Browsing by Subject "theory"
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Item Examining the Influence of Psychological Characteristics on Children?s Active Commuting to School using Theoretical Perspectives(2014-08-13) Lu, WenhuaPrevious research on children?s active commuting to school (ACS) focused mainly on physical and social environmental predictors of the behavior, leaving psychological factors under studied. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine psychological characteristics that can influence children?s ACS using theoretical perspectives in three separate studies. Beginning with a systematic review of the current literature of ACS, the first manuscript critically evaluated theory utilization and methodological quality of empirical studies on perceived barriers to children?s ACS, and provided recommendations for advancing the quality of future ACS studies. The second manuscript presented a quantitative study examining the roles of children?s and parents? self-efficacy in children?s ACS based on Bandura?s self-efficacy theory. In the third manuscript, the efficacy of a modified integrative model (IM) in explaining parents? intention toward ACS and children?s subsequent commuting behavior was tested, and multiple key psychological determinants of health behavior, e.g., intention, self-efficacy, health beliefs, were investigated. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for secondary data analysis in the second and third manuscripts to test the hypothesized pathways using Mplus 7.0. Several key findings emerged from the dissertation. First, many previous studies on perceived barriers to ACS lacked theoretical grounding or used theories superficially. Second, the methodological rigor of ACS studies need to be improved, especially in regard to appropriate statistical analysis techniques, control variable estimation, multicollinearity testing, and reliability and validity testing. Third, children?s self-efficacy is predictive of their ACS and can be increased through improved neighborhood safety and social modeling. Fourth, parents? intention toward ACS has both direct and mediating effects on children?s ACS, and self-efficacy represents the most powerful determinants of intention. This dissertation, as a whole, builds upon current research and knowledge regarding children?s ACS and offers insights for more sophisticated ACS studies in the future. The work reported here provides support for the continuing exploration of the roles of psychological factors in children?s ACS using theoretical perspectives.Item Fetishes of "empowerment": the arguments, the confusions in contemporary feminist theory(2009-05-15) Wilson, Elizabeth Ann?Empowerment? is a term used liberally throughout feminist theory. However, the term has a number of assumed meanings, depending upon the context of its use. In this dissertation, I examine primarily second-wave feminist theory arguments, dividing the concepts according to quadrants of human experience (Habermas, Wilber) in order to reveal the context of the theorists? views of ?empowerment.? I also examine relevant worldview perspectives (Beck & Cowan, Graves) within each quadrant in order to reveal the underlying assumptions about what it is hoped ?empowerment? might achieve. I show that there are two primary types of ?empowerment?: empowerment of the autonomous self and empowerment of the relational self. These two distinctive types are of utmost importance because, though largely unacknowledged, they lie as the core foundation of conceptual frameworks that divide feminists into two opposing camps. Further, within these two primary types, there are diverse, nuanced understandings of ?empowerment? that are based upon varied notions of what it should accomplish.Item Investigating Diets of Asian Youth in the U.S. Using a Theoretical Framework(2012-07-16) Diep, CassandraChildhood overweight and obesity is a significant public health concern, especially among children of different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. This dissertation provides insight into one such population: Asian youth in the U.S. Three studies - two literature reviews and one quantitative study - compose this dissertation, which aims to understand dietary behaviors of Asian-American youths using a theoretical framework. The first study is a systematic literature review of existing health education/promotion theories and models used to study eating/feeding practices for preschool-aged children. The main purpose of this study was to review and critique theories and constructs utilized in nutrition research on preschool-aged children, while also providing recommendations for strengthening theory utilization and diversifying nutrition research in the future. Forty articles were included, of which 43% had clear identification of theory/constructs and a strong theoretical framework. The most common finding was modeling's effect on children's dietary behaviors, followed by the relationship between parental restriction/control and children's dietary behaviors. The second study was a systematic literature review of dietary behaviors of children of Asian background in the U.S. The aims of this review were three-fold: (a) to review literature regarding Asian-American youths' dietary behaviors, (b) to critically evaluate the methodological quality of such research, and (c) provide recommendations for future nutrition-related research on Asian-American youths. Fifteen articles were included. Major findings included: (a) frequent consumption of milk, fruit, meat, unenriched white rice, vegetables, and high-fat and high-sugar items among Asian-American children and (b) acculturation's effect on Asian-American youths' dietary behaviors. The third study was an investigation of cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences on dietary behaviors of Asian-American preschool-aged children on WIC using Social Cognitive Theory. Analyses included descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression on a sample of 68 Asian caregiver-child pairs in Texas. Results revealed consumption of 100% juices, fruits, vegetables, and white rice. In addition, adult fruit consumption frequency, adult potato consumption frequency, adult other vegetable consumption frequency, and outcome expectancies were statistically significant predictors of child's fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings from this dissertation will help nutrition education and health professionals culturally tailor obesity prevention programs for Asian Americans.Item Peircean Interpretation of Postmodern Architecture(2013-12-11) Takahashi, IwaoThe influence of philosophy on architectural theory contributes to the formulation of architectural theory in the history of architecture. This relationship created the oscillation of architectural theory between rationalism and romanticism reflecting the woven tendency of philosophy such as enlightenment and counter- enlightenment movement. This dissertation research focuses on architectural language theory which maintains a tight relationship with the philosophy of language. Postmodern architecture during the period of the 1970s through 1980s is examined to determine meanings of architecture, and the language theory of architecture. It followed the philosophy of language originated from Ferdinand de Saussure who influenced theorists, and explicitly sign theorists influenced by Charles Sanders Peirce. This theoretical underpinning of language theory is questionable because of an inappropriate application of the sign theory of Charles Sanders Peirce in terms of principal interpretation of language structure, dyadic and triadic type of language. This research re-interprets the meaning of architecture during postmodern period along with Peirce's semeiotic theory, and American Pragmatism that Peirce originally invented. The collection of evidence from architectural history and the influence from philosophy provides a conceptual sketch that the oscillation of theoretical tendency is the source of architectural creation. This creative process is analyzable based on Peirce's sign theory and his logic. The research applies current Peircean scholars' development including 'Peircean Algebraic Logic' by Robert W. Burch to develop a conceptual model to frame Peircean interpretation. The multiple-case study (four architects with eight architectures) demonstrates the effectiveness of the conceptual model to facilitate a Peircean interpretation of postmodern scenographic architecture and contextual postmodern architecture. The results of this interpretation draws the limitation of some type of scenographic architecture that uses a proxy referential method, while Pragmatism provides the contents to Postmodernism's needs that is parallel to architectural theory.Item Postmodern man in search of a soul: towards a (re)formulation of the sociology of religion(Texas A&M University, 2004-11-15) Segura, Clasina BuffelenThis dissertation seeks to evaluate and reformulate the sociology of religion through an integration of the work of Carl G. Jung and others. The purpose of such a reformulation is to develop a "new" theoretical framework within which to describe and explain individual and collective level religious and spiritual experience in our contemporary postmodern social landscape. Current theoretical frameworks for the sociology of religion have failed to provide an adequate lens through which to view religious experience and have failed to provide an understanding of the differences between religion and spirituality. The modernist framework which reduces religious and spiritual phenomena to mere numbers lacks the depth necessary to view such a multifaceted and varied grouping of social experience. The postmodern alternative, as well, has multiple problems in terms of application particularly if one accepts the postmodern argument that there is no truth. Following a postmodernist trajectory where there is no truth, one must question whether or not the sociological study of religion is relevant at all. Presented here is an integrative model which challenges Kantian assumptions about the nature of religion. The relationship between the concepts of religion and spirituality has long baffled the social sciences. Here spirituality is characterized, in a truly Jungian manner, as an archetypal drive shared by all of humanity. Religion, on the other hand, is best thought of as individual and collective representations of an often unconscious search for a soul. This sort of conceptualization proves fuller than those currently offered. A discussion of religious and spiritual options associated with our contemporary American landscape provides evidence of the applicability of the framework presented here.Item Ribbon reign: 20 years of postmodern influence on a cultural phenomenon(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Spillane, Debra L.Diverse sociology theoretical constructs serve as the lens to examine the evolution of two popular symbols of US culture in the last 20 years: yellow ribbons displayed as decoration and awareness ribbons worn as personal accoutrement. This research was motivated by society's weakened state of "collective consciousness," whereby shared beliefs and values have declined and some have completely disappeared, and sought to determine whether symbols will survive in a culture without commitment to the social. Invoking Christopher Lasch's Culture of Narcissism, Jean Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation, David Riesman's theory of other-directedness from The Lonely Crowd, and Stjepan Mestrovic's Postemotional Society, this work examined the significance of public displays of ribbons (whether on animate or inanimate objects), theorized why certain diseases and social causes "earned" their awareness ribbons and others did not, and demonstrated that these ribbons have served as multivalent symbols to accommodate our culture in a postmodern world. These symbols have not maintained their unifying function and now serve at the whim of the individual participant or observer. Ultimately, the act of wearing or displaying awareness ribbons and yellow ribbons, like so many other symbols, has been severed from the idea and is a freefloating, simulacrum to be used in whatever mode our postmodern, postemotional society requires.Item To enter and lead: renegotiating meanings of leadership and examining leadership theory of social power from the perspectives of African American women leaders in predominantly white organizations(2009-05-15) Byrd, Marilyn YvonneThis qualitative, phenomenological study examined the leadership experiences of 10 African American women (AAW)--current or former leaders in predominantly white organizations--to gain an understanding of how well, or not, AAW?s leadership is represented by traditional and dominant leadership theory. The purpose of this study was to bring the interlocking system of race, gender, and social class (intersectionality) to the conversation on leadership by adding the perspectives of AAW and challenging the traditional and dominant assumptions about the phenomenon of leadership. The data were collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed using a form of narrative analysis. This study confirmed findings from prior research that AAW in positions of leadership: 1) often encounter disempowering experiences whereby their authority is questioned or challenged, 2) experience exclusion from the good ole boy social networks, 3) experience being an outsider-within--feelings of alienation as the only African American person in group settings, 4) express needing to have their qualifications validated before being accepted in their roles, and 5) are challenged to de-myth the stereotypical images that society has sanctioned upon AAW. The most salient encounters the women in this study had were disempowering experiences whereby their race, gender, and/or social class were perceived as creating a challenge to their positions of leadership. Based on the experiences of the participants in this study, traditional and dominant leadership theories, such as French and Raven's (1959) theory of social power that have generally represented the perspectives of white, middle class men, are inadequate for explaining the experiences of AAW. On the other hand socio-cultural theories such as black feminist thought and critical race theory (CRT) offer a wealth of knowledge for explaining how social systems such as race, gender, and social class can be used to maintain a status of marginalization. This study contributes to the fields of HRD and Higher Education (HE). First, leadership development programs should emphasize the socio-cultural challenges to leadership. Second, researchers should broaden the theories that inform the study of leadership. Finally, both fields should begin introducing and utilizing culturally inclusive terms, such as intersectionality, that are not generally associated with the study of leadership.Item Veblen on medicine: a sociological analysis of the cultural and organizational development of medicine as a social institution(2009-05-15) Hille, KathyThe focus of this dissertation is to provide a cultural and organizational analysis of the development of medicine as viewed through the theoretical tenets of Thorstein Veblen, one of our most brilliant social and economic theorists. I trace the historical development, examine the current status, and project the future trends of our medical institution. I explore how our current medical system has evolved, both culturally and organizationally, along the same path that Veblen set forth in his social and economic theories of instincts, status emulation, ceremonial-technological dichotomy, and business and market capitalism. I include his thoughts on the development of institutions and the ways in which cultural lag impedes progress. To accomplish this, I rely heavily on theoretical discussion, interpretative analysis of secondary data, and qualitative analysis of current medical issues. As a result, I discover that the development of medicine as a social institution has followed a predictable course; one that reflects a cultural and organizational dilemma created by the profit motive, which restricts the implementation of technological advances and negatively impacts the health of our nation. I find that the ability to view a modern day social institution, such as medicine, through the lens of theories that were at the forefront of social and economic thought at the beginning of the twentieth century, provides us with a unique perspective; the insight to better understand exactly why that development occurred. With that understanding, we are better equipped to alter future development thereby improving structures, processes, policies, and procedures. This research focuses on exposing not only how the institution of medicine evolved but, more importantly, what we can do to improve the delivery of health care and the overall health of our nation?s population.