Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Criminal, Antisocial, And Temporal Patterns In The Histories Of Serial And Non-Serial Sexual Murderers, Victoria Blair Mesa

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Despite its having been the subject of clinical and scholarly inquiry for more than two centuries, empirical research regarding the phenomenon of sexually-motivated homicide remains limited. In particular, relatively few prior studies have focused on perpetrators' criminal and antisocial backgrounds, and these often examine only the data found in official arrest and conviction records, which frequently provide incomplete accounts of offenders' histories. Even fewer researchers have investigated whether temporal patterns exist in the offense histories of sexual murderers. The current study included data on 46 serial and 93 non-serial perpetrators of sexually-motivated homicide, obtained from a large archive. Data collection …

An Exploration Of The Experience And Social Construction Of Ageing: Perspectives From Older Adults In A Healthy Ageing Program And Those From Western Australian And Welsh Communities, Sasha A. Stumpers

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In recent years, a strong focus has emerged towards developing and implementing guidelines, policies, governmental strategies and research agendas that best support a growing ageing population (United Nations, 1983, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2012; United Nations Programme on Ageing/International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2007; United Nations/Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2008; World Health Organization, 2002, 2004a). Locally in Western Australia (WA), nationally and internationally, this attention has culminated in a focus on promoting the notion of “healthy ageing” (Commonwealth of Australia, 1999; Commonwealth States and Territories, 2000; Office for Seniors Interests and Volunteering, 2006; U.S. Department of …

The Perception And Practice Of Silence In Australian And Jordanian Societies : A Socio-Pragmatic Study, Ahmad Al-Harahsheh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The willingness to understand the perception and practice of silence is currently receiving an increasing amount of attention in the literature on sociolinguistics and pragmatics. This study aims to investigate silence as perceived and practised by speakers of Australian English and Jordanian Arabic in casual conversation from a socio-pragmatic perspective. It also attempts to anticipate processes in which silence can be created and used in the mainstream of communication. In addition, it identifies problems in perceiving and practising silence in both cultures. The present study also looks at gender differences in both societies. Ethnographic and qualitative data were drawn from …

Individual Adaptation To Discontinuous Employment For Australian Workers : A Longitudinal Mixed Method Study, Terry Olesen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis research has had two aims: first, to determine how discontinuous (or “casual”) employment impacts on quality of life, mental health, and coping for a population of Australian job seekers; second, to determine how different groups of workers differ in coping style, quality of life, and mental health when dealing with discontinuous (casual, short-term) work. To address these aims a national survey was conducted of white collar, business and technical/scientific workers (N=229 at Time 1). Workers were sampled three times over the study period of nine months. The mixed method design consisted of two phases in order to capture …

Bullying And The Transition From Primary To Secondary School, Leanne J. Lester

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Peer relationships within the school environment are one of the most important determinants of social and mental wellbeing for adolescents and as such, schools have become increasingly aware of the prevalence, seriousness and negative impacts of bullying behaviour. The transition from primary to secondary school provides both challenges and opportunities as many adolescents undergo transition while experiencing environmental, physiological, cognitive and social changes as part of the adolescent development process. This is also a period during a student’s school life when their risk of being bullied is higher than at other times.

The aim of this study was to use …

Let Him Hold You: Spiritual And Social Support In A Catholic Convent Infirmary, Anna I. Corwin

School of Liberal Arts Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Citizen 2.0: Public And Governmental Interaction Through Web 2.0 Technologies (Preface), Kathryn Kolby, Maria J. D'Agostino

Publications and Research

Preface to Citizen 2.0: Public and Governmental Interaction Through Web 2.0 Technologies

Murrow And Friendly’S Small World: Television Conversation At The Crossroads, Kathleen Collins

Publications and Research

Small World

(1958–60), an Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly television production, brought together political and entertainment figures from around the world, boasting technological innovation and a high level of public affairs discourse. The author discusses critical reception, producers’ ideals, cultural and historical context, and relation-ships to evolving notions of public service broadcasting.

Licensed To Share: How Libraries Are Handling Electronic Journal Article Requests, Karen Okamoto

Publications and Research

This questionnaire-based study examines how libraries are now handling electronic journal (e-journal) article requests in both lending and borrowing. With an increasing number of publishers and e-journal content providers permitting interlibrary loan (ILL) sharing, and with the availability of new license management tools and services, many respondents stated that they share e-journal articles. However, problems persist. Respondents cited is- sues such as restrictive licenses, automatic deflection of e-journal article requests, and the lack of information from libraries about what e-journal titles they are licensed to ILL.

Citizen Bunker: Archie Bunker As Working-Class Icon., Kathleen Collins

Publications and Research

Archie Bunker, the central character and patriarch of Norman Lear’s “All in the Family,” (1971-1979) has been referred to as an “everyman” and an “angry-man prototype” with “hard had prejudice.” The name Archie Bunker itself has become synonymous with a blue-collar, racially chauvinistic mentality. The title of the show’s pilot and theme song, “Those Were the Days,” emphasized Archie’s dream of a simpler (though idealized) time, a world that he could understand and upon which he could exert some control. In 1970s America, Archie seemed to feel that the world was against him – economically, socially, politically and culturally – …

Letter From The Dean, Michael Vayda

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Impact Of The Great Recession On Middle Class Americans, Joseph Morreale, Julia Yeung

Student-Faculty Research Projects

This research paper studies the effect of the Great Recession (Late-2000s Recession) on middle-class Americans. It will analyze and cover the extent of the impact through evaluating data on several factors, such as the percent of the middle class in college, percent female participation rate, single parent households (female householder), middle class income, unemployment rate, and several other factors from the years 1970 to 2010. This research will offer insight into the extent of the Great Recession’s impact on the middle-class and identify which key factors had the most significant effect.

Dealing With Romantic Break-Up And Rejection: Understanding The Nature Of Relationships And Romantic Break-Up, Boyan Robak, Paul Griffin

Student-Faculty Research Projects

The study sought to better understand the psychological variables affecting romantic break-up and romantic rejection. Individuals who reported higher self-esteem, less rejection sensitivity, and lower levels of attachment anxiety reported less adverse effects to break-up. Contrary to predictions, who initiated the break-up did not result in significant differences in adverse symptoms. Moreover, no gender differences were found for response to break-up, nor rejection. Comparing grief symptoms for romantic break-up and those who experienced a loss through death indicates that in a normal population of young adults the former experience plays a more pronounced role in their lives.

An Examination Of The Effects Of The Sexual Double Standard On College Students' Condom Use, Cahryn Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Men and women have historically been held to different standards regarding sexual behavior, known as the sexual double standard. Women have typically been judged more harshly than men for engaging in similar sexual behavior. Both genders report higher levels of sexual activity and more liberal attitudes since the 1940s. Males historically report engaging in more sexual activity than females. However, current studies indicate both genders are engaging in similar levels of sexual activity, although men continue to report slightly higher levels. It is unclear whether attitudes and judgments related to gender and sexuality have kept pace with reported behavior changes. …

Developing Social Networks And Language Learning: Japanese Esl Students In A Study Abroad Context, Michiyo Fujimoto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigates the relationship between the English language proficiency of Japanese students in a short term study abroad (SA) context and the structure of their social networks. Their personal social networks were investigated through individual interviews. Analyzing their investment in English along with examining their construction of social networks, the purpose of this study is to investigate if there are any relationships between their type of social network and their English proficiency. The data was collected through individual interviews. Their oral English proficiency was evaluated by the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) developed by the Educational Testing …

A Factor-Analytic Study Of The Learning And Study Strategies Inventory, Second Edition (Lassi-2) In A Sample Of University Students, Kwoneathia Hill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study sought to provide a better understanding of the factor structure of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, Second Edition (LASSI-2) at the item to scale level (via confirmatory factor analysis) and to expand the LASSI-2's psychometric properties (i.e., means, standard deviations, alpha coefficients, and correlations of the LASSI-2's scale scores) as well as examine for potential sex differences in the LASSI-2 scale scores (via t tests with Cohen's d also being calculated) with a sample of 420 university students. The means, standard deviations, and alpha coefficients of the 10 LASSI-2 scales for the current data appeared comparable …

Mais Bonito Da Região: The Cacao-Producing Region Of Cachoeira Alta, Bahia, And The Transition From Wage Labor To Small Farming, Rodney D. Parker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The support needed for upward social mobility within the field of agriculture, from a laborer to a self-sufficient, small farmer, requires an agricultural and market-based knowledge to which few wage laborers are privy. Small-scale farmers suffer shortcomings within regional and global markets because of their inability to respond to increased demand due to a lack of access to assets and capital. Despite such difficulties, in some agricultural sectors wage laborers have successfully made the transition to small landholders. In this thesis I seek to answer what factors led to the emergence of a smallholding cacao-producing population from a wage-laboring class …

Hazel Brannon Smith: An Examination Of Her Editorials On Three Pivotal Civil Rights Events, Lauren Nicole Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hazel Brannon Smith was born in Alabama but moved to Mississippi in 1936 when she acquired the Durant Times in Durant, Mississippi. Seven years later she added the Lexington Advertiser to her growing collection of newspapers and it is at the Advertiser that Smith made her greatest journalist impact. This study did a small content analysis to exam Smith's opinion on three pivotal civil rights events: the Freedom Riders of 1961, James Meredith's integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962, and Medgar Evers' assassination in 1963. Results indicate that Smith was unwavering in her opinions on all three events. …

The Applicability Of Video Self-Modeling For Adults With Developmental And Intellectual Disabilities, Lauren Elizabeth Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Video Self-Modeling (VSM) has shown to be an effective intervention in modifying maladaptive behaviors in children, particularly those with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD). Although the effectiveness of VSM with children with ID/DD has been well established in the extant literature, considerably fewer studies have addressed the applicability of VSM with adults of the same population. Thus, the goal of the current study was to examine the utility of VSM with three adults with ID/DD, specifically targeting table manners as the behavior of interest for the intervention. Two aspects of table manners were measured utilizing a multiple baseline design: food …

Three Essays On Quote Stuffing, Dealer Liquidity And Stub Quoting, Jared Frank Egginton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays on quote stuffing, dealer provided liquidity, and stub quoting. The first essay examines the impact that intense episodic spikes in quoting activity (frequently referred to as "quote stuffing") has on market conditions. We find that quote stuffing is pervasive with several hundred events occurring each trading day and that over 74% of US exchange traded securities experience at least one episode during 2010. We find that during periods of intense quoting activity stocks experience decreased liquidity, higher trading cost, and increased short term volatility. In the second we examine the role of the NASDAQ …

The Effects Of Adding Values To An Acceptance Intervention On Willingness To Engage In A Difficult Task, Maureen Kathleen Flynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a relatively large body of evidence supporting acceptance as a treatment component. According to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) proponents, acceptance is done in the service of values (Hayes et al., 2011). This study aimed to examine the effects of adding a values component to an acceptance intervention on persistence in a frustrating task. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: acceptance, acceptance plus values, and suppression. Following a mood induction, participants listened to a recording of their assigned coping strategy and were then asked to use this strategy during a frustrating computer task. No group …

The Art Of Going Beyond In Hossana, Ethiopia, Megan Elizabeth Flowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I examine what education as development means for the men and women who live in Hossana town, Ethiopia. The ethnographic focus of this study is on understanding how education as development evokes different meanings for socio-political participation by rural students at a teacher training college and townspeople respectively. I discuss these conceptual differentiations in relation to the changes in beliefs and strategies that have occurred in Hossana and greater Ethiopia elsewhere over the course of several decades of local and global changes in the social order. I use the emic category of yilhunnta, as the social recognition …

Investor Behavior Surrounding Trading Halts: Short Sales, Predation And Contagion Effects, Mary Celeste Funck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three essays that focus on the interaction between exchange-mandated trading halts and short selling activity in the financial markets. In the first essay, the behavior of short sellers is examined surrounding interruptions in trading to determine if informed short sellers alter their trading patterns prior to and/or following a trading halt. This investigation also addresses the impact of short sales on market quality for halted stocks surrounding periods of interrupted trading, by examining returns, price volatility, and spreads. The second essay investigates if a short-selling contagion effect exists for contemporaries of firms experiencing a trading …

Cultivating A Rainbow Median Through The Study Of Sexuality In Second Language Acquisition: Identity Construction Of Lesbian Women Native To The Southern Region Of The United States, Elizabeth Walker Graves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite diverging theories concerning the dissimilarities between male and female speakers, there is a general consensus that there is relevance in the relationship between gender and language, especially when considering the sociolinguistic effects of gender in second language acquisition and for the L2 learner. While there is a wealth of publications dedicated to examining the relationship between gendered roles and language, the idea of superseding the study of gender roles with a more comprehensive and considered study of gender identities has not been as forthcoming until very recently. Furthermore, there is little significant research into the relationship between gender identity …

The Archaeology Of Mortuary Ritual As Rite Of Passage In Prehistoric Europe, Jacquelyn Mary Roberts Kyle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the ways in which mortuary ritual functioned as a rite of passage at three sites in prehistoric Europe: Wor Barrow on Cranborne Chase, Tumulus 17 in the Speckhau Mound Group at the Heuneburg, and the Hochdorf tomb in southwestern Germany. The sites were selected with diversity among the dimensions of mortuary practice, including the presence and types of grave goods, the structure of the grave, and the treatment of the corpse, as a priority. By examining the ways in which cemeteries functioned as spaces of personal and group separation and transformation, I seek to clarify the role …

The Role Of Emotional Expression On Person Identity Recognition, Kristen Paris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Facial information concerning person identity and emotional expression is vital to human social interaction, and therefore, we find it beneficial to remember the faces we see. Little is known, however, about whether emotional expressions facilitate or inhibit recognition for person identity. The present studies examined the role of emotional expression on person identity recognition by manipulating whether such information was presented at encoding (i.e., initial perception of the actor) or at recognition (i.e., later memory for the actor). In Experiment 1, participants recognized more actors displaying an angry rather than a happy expression, when they initially saw actors display a …

Cracker Barrel's Culture: Exporting The South On America's Interstate Exits, Susan Nicola Penman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® is a chain restaurant and gift shop with its origins in the South. Formed in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee, its success story is one that has much to do with how the company has decided to market and advertise itself along regional lines. This thesis explores the regional elements in Cracker Barrel's language, products, and reputation. It focuses on the company's geographic origins, its history and company lore, and the impact of imitating a historically segregated space (the "old country store"). In addition to that, an integral part of this thesis is the role of …

Racialized Perceptions: A Comparative Study Of Symbolic Racism In Europe, Brandi D. Pikes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Symbolic racism is a concept that has been heavily publicized and studied in the American context. However, less is known about what factors may influence levels of symbolic racism outside of America, and more specifically, in Europe. Nevertheless, it expected that symbolic racism is present in European countries whose residents have a relationship with the African Diaspora and/or Great Migration of North Africans and Caribbean. Furthermore, symbolic racism is present where the state has laws implemented that prohibit actions of overt racism, old-fashion racism, and discrimination. Thus, this thesis examines symbolic racism in eight European countries: France, Italy, United Kingdom, …

From Bootleggers To An Obey The Law Campus: An Analysis Of The Alcohol Policies At The University Of Mississippi, Scott Thomas Wallace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College drinking is one of the most prevailing problems on college campuses today. To navigate the issues surrounding college drinking, institutions of higher learning spend countless hours and monetary resources putting together educational pieces, developing governing policies, and implementing stringent sanctioning practices. At the University of Mississippi, a Two-Strike policy was implemented in 2006. The policy is rooted in educational motives and interventional philosophies, but since its implementation the question posed by many is, "Does it work?" Additionally, the University of Mississippi, in an effort to gain clarity and better educate students about the dangers of illegal and abusive drinking, …

Thin Is In: A Content Analysis Of Images In Women's Magazines From 2009-2011, Jennifer Kate Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many research studies have shown that women constantly compare themselves to the models they see featured in women's magazines, and in turn, develop body image issues, negative mood changes and even eating disorders. The majority of findings show that women often develop these serious side-effects because they are bombarded with images of mostly thin models. Yet editors of women's magazines continue to choose women much smaller, in most cases at least six times smaller, than the average sized American women to feature. It is very unusual to see fashion spread in a women's magazine featuring a model close to the …