As consumers, we are bombarded daily with companies advertising their products and services. A growing concern is the unethical use of partially-clothed or nude models and their effects on consumers who often are not even actively searching for information about these products or services. No matter the ethical implications many companies choose this method of promoting their products to the general population. Much research has been done to study the effects that these risqué images have on consumers' self-image and feelings, most commonly though, on females. This research focuses on males as consumers and their attitudes towards advertisements and how it compares to the female consumer. Only when we understand the attitudes toward advertisements can we effectively inform our customer of products and services. The purpose of this thesis is to explore males and how their self-image and exposure to images in advertising can affect their attitude towards the advertisement. Through the analysis of consumer surveys completed by both males and females, this thesis evaluates how males feel towards authentic advertisements and compare that to their female counterpart. Evidence shows that a consumer's attitude towards an advertisement has an impact on their attitude towards the brand. By discovering how males' attitudes towards advertisements are formed and comparing that to females' attitudes towards advertisements, this thesis aims to make an impact in the marketing discipline to improve advertiser's knowledge and ability to create advertisements that serve a purpose and are considered appealing by consumers- leading them to purchase.

In this study, the research problem was underrepresented minority (URM) male and female transfer students and male transfer students of all ethnicities who were placed on academic suspension, thus removing their chances of being retained and graduating. The purpose of this study was to see to what extent there were relationships between the dependent variables retention and graduation and the independent variables ethnicity, gender, and enrollment in a retention program. A total of 295 participants were included in the study: 119 students who chose to enroll in the retention program and 176 students who chose not to enroll. Descriptive statistics were run to report the demographic data. A binary logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between the demographic variables (i.e., ethnicity, male, retention program enrollment, retention first year, and graduation from a period of 2014–2016). The results yielded that ethnicity had no effect on retention or graduation. Also, the male gender had no effect on retention or graduation. Students were more likely to be retained if they enrolled in a retention program as compared to those who did not enroll. Also, students were more likely to graduate if they enrolled in a retention program as compared to those who chose not to enroll. The study concluded with a summary of the findings as well as limitations of the study. Recommendations were discussed for practitioners and policy makers to include information for students, faculty, and advisors to encourage career exploration. Future research recommendations included expanding the study to all students, conducting a qualitative study to see why students chose not to enroll in a retention program, and examining the participants’ current program of study.

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This study examined the relationship between the academic satisfaction and social satisfaction among African American male students attending a community college in the state of Mississippi and their willingness to enroll if they had it to do over again. This study utilized a quantitative, Spearman correlation research design using existing data. The community college studied annually administers the Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI), a product of Noel-Levitz, and provided the responses to the researcher. There were 405 students who participated in the survey for the year studied. Out of 405 students, 34 students identified as African American and male. The survey included 113 questions; there were 15 academic and 13 social satisfaction questions utilized for this study. Answers were given based on a 7-point Likert scale. Results from this study showed a significant relationship between academic satisfaction and social satisfaction as a predictor to African American males enrolling at this particular institution if they had it to do over again. This study enhances the ability for institutional administrators at this community college as well as other institutions of higher learning to make the best possible decision when implementing policies and procedures, based on the current enrolled student population.

In the fall of 2008, after careful review of academic performance data collected from a predominantly White community college in southeastern Pennsylvania, African-American males testing into remedial courses were found to be the most at-risk population enrolled. To address the achievement gap its African-American males were facing, the College involved in this study turned to mentoring to increase these students' academic success rates. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of mentoring on African-American males who tested into remedial courses at the aforementioned predominantly White community college. This study utilized quantitative analyses of academic and demographic data, and an on-line survey to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact mentoring had on academic performance, persistence, and the student experience. In addition, an on-line survey for mentors was administered to examine the impact of mentoring on mentors' perceptions of African-American males. The study included 1,046 mentored, and non-mentored, African-American male community college students needing remediation in Math, English or Reading, and 40 mentors. The on-line surveys were completed by 194 of the 1,046 African-American male students involved in the study, and 40 out of 48 mentors who served in the college's Minority Male Mentoring Program (MMMP). Findings from the study revealed that students participating in (MMMP) attempted and completed more credits, and had higher cumulative grade point averages. The MMMP students also realized significantly higher persistence rates than non-mentored students. The perception of campus climate was positive, but there was no significant difference in attitude or experience between MMMP and Non-MMMP students. Lastly, the study found that participating in mentoring positively influenced mentors' perceptions of African-American male mentees. / Educational Administration

<p> It is known that high-resistance training induces morphological changes in skeletal muscle. Following a resistance training program, increases in maximum torque generating capacity are observed due to both neural adaptations and hypertrophic gains within the trained muscle. Although it has been established that a muscle hypertrophies due to the addition of myofibrillar proteins through increased protein synthesis, the exact mechanism which stimulates the hypertrophic response is unknown.</p> <p> Previous reports have shown that training in the absence of eccentric contractions generally produces less muscle growth and strength gains, as well as inflicting less damage to the muscle ultrastructure. Likewise, fast eccentric contractions have been shown to increase muscular strength to a greater extent than slow contractions. It has been hypothesized that fast eccentric contractions may maximize muscular damage, thus invoking a greater response of repair mechanisms, including satellite cell recruitment, which would allow an increased addition of contractile proteins to be added to the injured muscle, increasing muscle size and strength to a greater degree.</p> <p> The effect of fast and slow eccentric training was investigated using a bilateral, within subject model. Twelve men trained one arm fast (3.66 rad/s) and one arm slow (0.52 rad/s) for 8 weeks on an isokinetic training apparatus. Type I muscle fibre size increased with training by an average of 9.3±12.0% (P<0.05, main effect for time). Type II muscle fibres increased more in the subjects' fast trained arm when compared to the slow trained arm according to ATPase histochemical analysis (P<0.05, time x condition interaction). Likewise, whole arm cross-sectional area showed that the fast trained arms had an average increase of 6.8±5.5 % whereas the slow arms only had an average increase CSA of 5.1±5.7% (P=0.065, time x condition interaction). Maximum torque generating capacity was also increased to a greater degree (P<0.05, time x condition interaction) in the fast trained arm with an average of 10.3±16.4 Nm, whereas the slow trained arm increased only 7.3±15.0 Nm, across testing speeds. A decrease in the percentage of type IIx fibres was seen in both arms after training according to both ATPase histochemical staining and MHC gel electrophoresis; however, the percentage of type IIa fibre area increased in the fast trained arms (8.4±8.6%) more significantly (P<0.05, time x condition interaction) than the slow trained arms (1.7±10.9%).</p> <p> Seven males were trained in a similar manner to determine the extent of muscle damage which was evaluated by both Z-band streaming and force production decrements. After a single exercise bout of fast eccentric training in one arm and slow eccentric training in the other, it was determined that a 1.97±0.74 areas of moderate Z-band streaming per mm^2 of muscle in the fast exercised arm compared to 0.89±0.79 areas of moderate Z-band streaming per mm^2 of muscle in the slow trained arm (P<0.05). In conclusion, training using fast (3.66 rad/s) eccentric contractions causes a greater degree of muscle damage, hypertrophy, and strength gains than does training with slow (0.52 rad/s) eccentric contractions.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

African Americans continue to perform significantly lower on high-stakes measures of educational achievement than do other ethnic groups. Osborn (1997) attributes this low performance by African Americans to their disidentification with the academic discourse. Ickes and Layden (1976), Metalsky, Abramson, and Peterson (1982), Finn (1989), and Belgrave, Johnson, and Carey (1992) relate the poor performance of African Americans to the manner in which they internalize/externalize negative and positive outcomes and the longevity of such outcomes being internalized, which they term locus of control. This study explores the variables of self-esteem, locus of control, test anxiety, reading ability, testing behaviors and the performance of African American males on high-stakes tests of educational achievement. Simultaneously, the study provides a reflection on the challenges faced by a practitioner when he studies an issue of critical concern in his own community. / Ed. D.