A.L. Horting

Psychology

U.S. college students (N = 200) completed measures of Facebook use, friendship contingent self-esteem, personality, and narcissism. Those who strongly connected their self-esteem with their quality of friendship relationships were predicted to be more active Facebook users. As predicted, a significant positive relationship between Facebook intensity and friendship contingent self-esteem was found. No significant relationships between Facebook use and personality or narcissism were discovered. Implications for how and why college students use social networking media are discussed, including connections to previous research which discuss the relationship between high friendship contingent self-esteem and risk for depressive symptoms. © 2008 Cyberpsychology.

Is Organisational Commitment Culturally Bound?, Helen Chen, John Murray

Irish Business Journal

The paper investigates whether organisational commitment is culturally bound. Literature was reviewed on the impact of Hofstede’s four dimensions of culture on organisational commitment. Three hypotheses were put forward in relation to the cultural impact on the three components of organisational commitment: affective, normative and continuance commitment. Data was collected from two branches of an American multinational corporation with operations in China and Ireland. The two cultures were chosen as they demonstrate differences as well as similarities on Hofstede’s dimensions, which provided an opportunity to explore the cultural impact. The results supported two of the hypotheses that Chinese employees have …

Comparative Study: The Impact Of The Sw3 Armband And Physical Activity Logbook In Promoting Physical Activity Adherence, Bernie Cunningham, Suzanne Kennedy, Joseph English, Humphrey Murphy

Irish Business Journal

The purpose of this study is to compare the impact of portable body sensing technology (SW3 Armband) to a traditional approach, a Physical Activity Logbook (PAL) in promoting physical activity adherence. Participant’s physical activity adherence levels were recorded over a six month period. The primary research involved a six month physical activity programme that commenced in October 2010 and finished in April 2011. Females (n=30) were recruited through a local newspaper and a radio advertisement. Participants were randomised to an Intervention Group (n=15) or a Control Group (n=15). To be eligible to participate in the study the following criteria applied: …

Organisational Factors Determining Export Performance And Electronic Commerce Adoption: An Empirical Investigation, Breda Kenny, Mairéad Clohessy

Irish Business Journal

Ireland’s economic performance over the past two decades was largely driven by the exporting sector of the economy. Vigorous export growth largely reflected the success of the economy in securing inward foreign direct investments flows, mainly from the United States (Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland, 2009). Given that Ireland has a population of just over 4.23 million (CSO, 2006) it is imperative that Irish organisations expand into foreign markets to gain a larger market base. It is against this background of international trade that this paper is set. This is a study of export performance and electronic …

Fair Trade, Marketing And Consumer Behaviour, Brigit Derler, Vicky O'Rourke, Simon Stephens

Irish Business Journal

This paper examines different aspects of fair trade marketing. Firstly, secondary research examines the development, advantages and challenges of fair trade. Secondly, primary research explores consumer buying behaviour in Ireland and Austria in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) market. Thirdly, the attitudes of consumers towards mainstreaming and clean-washing are explored. Phase one of the data collection involved one hundred and twenty consumer surveys. In phase two exploratory research using mixed modes collected data from nine suppliers of fair trade FMCGs. The findings suggest that the effects of mainstreaming are perceived to be predominantly positive. The research findings also suggest …

Advertising The Thin Ideal-The Effect On Women, Christine Murphy

Irish Business Journal

Debate on the thin ideal has been prevalent for many decades, however given the substantial increase in eating disorders and the omnipresent influence of the media the time is now ripe for decisive action in the area of women in advertising. Most research in this area has focused on the psychological impact of the thin ideal. The new research presented in this paper is important as it explores the marketing implications of the portrayal of women in the fashion and cosmetic industry. The success of this industry depends entirely on how receptive consumers are to the images portrayed. This paper …

Tax And The Eu, Ann Cahill

Irish Business Journal

The priorities of the European Union agenda vary as it responds to the changing demands of member states’ leaders. Over the past twelve years the emphasis has changed from security through immigration, economic crisis and now to unemployment and tax.

[Introduction To] Leadership And Global Justice, Douglas A. Hicks, Thad Williamson

Bookshelf

What does global justice look like, and how can leadership help get us there? The contributors to Leadership and Global Justice confront the conceptual and practical challenges associated with pursuing justice beyond national boundaries. Essays analyze the roles and responsibilities of institutions - states, corporations, international financial institutions, UN bodies, nongovernmental organizations - in making collaborative progress towards international justice. They explore justice in various spheres: citizenship, the marketplace, health, education, and the environment. And they provide creative and constructive moral approaches for evaluating and promoting global justice, including human rights, capabilities, and solidarity of people across boundaries.

Essays On The Persistence Of Poverty, T M Tonmoy Islam

Theses and Dissertations--Economics

My dissertation investigates the reasons behind the persistence of income among individuals and US counties. I look at the role of initial conditions in explaining current level of income. In my first essay, I look at how childhood neighborhood conditions affect income of a person. To study persistence, I model income as an autoregressive process where the coefficient on the lagged dependent variable heterogeneous across individuals. In my second essay, I derive a new way to measure chronic poverty, or long term poverty. Current measures of chronic poverty cannot be used to compare improvements of poverty rates over time. Using …

Voter Ideology, Tax Exporting, And State And Local Tax Structure, John M. Foster

Theses and Dissertations--Public Policy and Administration

State and local governments play an important role in financing and delivering public services in the United States. In 2008, state and local governments collected 57 percent of total federal, state, and local revenue (Urban Institute and Brookings Institution, Tax Policy Center, 2009). The decentralization of fiscal responsibility has enabled a high degree of variation in state and local tax structures to emerge. This dissertation presents two empirical studies that extend the positive literature on state and local tax policy.

The extant literature contains evidence of a direct relationship between voter ideology and state and local tax progressivity. However, the …

Canadian Academic Library Support For International Faculty: Library Experience And Information Needs Of Chinese Visiting Scholars At The University Of Western Ontario, Shiyi Xie

Western Libraries Publications

International faculty constitute a relatively small proportion of the library user community in Canadian post-secondary institutions, but they are underserved when compared to other user groups on campus, particularly international students. The author obtained first hand information about Chinese visiting scholars at the University of Western Ontario, and in this paper she presents conclusions from her experience regarding the visiting scholars' use of libraries as well as some recommendations for serving international faculty. The author suggests that academic libraries carefully consider international faculty when planning relevant services for diverse user groups. Providing necessary and satisfying library services for this group …

Centennial Library 2011-2012 Annual Report, Cedarville University

Centennial Library Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Centennial Library E-News, January/February 2012, Cedarville University

Centennial Library Shelf Life

Articles in this issue: Centennial Library 25th year, Staff member earns degree, On-line tutorials developed, Gallery opens exhibit, LibQUAL survey planned, University faculty in print, University alumni in print, Spring break hours

Book Review: Applications Of Social Research Methods To Questions In Information And Library Science, Jeffery S. Gates

Library Faculty Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Xrf And The Corrosion Environment At Camp Lawton: A Comprehensive Study Of The Archeological Microenvironment Of A Civil War Prison Camp, Amanda L. Morrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: Handheld X Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology is a new and emerging method in the field of archeology. This thesis discusses the results of XRF comparative analysis and comparative chemical analysis between a given ferrous metallic artifact's corrosion environment (the surrounding soil matrix) and the subsequent corrosion products formed on the artifact. The hypothesis is that the data will demonstrate a chemical correlation between the two. Iron and chlorine are the two major elements discussed in the study. The artifacts in the sample set have been collected from Camp Lawton (9JS1), a Confederate Prison for Union Soldiers located in …

Making Lives, Changing A Landscape: An Environmental History Of The Tualatin Valley, Washington County, Oregon, Camille A. Cope

Geography Masters Research Papers

Sheltered by mountains on all sides, the 724-square mile Tualatin Valley has been home to successive groups of people who have shaped the landscape based on their needs, tools, and ideas about the human relationship to nature. Thousands of years of indigenous burning practices and cultivation of native plants, followed by two centuries of European-American fur trapping, agriculture, logging, and urbanization have created the Tualatin Valley landscape of today. Understanding how a history of changing land use has affected the region is integral to building an environmentally sustainable future.

Myths And Measures: The Cultural Performance Of Portland’S Strip Club Identity, Wayne Coffey

Geography Masters Research Papers

Identities of place develop through a multitude of perceptions. Place myths guide much of this perception. Portland, Oregon’s identity has evolved in particular around a much quoted but unchallenged statistic regarding the volume of nude dancing venues. This paper focuses on the literature specific to both nude dance venues and place identity; Portland’s legal history that contributed to this phenomenon; and some of the cultural and spatial variables pertinent to this issue. Two initiatives, aimed at restructuring the state constitution specifically to deal with nude dance venues and other adult entertainment, are analyzed.

Rail Catchment Analysis In The Greater Dublin Area, David O'Connor, Oran Harrison

Conference Papers

This paper sets out to study the relevance of techniques used in Irish planning to determine walking catchments of rail corridors and identify the implications of this for the planning system. Within Irish Planning the Euclidean method (a circle on a map) tends to be the most accepted means of determining a rail station’s walking catchment and assumes a walkable distance of 1km to all stations as set out in Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government (DoEHLG) guidelines, 2009. Research shows that there is limited literature available concerning the relevance of the method and the measurements used in Ireland. …

The Potential For Orbital Public Transport Services In The Greater Dublin Area, David O'Connor, Colin Broderick

Conference Papers

Orbital routes are often considered a costly idea that is unpopular with transport users. Yet many cities provide them in a successful, often revenue-generating context. Those that do take a Network Effect approach to service design. The idea of orbital routes within the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) transport network has been around for some time, referenced for example in the 2002 Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) “Platform for Change” Strategy, the 2006 MVA “Dublin Bus Network Review” consultants’ study and most recently the National Transport Authority (NTA) Greater Dublin Area Draft Transport Strategy 2011-2030, where two notional orbital Quality Bus Corridors …

Fiscal Federalism And Spatial Interactions Among Governments, Longjin Chen

Theses and Dissertations--Economics

This dissertation examines multiple state and local expenditure categories in the United States to expand understanding of fiscal federalism and spatial interactions among governments. First, the author investigates the relationship between police expenditures and crime rates from a spatial perspective. Both police expenditures and crime rates in one state are found to exhibit a similar pattern to that in neighboring states. Spatial correlation is also detected between police expenditures and crime rates. As police of neighbors in fact deter crime at home, there are positive externalities present among the states. Second, the author conducts new tests on the Leviathan hypothesis, …

Three Essays On The Health Insurance Coverage Of Young Adults, David M. Yaskewich

Theses and Dissertations--Economics

This dissertation examines the health insurance status of young adults during the transition to adulthood. In a series of three essays, I analyze what happens as young adults reach important milestones and the effects of public policies. The first essay is a descriptive study on how insurance status changes after reaching age 19 and graduating from college. The likelihood of becoming uninsured rises sharply once turning age 19 and then peaks at age 23. While the proportion uninsured also increases following college graduation, this increase disappears after one year. The second essay analyzes the effect of a dependent age law …