Thesis (Ed. D.)--Boise State University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-163). Also available online via the ProQuest Digital Dissertations database.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-142). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2002. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-152). Available through UMI Dissertation Services (Ann Arbor, MI). Also available on the Internet. Photocopy version and microfiche:

Rumination has been consistently found to be a risk factor of depression. However, few studies examined rumination and its relationship with depression, and the protective role of such individual positive traits as hope, in a Hong Kong Chinese context. As opposed to western findings, a recent local study found that the two components of rumination (Treynor, Gonzalez, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2003), namely brooding and reflective pondering, were not correlated, and the latter was rather adaptive in predicting depressive symptoms (Lo, Ho, & Hollen, 2008). Together with some psychometric issues revealed in the same study, it is unclear if the two-factor model of rumination is applicable in the Hong Kong Chinese context. In addition, given that hope only buffers against negative impact of risk factors of depression, whether the moderating effect of hope on the relationship of brooding and reflective pondering with depressive symptoms in Geiger and Kwon’s (2010) western sample can be replicated in Hong Kong Chinese populations is not clear. Therefore, the present study re-examines the two-factor model of rumination and its relationship with depressive symptoms, and the moderating role of hope in a Hong Kong Chinese sample using a longitudinal design. Adult Trait Hope Scale, Ruminative Response Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were administered to 189 Hong Kong Chinese university students at lectures with a four-week interval between the two time-points. Analyses using hierarchical linear regression were conducted to examine the relationship of brooding and reflective pondering, and their relationship with depressive symptoms and the role of hope, both concurrently and prospectively. Results confirmed the applicability of the two-factor model of rumination in the Hong Kong Chinese college sample. Rumination (total) and brooding consistently predicted depressive symptoms. Also, moderating effect of hope on the relationship of brooding and depressive symptoms was replicated using the time 1 data in the present study. Nonetheless, contrary to the recent local finding by Lo et al. (2008), brooding and reflective pondering were positively correlated as in western samples, and there was some evidence of one-way relationship from reflective pondering to brooding as shown by the longitudinal data. Reflective pondering itself was neither adaptive nor maladaptive, because there was no significant relationship between reflective pondering and depressive symptoms after controlling for level of brooding. Hence, hope had no interaction with reflective pondering in predicting depressive symptoms. For longitudinal data, after controlling for baseline level of the dependent variables, the one-way relationship from reflective pondering to brooding, the relationship of rumination (total) and brooding with depressive symptoms, and the moderating effect of hope on the relationship between brooding and depressive symptoms, all became nonsignificant. The findings of the present study support the use of the two-factor model of rumination in Hong Kong Chinese context, and suggest that the two components of rumination were correlated probably because reflective pondering tended to lead to brooding. This study also offers further empirical support for brooding being a more robust risk factor of depression than reflective pondering and the buffering impact of hope on psychological well-being. Implications of the results, limitations of this study and recommendations for further research were also addressed. / published_or_final_version / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Philosophy

No description available.

This thesis provides some evidence of variability in cognitive style, and refutes the notion of it being a stable, generalisable personality trait. The study is statistical in nature and uses the cognitive style construct tolerance/intolerance of ambiguity as the main dependent variable. The main independent variables are context, content, ideological conservatism and ideological commitment. The theoretical context for this thesis is the long.,.standing debate about the nature of cognitive style within the field of social psychological research. The four major theories constituting this context are the theory of authoritarianism, the theory of extremism, context theory and value pluralism theory. However, these appear to be inadequate to explain the contextual variability of value conflict. Hence an attempt has been made to develop a new theory, tentatively named the contextual value conflict theory. The founding hypothesis of contextual value conflict theory is that the different characteristics of the manipulated contexts would present subjects with different levels of contextual value conflict, thus resulting in the expression of different levels of tolerance of ambiguity. The assumption was that higher conflict leads to higher attitudinal ambiguity tolerance and lower conflict to lower attitudinal ambiguity tolerance. The quantitative part of the research is constituted by two studies in which the Attitudinal Ambiguity Tolerance (AAT) Scale (Durrheim, 1995) was used to measure cross-context and crosscontent variations in tolerancelintolerance of ambiguity. This was done by first administering the scale across two different contexts with a fixed university student sample. This procedure was repeated in a follow-up study in two different contexts with a fixed church sample. The AAT scale was used in conjunction with 3 scales measuring ideological conservatism/ideological belief, and two scales measuring ideological commitment. These were the Subtle Racism scale (Duckitt, 1991), the Conservatism scale (Durrheim & Foster, 1997) and the Right-Wing Authoritarian Scale (Duckitt, 1990). Scales measuring ideological commitment included the Religiosity Scale (Rohrbaugh & Jessor, 1975) and the Political Interest scale (an adaptation of the one used by Sidanius, 1988b). Results have indicated that it is important to distinguish between the various dimensions of ideological conservatism as the shape and direction of the relationship with attitudinal ambiguity tolerance depend on these dimensions. Although contextual value conflict has managed to better account for the vast variability in patterns of associations than any of the four other theories mentioned above, it too has its limitations. It was found that conflict caused by context is difficult to control and pre-define, and future studies need to address this shortfall by finding ways of determining more efficiently the level of contextual value conflict inherent in different situations. A recommendation for further research is that an attempt be made to develop an instrument for quantifying the level of contextual value conflict present in a particular situation. These shortfalls resulted in the major limitation of this study, i.e. the post hoc nature of explanations offered for the results. Thus, although contextual value conflict theory was not confirmed without contradiction, this thesis did uncover a degree of support for it. Due to the small sample size in both studies, but in particular that of the church study it is important, however, to treat the findings with caution. In conclusion, although the support for contextual value conflict was not conclusive, some confIrmation was found. What was most strongly evidenced though, was that tolerance of ambiguity cannot be seen as a stable, generalisable personality trait, but should rather be seen as performance in context that is fluid in nature. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

Note: / This study is a verification of Hartnett’s (1975) claim on correlation between cognitive style, lateral eye-movement, and success in deductive versus inductive foreign language learning. Subjects were 123 native English or French speaking students in two different types of beginners German language classes. Results show that subjects exhibiting a global cognitive style learn well with an inductive method and not as well with a deducti~e method. Students exhibiting an analytic cognitive style learn well with a deductive method but also well with an inductive method. The subjects’ cognitive styles were measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test. There is no correlation between handedness and cognitive style or language proficiency. If we assume that non-right-handers are less lateralized for language functions than right-handers, then the results suggest that cognitive style is independent of language lateralization. Results do not support the validity of lateral eye-movement as a measure of cognitive style. / Cette etude verifie 1e postulat de Hartnett (1975) selon lequel une correlation existe entre style cognitif, direction du regard et succes dans 1 ‘apprentissage deductif et inductif d’une langue etrangere. Les 123 sujets qui ont participe a cette experience avaient pour langue maternelle 1 ‘anglais ou le francais et s’initiaient a l'allemand selon deux methodes differentes d’enseignement. Les resultats montrent que les sujets manifestant un style cognitif global apprennent bien avec une methode inductive et moins bien avec une methode deductive. Les etudiants manifestant un style cognitif analytique apprennent bien avec une methode deductive, mais aussi bien avec une methode inductive. Les styles cognitifs des sujets ont ete determines par le “Group Embedded Figures Test". Il n’y a pas de correlation entre la preference manuelle et le style cognitif ou la competence linguistique. Si l'on suppose que les fonctions du langage sont moins lateralisees chez les non-droitiers que chez les droitiers, les resultats suggerent que le style cognitif est independant de la lateralisation du langage. Les resultats ne confirment pas la validite de la direction du regard pour determiner 1e style cognitif d'un individu.

No description available.

In recent years, the media have publicized the social problem of physical child abuse. This study examined three artifacts of physical abuse: the children's book Robin's Story, the popular song "Luka," and the television documentary Scared Silent: Exposing and Ending Child Abuse. Chapter One described each artifact and provided a literature review which detailed the writings about physical child abuse and artifacts discussing this topic. The chapter then posed research questions about how the artifacts viewed abused children and their abusers, the causes of abuse, and the solutions proposed for ending physical abuse.Chapter One finally discussed the narrative framework of rhetorical analysis used to examine the three artifacts. The narrative method used in this analysis employed three steps: 1) An examination of narrative structure, which discussed the plot of the story, the crucial points of the story and the events which supplemented those points, and the steps of breach, crisis, redress, and reintegration in the narrative; 2) An examination of narrative rationality, which talked about the completeness and true to life quality of the story and evaluated the reasons the rhetors gave for following the course of action endorsed by the story; and 3) An examination of narrative standards, including truth standard or how the narrative compares with what the audience believes is true; aesthetic standard or the grammar, setting, and characterization within the story, and ethical standard or the values expressed within the narrative. Chapter Two applied this framework to the children's book Robin's Story. Chapter Three viewed the popular song "Luka" through the narrative framework. Chapter Four discussed the documentary Scared Silent in terms of narrative analysis.Chapter Five then discussed the conclusions of the analysis for each artifact, artifacts discussing physical abuse, and for rhetoric. Some of the conclusions reached were that artifacts discussing physical child abuse should attempt to make their stories universal, that such artifacts need to distinguish between abuse and physical punishment, and that artifacts dealing with this problem must provide concrete courses of action to end physical abuse. This analysis concluded that, while narrative analysis provided the answers to the research questions, this framework needs to be made into a concrete method of rhetorical analysis to ensure that narratives are effectively evaluated. Narrative analysis was positive in this analysis, however, in that it supported the definitions of rhetoric as value, epistemology, motive, drama, meaning, and argument. This analysis found that, to end the problem of physical child abuse, rhetors must work with experts in this field and tailor artifacts from different perspectives to various audiences using different forms of media. / Department of English