The primary purpose of this study was to propose a grounded theory of knowledge transformation in the hypertext authoring process. More specifically, the present study attempted to answer the following two questions: 1) what cognitive processes are involved in knowledge transformation through hypertext authoring and 2) how are these cognitive processes interrelated. For the first question, this study identified cognitive components associated with the knowledge transformation. For the second question, this study explained how the cognitive components interact within a theoretical framework of knowledge transformation. This study was an inquiry-oriented research to investigate how learners transform their prior knowledge and what cognitive processes are occurring during the hypertext authoring process. Specifically, this study endeavored to construct a cognitive model of knowledge transformation by identifying what cognitive components constitute the knowledge transformation process and how they are structured as a model. Since there has been no systematic scrutiny of the cognitive processes of knowledge transformation in authoring hypertext, an inductive data analysis, a qualitative research method, is employed to theorize a cognitive model of how and/or what cognitive processes are occurring. This study set three stages to elaborate data collection methods and delineate the cognitive process of knowledge transformation in authoring hypertext: 1) Model Initiation Stage, 2) Model Elaboration Stage, and 3) Model Theorization Stage. These three stages compose the iterative model saturation process of this study, which was based on not only iterative data analysis and comparative analysis but also an evolutionary design approach. For the Model Initiation Stage, one Korean graduate student, who was majoring in instructional systems and enrolling in a southeast public university, participated to the initial stage. The purpose of the Model Initiation Stage was to build a preliminary model of knowledge transformation in authoring hypertext. The results of Model Initiation Stage revealed that there were two factors as causal conditions that determine the participant's cognitive process. As a second cognitive component, it was observed that the participant was prioritizing key concepts to transform his prior knowledge. For a third cognitive component, it was identified that the functions of authoring tool regulated the participant's cognitive process. The Model Elaboration Stage was directed by the findings from the Model Initial Model. Three Korean graduate students, who were majoring in instructional systems and enrolling in a southeast public university, participated in the Model Elaboration Stage. Five cognitive components were identified: 1) content knowledge, 2) causal condition, 3) internal modification of knowledge structure, 4) external representation by tool regulations, and 5) instructional knowledge. Finally, for the Model Theorization Stage six Korean graduate students participated. The outcome of the Model Theorization Stage identified six cognitive components and their relationships during knowledge transformation through an authoring tool: authoring goal, 2) content knowledge, 3) instructional knowledge, 4) preliminary modification of knowledge structure, 5) external representation by tool regulation, and 6) internal modification of the knowledge structure. Authoring goal was identified as to activate content knowledge and instructional knowledge. When participants were given the authoring goal, it activated what domain knowledge should be used for the content knowledge and how the knowledge should be organized for the instructional knowledge. Content knowledge played a role as a main resource to be transformed. Instructional knowledge was identified to an effect at an earlier stage of the knowledge transformation process. Both of content knowledge and instructional knowledge were coordinating for the preliminary modification of knowledge structure. After the authoring goal activated their content knowledge and instructional knowledge, participants were observed to begin to modify their knowledge structure for transformation. Yet, there was no mediation by the functions of an authoring tool, the modification of knowledge structure needed to remain a preliminary form of knowledge transformation. The main features of this preliminary modification of the participants' knowledge structure occurred as the following sequence: 1) comprehension of the concepts, 2) adjustment of the participants' prior knowledge of the concepts, and 3) configuration of the interrelationships of the concepts. External representation by tool regulation was identified to mediate the process of knowledge transformation. In order to externalize the modified mental representation, participants had to follow the authoring tool's functions. Consequently, the changed mental representation needed to be altered by the ways an authoring tool allowed the presenting of knowledge. Then, finally, participants could complete internal modification of their knowledge structure with working together with the external representation by tool regulation. The results of this study proposed that there were two different types of knowledge searching process during the knowledge transformation through an authoring tool: 1) concept level knowledge searching process and 2) structure level knowledge searching process. Whereas the concept level searching process is employed for a conceptual understanding, the structure level searching process is used to understand the interconnectedness of concepts. The concept level searching process is activated at the moment a concept is understood, and the process is spread out through very limited numbers nodes of semantic networks. Thus, the knowledge searching process is limited node-by-node. On the other hand, the structure level knowledge searching process is activated to scan interrelationships among concepts, and the process is spread out across the chunks of semantic networks that consist of a set of nodes. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2004. / June 17, 2004. / Knowledge Transformation, Hypermedia, Cognitive Model, Learning By Authoring, Hypertext, Learning By Design / Includes bibliographical references. / Amy L. Baylor, Professor Directing Dissertation; Ralph S. Brower, Outside Committee Member; Marcy P. Driscoll, Committee Member; Vanessa Dennen, Committee Member.

Theory and research established a schema for a successful fighter pilot, which includes advanced cognitive ability, unwavering emotional stability, and the will and motivation to achieve a goal or mission (Picano et al, 2006). Due to the high-risk nature of the job, an individual must have the "right stuff" to succeed as a USAF fighter pilot. In response to these requirements, USAF standards for aircrew were raised. Psychological data on student pilot applicants is obtained prior to entrance into pilot training. Psychologists evaluating pilots must be aware and have an understanding of how the psychological disposition of pilots differs from the general population and utilize appropriate normative data to base their interpretation and conclusions. Previous research used USAF student pilots, was completed over 10 years ago, and utilized a variety of measurements, some of which are not frequently utilized in aeromedical evaluation. Method: The current study compared USAF fighter pilot MAB-II data and NEO-PI-R data to the normative samples of the instruments, respectively. An additional ipsative analysis on the subtests of the MAB-II was completed. Results: USAF fighter pilots scored in the Superior range for VIQ, PIQ, and FSIQ according to the results of the MAB-II. The ipsative analysis revealed significant relative strengths in Information and Digit Symbol and a relative weakness in Picture Arrangement. The NEO-PI-R results revealed statistically higher scores on Extraversion (High range), and lower scores on Neuroticism (Average range) and Agreeableness (Low range) as compared to the normative sample. This study fills a void in the literature on rated USAF fighter pilots, updates the current literature base with a more recent sample, and utilizes measures commonly administered by civilian and military psychologists in aeromedical evaluations of USAF fighter pilots. Results from this study are reviewed in the context of a case example providing application of the data presented. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2010. / December 10, 2009. / Cognitive Ability, Personality, Military Psychology, Fighter Pilot, Pilot, Occpuational Psychology, Air Force Psychology / Includes bibliographical references. / Briley Proctor, Professor Directing Dissertation; Marc Gertz, University Representative; F. Donald Kelly, Committee Member; Steven I. Pfeiffer, Committee Member; Wayne L. Chappelle, Committee Member.

Previous research by Biddle (1994) has shown that a great deal of attributional research has focused on athlete's performance outcomes, while only few investigations were aimed toward athlete's responses during athletic competition. In this line, Botterill and Brown (2002) suggested that athletes, and their coaches, have a weak understanding of both the nature and function of emotions experienced during competition. Therefore, performance attributions and their corresponding emotions compromise two viable areas of investigation of an athlete's competitive experience. The current study was the first to take an active (i.e., investigate real- time emotions and attributions) opposed to the traditional post-event, outcome-centered protocol investigating the attribution-affect performance linkage. Although competing under like conditions on the same courses during the season, athletes (n= 7) demonstrated subtle individual and gender-based similarities (e.g., number of identified phases) and differences (e.g., perceptions of outcome) with respect to subjectively identified performance phases (i.e., positive, positive-flat, negative, & negative flat). Positive and positive-flat performance phases elicited significantly stronger affective (i.e., arousal & pleasantness) responses than did negatively-associated phases. In addition, participants assumed greater responsibility for their performance outcomes (i.e., positive or negatively associated phases) through increased internal control and locus, while eliciting lower stability, and external control attributions; with male participants eliciting higher attributional ratings than females. Further analysis identified affect-related individualized performance zones (APZ's) and linked it to performance related attributions given by athletes, providing beneficial information for both the athlete and coach alike by forming an optimal individualized competitive profile. The research introduces an innovative process-oriented method for studying the performance-affect-attribution linkage. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2006. / March 13, 2006. / Affect, Attributions, Emotion, Performance Zones / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Dissertation; David Pargman, Committee Member; Susan Losh, Committee Member; Aubrey Kent, Outside Committee Member.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the validity of combining cognitive constructs presented in two principal cognitive approaches to career theory: cognitive information processing theory (CIP) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT). An exploratory factor analysis was conducted with the items from four cognitive measures used to measure the constructs of these theories. This analysis yielded a four factor model suggesting a different factor structure from what is currently being utilized for these measures. These four factors were identified as Factor 1: negative career thoughts, Factor 2: career decision-making self-efficacy, Factor 3: self-motivation and commitment to career decision making, and Factor 4: discouragement in career indecision. The overall contribution of CIP, SCCT, and the combined model to the prediction of self-exploration, environmental exploration, and level of career decidedness were compared using a series of regression analyses. The combined model did not consistently predict for the outcome variables over and above CIP and SCCT as hypothesized. However, the comparison of beta weights for factors from each model suggested that the combined model's factors have stronger, more unique predictive power than CIP and SCCT. Implications for future research and career counseling are discussed. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2008. / March 17, 2008. / Cognitive Information Processing Theory, Social Cognitive Career Theory, Career Counseling, Career Theory / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert Reardon, Professor Directing Dissertation; Janet Lenz, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Christopher Schatschneider, Outside Committee Member; Donald F. Kelly, Committee Member.

This study was designed to address gaps, extend previous research, and increase the interpretability of scores individuals earn on the Self-Directed Search. The study investigated the relationships among interest profile elevation, personality, and interest secondary constructs. Study participants consisted of 209 college students enrolled in an introductory career development course at a large southeastern university. The summary scores of the six domains of the Self-Directed Search (SDS) were used to measure interest profile elevation and interest secondary constructs (i.e., consistency, congruence, coherence, and two measures of differentiation). The NEO-FFI was used to measure the five factors of personality (i.e., Neuroticism, Extroversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness). This study was organized by three domains: 1) Interest Profile Elevation and Personality; 2) Interest Profile Elevation and Interest Secondary Constructs; and 3) Interest Secondary Constructs and Personality. In the first domain, interest profile elevation was significantly related to Extroversion, Openness, and Conscientiousness. The latter two also predicted significant variance in interest profile elevation demonstrated in significant linear and stepwise regressions. The MANOVA, conducted in this domain, was statistically significant and subsequent pair-wise comparisons showed that the highest quartile of Openness was significantly different from the other three quartiles in relation to interest profile elevation. The orthogonal contrasts demonstrated that Openness had a linear and quadratic relationship with interest profile elevation. Conscientiousness was shown to have a significant quadratic relationship with interest profile elevation. In the second domain, interest profile elevation was significantly related to differentiation high-low, differentiation Iachan, and consistency. These three constructs also accounted for significant variance in interest profile elevation as demonstrated in significant linear and stepwise regressions. Interestingly, the two measures of differentiation were correlated with interest profile elevation in the opposite direction and appeared to account for significant but unique variance in interest profile elevation. The third domain, interest secondary constructs and personality, was analyzed using a canonical correlation. This resulted in one significant root, labeled maturity, with differentiation high-low, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Extroversion accounting for 20% of the variance in this root. Limitations, implications for counseling, and recommendations for future research were also presented. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2006. / November 14, 2005. / Career Course, NEO-FFI, Personality, Big Five, Interest Secondary Constructs, Profile Elevation, Self-Directed Search / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert C. Reardon, Professor Directing Dissertation; Elizabeth B. Goldsmith, Outside Committee Member; Gary W. Peterson, Committee Member; James P. Sampson, Jr., Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to examine mental toughness, deliberate relaxation (including muscle relaxation, autogenic relaxation, deep breathing, eastern relaxation, stretching, meditation, and imagery), sleep and the relationship between these constructs in athletes at various skill levels. A previous study showed a strong positive correlation between mental toughness and relaxation, one of many psychological skills (Crust & Azadi, 2009). It was hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between mental toughness, engagement in relaxation activities, and the amount of sleep athletes get during a typical current training week. Fifty-five athletes were recruited for each of the following groups: recreational, college, and professional (total n = 165). Participants were asked to complete a Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48 (MTQ48; Clough, Earle, & Sewell, 2002) and a Deliberate Relaxation for Sport Survey created for the purpose of the study. The results partially supported the hypothesis as athletes at a higher skill level scored higher on the MTQ48, engaged in more relaxation activities, and got more sleep than athletes at lower skill levels. Future research using experimental design is necessary to examine the relationships in more detail. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2011. / March 21, 2011. / Relaxation, Skill Level, Sleep, Mental Toughness, Deliberate Practice / Includes bibliographical references. / David Eccles, Professor Directing Thesis; Gershon Tenenbaum, Committee Member; Beth Phillips, Committee Member.

Athletes are constantly being judged by themselves and others. Therefore, it is of interest to study how athletes view their public identity, and what behaviors athletes use to manage these public identities (Prapavessis, Grove, & Eklund, 2004; Wilson & Eklund, 1998). The hypotheses for this study were: (1) weight class athletes would engage in more body change strategies than non-weight class athletes after controlling for self-presentation and body image discrepancies, (2) athletes who have higher levels of self-presentation motivation and body image discrepancies will engage in more body change strategies, and (3) weight class athletes will have higher self-presentation and body image discrepancies than non-weight class athletes, when controlling for body change strategies. Male athletes were recruited for the study from weight class and non-weight class sports (N= 120, age M= 21.34 yrs, SD= 3.077). The results indicated for hypothesis one there is evidence to support that weight class athletes engaged in more body change strategies than non-weight class athletes. While testing the second hypothesis the results showed that self-presentation and the body image discrepancy scores had a significant relationship on the outcome of the amount body change strategies. The overall results for hypothesis three did not show that weight class athletes differed from non-weight class athletes on self-presentation or body image discrepancies. It is important to continue studying how male athletes perceive their public identities and images, and how the research and applied settings can work together to improve on the overall sporting environment. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2010. / June 25, 2010. / Sport Psychology, Body Image, Male Athletes / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert Eklund, Professor Directing Thesis; Gershon Tenenbaum, Committee Member; David Eccles, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of physical self-concept and competitive trait anxiety through the use of body image dissatisfaction in female aesthetic and non-aesthetic athletes. While there was much published research available that was focused upon physical self-concept and competition anxiety, nothing done previously emphasizes the relationship between these variables while taking sport type (aesthetic or non-aesthetic) into account. The present study investigated the predictive qualities of physical self-concept and body image dissatisfaction for competitive trait anxiety in female aesthetic and non-aesthetic athletes. Female athletes from gymnastics and diving represented aesthetic athletes (n=52) and female athletes from swimming, volleyball, basketball, cross country, track, and golf represented non-aesthetic athletes (n=45). All participants competed at Division I universities located in the Southeastern United States and participants completed a survey comprised of three questionnaires that assessed: (1) physical self-concept, (2) body image dissatisfaction, and (3) competitive trait anxiety. Results indicated no significant difference between the sport types regarding physical self-concept and body image dissatisfaction, however, aesthetic athletes reported significantly higher levels of competitive trait anxiety than non-aesthetic athletes. A moderate negative correlation was found among the five subscales of physical self- concept, body image dissatisfaction, and competitive trait anxiety in aesthetic athletes. This indicated that low physical self-concept is associated with high body image dissatisfaction and high competitive trait anxiety in aesthetic athletes. A significant positive correlation between body image dissatisfaction and competitive trait anxiety was found in aesthetic athletes, meaning, a dissatisfied body image is associated with high levels of competitive trait anxiety. Physical self-concept was shown to have stronger causal paths to competitive trait anxiety, as well as body image dissatisfaction in aesthetic athletes than in non-aesthetic athletes. Further research in the area of physical self-concept, body image dissatisfaction, and competitive trait anxiety is needed to understand the explanatory power of the variables. Detailed athlete-specific instruments assessing body image dissatisfaction is recommended. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2004. / April 7, 2004. / Competition Anxiety, Body Image, Physical Self-Concept / Includes bibliographical references. / David Pargman, Professor Directing Thesis; Gershon Tenenbaum, Committee Member; Tonya Toole, Committee Member.

This study evaluated ethnic differences on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) in 126 Caucasian and 106 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) mental health center outpatients. MMPI-2 Restructured Clinical (RC) scale scores were first evaluated to determine the extent or influence that the demographic variables of race, gender, age, and education have on identified group MMPI-2 RC scale differences. When assessing for racial group mean differences, five scales studied were identified to be of significance. When assessing for age mean differences, two scales were observed to have been of significance, although there was no significant interaction between race and age for either of these scales. No differences in gender were observed and there were no gender by race interactions. The findings suggest that gender and age had less effect on how a participant would respond to MMPI-2 questions than race. Because preliminary analyses identified a racial group difference by education, this variable was controlled for through a MANCOVA. With the exception of RC scale RC8, racial group differences were not confounded by education. These results were generally consistent with the observed racial group differences on five of the MMPI-2 RC scales and the available extratest criterion data. To assess for test bias, a step-down hierarchical multiple regression procedure was used in which relevant clinical criteria were predicted from the RC scales with race as a potential moderator. Of the 19 scale criterion comparisons, nine demonstrated statistically significant intercept bias of which five achieved a small effect size. Two scales from the regression analyses revealed statistically significant slope bias, both of which demonstrated a small effect size. Although several of the MMPI-2 RC scales suggested some overprediction and underprediction of psychopathology in Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders, it was determined that racial group membership was not a substantive moderator between MMPI-2 scales scores and clinically relevant phenomena because the effect size of race on prediction was uniformly small. It was recommended that the MMPI-2 RC scales not be interpreted differently for Caucasian and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders, as the magnitude of the predictor error did not warrant separate interpretive guidelines. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / April 28, 2009. / Caucasian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, Restructured Clinical Scales, MMPI-2, Mental Health, Validity / Includes bibliographical references. / Frances Prevatt, Professor Directing Dissertation; Lee Stepina, Outside Committee Member; Briley Proctor, Committee Member; Gary Peterson, Committee Member.

The present study examined the concept of intra-team communication, which engages two or more individuals in a message exchange. In this process the sender transmits ideas, knowledge, and thoughts to the receiving party, either a teammate or a team, via explicit (verbal) or implicit (nonverbal) channels. Since the team communication influences performance outcome (Fiore et al., 2001), the current study observed differences between more effective and less effective tennis teams in the game of doubles by inspecting communication patterns and counting message exchanges. Participants consisted of high skill players from NCAA Division I Florida State Women's Tennis Team. They were involved in a competition condition where one doubles team contended against another. The matches were video and audio taped in order to capture communication that took place between and during the points. Following the matches, the participants were interviewed, so that remaining communication, which was not entirely captured during taping, could be revealed and data triangulated. To analyze communication data, Data Analysis Tool software (Jeong, 2003) was used. The results indicated that better performing teams used certain patterns more frequently (Action statement > Action statement, Uncertainty statement > Acknowledgement, and Factual statement > Action statement) than the worse performing teams. In addition, worse performing teams showed greater tendency towards using Non-task statement > Non-task statement pattern than the winning teams. This indicates that winning teams showed more capacity for problem solving and coordination than the losing teams. Action statement, Uncertainty statement > Acknowledgement, and Factual statement > Action statement) than the worse performing teams. In addition, worse performing teams showed greater tendency towards using Non-task statement > Non-task statement pattern than the winning teams. This indicates that winning teams showed more capacity for problem solving and coordination than the losing teams. Acknowledgement, and Factual statement > Action statement) than the worse performing teams. In addition, worse performing teams showed greater tendency towards using Non-task statement > Non-task statement pattern than the winning teams. This indicates that winning teams showed more capacity for problem solving and coordination than the losing teams. Action statement) than the worse performing teams. In addition, worse performing teams showed greater tendency towards using Non-task statement > Non-task statement pattern than the winning teams. This indicates that winning teams showed more capacity for problem solving and coordination than the losing teams. Non-task statement pattern than the winning teams. This indicates that winning teams showed more capacity for problem solving and coordination than the losing teams. Also, winning teams were characterized by using ten significant patterns, while losing teams used only four. Besides, winning teams communicated twice as much than the losing teams. This finding is consistent with the previous research by Orasanu (1990) and Mosier and Chidester (1991). Although teams differed in the quality of communication patterns used, the quantity of types of patterns used was similar (i.e., both teams used about 20 patterns out of possible 36). However, winning teams emerged with higher number of significant patterns (i.e., ten versus four). Furthermore, winning teams used remaining nonsignificant patterns sparingly. In contrast, losing teams used all communication patterns equally and only four emerged as significant. Moreover, visual inspection of the communication diagrams confirmed that overall communication patterns of winning teams, in comparison to losing teams, created more homogeneous model of communication, making message exchange more predictable and hence advantageous in communication process. Finally, the overall results showed that most of the communication was comprised of emotional statements (i.e., more than a half) and action statements (i.e., more than a quarter). While this study confirms some of the findings of the previous research, additional research is needed to explain additional models of communication, nonverbal communication, and types of communication in relation to the task at hand (i.e., how does the type of task, for example, proactive or reactive, affect communication). Additionally, future research should be directed towards certain patterns and their beneficial values at various stages of competition. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2005. / the 3, 2004. / DAT, Coordination, Team Communication, Problem Solving / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Thesis; David Eccles, Committee Member; Allan Jeong, Committee Member; Tristan Johnson, Committee Member.