Research that examines the effects of noncognitive variables in the area of academic performance for Black American students is receiving increasing attention. There is growing awareness that academic performance is more than just a function of academic ability. Noncognitive variables have been found to relate to the academic performance of Black American students and are equally as important as the traditional cognitive variables of SAT scores and high school GPA. / The subjects for this research were comprised of one hundred and fifty-nine Black American students in a model teacher education preparation program, Teacher Education for America's Minorities. T.E.A.M. is a consortium of seven southeastern colleges and universities, funded by the Ford Foundation to increase the number of minority graduates out of teacher preparation programs and to institute curricular changes at the institutional level. Thirty-nine and eight tenths percent of the T.E.A.M. population are from historically black institutions and the other 60.2% are from predominantly white institutions representing 5 public universities and 2 private colleges. / Data collection included an SAT total score or a converted ACT composite score as the control variable and five of the eight noncognitive variables identified by Sedlacek & Brooks in 1976 in reviewing the noncognitive predictor studies for minorities. The five predictor variables were: positive self concept, realistic self appraisal, availability of a strong support person, understanding and dealing with racism, and knowledge acquired in a field. Cumulative grade point average, obtained from the last transcript available at the end of the study was used as the criterion variable. / A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to test the first hypothesis of this study. A two group t-test with a Bonferroni adjustment for a possible family-wise error rate was used to test the second hypothesis. Both hypotheses were found to be significant for positive self concept. The results of this research were consistent with previous findings using the Noncognitive Questionnaire. This research found evidence to support the existing research on noncognitive variables and academic performance for Black American students. The relationship between the five selected noncognitive variables and academic performance was found to be statistically significant and a prediction equation was developed. These findings lend themselves to several future research implications using subsets of the original eight noncognitive factors identified by Sedlacek et al., (1976) for prediction and to explain how academic performance behavior is defined for Black American students. These findings may also be useful in advising for academic support services. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-12, Section: A, page: 3814. / Major Professor: James P. Sampson, Jr. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1994.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the understandings and meanings of ethnicity as constructed by preservice teachers within the context of a semester-long, junior level, multicultural education course and to develop grounded theory. The participants in the study included the researcher and 59 preservice teachers. / The methods implemented in this naturalistic, interpretive study included the collection of qualitative data through participant observation, audiotaping of selected class meetings, and document analysis of dialogue journals, reader response journals, and modified case studies of elementary school children. The theoretical framework consisted of constructivism (Von Glasersfeld), multicultural theory (Banks), critical pedagogy (McLaren), and transactional reader response theory (Rosenblatt). / The research questions that guided the development of this study were: (1) What understandings of ethnicity do preservice teachers bring with them to the course? (2) How do preservice teachers construct their understandings of ethnicity? (3) How do preservice teachers make meaning from course-related experiences and other identifiable experiences relating to ethnicity? (4) How do preservice teachers think that their beliefs about ethnicity will influence them in their roles as teachers? / Through inductive analysis three themes emerged: Responding, Understanding, and Envisioning. Responding addresses the preservice teachers' transaction with children's and adult's literature as a validation of their prior experiences, pre-existing beliefs, and personal value systems. Understanding and Envisioning presents a continuum of stages of belief of ascribed ethnicity. The continuum describes stages from Denying Differences to Accepting Differences to Valuing Differences. / It demonstrates a need for teacher educators to assist preservice teachers' understanding that multicultural education is not simply curriculum content, but it includes teaching for equity and the reduction of racism. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-08, Section: A, page: 3028. / Major Professor: Kathryn P. Scott. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

The growth of minority groups in the United States affects consumer spending. Since culture influences many aspects of one's life, companies, educators and public policy makers are paying attention to this growth. In the past research based on Hispanic populations have included mostly Mexican-Americans in the Southwestern United States and have studied product categories other than apparel. The purpose of this research was to identify the demographic characteristics, general lifestyles, apparel-shopping lifestyles, and apparel-shopping patterns of Caribbean Hispanic women, and the relationships among these variables. The mall intercept method was used to collect data through a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, correlations, chi-square, factor analysis, one-way ANOVA, multiple linear regression, and discriminant analysis. The sample consisted of 193 women. / Results indicated that Caribbean Hispanic women in this study were more educated and had higher incomes than previously reported for the Hispanic population. The research findings do not support the stereotypical belief and information about Hispanics promoted in trade magazines or the media. Respondents were interested in self enhancement and enjoyed shopping. They paid cash for apparel, worn neutral colors, preferred cotton fabrics, and patronized department stores. Some relationships between lifestyles, demographics and shopping patterns were found. Apparel-shopping lifestyles predicted more shopping patterns than did general lifestyles or demographics. This was significant at.05 level. An apparel-shopping behavior model was proposed. The potential uses of lifestyles to subsegment the Hispanic market should be explored. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-08, Section: B, page: 4280. / Major Professor: Carol Avery. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

The problems of political conflict and social disorder have proved to be endemic in the case of Northern Ireland. This research aims to probe the underlying factors responsible for one part of the conflict; namely the rise and fall of a new Social Movement in the form of the Northern Irish Civil Rights Association between 1960 and 1972. Analysis and synthesis of two disparate theories; one a social-psychological theory that stresses relative deprivation in the form of unfair treatment, and the other, a variant of resource mobilization (political process) are appropriate to understand the dynamic interaction between individuals and groups in terms of their potential to protest. In the Northern Irish context the goal of the research is not only to understand how organizations become mobilized but also why individuals are motivated to join such movements in the first place. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-11, Section: A, page: 3722. / Major Professor: Scott C. Flanagan. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

Thesis advisor: Carlo Rotella / Thesis advisor: Tom F. Mulvoy / Vietnamese immigrants and refugees have made their home in Boston, especially in Dorchester's Fields Corner neighborhood, since the end of the Vietnam War. Still one of the Hub's youngest immigrant groups, the Vietnamese have helped define the "New Boston," a term used to describe a city where white residents are now in the minority. This paper explores the triumphs and challenges, past and present, facing the Vietnamese community as they march steadily toward economic security, political recognition, and acculturation. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2006. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: English. / Discipline: Communication. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Thesis advisor: Margaret Lombe / Thesis advisor: John Cawthorne / Social service delivery to refugees in the United States may vary depending on the different cultural and historical backgrounds that people bring with them to the resettlement process. The Kunama ethnic group from Eritrea, who fled their country for refugee camps in Ethiopia, provide a particularly challenging case as they most often have limited English-language skills, no employment experience outside of farming and herding, and a complex political history. This study contributes to the knowledge base of refugee resettlement and adjustment into the U.S. To gain an understanding of challenges faced by refugees as they settle in the U.S., two Kunama refugees from Boston were interviewed to provide their own stories. In addition, a literature review of the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, Kunama culture, and the refugee situation was conducted. The findings are included. The Kunama in the U.S. are faced with the challenges of finding jobs to become economically self-sufficient, limited access to furthering their education, language barriers in health care, and learning to navigate the American environment and way of life. Culturally sensitive and informed social services are vital sources of support for equipping the Kunama and other refugees with transitional help in each of these areas, particularly in maintaining physical protection, well-being, and guarding against potential mental health problems. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2008. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Social Work, Graduate School of. / Discipline: Education, Lynch School of. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

This dissertation examines the correlates of negative attitudes immigrant groups and one native ethnic group (i.e. the Roma/Gypsies) in mid 1990s Spain, a period when the country, previously a mass emigration source, was rapidly growing into a major immigration destination. The main theoretical approach is group threat, according to which natives would be more likely to express negative attitudes to outsiders if those outsiders are threatening or are perceived to threaten the status quo, i.e. the dominant position of the native group. I also examine the effect of aggregate-level variables, such as regional GDP per capita on individual-level attitudes. I dwell on regional level aggregate variables because all 17 regions enjoy a high degree of autonomy within Spain under the constitution put in place in 1978 I use the concept of social distance to examine the correlates of Spaniards' attitudes to five immigrant groups (North Africans, South Americans, Asians, East Europeans and Black Africans) and one ethnic group, the Roma/Gypsies. I find little support for the group threat theory, but do find support for the contact hypothesis and for a cohort effect. Respondents who had a long conversation with the members of the minority group tend to express less negative attitudes toward these groups. Respondents from the cohorts that reached adulthood after 1975 tend to express more positive attitudes to these outgroups than respondents from older cohorts The dissertation goes on to analyze the correlates of negative attitudes to immigrants from developing and developed nations, respectively. OLS regression analysis suggests that personal contact and cohort matter for these attitudes as well, and that changes in an aggregate measure of prosperity (regional-level GDP per capita) also correlate, albeit not strongly, with attitudes in the expected direction (i.e. respondents from regions with smaller increases in aggregate prosperity tend to express more negative attitudes) One surprising finding throughout is that education level does not correlate with attitudes once other variables are controlled for. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the data and analysis and suggested directions for future research / acase@tulane.edu

According to the perception-action perspective of development, human tool use is the result of object-to-surface affordance discovery subsequent to self-guided object and surface explorations (Gibson & Pick; Lockman, 2000; Siegler, 1996; Smitsman, 1997). However, because tools are often made with a specific purpose, learning to use them is also largely influenced by culture, suggesting that social learning is as valuable to meaningful affordance discovery as teaching oneself (Tomasello, 1999). In line with the perception-action view, with the attainment of greater physical and cognitive capability, infants are expected to better approximate and better understand the value of imitating the actions of others. Because meaningful tool use emerges around the start of the second year, the current study investigated how 14- and 18-month-old Chinese and American infants differ in their exploration strategy, whether self- or other-guided, when presented with a simple tool use task. The findings suggest that important developmental gains are made between 14 and 18 months of age, particularly in social-cognition, as older infants are more likely to imitate an adult demonstration compared to younger infants / acase@tulane.edu

This study examined the relationship between group racial composition and group performance by manipulating individual perceptions of group racial composition using single gender, virtual teams communicating via the Internet. This unique methodology separated the actual racial composition of the group from its perceived racial diversity. I also explored the role of conflict as an intervening variable in the relationship between group racial diversity and group performance. Consistent with previous research, results supported a significant relationship between perceived racial diversity and interpersonal conflict. However, other hypothesized relationships failed to reach statistical significance, including the interaction effect of perceived and actual racial diversity on group performance of a decision making task / acase@tulane.edu

This study examines the lived experiences of 51 low-income, former and current public housing residents from New Orleans, LA in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Using a mixed-methodology, I assess women's capacity to evacuate, survive displacement and recover following the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Primary findings include that women were able to evacuate, despite their poverty. For those who did not, this was most commonly a choice, based on their assessment of the risk. There was not sufficient evidence to support the claim that their poverty prevented evacuation, since most women were able to pool resources with others in their social network to overcome their individual monetary barriers to evacuation Once evacuated, women's regular poverty survival mechanisms of aid-based, kin-based and work-based assistance were partially dismantled in the disaster context, with kin assistance helping for short durations, and aid-based assistance being the most utilized in the longer term. This pattern occurred, in part, because work-based survival was dismantled by split labor markets and labor discrimination in communities receiving the evacuees in this sample Lastly, the assessment of disaster recovery finds that women were living in more precarious poverty circumstances than before the storm, largely dependent on time-delimited disaster relief programs to pay their bills. In sum, short-term recovery was not available to these women and long-term recovery remained questionable at best / acase@tulane.edu