View All Items

Title: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT'S DOCTRINE OF SELECTIVE INCORPORATION AND CORPORATE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS JURISPRUDENCE.
Creator: Fate, Rebecca R, Beckman, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: With recent and contentious Supreme Court cases dealing with corporate constitutional rights, such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), as well as with the appointment of a new justice, the time is particularly ripe for evaluations of the Supreme Court's jurisprudence in this area, including predictions about the future of this line of cases. The purpose of this thesis is to establish a better understanding of the historical jurisprudential approach utilized by the...
Show moreWith recent and contentious Supreme Court cases dealing with corporate constitutional rights, such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), as well as with the appointment of a new justice, the time is particularly ripe for evaluations of the Supreme Court's jurisprudence in this area, including predictions about the future of this line of cases. The purpose of this thesis is to establish a better understanding of the historical jurisprudential approach utilized by the Supreme Court to decide corporate constitutional rights by establishing the well-known doctrine of selective incorporation as an appropriate analogy. No other works attempt to frame the case history of corporate constitutional rights within a consistent doctrine, yet many works seek to evaluate and predict Court decisions in this area. This work will therefore create a new frame of reference for corporate constitutional rights, providing a new basis for interpretation and predictions. This thesis begins by conducting a thorough overview of both lines of cases, focusing on the establishment of each doctrine over time as well as the reasoning behind the Court's use of this particular approach. Once a clear picture of both approaches has been ascertained, this thesis moves on to an overall comparison and evaluation of both approaches. In finding the process, intent, and overall effect of both jurisprudential approaches to be the same, the use of selective incorporation as an analogy for the Supreme Court's approach to corporate constitutional rights gives way to predictions about the future of corporate constitutional rights. Considering the relevant views expressed by the new justice, Neil Gorsuch, and the previous decisions of the Roberts Court, this analogy provides solid evidence for predicting continued expansion of corporate constitutional rights, including such areas as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and perhaps even rights of the accused. The comparative approach used in this thesis, as well as the analogy it establishes, can also be revisited as new Court decisions are made and as the makeup of the Court changes overtime.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000194, ucf:45985
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000194

Title: THE RHETORIC OF TRANSGRESSION: RECONSTRUCTING FEMALE AUTHORITY THROUGH WU ZETIAN'S LEGACY.
Creator: Rothstein-Safra, Rachael, Zhang, Hong, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines representations of Wu Zetian in the biographical tradition of the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries, as well as within the subsequent vernacular literature of the Ming and Qing periods. I analyze the traditional use and construction of female stereotypes (and female-oriented flaws and vices) in the rhetoric of official histories and fictional narratives and their application to representations of Wu Zetian. I argue that authors, anxious of discord engendered and...
Show moreThis study examines representations of Wu Zetian in the biographical tradition of the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries, as well as within the subsequent vernacular literature of the Ming and Qing periods. I analyze the traditional use and construction of female stereotypes (and female-oriented flaws and vices) in the rhetoric of official histories and fictional narratives and their application to representations of Wu Zetian. I argue that authors, anxious of discord engendered and caused by women occupying positions of political authority, sought to delegitimize Wu Zetian's reign and subsequently cultivated a "rhetoric of female transgression." I further argue that the image of Wu Zetian has become a cultural signifier of the dangers of female rule. Thus, my research broadly has two foci: (1) it traces the history of delegitimizing female rulership by examining the creation and codification of topoi, and (2) by focusing on images of Wu Zetian, this study examines how these topoi influence contemporary cultural and cross-cultural values, memory, and political rhetoric. This study is divided into three chapters. Chapter one lays out the history of Wu Zetian in the Tang dynasty and an assessment of women in Tang society, which will inform the analysis of literary portrayals of Wu Zetian in chapters two and three. The second chapter examines the earliest representations of Wu Zetian. Thematically, the second chapter explores the biographical interpretation of female authority and the discursive tradition of negotiating historic fact with formulaic and reoccurring tropes. The third chapter looks at representations of Wu Zetian in the literature of the Ming and Qing periods, in which narratives are encoded with the topoi previously established in earlier historical accounts. Ultimately, although this study examines the persistence of rhetorical topoi regarding Wu Zetian, it also addresses the contested and fluid nature of her representations in non-traditional media.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000253, ucf:45986
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000253

Title: FROM LIBERAL TO RESTRICTIVE: THE 1992 ASYLUM POLICY CHANGE IN GERMANY.
Creator: Ramos, Natalie, Kinsey, Barbara, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As the most popular destination country for migrants and refugees in the EU since the end of World War II (MPI, 2004), Germany has a history of refugee inflows. In this thesis I focus on the different factors that led to asylum policy change in reunified Germany, from liberal since 1945 to restrictive, after the end of the Cold War in 1992, with the 1992 amendment of Article 16 of the German Basic Law. The study of the factors that account for German asylum policy change is important to...
Show moreAs the most popular destination country for migrants and refugees in the EU since the end of World War II (MPI, 2004), Germany has a history of refugee inflows. In this thesis I focus on the different factors that led to asylum policy change in reunified Germany, from liberal since 1945 to restrictive, after the end of the Cold War in 1992, with the 1992 amendment of Article 16 of the German Basic Law. The study of the factors that account for German asylum policy change is important to understand the future of German asylum policy, and potentially provide a model of asylum policy change in other countries. In this study, I analyze German public opinion that seems to have been affected by large migrant inflows and the declining state of the economy. I argue that electoral pressures by the German public contributed to political party platform changes and asylum policy change. I use data from Eurobaromeer surveys, the World Bank, and the Migration Policy Institute to describe the refugee inflows and the state of the German economy, and how these may have contributed to public opinion, as reflected in Eurobarometer survey results. I examine German political party platforms and campaign tactics based on secondary literature, such as scholarly articles and studies, as well as political speeches and statements. I also consider Germany's membership in the EU as a factor that may have affected the change in German asylum policy. Germany's membership in the EU may have been used as a form of leverage by the Christian Democratic Party (CDU), to pressure the Social Democratic Party (SPD), to compromise on asylum policy restrictions, as Germany's constitutional right to asylum impeded the implementation of EU asylum policy provisions. The findings of my research suggest that German public sentiments may have affected Germany's political party platforms. Evidently, the SPD, aligned its political platform and policy agenda to align with the changes in the German electoral context and gain electoral support. Also, Germany's position as a founding member of the EU, may have contributed to the compromise on German asylum policy change, because the right to asylum as explained in Article 16 of the constitution, withheld Germany from utilizing the EU's asylum procedures and policies, until Article 16 was amended in 1992.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000113, ucf:46059
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000113

Title: EDUCATION POLICY IN FLORIDA: EXPLAINING COUNTY-LEVEL APPROVAL OF THE 2002 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Creator: Friant, Rachel M., Jewett, Aubrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This research analyzes county-level support for the 2002 Constitutional Amendments for Voluntary Universal Prekindergarten Education (VPK) and Florida's Amendment to Reduce Class Size (CSA). Three regression models are constructed for each dependent variable (support for VPK and support for CSA): a bivariate model with political party, a full model with all theoretically identified variables, and a best model with just the independent variables that have the most explanatory power. A variety...
Show moreThis research analyzes county-level support for the 2002 Constitutional Amendments for Voluntary Universal Prekindergarten Education (VPK) and Florida's Amendment to Reduce Class Size (CSA). Three regression models are constructed for each dependent variable (support for VPK and support for CSA): a bivariate model with political party, a full model with all theoretically identified variables, and a best model with just the independent variables that have the most explanatory power. A variety of socioeconomic, demographic and political independent variables are tested. Four independent variables had a statistically significant positive relationship with support for both VPK and CSA: Democratic registration, Hispanic population, higher education, and population density.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000217, ucf:46060
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000217

Title: TO GENDER IDENTITY AND BEYOND: DOES FEMININITY LEAD TO A HIGHER RISK OF DEPRESSION?.
Creator: Arnold, Dana L, White, Grace, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current study explored the possible links between gender identity, personality, and the experience of depression in a male and female sample. 260 University of Central Florida (UCF) Psychology students completed assessments of depression, "Big Five" personality traits, and gender identity. Correlational analyses revealed significant, positive associations between "Big Five" neuroticism scores and depression scores. Additionally, significant, negative correlations were found between...
Show moreThe current study explored the possible links between gender identity, personality, and the experience of depression in a male and female sample. 260 University of Central Florida (UCF) Psychology students completed assessments of depression, "Big Five" personality traits, and gender identity. Correlational analyses revealed significant, positive associations between "Big Five" neuroticism scores and depression scores. Additionally, significant, negative correlations were found between masculinity scores and depression, as well as between femininity scores and depression. Although these correlations were significant, their general effect was small. Overall, additional research must be completed to further examine and validate these findings.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000166, ucf:46055
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000166

Title: THIS MUST BE THE PLACE.
Creator: Feinman, Jesse S, Hubbard, Susan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This Must Be the Place is a collection of short stories that take place in Massachusetts, America. Each story exists as a subtle celebration of the ordinary moments of our lives that softly, and gradually, shape us over time. This testament to the every-day is characterized by detailed, tender depictions of brief conversations, picnics in parks, afternoon car rides, and trips to the grocery store with past lovers. Although the narrators and other orbiting characters in the stories are all...
Show moreThis Must Be the Place is a collection of short stories that take place in Massachusetts, America. Each story exists as a subtle celebration of the ordinary moments of our lives that softly, and gradually, shape us over time. This testament to the every-day is characterized by detailed, tender depictions of brief conversations, picnics in parks, afternoon car rides, and trips to the grocery store with past lovers. Although the narrators and other orbiting characters in the stories are all different, they are bound together by an insatiable curiosity and fascination with the world and the human condition. Inspired by works from authors such as Raymond Carver, Richard Brautigan, William Trevor, Carrie Fountain, and Andre Dubus, This Must Be the Place is a comment on how we, as people, are as defined by the decisions we do not make as the ones that we do. The characters in each piece confront choices and the invariable emotional consequences that will follow them, either temporarily or for the foreseeable future. These consequences propel the narratives, causing anxiety, uncertainty, and at times even excitement for all of those involved. Similarly, and perhaps more importantly, because of these consequences, the gears of the characters' hearts shift, ever so slightly, in new, unexplored directions. As a whole, This Must Be the Place is about the understated importance embedded in every connection, misconnection, beginning, and ending.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000258, ucf:46056
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000258

Title: PLASMA TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF SPECTRAL INTERFERENCE.
Creator: Seesahai, Brandon, Baudelet, Matthieu, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The path explored in this thesis is testing a plasma temperature measurement approach that accounts for interference in a spectrum. The Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (AES) technique used is called Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and involves focusing a laser pulse to a high irradiance onto a sample to induced a plasma. Spectrally analyzing the plasma light provides a "finger print" or spectrum of the sample. Unfortunately, spectral line broadening is a type of interference...
Show moreThe path explored in this thesis is testing a plasma temperature measurement approach that accounts for interference in a spectrum. The Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (AES) technique used is called Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and involves focusing a laser pulse to a high irradiance onto a sample to induced a plasma. Spectrally analyzing the plasma light provides a "finger print" or spectrum of the sample. Unfortunately, spectral line broadening is a type of interference encountered in a LIBS spectrum because it blends possible ionic or atomic transitions that occur in plasma. To make use of the information or transitions not resolved in a LIBS spectrum, a plasma temperature method is developed. The basic theory of a LIBS plasma, broadening mechanisms, thermal equilibrium and distribution laws, and plasma temperature methods are discussed as background support for the plasma temperature method tested in this thesis. In summary, the plasma temperature method analyzes the Full Width at Half the Maximum (FWHM) of each spectral line for transitions provided from a database and uses them for temperature measurements. The first implementation of the temperature method was for simulated spectra and the results are compared to other conventional temperature measurement techniques. The temporal evolution of experimental spectra are also taken as a function of time to observe if the newly developed temperature technique can perform temporal measurements. Lastly, the temperature method is tested for a simulated, single element spectrum when considering interferences from all the elements provided in an atomic database. From stimulated and experimental spectra analysis to a global database consideration, the advantages and disadvantages of the temperature method are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000140, ucf:46057
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000140

Title: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND LANGUAGE STYLE MATCHING.
Creator: DePass, Deprise M., Whitten, Shannon, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Individuals subconsciously convey emotions through language. The present study investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence (EQ) and language style matching (LSM). Emotional intelligence involves the ability to regulate, maintain, and express one's emotions and to perceive the emotion of others. LSM involves the phenomenon that when individuals talk they tend to mimic each other's word usage (Neiderhoffer and Pennebaker, 2002). The hypothesis of the present study is that...
Show moreIndividuals subconsciously convey emotions through language. The present study investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence (EQ) and language style matching (LSM). Emotional intelligence involves the ability to regulate, maintain, and express one's emotions and to perceive the emotion of others. LSM involves the phenomenon that when individuals talk they tend to mimic each other's word usage (Neiderhoffer and Pennebaker, 2002). The hypothesis of the present study is that individuals who are emotionally intelligent subconsciously match their language to their communication partner. Ten participants from the University of Central Florida's Psychology Department were given an emotional intelligence test. The participants were then asked to submit three text conversations stored in their phones, one in which they interpret as a positive encounter, another which they interpret as a negative encounter, and one interpreted as a neutral encounter. Bivariate correlations were used to analyze the data. The results did not support the hypothesis.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000214, ucf:46058
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000214

Title: PROTOCOL BASED SCREENING TOOLS TO IDENTIFY SEPSIS PATIENTS TRANSPORTED BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
Creator: Moser, Isaiah, Talbert, Steven, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Sepsis is a complicated disorder in which an infection has reached the bloodstream and caused a cascade of events that in time will lead to death. Interventions aimed at identifying sepsis early in its progression are imperative to stopping the process. The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of the literature regarding sepsis screening tools utilized by emergency medical services. A literature review exploring the various tools in place was conducted to see their value in...
Show moreSepsis is a complicated disorder in which an infection has reached the bloodstream and caused a cascade of events that in time will lead to death. Interventions aimed at identifying sepsis early in its progression are imperative to stopping the process. The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of the literature regarding sepsis screening tools utilized by emergency medical services. A literature review exploring the various tools in place was conducted to see their value in predicting sepsis and secondary what the initiation of a sepsis alert has on the patients' outcome. Results found included that sepsis screening tools when in place decrease time to identification, decrease time to antibiotics, increase amount of fluid administration, and overall reduce hospital stay and mortality rate. With these findings educational training for EMS providers and the introduction of generalized protocols are of the upmost importance. Further research is needed to be done to create a consistent tool to be used by all EMS agencies that has a validated predictive value of sepsis.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000155, ucf:46061
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000155

Title: THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON SEXUAL COGNITIONS AND BEHAVIORS.
Creator: Duarte, Joshua, Wright, Chrysalis, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Pop culture and social media have become a prime source of entertainment and communication. The current study focuses on the potential effects of consuming this form of media and how it affects our sexual cognitions and behaviors. A sample of nine hundred and two university students were given self-reporting questionnaires concerning demographics, sexual cognitions, and exposure to sexual content in music. An analysis of music artist's posts on social media was also performed. It was...
Show morePop culture and social media have become a prime source of entertainment and communication. The current study focuses on the potential effects of consuming this form of media and how it affects our sexual cognitions and behaviors. A sample of nine hundred and two university students were given self-reporting questionnaires concerning demographics, sexual cognitions, and exposure to sexual content in music. An analysis of music artist's posts on social media was also performed. It was hypothesized that artists who have sexual content published in their work will also have the same amount of sexual content on social media. However, there were no significant correlations found between these sources. This study found that exposure to sexual content on social media could increase the chances of acquiring certain sexual cognitions. The current study also aimed to analyze the common characteristics of artist's that post a higher frequency of sexual content on social media. This study found that female artists tend to post more sexual content on social media compared to male artists, as well as music groups containing both male and female artists.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000136, ucf:46062
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000136

Title: PROFILING BY ANY OTHER NAME COULD BE THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE ACT.
Creator: Malloy, Evan, Brown, Cynthia, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The undergraduate thesis began with the research question of whether the Islamic community is being profiled by the use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. At the beginning of the project, the researcher's hypothesis was that Muslim community had fallen victim to profiling through the use of electronic surveillance conducted by the American government. The research presented reveals a pattern of profiling and injustices...
Show moreThe undergraduate thesis began with the research question of whether the Islamic community is being profiled by the use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. At the beginning of the project, the researcher's hypothesis was that Muslim community had fallen victim to profiling through the use of electronic surveillance conducted by the American government. The research presented reveals a pattern of profiling and injustices against many different groups of Americans throughout the history of United States surveillance laws starting with the illegal alcohol producers in the 1920's. Amendments to FISA have set necessary modern electronic surveillance regulations back 30 years. The researcher brings to light the injustices the Islamic community has endured out of the panic caused by the attacks on 9/11. The research presented was achieved by using empirical legal studies techniques of incorporating a mix-methods approach to utilize both quantitative and qualitative research components. The researcher developed a spreadsheet that included all published federal opinions of prosecutions involving FISA since its enactment in 1978. Statistical data was analyzed using frequency and average software, known as Stata, and the results of study suggest an extreme increase in the amount of prosecutions involving the Islamic community since 9/11 compared to prior.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003853, ucf:44694
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003853

Title: ON RIGHTS: A DEFENSE AND ANALYSIS OF RIGHTS THROUGH NATURAL LAW.
Creator: Lopez, Ramon, Kiel, Dwight, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: One of the central questions in political theory deals with the nature of rights. What sorts of rights do people possess? How are these rights justified? How ought these rights be reflected and related when seen in political, economic, and social institutions? Following the publication of John Rawls' A Theory of Justice (1971) and Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974), rights have once again returned to dominate much of contemporary political theory. However, natural law, which...
Show moreOne of the central questions in political theory deals with the nature of rights. What sorts of rights do people possess? How are these rights justified? How ought these rights be reflected and related when seen in political, economic, and social institutions? Following the publication of John Rawls' A Theory of Justice (1971) and Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974), rights have once again returned to dominate much of contemporary political theory. However, natural law, which was the historical basis of the early Enlightenment theories of rights, is no longer the primary system appealed to when discussing rights. In fact, classical natural law has been all but discarded in most of political theory today. There has also been renewed debate over the nature of public neutrality, and what the relationship ought to be between the public and private sphere. The mainstream view of how our liberties relate to our rights, as well as what kinds of rights we have over our private affairs, has come under fire from a newly emerging political philosophy known as communitarianism. This thesis will present a robust theory of rights that provides a new understanding of the relationship between positive and negative rights through a defense of classical natural law as an ethical foundation for political theory. It will side with the communitarian critics of public neutrality, and offer a practical method of determining when the state is justified in limiting private liberties due to public interest.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003856, ucf:44695
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003856

Title: INTEGRATION OF COMMUNICATION CONSTRAINTS INTO PHYSIOCOMIMETICSWARMS VIA PLACEMENT OF LOCATION BASED VIRTUAL PARTICLES.
Creator: Haley, Joshua, Wiegand, R. Paul, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis describes a change to the Physiocomimetics Robotic Swarm Control framework that implements communication constraints into swarm behavior. These constraints are necessary to successfully implement theoretical applications in the real world. We describe the basic background of swarm robotics, the Physiocomimetics framework and methods that have attempted to implement communications constraints into robotic swarms. The Framework is changed by the inclusion of different virtual...
Show moreThis thesis describes a change to the Physiocomimetics Robotic Swarm Control framework that implements communication constraints into swarm behavior. These constraints are necessary to successfully implement theoretical applications in the real world. We describe the basic background of swarm robotics, the Physiocomimetics framework and methods that have attempted to implement communications constraints into robotic swarms. The Framework is changed by the inclusion of different virtual particles at a global and local scale that only cause a force on swarm elements if those elements are disconnected from a swarm network. The global particles introduced are a point of known connectivity and a global centroid of the swarm. The local particles introduced are the point of last connectivity and a local centroid. These particles are tested in various simulations and the results are discussed. The global particles are very effective at insuring the communication constraints of the swarm, but the local particles only have partial success. Additionally, some observations are made about swarm formations and the effect of the communication range used during swarm formation.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003812, ucf:44747
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003812

Title: POLITICAL SOCIALIZTION: CHANGE AND STABILITY IN POLITICAL ATTITUDES AMONG AND WITHIN AGE COHORTS.
Creator: Hale, Michael, Pollock, Philip, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: For as long as people have held opinions in the political realm, there has been research trying to decipher exactly what people think and believe as well as when they begin to hold these beliefs. This present study sorts the respondents studied into age cohorts and then follows them throughout the data. All of the data used in this study are from the National Election Study Data from 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004. This study is a repeated cross-sectional study since different...
Show moreFor as long as people have held opinions in the political realm, there has been research trying to decipher exactly what people think and believe as well as when they begin to hold these beliefs. This present study sorts the respondents studied into age cohorts and then follows them throughout the data. All of the data used in this study are from the National Election Study Data from 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004. This study is a repeated cross-sectional study since different individuals are used throughout the study, and this study measures opinions only on the aggregate level. Sorting the respondents into age cohorts allows this study to track people of similar age as they respond to different life experiences as well as world events as they age. When appropriate, the data are compared to the main models of political socialization to determine how accurate these generally accepted models are. The items analyzed in this study vary greatly in subject as well as how specific they are. Everything from United States Presidential vote choices, opinions on affirmative action and federal welfare spending to political knowledge is analyzed to ascertain if these things interact with age, and if they do interact with age, to what extent. Besides observing opinions on these issues, certain issues will have their saliency measured throughout the years using the Somers' D statistic. This will help determine what issues people are thinking of when they are forming their ideology. The results from this paper show that some issues and beliefs, such as self-described ideology and political knowledge, are very strongly related to age. Other issues and beliefs in the political realm, such as strength of United States Presidential vote choice and opinions on federal welfare spending, seem to not be related to age or influenced heavily by period effects and other things besides age.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003713, ucf:44746
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003713

Title: BIGGER IS BETTER?: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN HAITI.
Creator: Melecio-Zambrano, Crisely, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis conducts a comparative study of international organizations in regard to their effectiveness towards addressing humanitarian concerns in Haiti. The three case studies are the operations of the United Nations, Catholic Relief Services, and REBUILD Globally, predominantly after the January 2010 quake. The hypothesis supported in this study is that the services of smaller organizations prove to be more successful than larger NGOs, although they do not have the immense resources of...
Show moreThis thesis conducts a comparative study of international organizations in regard to their effectiveness towards addressing humanitarian concerns in Haiti. The three case studies are the operations of the United Nations, Catholic Relief Services, and REBUILD Globally, predominantly after the January 2010 quake. The hypothesis supported in this study is that the services of smaller organizations prove to be more successful than larger NGOs, although they do not have the immense resources of organizations such as the United Nations. The independent variables are type and quantity of funding, form of humanitarian work, and duration of support. All three variables establish the degree of overall effectiveness of the organization. This topic is significant because NGOs are rising in importance and influence in the international community as the average individual can now be involved in the foreign arena. It is important to study what is truly effective in humanitarian aid rather than assuming 'the bigger the better.'
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003828, ucf:44742
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003828

Title: THE STRUGGLE FOR REGIONAL HEGEMONY: HOW THE IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE IRAQ.
Creator: Velasco, Juliana, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Due to the recent war in Iraq, the Middle East has once against jumped to the forefront of everyone's mind. The world has been focused on Iraq and Iran for a decade now because Iran has established a strong foothold in Iraqi life since the toppling of Saddam Hussein. However, in order to understand this issue and attempt to solve it, an extensive study must be made of all the reasons that Iran is succeeding where the United States has not. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the...
Show moreDue to the recent war in Iraq, the Middle East has once against jumped to the forefront of everyone's mind. The world has been focused on Iraq and Iran for a decade now because Iran has established a strong foothold in Iraqi life since the toppling of Saddam Hussein. However, in order to understand this issue and attempt to solve it, an extensive study must be made of all the reasons that Iran is succeeding where the United States has not. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the historical influence that Iran, particularly the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has had on Iraq since its creation. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has taken over its home country and a historical analysis will chronicle its rise. Case studies of Iran and Iraq will be used to understand the geopolitical, military, economic, and religious reasons for the IRGC's ever-increasing influence. Previous studies and news coverage have only focused on one issue at a time; however, it is rare to find a study which combines all the reasons. This thesis will not only compile an analysis of these reasons, but will also explore and suggest what steps or policies Iraq can adopt in order to prevent it from being a puppet to other world powers.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003737, ucf:44743
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003737

Title: U.S. FOREIGN POLICY TOWARD NORTH KOREA: 1945 TO PRESENT.
Creator: Derewiany, Andrew, Jewett, Aubrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The foreign policy of the United States of America toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea, has an important role in maintaining the peace, stability, and security of Eastern Asia. From the partition of the Korean peninsula following World War II to the country's development of nuclear weapons, the foreign policy of the U.S. had to evolve based on the circumstances in North Korea. The United States, along with China, Japan, Russia, and South...
Show moreThe foreign policy of the United States of America toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea, has an important role in maintaining the peace, stability, and security of Eastern Asia. From the partition of the Korean peninsula following World War II to the country's development of nuclear weapons, the foreign policy of the U.S. had to evolve based on the circumstances in North Korea. The United States, along with China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, have key roles surrounding the discussions with North Korea. The thesis focuses solely on the presidential administrations of Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama; these men had the greatest impact on U.S. foreign policy with North Korea. The thesis takes a qualitative approach of research by using primarily government documents, historical records from presidential administrations, articles from foreign policy journals, and books by foreign policy experts. Throughout the research, two common themes of U.S. relations toward North Korea emerge, uncertainty and defiance. North Korea's secretive regime makes it difficult for U.S. presidential administrations to determine the intentions of North Korea's actions. Furthermore, the uncertainty often leads to defiant and aggressive actions by North Korea. From the USS Pueblo crisis to the bombing of Yeonpyeong Island, presidential administrations had to walk a fine line of responding with aggression, negotiations, or appeasement. The thesis examines not only the options and implementations of each presidential administration, but also looks toward possible solutions for maintaining peace and stability in Eastern Asia by improving relations with North Korea.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003766, ucf:44748
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003766

Title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PSYCHOMETRICALLY-DEFINED SOCIAL ANXIETY AND WORKING MEMORY PERFORMANCE.
Creator: Paskowski, Timothy, Bedwell, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Anxiety disorders are among the most commonly diagnosed class of mental illness in the United States, and often involve abnormally high levels of stress and social fear. Despite high lifetime prevalence rates, social anxiety disorder (SAD) has remarkably low diagnosis and treatment rates. Furthermore, while individuals with other specific psychiatric disorders tend to exhibit significant neuropsychological deficits, neuropsychological functioning in individuals with SAD remains largely...
Show moreAnxiety disorders are among the most commonly diagnosed class of mental illness in the United States, and often involve abnormally high levels of stress and social fear. Despite high lifetime prevalence rates, social anxiety disorder (SAD) has remarkably low diagnosis and treatment rates. Furthermore, while individuals with other specific psychiatric disorders tend to exhibit significant neuropsychological deficits, neuropsychological functioning in individuals with SAD remains largely untested. A majority of the few existing studies concerning neuropsychological performance in SAD samples focus on specific functions, and their limited results are highly mixed. The primary objective of this investigation was to provide a more thorough, broad assessment of both auditory and visual working memory as related to psychometrically-defined social anxiety disorder. In addition, this study aimed to help clarify as to whether such deficits are related to the construct of social anxiety, or whether any potential deficits are better explained by generalized state and/or trait (in-the-moment) anxiety. The implications of a deficit in the visual and/or auditory working memory domains are multifaceted. For example, such a deficit may lead to the inability to detect visual cues in social situations. The inability to process these social cues has the potential to exacerbate some SAD- related symptoms, such as fear of humiliation and judgment. Twenty-nine college students completed both phases of this study, including an assessment of state and trait anxiety as well as social phobia and a four-part working memory battery. An analysis of the Phase II data indicates that individual scores on the four measures of both visual and auditory working memory did not relate to trait and/or state anxiety or psychometrically-defined social anxiety. Thus, it appears that social, generalized trait, and generalized state anxiety do not relate to a neuropsychological deficit in either type of working memory in this sample population. However, we did find a statistical trend suggesting that as social anxiety increased, there was a relative decrease in visual vs. auditory working memory. This statistical trend remained after covarying for state and trait anxiety respectively. Therefore, future research in this area should examine the discrepancy in performance between the auditory and visual working memory domains as it relates to both diagnosed social phobia and psychometrically-defined social anxiety.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003798, ucf:44744
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003798

Title: POLITICIAL CONSERVATISM AND ITS EFFECTS ON MEMORY AND BASIC RECALL.
Creator: Caine, Simon, Smither, Janan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate how conservatism affects a person's perception of everyday details. It is hypothesized that there will be a positive correlation between the participants' conservative ratings and the amount of details from the readings they recall that are also conservative. This will also mean that there will be a negative correlation between the participants scoring higher on the conservatism scale and the amount of liberal details they recall. A similar pattern...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate how conservatism affects a person's perception of everyday details. It is hypothesized that there will be a positive correlation between the participants' conservative ratings and the amount of details from the readings they recall that are also conservative. This will also mean that there will be a negative correlation between the participants scoring higher on the conservatism scale and the amount of liberal details they recall. A similar pattern is expected to be discovered pertaining to participants that identify as more liberal. How is this measured? The participants will be asked to rate the their political views on a scale of 1-6, 1 being extremely liberal, and 6 being extremely conservative. A transcript of a political debate will contain views that are both conservative and liberal. Each view will be backed up by details supporting each of a candidate's policies. The transcript will include minor grammatical errors including punctuation, spelling, and tenses, all of which the participant will be asked to correct. Following this will be a mathematical task which will include converting mixed numbers to improper fractions at the difficulty of a fifth grade level. A memory recall task will then be administered to the participants asking them to recall as many of the details from the debate as possible.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003773, ucf:44745
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003773

Title: MICRORNA REGULATION OF PROSTATE CANCER DESENSITIZATION TO ANDROGEN RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST DRUGS DURING ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY.
Creator: Lorch, Robert, Chakrabarti, Ratna, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current standard treatment of prostate cancer by androgen deprivation therapy involves using drugs such as bicalutamide (Casodex) to antagonistically block androgen receptors that are normally present within prostate cells. Usually, the therapy is successful in the short run at limiting the growth of prostate cancer. However, in virtually all cases tumors begin to grow aggressively again after several months of treatment and new therapies must be started. The mechanism by which these...
Show moreThe current standard treatment of prostate cancer by androgen deprivation therapy involves using drugs such as bicalutamide (Casodex) to antagonistically block androgen receptors that are normally present within prostate cells. Usually, the therapy is successful in the short run at limiting the growth of prostate cancer. However, in virtually all cases tumors begin to grow aggressively again after several months of treatment and new therapies must be started. The mechanism by which these prostate cells transform from androgen sensitive to androgen independent and anti-androgen resistant is unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of microRNAs, small 15 to 18 nucleotide regulatory RNAs, in regulating the desensitization of prostate cancer cells to the androgen receptor antagonist drug bicalutamide. In order to identify significant microRNAs, quantitative PCR was used to obtain genome-wide microRNA expression levels of 885 human microRNAs at different timepoints for androgen sensitive LNCaP cancer cells treated with bicalutamide and for untreated control cells in tissue culture. Analysis of microRNA expression by clustering analysis and by statistical comparisons of treatment groups resulted in identification of 28 microRNAs that have altered expression in the progression process. In silico target prediction analysis was performed with the microRNAs shown to have altered expression, and a group of genes predicted to be under microRNA regulatory control during cancer progression to resistance was identified. A microRNA expression profile can be useful in developing more effective prognostic and therapeutic tools for prostate cancer.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003826, ucf:44740
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003826

education (73)	+ -
gender (73)	+ -
fiction (66)	+ -
Florida (63)	+ -
simulation (47)	+ -

Education (44)	+ -
Simulation (43)	+ -
technology (42)	+ -
theatre (42)	+ -
performance (39)	+ -
mathematics (37)	+ -
stress (37)	+ -
higher education (36)	+ -
motivation (35)	+ -
communication (34)	+ -
creative writing (34)	+ -
Theatre (32)	+ -
culture (32)	+ -
art (31)	+ -
student achievement (31)	+ -
identity (30)	+ -
rhetoric (30)	+ -
special education (29)	+ -
college students (28)	+ -
race (28)	+ -
Maya (27)	+ -
science (27)	+ -
Modeling (26)	+ -
Performance (26)	+ -
United States (26)	+ -

ETD Collection (6821)	+ -
Honors Collection (1397)	+ -
UCF Florida Heritage (1)	+ -

12095 (1)	+ -
Florida (1)	+ -
Orange (1)	+ -
Orlando (1)	+ -

English (8192)	+ -
Engilsh (26)	+ -
Spanish (1)	+ -
eng (1)	+ -

Search In

Pages

Pages

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Topical Subject

Collection

Geographic Subject

Genre

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Format

Owner

Document (PDF) (8218)	+ -
E-book (1)	+ -