<p> Computer dialogs communicate important security messages, but their excessive use has produced habituation: a strong tendency by computer users to ignore security dialogs. Unlike physical warnings, whose design and use is regulated by law and based on years of research, computer security dialogs are often designed in an arbitrary manner. We need scientific solutions to produce dialogs that users will heed and understand. </p><p> Currently, we lack an understanding of the factors that drive users&rsquo; attention to security dialogs, and how to counteract habituation. Studying computer security behavior is difficult because a) users are more likely to expose themselves to risk in a lab experiment than in daily life, b) the size of observed effects is usually very small, which makes it necessary to collect many observations, and c) it is complex to balance research interests and the ethical duty not to harm. </p><p> My thesis makes two contributions: a novel methodology to study behavioral responses to security dialogs in a realistic, ethical way with high levels of ecological validity, and a novel technique to increase and retain attention to security dialogs, even in the presence of habituation.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to partner with a host agency, Families Uniting Families, identify a potential funding source, Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation, and write a grant proposal to obtain funding for an emancipation roadmap program for transitional age youth (TAY) in foster care. The proposed program focuses on helping youth transition to independence through education, guidance, support, and system linkage. A literature review was conducted to examine the needs of this vulnerable population and legislative policies developed to address the unwanted psychosocial outcomes for transitional age youth. The proposed program will leverage and maximize resources and support available through existing legislative policies in efforts to diminish the effects of aging out of care and reduce barriers to achieving independence. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant was not required to successfully complete this project.</p>

<p> The Waite-Gallagher Marriage Benefit Theory (2000) articulates the premise of greater financial advantage, health benefits, and social well-being for married couples, not shared by cohabitating or singles. This benefit was not generalizable to same-sex couples or African-American. The significance of the current study is the use of a large dataset (The U. S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey) to explore if there is an association between type of legal status of marital relationship and financial advantage and health benefits for same-sex couples. Minority stress explains the systematic exclusion of same-sex couples from the entitlements of citizenship. The wage disadvantage theory of minority groups counters Waite and Gallagher and sheds light on a problem of comparison related to a heterosexual, Caucasian sample. Combining insights from a historical, political, economic, and social perspective, with a large secondary dataset from the 2010 American Community Survey 1-year tabulation, this quantitative dissertation seeks to extend the Waite-Gallagher theory. The findings suggest support for the Waite-Gallagher marriage benefit theory i.e. marriage does matter for lesbian and gay males. The principal conclusion is the existence of a statistically significant relationship between the state context (legal recognition of marriage vs. non-recognition) and financial advantage and health benefits when using a large secondary data set.</p>

<p> This study examines registration, voting and election results in the presidential elections from 1992 to 2012. During this period, North Carolina introduced a series of election reforms which were designed to increase political participation by making registration and voting more widely accessible. These reforms included making One Stop early voting and absentee voting by mail universally available, and making it possible to register and vote in a single step at an early voting site. This study examines the implementation of these reforms by county boards of elections, and the effects which they have had on voter participation and on election results. The study finds that election reform has coincided with an increase in voter turnout, and produced a short-term advantage for the Democratic Party.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2005. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-08, Section: B, page: 4534. Adviser: Wendy Packman.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--The University of Auckland (New Zealand), 2006. / (UnM)AAI3200294. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-12, Section: A, page: 4418. Co-Supervisors: Nel Darragh; Rob Bellingham.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, San Francisco, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-07, Section: B, page: 4389. Adviser: Elizabeth (Betty) Davies.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education, Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction, 2006. / "Title from dissertation home page (viewed July 3, 2007)." Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-08, Section: A, page: 2956. Adviser: David M. Mank.

Abstract not available.

For over two decades there has been growing concern over poor outcomes achieved by many foster care alumni (Courtney, Pilivan, Grogan-Kaylor, & Nesmith, 2001; Heath, Colton, & Aldgate, 1994). This series of studies investigates the implementation of the Looking After Children (LAC) (Parker, Ward, Jackson, Aldgate, & Wedge, 1991; Ward, 1995) approach with foster children in Ontario (the OnLAC study). Studies 1 and 2 investigated perceived usefulness of the AAR by child welfare workers and foster carers. The third study fell into two parts. The first investigated the factor structure of a measure of team implementation (TS-Y3). The second part investigated whether greater success in implementing LAC (as judged by the team) was associated with higher quality relationships with significant people in the foster child's life and higher levels of placement satisfaction. Methodology. For the first two studies we invited child welfare workers (n = 126) and foster parents (n = 93) who participated in Year 2 of the OnLAC study to respond to a questionnaire. For the third study we used data collected through the annual administration of the AAR in Ontario (n = 403). Results. In Studies 1 and 2 we found better quality training was a significant predictor of perceived usefulness of the AAR. In Study 3 we investigated the factor structure and validity of the TS-Y3, identifying two principle factors, LAC-PHIL measuring the degree to which the team felt that that they had achieved the priorities and goals of LAC and LAC-POC which measured administrative functions. We also found that higher levels of success were associated with better quality relationships with the female caregiver and child welfare worker but not with the foster father. Higher levels of success in implementing LAC also predicted higher levels of foster youth placement satisfaction. Discussion. The results of the first two studies suggest that child welfare workers and foster parents do find the AAR useful, particularly when they have received high quality training. The third study provides some support for the hypothesis that the LAC approach may facilitate resilient outcomes in youth. Implications of these findings are discussed.