Current Search: social capital (x)
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- Title
- SOCIAL CAPITAL INFLUENCES IN WOMEN AT RISK FOR POOR PREGNANCY OUTCOMES.
- Creator
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James-Mesloh, Jennifer, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Poor pregnancy outcomes such as prematurity, low birth weight and infant mortality are societal indicators of a nationÃÂÂ...
Show morePoor pregnancy outcomes such as prematurity, low birth weight and infant mortality are societal indicators of a nationÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ's health status. These indicators have remained at exceptionally high rates in the United States despite the levels of resources and technology. In the quest to understand that discrepancy, among the ranges of theories and models for explaining poor pregnancy outcomes an emerging concept is coming to attention: social capital. In order to test whether maternal social capital has an impact on pregnancy outcome, women in a Healthy Start program were surveyed over a 13-month period to assess their social capital levels and then their pregnancy outcomes. What emerged was that maternal social capital can predict up to 47% of the variance in pregnancy outcome. That is a powerful research result considering that previously there has been no literature tracing a link between maternal social capital and pregnancy outcome. In this study, maternal risk factors adversely affect up to 30% of the variance in pregnancy outcomes. Previous research has focused on maternal risk factors as the primary reason for high rates of preterm delivery, low birth weight, and infant mortality in the United States. However, this research found that in the sample of women at risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, maternal risk factors had a very strong influence on maternal social capital (R-square=65%) while their effects on pregnancy outcomes were about half of their effects on social capital. This result suggests that social capital mediates the effects of maternal risk factors on pregnancy outcomes. It appears that one of the reasons that the high rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the United States have remained a mystery is that maternal social capital has not been taken into account.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003123, ucf:48639
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003123
- Title
- GENERAL SOCIAL TRUST AND POLITICAL TRUST WITHIN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL GROUPS: A CASE STUDY.
- Creator
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Craig, Weylan, Pollock, Philip, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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People in society with high levels of generalized social trust and political trust are more likely to engage in civic activism and participation. Therefore, people involved in social and political groups will likely have higher levels of generalized social and political trust than the general public. What lacks in this realm of scholarship is a solid comparison of trust among people involved in social and political groups. This case-study analysis of generalized social trust and political...
Show morePeople in society with high levels of generalized social trust and political trust are more likely to engage in civic activism and participation. Therefore, people involved in social and political groups will likely have higher levels of generalized social and political trust than the general public. What lacks in this realm of scholarship is a solid comparison of trust among people involved in social and political groups. This case-study analysis of generalized social trust and political trust among social and political groups shows the trust that is not only generated within each group, but also which types of groups are more effective at developing citizens that participate in society. Using a researcher-designed survey instrument, two social groups and two political groups have been evaluated and compared to demonstrate members' propensity to trust others in society and those in political office at all levels of government. Sample size is 115 respondents. Among other demographic data analyzed and compared to a larger population data set in the World Values Survey, six hypotheses have been tested. Typical analysis shows demographic data or group membership as the independent variable with trust values acting as the dependent variable. Graphic and cross-tabular data show that social groups recorded higher levels of political trust than political groups. This is probably due to the ideological leanings of the political groups. Political groups showed higher levels of generalized social trust than social groups. Political group members probably feel that their actions are benefiting the greater good. Additionally, participation variables showed that not only are political group members more interested in politics than social group members, but they also have higher levels of registering to vote and to participate in the voting process. They are probably seeking to make significant change in the political system through their actions. The research conducted does not seek to provide a comprehensive analysis of trust among members of social and political groups. However, it is intended to promote the analysis of trust among people in society that have a predisposition to trust as they have shown through the act of participating in a social or political group. As foci for the development of trust, analysis of social and political groups provides a shortcut for scholars interested in the development and proliferation of trust in society. This research provides analysis of four case-study groups at one point in time. Further research using larger sample sizes and time-series analysis could advance trust analysis among social and political groups.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001370, ucf:46997
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001370
- Title
- CREATING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAND USE MIX, NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC REALM ENGAGEMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL CAPITAL.
- Creator
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Burns, William, Korosec, Ronnie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This research provides a confirmatory based analysis which begins with the planning concept of land use mix and explores its explanatory affect upon resident perceptions of their built environment in terms of proximity of recreation and retail destinations within their neighborhood public realm. This research further explores the residentÂÂ's potential inclination to access these destinations by non motorized active travel modes of walking or bicycling. This research...
Show moreThis research provides a confirmatory based analysis which begins with the planning concept of land use mix and explores its explanatory affect upon resident perceptions of their built environment in terms of proximity of recreation and retail destinations within their neighborhood public realm. This research further explores the residentÂÂ's potential inclination to access these destinations by non motorized active travel modes of walking or bicycling. This research examines the relationship between the propensity for active travel within the neighborhood public realm and levels of resident active engagement (walking and bicycling) and passive engagement (sitting on the front porch) in the neighborhood public realm. This research then examines the relationship between public realm engagement and levels of neighborhood social capital. There are two overarching types of community design patterns, the traditional design pattern, which generally provides higher levels of land use mix and the conventional suburban design pattern, which generally provides lower levels of land use mix (primarily single use). Since the end of World War II, virtually all of the Florida landscape has been developed with the conventional suburban design pattern. In the past ten years, several planning based initiatives have been undertaken by regional planning advocacy and academic organizations which examine differing outcomes associated with the implementation of traditional versus suburban design patterns. Specifically, these studies sought to understand how these different design patterns would translate into the development of existing undisturbed uplands and wetlands. Two major studies, the Penn Design Study (2004) sponsored by the University of Central Florida Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies and the ÂÂ"How Shall We GrowÂÂ" (2006) study sponsored by MyRegion.org in association with the Orlando Chamber of Commerce, provided scenarios associated with future growth outcomes over the next fifty years within the seven county Central Florida region. These study initiatives concluded that the conventional suburban pattern should no longer be implemented in order to reduce future adverse impacts to FloridaÂÂ's environment. These studies supported the implementation of a more traditional pattern of growth, with its higher levels of compactness, mixed land uses and connectivity, as the preferred form of future land development. They demonstrated that traditional design forms would reduce the amount of impacted undeveloped land and also reduce the amount of public service costs associated with lower levels of compactness and land use mix. Although the aforementioned studies provide a very informative evaluation from an environmental perspective, they do not extend their differing potential growth scenarios to a ÂÂ"healthy communitiesÂÂ" perspective. This research endeavors to begin to fill that gap through evidence based research using a confirmatory model approach that addresses relationships between phenomena that may be indicative of healthy communities. This study identifies the phenomena of outdoor neighborhood public realm engagement, primarily in the form of physical activity (walking and bicycling) and socializing in the public realm, and neighborhood level social capital, and their potential relationship with higher and lower levels of land use mix. This research posits a pathway mechanism, using structural equation modeling, to better grasp their possible relationships. This research seeks to add evidence based research to the public policy discussion pertaining to the type of future land development patterns that will be advocated by citizens and public policy makers by providing a fuller evaluative resource that includes a discussion of ÂÂ"healthy communitiesÂÂ" in terms of outdoor physical activity and social interaction.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003515, ucf:48948
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003515
- Title
- THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL FACTORS ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND HISPANIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
- Creator
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DAVIS, JACQUELINE, Dr. Cynthia J. Hutchinson, Dr. E. Lea Witta and, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The underachievement of African American and Hispanic students has been an ongoing problem for schools in the United States. The purpose of this investigation was to add to the existing body of knowledge concerning social capital of African American and Hispanic high school students' academic achievement. Using a nationally representative sample from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), base year through the first follow-up year database, 551 high school students, the...
Show moreThe underachievement of African American and Hispanic students has been an ongoing problem for schools in the United States. The purpose of this investigation was to add to the existing body of knowledge concerning social capital of African American and Hispanic high school students' academic achievement. Using a nationally representative sample from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), base year through the first follow-up year database, 551 high school students, the researcher assessed indicators (school-sponsored activities, out-of-school activities, and parental involvement) within the construct of social capital, to see whether social capital could serve as a predictor of academic achievement among African American and Hispanic high school students. Data were analyzed through Repeated Measures analysis and Multiple Regression analysis controlling for gender, race, and socioeconomic status. The main effects revealed a statistically significant difference between the social capital factors in school-sponsored activities, out-of- school activities, and parent involvement. The results showed an increase in the first follow-up year. Socio-economic status, race and gender were statistically significant social capital factors. Females and African Americans were found to have higher levels of social capital in school-sponsored activities. Out-of- school activities revealed males had higher levels of social capital. Parent involvement indicators showed that female and Hispanic students were affected by social capital. Differences in math scores revealed an increase in the first follow-up year, showing males outscored females. Also, Hispanic students' scores were higher than African American students. Finally, the strongest predictors for academic achievement were gender, race, and participation in school sponsored activity in the base year and first follow-up year. In addition, parent involvement was also found to be a strong predictor of achievement in the follow-up year.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002673, ucf:48215
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002673
- Title
- Applying the Technology Acceptance Model to Predict and Explain Elementary and Secondary Preservice Teachers' Continuance Behavioral Intentions and Pedagogical Usage of Twitter to build Professional Capital: A Structural Equation Modeling Inquiry.
- Creator
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Gurjar, Nandita, Sivo, Stephen, Roberts, Sherron, Xu, Lihua, Vie, Stephanie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this research study was to predict and explain elementary and secondary preservice teachers' continuance behavioral intentions and pedagogical usage of Twitter, a web based social networking, microblogging platform, to build professional growth and capital. The objective of the research study was to examine preservice teachers' beliefs associated with the specified constructs that formed the latent variables of the hypothesized research model; these latent variables were then...
Show moreThe purpose of this research study was to predict and explain elementary and secondary preservice teachers' continuance behavioral intentions and pedagogical usage of Twitter, a web based social networking, microblogging platform, to build professional growth and capital. The objective of the research study was to examine preservice teachers' beliefs associated with the specified constructs that formed the latent variables of the hypothesized research model; these latent variables were then measured with their associated indicators or manifest variables, and the relationship between the manifest variables was examined through the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) process. A non-experimental empirical research study was conducted using the survey methodology; purposive, criterion referenced, sampling of elementary and secondary preservice teachers, N=379, was employed using social media platforms and intern listserv at a large Southeastern university. The final sample of N= 250 participants was determined through the process of regression imputation of elementary and secondary preservice teachers' survey responses. The results demonstrated that constructs of the extended Technology Acceptance Model showed significant goodness-of-fit indices and coefficients of determination after analyzing the data from the survey. Implications of this research contribute significantly toward teacher education and training by providing insights into the factors that impact the pedagogical use of Twitter, a web-based social networking and microblogging platform, for building professional capital in preservice teachers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006314, ucf:51551
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006314
- Title
- EXPLAINING CHURN: MASS SOCIETY, SOCIAL CAPITAL, & COMMUNITY CHURN.
- Creator
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Edelen, Delores, Wright, James, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Population churn--the population turnover experienced by a community--can have differential effects on a community. Mass society theory suggests that because the churn rate experienced by communities can contribute to their uprooting, fragmentation, and isolation, churn is a potent threat to the stability of our modern day communities. Social capital theory, to the contrary, suggests otherwise. Social capital theory suggests that churn can have positive effects on communities by bringing new...
Show morePopulation churn--the population turnover experienced by a community--can have differential effects on a community. Mass society theory suggests that because the churn rate experienced by communities can contribute to their uprooting, fragmentation, and isolation, churn is a potent threat to the stability of our modern day communities. Social capital theory, to the contrary, suggests otherwise. Social capital theory suggests that churn can have positive effects on communities by bringing new migrants with valuable human capital skills and experiences to communities. These migrants bring to their new communities the potential for creating new jobs, spurring economic development, and for initiating housing starts that expand housing options for the poor and minorities. In so doing, they help create and sustain vibrant, growing modern day communities. Yet in spite of the significant role churn may play in determining the health and viability of modern day communities, it has been overlooked in the migration literature, which is mostly dominated by individual-level research on the causes and effects of migration, particularly the pecuniary benefits to movers. Using county-level data and multivariate analyses, this research seeks to fill this gap in the literature by examining the relationship between the community and churn, from the perspectives provided by social capital and mass society theories.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000224, ucf:46257
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000224
- Title
- The Ontological Sociology of Cryptocurrency: A Theoretical Exploration of Bitcoin.
- Creator
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Villarreal, Omar, Gay, David, Hinojosa, Ramon, Corzine, Harold, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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For millennia, money has been a basal element of everyday life reality in market-organized societies. Albeit money has changed extrinsically (e.g., form, use, utility) countless of times, some intrinsic characteristics remain the same, i.e., money is reified value. But why? What gives money value? Even more crucial, what is money in the first place? This exploratory study delves into the intricacies of money, in particular the revolutionary 21st century pecuniary techno-phenomenon, a...
Show moreFor millennia, money has been a basal element of everyday life reality in market-organized societies. Albeit money has changed extrinsically (e.g., form, use, utility) countless of times, some intrinsic characteristics remain the same, i.e., money is reified value. But why? What gives money value? Even more crucial, what is money in the first place? This exploratory study delves into the intricacies of money, in particular the revolutionary 21st century pecuniary techno-phenomenon, a cryptocurrency called Bitcoin. Though cryptocurrencies have been the topic of several financial and legal scholarly publications for a few years, we rather focus our analysis on Bitcoin's ontological characteristics under a schema of overlapping theoretical layers: Social Exchange Theory, Marxian Dialectics, and Social Construction of Reality. Our intention is to dissect Bitcoin sociologically and empirically examine its global exchange, consumption, and institutionalization. Consequently, we venture to ask, can Bitcoin redefine the meaning of money and how we relate to it? Reformulate the role of banking? Disrupt the universally accepted objective reality of currency value attached to sensorial experience? Transfer trust from ambivalent human relations to an incorruptible algorithm? Or even become (")the Internet of money(")?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006412, ucf:51468
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006412
- Title
- Democracy is not doomed!: An answer to Friedrich Hayek.
- Creator
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Drob, Judah, Clement, Travers, Socialist Party (U.S.)
- Date Issued
- 1945
- Identifier
- 2683220, CFDT2683220, ucf:5041
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FCLA/DT/2683220
- Title
- Recycled Modernity: Google, Immigration History, and the Limits for H-1B.
- Creator
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Patten, Neil, Dombrowski, Paul, Mauer, Barry, Grajeda, Anthony, Dziuban, Charles, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Regulation of admission to the United States for technology workers from foreign countries has been a difficult issue, especially during periods of intense development. Following the dot.com bubble, the Google Corporation continued to argue in favor of higher limits under the Immigration and Nationality Act exception referred to as (")H-1B(") for the section of the law where it appears. H-1B authorized temporary admission for highly skilled labor in specialty occupations. Congressional...
Show moreRegulation of admission to the United States for technology workers from foreign countries has been a difficult issue, especially during periods of intense development. Following the dot.com bubble, the Google Corporation continued to argue in favor of higher limits under the Immigration and Nationality Act exception referred to as (")H-1B(") for the section of the law where it appears. H-1B authorized temporary admission for highly skilled labor in specialty occupations. Congressional testimony by Laszlo Bock, Google Vice President for People Operations, provided the most succinct statement of Google's concerns based on maintaining a competitive and diverse workforce. Diversity has been a rhetorical priority for Google, yet diversity did not affect the argument in a substantial and realistic way. Likewise, emphasis on geographically situated competitive capability suggests a limited commitment to the global communities invoked by information technology. The history of American industry produced corporations determined to control and exploit every detail of their affairs. In the process, industrial corporations used immigration as a labor resource. Google portrayed itself, and Google has been portrayed by media from the outside, as representative of new information technology culture, an information community of diverse, inclusive, and democratically transparent technology in the sense of universal availability and benefit with a deliberate concern for avoiding evil. However, emphasis by Google on American supremacy combined with a kind of half-hearted rhetorical advocacy for principles of diversity suggest an inconsistent approach to the argument about H-1B. The Google argument for manageable resources connected to corporate priorities of Industrial Modernity, a habit of control, more than to democratic communities of technology. In this outcome, there are concerns for information technology and the Industry of Knowledge Work. By considering the treatment of immigration as a sign of management attitude, I look at questions posed by Jean Baudrillard, Daniel Headrick, Alan Liu, and others about whether information technology as an industry and as communities of common interests has achieved any democratically universal (")ethical progress(") beyond the preceding system of industrial commerce that demands the absolute power to exploit resources, including human resources. Does Google's performance confirm skeptical questions, or did Google actually achieve something more socially responsible? In the rhetoric of immigration history and the rhetoric of Google as technology, this study finds connections to a recycled corporate-management version of Industrial Modernity that constrains the diffusion of technology.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005685, ucf:50135
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005685
