<div>Theorists posit that despite the well-known benefits of feeling grateful, the adoption of a grateful perspective is not always easy and the occurrence of a gratitude-worthy event is not always readily salient. Indeed, to experience a sense of gratitude may partly require that people actively regulate their cognitive and attentional resources to notice, appreciate, and subsequently respond to a gratitude event. Drawing from Dweck et al.’s (1995) implicit theories framework, I examined whether implicit beliefs concerning the development of various attributes/characteristics differentially influences people’s feelings of gratitude. Implicit theories framework stipulates that people adopt one of two learning perspectives – namely, an entity or incremental perspective. Those with an incremental perspective believe that certain characteristics (e.g., emotions, attributes) are not fixed, but are dynamic and changeable, and that their ability in a certain area can be improved, and that the associated outcomes are linked to their own diligence and labor. By comparison, people with an entity perspective believe certain characteristics are static and cannot be easily changed, and that the outcomes associated with a particular attribute are generally decoupled from their own labors. I reasoned that because incremental (vs. entity) theorists are confident that they can actively regulate their behavior to experience a desired emotional state, they should also believe that they can regulate their feelings of gratitude. In doing so, incrementals (vs. entity) should be more likely to expend cognitive and attentional resources to notice and attend to a salient gratitude event, capitalizing on opportunities to practice cultivating a grateful perspective. With the current studies, I used correlational, longitudinal, and experimental methods to examine both the fundamental association between implicit gratitude beliefs and gratitude, and whether the effect of implicit gratitude beliefs (i.e., incremental vs. entity) on feelings of gratitude differ as a function of gratitude event salience. I hypothesized that compared to entity theorists, incremental theorists should be more sensitive and attentive to a salient (vs. less salient) gratitude event, and as a result, incrementals (vs. entities) should exhibit higher levels of gratefulness/gratitude. The results across six studies provided reliably consistent evidence in support of the key hypotheses. Gratitude was positively associated with an incremental perspective and negatively associated with an entity perspective; when the gratitude event was salient (vs. less salient) incrementals were more attentive to the opportunity, and their level of gratitude was systematically higher compared to those with an entity perspective, and across the salience conditions, the difference between incrementals’ and entities’ gratitude levels was also partially explained by gratitude motivation and increased attentiveness to the gratitude event.</div>

In this thesis, we study problems with heterogeneities using the zeroth order optimized Schwarz preconditioning. There are three main parts in this thesis. In the first part, we propose an Optimized Restricted Additive Schwarz Preconditioned Exact Newton approach (ORASPEN) for nonlinear diffusion problems, where Robin transmission conditions are used to communicate subdomain errors. We find out that for the problems with large heterogeneities, the Robin parameter has a significant impact to the convergence behavior when subdomain boundaries cut through the discontinuities. Therefore, we perform an algebraic analysis for a linear diffusion model problem with piecewise constant diffusion coefficients in the second main part. We carefully discuss two possible choices of Robin parameters on the artificial interfaces and derive asymptotic expressions of both the optimal Robin parameter and the convergence rate for each choice at the discrete level. Finally, in the third main part, we study the time-dependent nonequilibrium Richards equation, which can be used to model preferential flow in physics. We semi-discretize the problem in time, and then apply ORASPEN for the resulting elliptic problems with the Robin parameter studied in the second part.

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The films and theoretical writings of Alexander Kluge have been receiving greater attention from the North American German Studies community in the 1980's. This thesis is designed to give the reader a general introduction to the intellectual context of his writing and film-making, as well as provide an analysis of the relationship between the structure and content of one of his more recent films, "Der Ang riff der Gegenwart auf die Obrige Zeit", and his theories about the structure and content of the individual and collective societal consciousness. The first part of the thesis deals with Kluge's association with the lnstitut tor Sozialforschung, more commonly known as the Frankfurt School, and their particular brand of marxist social and cultural theory. The work of the Frankfurt School's most noted scholar, Theodor W. Adorno, is used as a reference work with which Alexander Kluge's early theoretical writings are contrasted and compared. The second part deals with two exemplary cultural producers and critics, Bertolt Brecht and Jean-Luc Godard. The use of montage technique in Brecht's dramas and Godard's films, and the desired effect which was to be produced, is compared to Kluge's own ideas on the associative technique and its potential as an analytic tool. The third part of the thesis deals with the work of Walter Benjamin, whose unique fusion of Critical Theory and near-eastern mysticism produced an epistemology which finds its most precise expression in the employment of montage. Benjamin's assertion that the truth content in any situation can only arise out of the juxtaposition of elements in a 'constellation' corresponds very closely to the 'constellation' construction in Kluge's films. Finally, the analysis of the film "Der Angriff der Gegenwart auf die Obrige Zeit" brings together all of these concepts --the social theory of the Frankfurt School, the production aesthetics of Godard and Brecht, the epistemology of Benjamin --and combines them with Kluge's own most recent theoretical writings to provide the reader with a possible interpretation of the elements in the film and their relation to the network of ideas which forms the world-view of theorist and film-maker Alexander Kluge. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Conspiracy theory beliefs have become ubiquitous within our society. One cannot partake in any form of media without confronting different conspiracy theories, such as beliefs that the Earth is flat, that birds are not real, that the moon landing was fake, or that vaccines cause autism spectrum disorder. Conspiracy theories are beliefs that revolve around false explanations of public and political events concerning a secret organization with malicious intent. What makes people vulnerable to conspiracy theory beliefs? Prior research indicates that people often adopt conspiracy beliefs in an attempt to reduce feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and threat. Unfortunately, prior research also suggests that conspiracy theory beliefs might not relieve these negative emotional states. As a result, one might conclude that conspiracy theory beliefs are misguided attempts to regulate one’s emotional state during times of anxiety and uncertainty. The goal for the current research was to gain a greater understanding of who may be more susceptible to conspiracy theory beliefs. As prior research has shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) often predict poorer emotion regulation, we wanted to explore whether ACEs may predict conspiracy theory beliefs as explained through emotion dysregulation. In this exploratory research, we recruited 719 participants online through Sona at East Tennessee State University (Mage= 19.98) and asked participants to complete two scales to measure conspiracy theory beliefs, the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale (GCB) and the Conspiracy Mentality Scale (CM), as well as self-report measures of ACEs and emotion dysregulation. Results showed that ACEs did not directly predict conspiracy theory beliefs; however, when emotional dysregulation was included as a mediator, ACEs predicted conspiracy theory beliefs on both GCB and CM scales. This suggests that people who indicated experiencing more ACEs within the first 18 years of life tended to score higher in emotion dysregulation and will have more difficulty regulating their own emotions when it comes to social and environmental problems. Because of this, individuals who experienced more ACEs may rely on external factors and maladaptive coping strategies, such as conspiracy theory beliefs, to regulate their negative emotional states. Although ACE scores were not a direct determining factor in conspiracy theory beliefs, they can be used to reveal and better understand other maladaptive traits and the possibility of developing psychological disorders in the future. As this research was exploratory, future research will need to confirm these findings, ideally with a more diverse sample in age, race and educational background. Despite these limitations, the current study aids in our understanding about who may be more susceptible to engaging in conspiracy theory beliefs and can inform about possible interventions in the future.

There has been controversy surrounding high-profile Canadian court cases due to stakeholders asserting that justice was not delivered in the offenders’ sentencing. Cases such as R v. Bernardo (including R. v. Homolka), R v. Pickton and R v. Li have drawn criticism from stakeholders, such as the victims’ families and the public, for perceived lax and disproportionate sentencing. I aim to make sense of and determine why this is their perception of these cases and offer a way to understand these cases’ judicial decisions. Reading these cases through the lens of philosophical punishment theories will (1) determine the underlying compatible legal theory guiding these sentences that are perceived as lax and disproportionate, (2) explain the reasoning behind these sentences, and (3) help us understand why the public and the victims’ families perceive these sentences as lax and disproportionate. In this thesis, I will argue that Canada’s criminal justice system could be understood as incorporating various punishment theories for criminal offender sentencing, such as strict retribution, utilitarianism, and paternalism as a form of rehabilitation. I will focus my research on three punishment theories that I believe have been significant in guiding the law’s application in the Canadian legal system and the modern history of Western law: Immanuel Kant’s strict retributive punishment theory, Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian punishment theory, and Herbert Morris’ paternalistic punishment theory. I will argue that by identifying the underlying punishment theories, we can identify where the judicial decision is perceived as flawed by the public and the victims’ families and how to understand the effect of these theories in future judicial decisions. Based on my findings, I will sketch an alternative Kantian punishment theory that can be a theoretical lens through which we can evaluate proportionality in sentencing by providing a victim-centred approach to punishment. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA) / There has been controversy surrounding high-profile Canadian court cases due to the victims’ families and the public perceiving the offenders’ sentencing as lax and disproportionate to their crimes’ severity. I aim to make sense of and determine why this is their perception of these cases and offer a way to understand these cases’ judicial decisions. Reading these cases through the lens of philosophical punishment theories will (1) determine the underlying compatible legal theory guiding these sentences that are perceived as lax and disproportionate, (2) explain the reasoning behind these sentences, and (3) help us understand why the public and the victims’ families perceive these sentences as lax and disproportionate. Based on my findings, I will sketch an alternative Kantian punishment theory that can be a theoretical lens through which we can evaluate proportionality in sentencing by providing a victim-centred approach to punishment.

The main thesis deals with the educational theories of Rudolf Steiner. These theories are dealt with in Parts III to VIII of the thesis. Before this, in Part 1, there occurs a brief description of the background and life of Steiner; and, in Part II, a,, philosophical discussion of the basic tenets and assumptions upon which Steiner's educational theories rest. The areas dealt with in Parts III to VIII are divided into three. The first is an exposition of Steiner's ideas; the second is a comparison and appraisal of Steiner's theories with other educationalists; the third is an examination and evaluation of some of the concepts which are fundamental to Steiner's theories. The first of these areas i. e. the exposition of Steiner's ideas, is subdivided into three: his views on the nature of the child and the'way in which the child grows and develops; methodologies of teaching; and content and curriculum. An exposition of Steiner's theories on the nature of the child and its development occurs in Part III. - This is followed, in Part IV, by an evaluation of his theories by comparing them with other educationaliits. In Part V an examination of Steiner's theories on methodologies of teaching, by considering his views of "The Temperaments", occurs; - reference and comparisons to other educationalists are made in the same section. In. Part VI descriptions of the Waldorf curriculum are given and this is followed by an evaluation at the end of the section. The evaluation examines 'a number of concepts upon which the Waldorf curriculum has bpen formulated in the context of modern day curriculum objectives, design and learning experiences. In Part VII a brief historical perspective : is obtained of Steiner's theories by comparing his views with those of Plato, Rousseau and Montessori. This perspective is placed in a modern day context in Part VIII, and is obtained by an examination of many of the concepts fundamental to Steiner's theories. This includes a detailed critique of two of the main assumptions upon which Steiner's theories of education rest; an examination of the relationship of the individual to society in an educational context; and a discussion of the nature and aims of the educational process.

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