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Research on student attitudes and motivation is extensive (Schumann, 1978; Gardner, 1989). Student beliefs, although less researched, have also been studied (Woods, 1996). Student beliefs towards their instructor's native language could have an influence on their language study by impacting their language learning attitudes and motivation. While the native speaker (NS)/non-native speaker (NNS) distinction has been widely discussed in the English as a Second Language (ESL ) context worldwide (Medgyes, 1992; Phillipson, 1992; Canagarajah, 1999), research pertaining to the foreign language (FL) teaching context in the United States is nearly nonexistent.This study contributes to the body of knowledge concerning the NS/NNS instructor dichotomy by focusing on the NNS FL teacher in the United States. The goal of the investigation is to learn about the belief systems of American university students about what they believe are the general advantages and characteristics of NS and NNS instructors, as well as if they believe NS or NNS instructors are better instructors of specific areas of language study. Their preference for NS or NNS instructors is also examined. General relationships between the student characteristics of 1) being a Spanish major or minor and 2) having an interest to live in a Spanish-speaking countryand 1) NS/NNS instructor superiority belief and 2) preference for NS or NNS instructors are also explored. The instructors' beliefs about language learning are compared to those of their students. Classroom observations were completed to provide a descriptive component of the teachers' comportment in the classroom. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to NS and NNS Spanish instructors and students enrolled in first or second-year Spanish courses at the University of Arizona; interviews with Spanish instructors and students; and classroom observations.The data were analyzed and general findings emerged related to students' beliefs of NS or NNS instructors. Data show that a majority of students do not believe NS or NNS are better overall and also do not have a general preference but rather have beliefs about what should be included in the language classroom. Implications for FL programs, instructors, students, teacher development, and future studies are provided.

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<p>For thousands of years, people from a variety of philosophical, religious, spiritual, and scientific perspectives have believed in the fundamental unity of all that exists, and this belief appears to be increasingly prevalent in Western cultures. The present research was the first investigation of the psychological and interpersonal implications of believing in oneness. Self-report measures were developed to assess three distinct variants of the belief in oneness – belief in the fundamental oneness of everything, of all living things, and of humanity – and studies examined how believing in oneness is associated with people’s self-views, attitudes, personality, emotions, and behavior. Using both correlational and experimental approaches, the findings supported the hypothesis that believing in oneness is associated with feeling greater connection and concern for people, nonhuman animals, and the environment, and in being particularly concerned for people and things beyond one’s immediate circle of friends and family. The belief is also associated with experiences in which everything is perceived to be one, and with certain spiritual and esoteric beliefs. Although the three variations of belief in oneness were highly correlated and related to other constructs similarly, they showed evidence of explaining unique variance in conceptually relevant variables. Belief in the oneness of humanity, but not belief in the oneness of living things, uniquely explained variance in prosociality, empathic concern, and compassion for others. In contrast, belief in the oneness of living things, but not belief in oneness of humanity, uniquely explained variance in beliefs and concerns regarding the well-being of nonhuman animals and the environment. The belief in oneness is a meaningful existential belief that is endorsed to varying degrees by a nontrivial portion of the population and that has numerous implications for people’s personal well-being and interactions with people, animals, and the natural world.</p> / Dissertation

Reducing obesity remains a public health priority of urgent necessity. In an effort to address this need and plan future health interventions, a survey of obesity-related knowledge and beliefs was administered in a small population of Hispanic women in an urban Phoenix health center. This paper describes the project design and project findings. A cross sectional univariate descriptive design was conducted by administration of Obesity Risk Knowledge Survey (ORK-10) and the Obesity Belief Scale (OBS). Self-administered surveys were provided to patients during regularly scheduled health visits at the Wesley Health Center in Downtown Phoenix. Participants included 12 Hispanic women aged 18 years or older, with a body mass index greater than 25. Results from the OBS scale were analyzed to evaluate whether respondents held positive or negative beliefs in the OBS subscales. The Theory of Planned Behavior then served as a model to guide evaluation of the findings from the OBS subscales. Results of the ORK-10 were calculated for overall score, with higher scores associated with greater obesity knowledge (range 2 - 8, (mean (S.D.) = 5.3(1.8)). Findings from the OBS subscales were assess on 7 point Likert scale. The Health Beliefs subscale responses were overwhelmingly positive while the Social and Aesthetic Beliefs and Cost subscale scores were found to have negative beliefs. Results from the survey did not reflect positive intention among the participants. While attitude toward the behavior was overwhelmingly positive among survey participants, social behavior norms, and perceived control were reflected negatively by survey responses. Based on The Theory of Planned Behavior negative responses in any of these categories suggests that population has negative intention and is thus incapable of successful behavior change.