This dissertation examines the process of through which the government of the People's Republic of China ostensibly produces popular legitimacy by inculcating an attachment to Chinese national identity among the public. It seeks to understand the theoretical connections between national identity and support for the state and to learn which groups of people are most affected by the state's influences in this regard. A basic two-step process is theorized, in which the first step is the state's attempt to shape the public's concept of Chinese national identity and the public's attachment to the nation. The bulk of the dissertation addresses this part of the process at the individual level. Two main mechanisms of state influence on national identity are examined: the educational system and the mass media. The main method of research used is the analysis of survey data. The analysis here comes from three survey datasets: the 2005-2008 wave of the World Values Surveys, the 2006-2007 Chinese Ethnicity Survey, and the 2008 China Survey. In the investigation of Chinese education, survey data analysis is supplemented by field research conducted in two middle schools in China, including classroom observation and informal conversations with teachers and students. A brief analysis of a middle school Chinese history textbook is also included. These qualitative investigations are able to show the mechanisms through which education produces an attachment to Chinese national identity. The last chapter of the dissertation turns to the second step in the process: nationalism's relationship with support for the state at the individual level. Survey data are again used to investigate this relationship. This dissertation finds evidence that the state is able, to a certain extent, to influence national identity among the public, both in terms of the elements of Chinese national identity, and in terms of the strength of people's attachment to the nation. A person's level of exposure to the media and his or her level of education are both shown to be significant predictors of their levels of attachment to Chinese national identity, and these relationships look just as the theory would expect. With respect to the second part of the process, strong evidence is found that those who cling more tightly to Chinese national identity are more supportive of the state. In addition to this relatively unsurprising finding, however, we find that this relationship is the strongest among Han Chinese, and among those with particular ideas about the social purposes of China. From these findings it is concluded that the process of state legitimation through nationalism--an oft-mentioned but rarely examined process--does, to some extent, work. Levels of education and media consumption are some of the most powerful predictors of national attachment, and national attachment itself is the most powerful predictor of state support. However, while these are statistically significant relationships, they are not to be overstated. Most of the variation at the individual level, both in Chinese national identity and in state support, remains unexplained: both are difficult to successfully predict based on the models. The state, while it does have a `nationalizing' impact through the media and the educational system, does not by any means have control over popular levels of nationalism or state support.

A significant phase of the modern high school curriculum is the program of specialized guidance services to pupils. The importance of providing personalized services as a means of aiding individuals to grow toward social and occupational adequacy is becoming more and more definitely recognized by educators today.

This study examines the effects of two types of consumer knowledge, product and brand knowledge, on consumer fit perceptions between an extension and its parent brand, so as to further investigate the role of consumer knowledge in brand extension evaluations. Based on the reviewed literature four hypotheses were proposed. The first two hypotheses predicted that both product and brand knowledge has an impact of consumer perceived fit between an extension and its parent brand. The other two hypotheses proposed that product knowledge affect more on the fit perceptions between a functional brand and its extension, while brand knowledge affect more on the fit perceptions between a prestige brand and its extension. An experiment was performed to examine these hypothesized relationships. Two hypotheses related to brand knowledge are supported, while the other two hypotheses related to product knowledge are not supported statistically. The results reveal that product and brand knowledge have different effects on consumer fit perceptions between an extension and its parent brand in terms of different brand types, functional vs. prestige brand. The experimental findings demonstrate that brand knowledge has an impact on consumer fit perceptions between an extension and its parent brand, and its effect dominant in prestige brand extension evaluations.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Political Science Department, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

<p> <p>The purpose of this thesis was to examine what people who had been interviewed and quoted in a local newspaper feel about being interviewed and what they think of the published article. Our aim was also to make a comparison of “known” sources and “unknown” sources.</p><p>The main issues were: How do the sources of a local newspaper perceive that they are being treated in the actual interview? What do the sources think of the published article in which they are quoted? Do they trust media and journalists in general? Do the opinions differ between those who are used to being interviewed and those who are unfamiliar with the situation?</p><p>This study was carried out through qualitative interviews with respondents who have been quoted in a local newspaper in Jönköping, Jönköpings-Posten. Articles were selected from three days in November. The articles should be based on one or more interviews and had to be large. At least one person should be quoted more than once in the selected article. In total 30 interviews were made.</p><p>The study showed that the sources overall were pleased with the article and the way they were being presented. Nor was there anything to complain about when it came to the journalist’s behaviour. But almost everyone expressed certain scepticism when it came to confidence in media in general. However, most of the persons interviewed had an understanding of the ways that journalists work. We were surprised that the result was so positive and also that the people that were not used to being interviewed were more positive than those who often appear in the local press.</p></p>

A social issue of great importance in contemporary society is the involvement of youth in gangs. Youth involvement in gang activity has dominated the national media and the minds of public policy makers in contemporary society. In this thesis I examine how Latino and Chicano youth sub-culture, language, dress, and style, has been first, misinterpreted and secondarily reconstructed, as a criminal subculture by public policy makers, local law enforcement officials, public school administrators, and the general public. The construction of Latino and Chicano youth subculture as criminal has occurred through the process of labeling. In this process culture and crime have become intertwined where specific cultures and their members are perceived and then reclassified as criminal subcultures. This thesis provides a case study of the process of labeling in a community located in the Pacific Northwest. The community where this research project was conducted has undergone tremendous fluctuations in its population demographics. These changes have led to underlying tensions and conflicts between the various ethnic and linguistic groups represented in the community. It is within this context that the issue of youth gangs must be analyzed. The specific purposes of thesis are to: provide the theoretical framework to view the social discourse of youth gangs; document and analyze the community context which has contributed to the emergence of the social discourse of youth gangs; to document how culture, style, and crime have become intertwined to inaccurately characterize Latino and Chicano youth sub-culture as gang culture; to document and analyze how the social discourse of youth gangs has been constructed as a moral panic; and to provide possible solutions from applied anthropology. / Graduation date: 2002

Despite the perceived importance of grab bars to facilitate aging-in-place and healthy aging, many community-dwelling older adults do not have them installed. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of grab bar installation among well-educated community dwelling seniors. Data was collected quantitatively through an electronic survey of Oregon residents 50 years of age and older. The research analysis was completed using logistic regression with SPSS and qualitative analysis for the open questions. / Graduation date: 2012

Objectives: To identify the perceptions of community hospital physicians on computerized physician order entry. Design: Multi-method approach consisting of a mail survey of 659 community hospital physicians with active admitting privileges at three PeaceHealth, Inc., along with follow-up personal interviews with stratified random selection from completed survey. Measurements: Perceptions were assessed by means of a mail survey that asked physicians to rank themselves on a scale that represented the five adopter categories contained in the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) change theory, along with several questions regarding computer use and attitudes toward potential effects of computers and CPOE on medicine and healthcare. Physicians representing four of the five adopter categories were interviewed to assess general perceptions and perceived attributes of innovations, an another construct within the DOI theory. Results: The response rate was 41%. Medical specialty, years in practice, and gender were found not to influence attitudes toward use of computers or, more specifically CPOE in medicine and healthcare. However, more medical specialists favor CPOE implementation at PeaceHealth than expected. Self-ranking on the DOI five adopter categories appears to influence attitudes toward use of computers in medicine and healthcare with positive trends in improving quality, rapport, and patient satisfaction mainly in the Innovator, Early Adopter, and Early Majority categories. A positive trend was seen in the relationship between CPOE's potential effects on improving patient care, not interfering with communication, and improving patient satisfaction with negative relationships with impact on physician workflow and enjoyment of medical practice. A relationship is seen between the five adopter categories and favoring CPOE implementation at PeaceHealth. The perceived attributes of innovations of Ease of Use, Result Demonstrability, and Visibility were supported by interview responses. Relative Advantage seemed to be supported by other questions. The concept of Compatibility was also supported. No steps of the processes of change construct within the Transtheoretical Model were identified during the interviews. Conclusions: This study appears to refute the suggestion that there might be a difference between medical specialists and surgical specialists, age, or gender in their support of computers and specifically CPOE. These data appear to support the Diffusion of Innovation theory is appropriate to consider in investigating CPOE and its diffusion among community hospital physicians. Implementing CPOE according to adopter categories would provide the option for interested physicians to use CPOE, to use CPOE on certain hospital units or patients, and to expand its use before making mandatory. Communication should be targeted toward the adopter categories rather than mass media and emphasize the perceived attributes of innovation. / Graduation date: 2004

This research explores the lived experiences and career decision making styles of three Vietnamese refugees in the United states. Since this study involves the lived experience of the participants pertaining to their everyday activities (i.e. living, making decision, and working in the United States), the phenomenological approach (Van Manen, 1990; Moustakas, 1994) is used to appropriately grasp the meaning of these experiences. I interviewed all the participants with phenomenological semi-structured questions in two in-depth sessions. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Pertaining to the refugee condition, the following main themes emerged from the data: 1) The third culture: Vietnamese culture in the American context; 2) Different roles and responsibilities in the new land; 3) Feeling of being left out and discriminated against; and 4) The language barrier. In the career related area, I explored and discussed with the participants the meanings of the following career counseling issues: 1) Decision making styles, 2) Influential factors in the career decision making process, 3) Meaningful characteristics of job (values and interests), 4) Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, 5) Career counseling, 6) Counseling relationship, and 7) Working as minority professionals in the United States. The participants' lived experiences related to working in America reflect a dynamic theme of both resistance and adaptation to new changes. As Vietnamese professionals, they are all moving toward understanding and accepting more and more American styles of career decision making and career counseling. Further phenomenological research should be conducted to shed light on the complex dynamic of forming the third culture in America to improve career counseling services for refugees in our country. / Graduation date: 2001

The purpose of the study was to profile perceptions and beliefs of Oregon State University international student parents who have children in area public elementary schools. The research methods included a survey to 26 self-selected participants, and seven tape-recorded interviews with volunteers from the survey sample. These study subjects displayed a large range of origin, cultural backgrounds, seniority in the area, family size and views towards their children's education. Data collected were categorized and interpreted with reference to the current theories in education. The study findings included the international parents' domains of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their children's education in the area schools, the parents' goals for their children's elementary education and the parents' opinions and suggestions regarding parent involvement and elementary education reform as related to improving elementary education for international children enrolled in American schools. The domains of parents' satisfaction with their children's education were analyzed in three major groups: educational outcomes, skills and subjects offered by schools. It also described the domains of the international parents' dissatisfaction and their criticism about school activities and their organization. The international parents' goals for their children's elementary education were analyzed into five groups: Intellectual knowledge, personality development, acquisition of life skills, preservation of parents' cultural values and education for a multicultural life. The parents' involvement in their children's education at home and at school was analyzed concerning parents' comprehension of its necessity, initiatives, helpers and barriers for involvement, and suggestions to improve their children's learning. Recommendations for further research into international children's education were presented. They were oriented towards replication of the study to an extended population nationwide in different schools and at different levels. They also suggested widening the research methods and categories of parents, and matching parents' views with that of school agents to coherently reform education in its complexity involving the whole community of educators. / Graduation date: 1998