<p>Five Investigations were conducted to examine the antecedents of participation in voluntary organizations. The objective of these studies were to identify factors which influence the decision to become a volunteer. While much prior research has been devoted to this subject, his series is distinctive insofar as it examines a broader range of potential determinants, employs longitudinal panel designs and directs particular attention to individual differences in the circumstance, the events and the psychological stares which precede voluntary action. In the first study, the reasons advanced by individuals to account for their decision to volunteer were examined employing open-ended interview questions and rating scale measures. Consistent with prior research, it was observed that most persons had more than one reason for volunteering. However, application of two statistical reduction techniques revealed that these reasons tended to be given in clusters and that there were three main purposes for joining: (1) Advancements of Career and Personal Goals (2) Social and Situational Compensation (3) Altruism The second study was designed to explore the relationship between social background factors and the reasons for undertaking voluntary action. This investigation demonstrated that persons with similar social backgrounds often pursue voluntary action for similar purposes. The analysis revealed that students often participate to obtain career experience while unemployed persons and those recently experiencing major life events (e.g. retirement, loss of spouse, change in parental responsibilities), were more likely to volunteer in order to meet people, relieve boredom, and find purpose in life. In addition, while most persons mentioned a desire to help others among their reasons for volunteering, only retired or full-time employed respondents with situational stability (i.e., no recent life events) accentuated the altruistic purpose of their actions in their explanations. These results suggest that social background factors may influence the perceived utility of such pursuits and influence the reasons why people volunteer. Study three examined the amount of social encouragement to volunteer received by various types of initiators. This investigation revealed that young individuals, persons with less formal education and first time joiners were especially likely to have been persuaded to join. Conversely, elderly persons, those experiencing recent major life events and individuals with previous volunteer experience were considerably less likely to have been persuaded. While prior research has shown that social encouragement is frequently associated with the initiation of voluntary action, this study is the first to assess which types of joiners were most likely to receive encouragement to volunteer. The fourth and fifth study of this thesis examined the relationship between attitudes toward voluntary action and participation in instrumental voluntary organizations. Study four assessed whether attitudes were predictive of joins which took place after various temporal delays. Attitudes were found to be excellent predictors of participation initiated within one to eight months of an attitude measure, but progressively less predictive of joins occurring after longer delays. Moreover, it was also discovered that attitudes tend to be better long-range predictors when the join was not preceded by a life event and when the individual undertook participation to promote organizational goals rather than personal objectives. Finally, a three part investigation was conducted to examine the extent to which attitudes change when individuals become volunteers. Part one was a two-year longitudinal study which demonstrated that attitudes toward voluntary action became significantly more favourable when individuals joined voluntary organizations and significantly less favourable when such activities were terminated. In part two, it was observed that this attitude change occurred before the individuals had joined the organization and changed little once participation had begun. Finally, part three of this investigation indicated that attitudes toward voluntary action generally became more favourable only after the individual had decided to become a volunteer. The implications of these findings with respect to the role of attitudes in the decision to volunteer are discussed. Throughout these studies, individual differences in the determinants of these activities were repeatedly noted. It is crucial that investigators direct increased attention to these differences in the development of their models of volunteer motivation. To assist in this regard, a model is presented which accommodates individual variation in the antecedents of participation and provides a conceptual framework in which to consider the significance of various antecedents of this phenomenon.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The purposes of this study were: (a) to compare the impact of One-to-One (OTO) mentoring interventions administered in the high school setting, and the workplace of the students who participated in the School-to-Work (STW) transitional program, and (b) to identify how the participants perceived their experience in the OTO mentoring program and the STW transitional program. A qualitative approach was used to identify how participants perceived their mentoring experiences with the STW and OTO mentoring programs by utilizing focus groups and content analysis. A quantitative approach was used to compare the statistical differences of outcomes between the STW and OTO mentoring programs, by utilizing descriptive statistics, independent samples Wests, chi- square analyses, and logistic regression. The sample was limited to participants in the STW and OTO mentoring programs resulting in 21 participants for the qualitative approach and 114 participants for the quantitative approach. Results from the qualitative approach indicated that focus group participants in the STW program were satisfied with the program and the relationship with their mentors. They also suggested that the STW program be lengthened to include the entire academic year. Participants from the OTO focus group were dissatisfied with their program due to inadequate mentor involvement. Results from the quantitative approach showed that the increase in school attendance for the STW program’s at-risk Black male youth was statistically significant compared to the OTO program participants; the STW program participants displayed a better outlook for attending college that was statistically significant compared to those in the OTO program; and the OTO program participants displayed a better outlook for permanent employment compared to those in the STW program. Therefore, this study finds that mentoring can contribute to reducing school absences and high school completion in order for at-risk Black adolescents to attend college. It is recommended that the OTO program be restructured to eliminate the disparity that exists regarding the administration of the STW program and the OTO program.

This study examined contextual and situational influences on older adults’ decision to complete advance directives by means of a conceptual framework derived from symbolic interactionist theory and a cross-sectional, correlational research design. It was hypothesized that completion of advance directives among older adults would be associated with visiting or participating in the care of a terminally ill or permanently incompetent individual sustained by technology. Using a 53-item questionnaire, computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI) were conducted with 398 community dwelling adults between September and October 2003. Respondents were contacted using random-select dialing from a listed sample of 99% of household telephone numbers in one South Florida census tract. Over 90% of households in this tract include an individual age 65 or older. The results revealed that contrary to most reports in the literature a substantial proportion of older adults (82%) had completed advance directives and that the link between older adults and document completion was mainly through attorneys and not mandated agents, health care professionals. Further, more than one third of older adults reported that religion/spirituality was not an important part of their life, suggesting that the recommended practice of offering religious/spiritual counseling to all those approaching death be reexamined. The hypothesis was not supported (p > .05) and is explained by the situational emphasis on the variables rather than on structural influences. In logistic regression analysis, only increasing age (p = .001) and higher education (p = < .001) were significant but explained only 10% of the variance in document completion. Based on the findings, increased interdisciplinary collaboration is suggested with regard to the advance directive agenda. Since attorneys play a key role in document completion, other professions should seek their expertise and collaboration. In addition, the inclusion of a religious/spiritual preference section in all living wills should be considered as an essential part of a holistic and individually appropriate document. Implications for social work education, practice, and advocacy are discussed as well as suggestions for farther research.

This study focused on the mother/daughter relationship in father/daughter incest and how that relationship influences women's friendships with other women. Many researchers have concluded that females who were sexually abused by male authority figures, i.e., father, step-father, grandfather, older brother, minister, babysitter, will have impaired relationships with men. Clinicians surmise that the enormous betrayal of trust involved in the incest leads the child to generalize from her experience with one male to all males. Victims express feelings of distrust, fear of intimacy, and fear of personal expression in all male/female relationships. Studies suggest that in families where father/daughter incest has occurred the relationships between mother and daughter are also impaired. Most often cited is the distant relationship between the mother and daughter. Also discussed is the intense anger the daughter feels toward the mother for not protecting her from the perpetrator's abuse. Betrayal, in the form of the mother's inability to provide protection, often evokes more anger from the daughter than does the father's betrayal.

Loneliness in college students has been identified as a contributing factor to worsened mental health leading to greater rates of symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and others. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the severity of loneliness due to social isolation, however the relationship between loneliness and stress may have changed now in a post-COVID-19 world. This study hypothesized that loneliness does contribute to greater rates of stress in college students and that demographic factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, and first-generation student status influence that interaction. A survey was conducted at the University of Central Florida and acquired 47 total complete responses. Data gathered from the survey aligned with the hypotheses except for data pointing towards identifying as White behaving as an influencing factor rather than identifying as a racial/ethnic minority. Findings from the survey may be used to better reach vulnerable populations as well as information on how to better allocate institution resources.

<p>Scholars and laypersons are increasingly concerned about the marketing of inappropriate adult fashions directly to <em>tweens</em>, children between the ages of eight and thirteen. Using a symbolic interactionist approach, I consider strategies used to market tween fashion images, and their influence on tween self-image and mother-child relationships.</p> <p>Through content analysis of images in two magazines, <em>Today's Parent</em> and <em>Tiger Beat</em>, I establish that contradictions exist between traditional images of childhood as a time of innocence, and more recent adult or sexualized images of tweenhood; that both these types of representations are gendered; and that both reinforce gender roles in childhood and tweenhood alike.</p> <p>Through qualitative interviews with mothers and tweens, I explore the meanings they associate with tween fashion and their influence on tween self-image. Both mothers and tweens are somewhat influenced by marketing strategies that use brands, logos and celebrity role models to market tween fashion. However, mothers use maternal "gatekeeping" strategies such as solo shopping, and control of financial resources, to mitigate the influence of fashion marketing on their tweens, and to avoid disagreements with their children over potentially inappropriate fashion styles.</p> <p>Tweens themselves actively filter corporate messages based on their own internalized gendered meanings learned through socialization. The opinions of their mothers, primarily, and their peers, influence their assessments of clothing as appropriate or inappropriate, regardless of marketing strategies. Notably, tween girls use internalized gendered meanings to differentiate between fashions that convey a "good girl" image or a "trampy" image, reproducing patriarchal versions of women as madonnas or whores, even at this age. Despite moral panics, a symbolic interactionist approach inspired by the principles of the new sociology of childhood, privileges tweens' voices and reveals them to be embedded within social networks that temper the influence of tween fashion.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Within recent years, there has been a significant increase in popular commentary on internet trolls and what they mean for online interactions. Significant attention is often paid to framing trolls as individual, pathological, and atypical. While there is much one-sided dialogue occurring in the media, however, the literature on internet trolling remains scarce. This exploratory study contributes to the developing literature by addressing internet trolls directly. Drawing on interviews with a self-identified troll and content analysis, this thesis aims to understand how trolls operate, interact, and make meaning while highlighting the role of identity and emotions. This study finds that internet trolls are highly organized and social, in direct contradiction to the prevailing media narrative.

The problem of rehabilitation of the physically handicapped in the United States is one of massive proportions. A 1968 survey conducted by the Department of Transportation estimates the number of physically disabled persons in the United States to be approximately 30 million.1 As noted above, physical deviance serves as a basis of social differentiation; and where this differentiation takes on a negative character, the concept of social distance can be useful in measuring the attitudes of physically normal persons in their acceptance or rejection of those who are physically deviant. This study intends to examine the normals' contacts (in their various forms) with disabled persons and the relationship of these contacts to the social distance established between persons who are physically normal and those who are physically deviant. 1. Ruth Lauder, The Goal Is: Mobility! Published for the National Citizens Conference on Rehabilitation of the Disabled and Disadvantaged by the U.S. Dept. of Health, Education & Welfare (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1969), p. 4

A typology was developed to demonstrate the relationship between the diverse theoretical explanations prevalent in riotous behavior research and the mode of data collection utilized for studying these theoretical explanations. The two principal variables identified are conceptual areas and methodological techniques. Conceptual areas consist of five categories and these are defined as structure: underlying social. economic and political preconditions which lead to riotous behavior; belief-motives: underlying predispositions of individuals or groups which lead to riotous behavior; setting: immediate determinants (assemblage process. ecological arrangements and socio-demographic factors) which lead to riotous behavior; action-behavior: actual behavior patterns and general characteristics found in riotous behavior; and aftermath-consequences: an optional category used to define and understand the previous four categories by investigating the situation following riotous behavior. The methodological techniques of data collection are defined as documentary (historical and census materials) and nondocumentary (interviews, questionnaires, participant observation, informants and laboratory experimentation) materials. A content analysis of ten major sociological journals (Social Problems. Journal of Social Issues, American Sociological Review. Social Forces, Sociological Inquiry, American Journal of Sociology, Sociological Quarterly, Urban Affairs Quarterly, Sociometry and the Journal of Intergroup Relations) and twelve related journals and magazines (Science and Society, Trans-Action, Annals, American Behavioral Scientist, Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Scientific American. Human Relations, Journal of Criminal Law: Criminology and Police Science, Commentary, Social Science Quarterly, Phylon, Public Opinion Quarterly) from 1940 through September, 1973 yielded eighty-seven articles which were considered to be a universe of content. The findings indicate that certain methodologies discriminate between certain conceptual areas and certain conceptual areas discriminate between certain methodological techniques. The most often used methods are historical documents, census materials and interviews in that order whereas the most researched conceptual areas are setting and belief-motives. There is a tendency to use interviews and questionnaires more often when only one conceptual area (usually belief-motives) is being researched. Participant observation and informants do not appear to be as limited as the other methods regarding their use to investigate diverse conceptual schemes; however, they are restricted as methodological techniques. The distance (in time) of the researcher from the event and the number of events studied affect the relationship between the two variables. Research conducted within a year following the riotous event relies more on nondocumentary data than does research conducted over a year following the event. Moreover, researchers tend to utilize nondocumentary data to a fuller degree than documentary despite the practical and logical limits of these methods and the far greater utilization of documentary data. There is evidence the segmentation of research and emphasis on psychological explanations may be changing as the more complex theoretical frameworks are being used and different explanations are being integrated in order to study the whole of riotous behavior. Riotous behavior research has emphasized the individual framework for far too long. Sociological inquiry into riotous behavior should stress group interactions, group processes, group activity and social forces for a fruitful analysis of riotous behavior.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1991. / "Appendix E: Thesis publications" contains reprints of four journal articles written or co-authored by M. Augoustinos. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 450-467).