Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 39-06, Section: A, page: 3803. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1978.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 35-09, Section: A, page: 6206. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1974.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 37-01, Section: A, page: 0566. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1975.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 37-01, Section: A, page: 0575. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1975.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 37-07, Section: A, page: 4586. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1976.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 38-05, Section: A, page: 3024. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1977.

An examination of organized interest activity was probed using the subnational political environment of Florida. Ordinal and interval level data were used from a respondent based survey instrument developed and conducted in Tallahassee, Florida. The main research thrust was to create an organized interest typology based upon activity used by groups in Florida. / A factor analysis search for factors based upon the priority of various activities yielded four activity factors--a Financial Action Factor, an Electoral Factor, a Policy Factor, and a Legislative Factor. These extracted factors were discussed in relation to existing literature in the field surrounding organized interest activities. / A series of multiple regression procedures were examined using the newly extracted factors as dependent variables, and by creating indicator variables to represent various categories or group types in the data. While the results fell short of the desired goal of building a new subnational typology based upon activity, some insightful results were obtained. It was found that trade associations in Florida have a greater likelihood of being involved in financial action activities than other groups. Trade associations and labor groups were also found to be more highly involved than other group types in electoral activities such as creating political action committees. The results of this study were placed within the extant literature in the subfield of interest group politics and discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-10, Section: A, page: 3709. / Major Professor: Douglas St. Angelo. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

The present study explores party-group linkages within the American political context, and ascertains whether variation exists in the extent to which different types of party-group linkages (overall, party-class, party-race, and party-religion) are present in different state party systems. The study goes beyond description by undertaking an exploration of the origins and the correlates of party-group linkages, and by testing hypotheses about the impact of the linkages on gubernatorial voting turnout, and on per capita welfare expenditures across states. / Measures of the extent of the different types of party-group linkages were built for several states, using survey data (exit polls) covering the 1982-86 period. Several statistical techniques were used in the various analyses throughout the study. These included correlation, multiple regression, and factor analysis. / The study shows that there is significant variation in the scores measuring the different types of party-group linkages in state party systems. It also shows that the overall extent of party-group linkages is related to the existence of party-race linkages. Party-class linkages are found to be significant in states in which blue collar unionism is present, party-race linkages in states that have a high proportion of black population, and party-religion linkages in those non-southern states that have a high degree of sociodemographic diversity, that have economies based on traditional manufacturing, and that also have a high degree of metropolitan economic affluence. The impact of party-group linkages on gubernatorial voting turnout, and on per capita welfare expenditures is not significant. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: A, page: 1063. / Major Professor: William Claggett. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

Despite a vast literature concerning nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court, methodologically sophisticated approaches to the topic are a recent phenomenon. In fact, a fully developed, conceptually precise model of the confirmation process--based upon the literature--does not exist. This dissertation constructs and empirically tests such a model. In constructing the model, I address the key considerations encountered in the literature and focus specifically upon three empirical analyses of the population of nominations (Scigliano, 1971; Palmer, 1983; and Segal, 1987). The model is explicated and then tested via logistic regression analysis. / Analyses of the model show the nature of particular vacancies occurring on the Court play a crucial role in the Senatorial decision. This finding is critical in that the literature has only indirectly noted the importance of the particular kinds of vacancies and has, as a result of this neglect, failed to appreciate a host of theoretically sound and empirically testable hypotheses. The analysis further suggests the characteristics of nominees play a larger role in the confirmation process than previous research has suggested. / The model, however, does not merely 'sum-up' the literature. It both clarifies and synthesizes while providing a parsimonious, yet richly descriptive and plausible explanation of a highly complex process. This clarification and synthesis results in improved measures for variables of interest in previous literature (related to Presidential power and Senatorial disposition to confirm or reject) and important variables previously ignored in empirical analysis (related to characteristics of the nominees, the vacancies in question, and the political context of nominations). / Above all, the model (in conceptualization and result) calls for future analyses of the process to be conducted more in terms of an actual process (with dynamic qualities) contra terms depicting a mere outcome of rejection or confirmation by the Senate. The analyses pave the way for future research by providing a clear conceptual environment which may be integrated with the literature for future hypotheses testing. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: A, page: 1067. / Major Professor: Burton Atkins. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

Political action committees (PACs) are examined within the context of three dominant theories of governing in America and the attendant conflict in preferred campaign funding policy. The heart of the matter is whether or not PACs make a difference in interest group legislative effectiveness for if they don't, then concern for campaign funding reform can be refocused on more fruitful issues. / Easton's political systems model provides the basis for the research design. Inputs into the system are resources a group uses to affect legislation, including PACs. The dependent variable, legislative success, measured whether or not the group was able to get the desired outcome. Controlled are the effects of variables the literature suggests affect legislative behavior examined by interest group and legislation characteristics. / Probit analysis between PACs and success, controlling for group characteristics, revealed PACs to be strongly negative and significant at the.025 level. When controlled for legislative characteristics, PACs were mildly positive and insignificant. Overall, PACs were negative and significant at the.10 level. Primary contributors to the negative correlation are nonprofit organizations having PACs. PACs seem to increase profit group's effectiveness to a level roughly equal that of governmental agencies. Cross-tabs analysis of group and legislation variables with success produced a number of significant relationships showing contributions to legislative success. / This limited study suggests PAC's lack power to obtain interest group legislative success, questioning the need for PAC funding reform and uncritical PAC acceptance by group leaders. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: A, page: 1064. / Major Professor: Douglas St. Angelo. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.