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The Spiritual Realm : An Existential Position Concerning Human Nature and Counseling
Get PDF47 leaves. Advisor: George LairThe purpose of this paper is to present an existential position which deals with the spiritual realm and its relevancy to counseling.
The spiritual realm is that area on the continuum of human experience which is uniquely human. The foremost characteristic of that which is uniquely human is the human capacity to be conscious of the self. The underlying variable responsible for that which is uniquely human is human reason. There is a functional relationship between human reason and all characteristics which are uniquely human. An important consequence of reason is free will and responsibility. The primary motive of that which is uniquely human is the desire to attain existential fulfillment through the meaning derived from actualizing one's values, and the core of this primary motive is an individual's ultimate concern. Spiritual health is a matter of one's own subjective experience. An individual's sense of spiritual health increases and decreases along with how well he satisfies his will to fulfillment. When focusing on the spiritual realm during counseling, the client's experience of fulfillment is explored to discern if, or how, he satisfies his will to fulfillment. This exploration aids the client and the counselor in arrlvlng at a more effective way for the client to attain existential fulfillment.
The spiritual realm is a vital aspect of one's total being, and thus must not be ignored by those in the preventive and curative health care fields
A Demographic Survey and Comparison of Persons Seeking Employment Assistance Through the Job Service Network in the State of Iowa
Get PDFvi, 179 leaves. Advisor: Don Adams.The problem. The purpose of this study was to examine any changes in the characteristics of persons seeking new employment opportunities in the state of Iowa. The study included all persons who applied for job-referral assistance at a Job Service of Iowa office during the first quarter of
the fiscal years 1970, 1975 and 1978 through 1982.
Procedure. Data for the study were obtained from computerized records compiled by Job Service on all applicants during the above periods. The information was gathered by Job Service interviewers, on a standardized interview form,
for each client at the time of application for services. Characteristics of age, race, sex, current work status and occupational preference were tabulated. Contingency tests were performed to deternine whether significant changes in the frequency of the variables had occurred during the
period covered by the study.
Findings. Six null hypotheses were tested for significance at the .01 level and all were rejected when significant changes were demonstrated in the proportion of: all male/
female applicants, (2) male/female applicants within all. nine occupational preference categories, (3) applicants who were employed full-time, part-time or unemployed within all nine
of the occupational preference categories, (4) White, Black, Spanish-speaking, American Indian and "other" minority groups within eight of the nine occupational preference categories, (5) person's age: twenty-two or less, twenty-three
to forty-four, forty-five to sixty-four and sixty-five and over within all nine occupational preference categories, and finally, (6) the total number of persons seeking assistance through Job Service.
Conclusions. The study found that since 1970 there
have been significant changes in the characteristics of Iowa job seekers, and that several trends which peaked toward the late 1970's began to decline by the early 1980's. The study
concludes by suggesting interpretations which might be drawn from these findings
Efficacy and Preference for Three Spelling Instructional Treatments Utilizing Alternating and Simultaneous Treatments Designs
No full text123 leave
The Effects of Noise Reduction on Social Behaviors
Get PDF24 leaves. Advisor: Phillip K. DuncanThe problem. Previous researchers have suggested that noise level reduction is correlated with generalized improvements in untreated social behaviors. It is not clear that this generalized effect can be assumed with different behaviors in different settings. In addition, the results
of previous studies were obtained by utilizing interval time sampling measurement procedures as opposed to continuous recording.
Procedure. Electro-mechanical equipment was wired to a stereo in the recreation room of a juvenile shelter care facility. The equipment continuously measured the frequency and durations of disruptions above 85db during treatment phases. In addition several corollary social behaviors were continuously measured by trained observers. A contingency of reinforcement was placed on a social behavior in the latter phases of the experiment.
Findings. A repeated time series design (reversal]
demonstrated experimental control of disruptions above 85db. However, no change was found in the level of social responding until a direct contingency of reinforcement was applied.
Conclusion. Corollary social behaviors did not show a generalized effect of the contingencies placed upon disruptions above 85db. The contradictory findings of previous research may be the result of measurement procedures and not
differences in responding.
Recommendations. It can not be anticipated that a reduction of noisy disruptions will lead to a generalized enhancement of social responding. Moreover, noise reduction researchers should utilize continuous recording procedures to measure changes in corollary social behaviors
The Differential Effects of Alternating Schedules of Feedback on Employee Productivity
Get PDFiv, 43 leaves. Advisor: Philip K. Duncan.The problem. Although feedback has improved performance in a number of settings, little attention to date has been devoted to the temporal aspects of feedback including frequency of schedules of feedback. The present study investigated schedules of feedback and their effect on productivity of an underwriting department of an insurance company.
Procedures. A system of weighting production behaviors was established and individual worker performance feedback was begun on a weekly basis and increased to every other work day. Subsequently, social reinforcement was added to
feedback. Quality and management cost were measured concurrently with productivity.
Findinqs. Neither weekly or every other day feedback were effective in improving productivity. The addition of social reinforcement raised productivity back to baseline levels. Quality was not adversely affected. There is potentially a high payoff for management cost if procedures
are effective.
Conclusions. The method for weighting production did not account for seasonal variations in the difficulty of the workload. Thus, it was impossible to prove the effectiveness of the procedures.
Recommendations. Future studies of complex production behaviors must have a valid basis for equating seasonal variations in the difficulty of the workload. In addition, goal setting should be considered in addition to feedback and social reinforcement
Counselor Expectation Effects on Disability Referrals
Get PDFvi, 106 leaves. Advisor: Howard TraxlerThe problem. Client cases referred to vocational rehabilitation from Social Security Disability Determination Services are found eligible at a much lower rate than cases from other referral sources. This might be due to a negative attitude of vocational rehabilitation counselors toward referrals from this source. An increase in the proportion of the referrals that are found eligible is attempted by using the Pygmalion effect.
Procedure. A rating of 1-High, 2-Medium, or 3-Low on Rehabilitation Potential was randomly assigned to all new DDS referrals to vocational rehabilitation made between September 1, 1981, and September 23, 1981. A total of 160 cases were assigned to the study. Computer available data about each case was collected to determine the outcome of each case, closed before eligibility or made eligible for services. A multi-sample Chi Square was used to compare assigned Rehabilitation Potential ratings with the outcomes. The statistical procedure was run a second time on just those referrals which were formally opened, due to the large number that were not processed to that point.
Findings. Two Chi Squares were used. The first used all 152 client cases assigned to the study. The null hypothesis, that there will be no difference in the proportion of client cases assigned a rehabilitation potential rating of high, medium, or low, which are found eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, was retained.
The second Chi Square used only the sixty-two client cases which were formally opened. The same null hypothesis was tested and retained. Both Chi Squares used a .05 level of significance.
Conclusions. This study failed to show any effect of the expectancy. This is not in line with most expectancy studies and my indicate the influence of administrative personnel on the thinking and action of the counselors. The already present negative attitude toward DDS referrals is also a possible cause. Further study is indicated
Perceptions of Iowa Superintendents Regarding the Appropriateness of Parent Advisory Councils
No full textviii, 94 leaves. Advisor: Charles D. RowleyThe problem. The study was designed to determine the perceptions of Iowa superintendents regarding the appropriateness of parent advisory councils and to determine whether differences existed between superintendents regarding selected school issues.
Procedure. A random sample of 112 Iowa superintendents responded to a questionnaire designed by the researcher. Twenty school issues were rated on a Likert type scale for input and participatory decision making. A two-way
classification analysis of variance and t-test were used on the independent variables, school
district size and administrative experience.
Findings. Differences existed among superintendents for input and school district enrollment on five issues. No differences existed
among superintendents for participatory decision
making and school district size on all selected
issues. Differences existed among superintendents for input and administrative experience on three
issues. Differences also existed among superintendents for participatory decision making and administrative experience on two issues. There
were differences among superintendents for the interactive effects of both input and participatory decision making on school district
size and administrative experience for one issue. Differences also existed among superintendents for
twenty issues when considering the appropriateness of input and participatory decision making.
Conclusions. Six of the seven hypotheses were rejected. It was generally concluded that input was more appropriate for parent advisory councils than participatory decision making.
Recommendations. It was recommended that : (1) parent advisory councils should be considered as an effective avenue for providing input on school issues, (2) parent advisory councils should be utilized to provide input rather than participatory decision making, (3) a nationwide study involving a larger sample should be conducted to determine the appropriateness of school issues for parent advisory councils, and
(4) a study regarding the appropriateness of parent advisory councils should be conducted to determine whether differences exist in the perceptions of superintendents utilizing parent
advisory councils and those not utilizing parent advisory councils
Setting Free the Birds : Heuristic Approaches to the Teaching of Creative Writing at the College Level
Get PDFiii, 231 leaves. Advisor: Thomas B. SwissProblem. While creative writing classes have
been a part of college curricula for nearly fifty
years, little has been done to address the difficulties that students have in getting started with writing tasks, particularly in finding a subject and generating raw material at the pre-writing stage for their poems and stories. The unfortunate assumption that the poet, or any imaginative writer, is invariably subject to
some inborn mysteriously prompted inspiration before writing begins has kept the poetic process beyond the control of student writers; the same mystique has likewise prevented teachers from taking advantage of research into the creative and writing processes done by psychologists and rhetoricians, which might serve to give students more conscious control over stimulating their own creative abilities.
Procedure. A review of the literature related to
invention in rhetoric and composition since the time of Aristotle and to research into the psychology of creativity and the creative process revealed a large number of discovery techniques, or heuristics, which might have application for the creative writer. Criteria for effective heuristics were established, and techniques measured against them. Two heuristics, the
tagmemic invention matrix and Burke's pentad, were
specifically adapted for and presented to beginning creative writing students for use in their work, along with free writing as a mode of transcription. Followup questionnaires and individual interviews were used to determine the usefulness to the students of the discovery
devices. Creative writing textbooks were reviewed
for heuristics, and some methods were formulated
for presenting heuristic approaches in the classroom.
Findings. Students who used the tagmemic and
pentad procedures generated more raw material for their work at the pre-writing stage than had been their usual practice, which helped them to get started with their writing assignments. Use of the discovery devices proved helpful in drawing forth information from memory and giving writers additional concrete, specific details to feed their imaginations for their first and subsequent drafts. Some students found the use of heuristics so beneficial that they were inclined to continue using them, and all students were given some
insight into the degree to which they had conscious control of their own creativity. Only three heuristic procedures were found to be specifically mentioned as such in a limited number of creative writing texts currently in print: free writing, list-making, and journal-keeping.
Conclusion. Creative writing students can benefit
from instruction in techniques to increase their
creativity and for controlling their own creative and writing processes. No currently available creative writing textbook contains adequate heuristic-based instruction, so teachers have an obligation to inform themselves about such procedures and to present those that will best aid their particular students in developing their own creative abilities as writers of poetry and fiction
The Matching Law and Schedule: Induced Drinking
No full text38 leaves. Advisor: Larry A. AlferinkThe problem. The present study was conducted to
replicate the findings of a previous study and to determine if the matching law would apply to different categories of schedule-induced drinking.
Procedure. Rats were taught to press a lever for
food. Food was made available by a concurrent variable-interval variable-interval reinforcement schedule. One schedule alternative provided one pellet of food every 90 seconds on the average. The other alternative was varied over a range from 30 to 180 seconds. A drinking tube was freely available in the chamber. Time allocated to lever
pressing and total licking was obtained for each animal. In addition, time allocated to licking was divided into three categories; post-changeover, post-food lever, and post-pellet licking.
Findings. Lever pressing ratios undermatched
reinforcement ratios. Licking ratios also undermatched reinforcement ratios. Slopes for post-food lever and post-pellet licking were very similiar while postchangeover licking failed to surface to any measureable degree.
Conclusions. Undermatching was obtained for
terminal and interim activities. This is inconsistent with the findings of the previous study. The present results indicate that no advantage is gained by dividing the licking behavior into the categories as they were
defined.
Recommendations. It was recommended that future
studies examine the indirect influence of schedule-induced behaviors on lever pressing in concurrent VI schedules. More research should also be conducted to determine if different classes of licking behavior can be identified in concurrent schedules
Comparison of a Computer Assisted Instructional Unit and a Programmed Text Format for Teaching Latin and Greek Derivatives to Conditionally Enrolled University Students
Get PDFvii, 112 leaves. Advisor: Joseph A. FisherThe Problem. The purpose of this study was to compare a computer assisted instruction mode with a programed text mode for teaching Latin and Greek derivatives to conditionally enrolled university students.
Procedures. The eighty three students of Drake University's fall 1982 Transitional Services Program were the subjects for this investigation. Students were randomly assigned to the two treatment groups. Treatment One learned Latin roots and prefixes by the programmed mode and the Greek portion of the unit by the computer mode. Treatment Two studied the Latin roots and prefixes
by the computer mode and the Greek portion of the unit by the programmed mode. The content of instruction was identical for these two groups; they differed only in sequence of mode. Student characteristics relating to personality types and learning styles were examined in relationship to both achievement and attitude toward mode of instruction. Data was collected from six measurement instruments: the Slosson Intelligence Test, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Learning Styles Inventory, a semantic differential and Latin and Greek pre-posttests.
Findings. The data reveal no differences in achievement between the two treatments. Subjects using both CAI and PT did not achieve higher posttest scores in either mode. There was a significant difference beyond the .0l level in attitude toward CAI, favoring the CAI mode, but
this did not result in significantly greater achievement. Analyzing differences in learning style and personality type did not reveal differences in either achievement or attitude.
Conclusions. The results of this research suggest that CAI is at least as effective as PT for teaching Latin and Greek derivatives. When both instructional modes are available, student attitude should be considered in planning
learning strategies.
Recommendations. Further research should be conducted with these modes of instruction, specifically regarding the use of an audio component to enhance the learning strategies. The relationship between visual and audio media
would provide additional information concerning the effectiveness of electronical devices. Additional investigation of personality types and learning styles is needed to examine how these student characteristics relate to learning