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The changing college dream: differences among students\u27 college aspirations
Get PDFResearch has indicated that level of education may have a significant impact on occupational success later in life. Consequently, those who pursue higher education may be awarded with greater occupational opportunities, and a higher quality of life later on. Several factors including socioeconomic status (SES), demographics and parental attitudes have been linked to students’ educational aspirations. Researchers will analyze data collected from 11 school districts in rural North Carolina, in order to observe how demographic factors, previous academic achievement, and perceived parental support may affect college aspirations. By assessing which factors are most predictive of college aspirations, the researchers hope to gain insight as to how early interventions can make the biggest impact and remain beneficial for previously underrepresented students
After #MeToo: Perceptions of Sexual Harassment In and Out of the Workplace
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to identify perceptions of sexual harassment in the workplace and non-workplace settings. Following the “Me Too” movement, the issue of what constitutes sexual harassment in workplace environments underwent intense speculation. Confusion about the behaviors that equate to sexual harassment not only delays making progress toward eliminating it, but risks the well-being of citizens, employees, and their organizations. Individuals who experience sexual harassment are thrust into states of psychological distress and are known to experience fear, negative moods, and a lowered satisfaction with life in general. Additionally, exhibiting behaviors of sexual harassment in the workplace has a debilitating effect on work groups and individual employees by creating hostile work environments. As a result, employees experience decreased job satisfaction and managers may notice the increased salience of turnover cues. Examining contrasting perceptions of sexual harassment in work and non-work settings articulates the need for better informed public and organizational policy. Seeking to phase out phrases such as “I didn’t know that was sexual harassment,” this study explores the existing gap between what is perceived to be sexual harassment by the individual and what is sexual harassment. Further, it examines the discrepancies between perceptions of sexual harassment in work settings versus non-work settings and seeks to inform organizations and the public about the perceptions surrounding sexual harassment. Our research questions were addressed with a survey taken by students from a southeastern college in the United States
Do Effective After-Action Reviews Lead to Better Performance?
Get PDFAfter-action reviews (AARs) are meetings in which teams meet to recall, analyze, and set goals according to previous performance. Strong evidence indicates that the use AARs can enhance performance (Tannenbaum, Cerasoli, 2013; LePine, Piccolo, Jackson, Mathieu, Saul, 2008). However, these studies do not examine the relationship between quality of AAR performance and team task performance. The present study utilizes 25 teams operating a simulated airline and examines the relationship between performance during the AAR and both subsequent and previous task performance. The NASA Flight Operations Center – Unified Simulation (FOCUS) lab at Middle Tennessee State University emulates a high-fidelity flight operations center where team members work together to operate a virtual airline. Each team participates in three simulations of which progressively increase in difficulty. AARs take place between simulations, allowing for teams to make meaning of their past performance, create goals accordingly, and ultimately improve. The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between AAR effectiveness and simulation performance of teams. Correlations did not reveal significant relationships between AAR performance and task performance. Suggestions for further research are discussed including utilizing a measure of adaptation rather than the current task performance measure which reflects routine performance
Examining the Reasons for and Barriers to Becoming a Police Officer
Get PDFWith ever-growing tension between police and the community, both police organizations and communities are recognizing the need and working toward increased representation in police organizations (Brunson, 2007; Szeto, 2014). Despite the effort of many police organizations over the years, the problem of underrepresentation has not improved (Jordan, Fridell, Fagiani, & Kubu, 2009). It has become clear that there is something that has yet to be identified and/or studied preventing underrepresented populations from being interested in or recruited into police organizations. The U.S. Department of Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s 2016 report on Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement identified three factors that may impact the recruitment of those in underrepresented communities into police organizations. These factors include lack of trust in police, the reputation or operational practices of police organizations, and lack of awareness of career opportunities in police organizations. While these factors were identified in the report, there was a lack of research supporting the factors. In an effort to gain a better understanding of what is preventing underrepresented groups from joining law enforcement, participants’ perceptions of trust, culture/policies/practices, and career opportunities in police organizations will be measured. Additionally, motivation to become a police officer and interest in a career as a police officer will be measured to increase the understanding of what does or does not contribute to underrepresented communities being interested in a career as a police officer. Regression analysis will be performed to predict interest in becoming a police officer by using the variables of trust, culture, policies/practices, and career opportunity
The effects of motivational states on metacognition and prospective memory
Get PDFProspective memory is the ability to remember and act upon future intentions. In the context of daily life, prospective memory intentions can be either self-interested or pro-socially motivated (such as remembering to pay a credit card bill or buy a gift for a friend, respectively). Research suggests that individuals place greater importance on their performance of prosocial intentions rather than self-interested intentions, and a pro-social advantage has been observed in prospective memory. I investigated the role of motivation in prospective memory and a person’s belief about their cognitive abilities (i.e., metacognition) in regard to prospective memory. The present study used an eye-tracking paradigm in which participants were engaged in an ongoing visual search task, with a prospective memory task embedded into the trail. Participants’ motivational state was manipulated through a monetary incentive, and they also made predictions and postdictions about their performance on the prospective memory and ongoing tasks as a proxy for metacognition. I found a trend for a prosocial advantage to prospective memory performance and metacognitive awareness, and a tendency of neutral motivational states in reducing cognitive effort in prospective memory target monitoring. Such trends were not observed in the self-interested motivational state
When memory falls short: The effect of suggestibility and repeated questioning on 3- to 5-year-old children’s recognition of event details
Get PDFThe present study investigated children’s event recognition as a function of feedback, suggestible question type, and repeated questioning. Forty-three 3- to 5-year-old children read a book and were asked twelve positive-leaning, negative-leaning, and additive-misinformation questions. After six and twelve questions, children were presented with positive or negative feedback and asked the same questions again. Feedback did not affect response accuracy; however, children’s likelihood of changing their answer when questioned a second time varied as a function of question type. Children answered negative-leaning questions more accurately the second time, additive-misinformation questions less accurately the second time, and showed no change with positive-leaning questions. These findings extend prior knowledge of factors that influence children’s recollection of an event
The role of forensic accounting in U.S. counterterrorism efforts
Get PDFThe September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center directed international attention to the financial component of terrorist operations. The demand for forensic accounting specialists is increasing rapidly because of a growing intolerance for fraud and terrorist activity. This research paper argues that forensic accountants have and will continue to have a vital role in United States’ counterterrorism efforts in the post-9/11 era by detecting acts of fraud and money laundering. Comprehensive review of relevant literature including books, peer-reviewed articles, government databases, court records and news media reveals that forensic accountants are equipped with special skills and analytical tools that make them valuable members of terrorism task forces. The soft skills of forensic accountants typically include attention to detail, self-motivation, professional communication, and integrity. Technical skills include broad industry knowledge, data gathering techniques, advanced financial statement interpretation, and ratio analysis. Literature review also indicates that government organizations are relying more on financial analysts for gathering evidence and preparing summary reports for investigations, prosecutions, and court proceedings. Additionally, a demand exists for forensic accountants in private-sector companies to implement and monitor systems of internal control (e.g. fraud and enterprises risk management frameworks) and communicate threats to the FBI or Department of Homeland Security. While past research mainly includes retrospective analysis of terrorist financing, this paper will argue that forensic accounting will continue to be relevant due to technological change and shifting political, legal, and financial climates
Comparing stress levels and coping styles in college athletes and non-athletes
Get PDFThe way individuals manage their stress levels impacts their everyday functioning. In addition to general life stressors, college athletes and college students have athletic and academic performances riding on their ability to cope with the wide variety of daily stressors. This study aimed to primarily look at the differences in stress levels and coping styles between college athletes and non-athletes. Additionally, the current research examined gender differences between the two groups regarding coping styles. College athletes did not report higher levels of perceived stress nor more positive coping styles than non-athletes as measured by the COPE questionnaire. There were significant gender differences in specific types ofwith regard to coping styles as females reported using more negative coping styles. The results of this study are an important stepping-stone towards more extensive research into the differences and similarities of the stress levels and coping styles of these two groups
On the maintained significance of botanical illustration in modern plant identification guides
Get PDFThis project began over 2.5 years ago when I, an artist by hobby, contacted Dr. Joey Shaw, the director of the Herbarium at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, with a request to sketch from specimens in the UCHT collection. Dr. Shaw, fortuitously in need of an illustrator, prompted me with the opportunity to collaborate with him in the creation of illustrations for the second edition of the Guide to the Vascular Plants of Tennessee. From here, this project has grown as we have attempted to determine the most effective way to illustrate the guide, our questions manifesting in a myriad of interdisciplinary investigations, from an exploration on the historical development of botanical illustration, to a survey of the use of figures in modern botanical keys, and ultimately to our practical exercise in drafting illustrations for later inclusion into the Guide to the Vascular Plants of Tennessee. This document represents the products of these variable investigations, strung together by prevalent themes of convention, technology, and communication, to lend credence to the maintained significance of botanical illustration in the modern world of botanical science
Conservation and collection of Castanea dentata germplasm in the South
Get PDFThe American chestnut, Castanea dentata, has been devastated by the exotic invasive pathogens Cryphonectria parasitica and Phytophthora cinnamomi to which it has no resistance. The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) has developed an interspecific backcross breeding program to introgress disease resistance from Asian chestnut species, primarily Castanea mollissima, into C. dentata hybrid populations. The genetic base of this program can be expanded by utilizing vegetative propagation through grafting in order to collect and conserve American chestnut individuals not amenable to traditional breeding. As the majority of the surviving American chestnuts are confined to the understory, they are shaded out by the forest canopy and unable to reach sexual maturity. Additionally, southern populations of chestnut harbor greater genetic diversity and more frequent occurrence of rare alleles. Conservation of these diverse populations would widen the genetic base of TACF breeding program and strengthen restoration of the species. This study has located and collected scionwood from 33 American chestnuts, 19 (~58%) of which have not been collected prior, across 9 sites in Tennessee and Alabama which will be conserved through grafting. Four types of rootstocks (C. dentata, C. mollissima, and F1 and BC3F2 hybrids) were chosen to account for possible graft incompatibility, although compatibility was not measured in this study. The whip-and-tongue and bark-flap grafting techniques were used depending on scion-rootstock diameter. These container-grown grafted plants will be conserved ex situ in a nursery where, released from competition for light, they should produce flowers. Pollen collected from these grafts will be used by TACF breeders to capture cytoplasmic genes and potentially develop new line of resistance when crossed with novel Asian Castanea sources