This study reports the food habits of Vietnamese college women in association with college life and their cultural background. Their food habits, food associated beliefs, and the influences on their food choices were examined. Interviews, using semi-structured questionnaire, were conducted with 25 Vietnamese college women at Oregon State University. The questionnaire included general and particular food consumption, cooking/eating out practices, and food associated beliefs. The busy schedules of the Vietnamese college students in college life greatly influenced their food choices. They preferred eating the same foods as before college, which were mainly Vietnamese foods. However, they also considered convenience for their food choices since they did not have enough time and/or skills to prepare and eat meals. Generally they kept eating Vietnamese foods, such as rice and Vietnamese flavored dishes; however, they increased eating easy to prepare food, such as pasta, sandwiches, and fast foods in college life, which were not often eaten with their families before college. All of them had rice cookers, chopsticks, and fish sauce, that are substantial for a Vietnamese diet. Their preference of eating Vietnamese foods led to their unique meal patterns. They tended to adjust mealtime in order to eat Vietnamese foods at home and avoided eating meals on campus. Instead, the high frequency of snack consumption was reported. They had strong beliefs that Vietnamese foods were healthy. The Vietnamese foods, which consisted of rice, a wide variety of vegetables, and small amount of meat, tend to be low in fat. It led to avoidance of commercialized low-fat and low-calorie foods. The Vietnamese diet was also believed to be a balanced diet. This was associated with the small credibility of a vegetarian diet in spite of the fact that they considered vegetables played an important role in their diets. Generally they were comfortable to keep eating Vietnamese foods because of their health concerns, as well as their taste preferences. In college life, they consumed some foods that were not Vietnamese and not often eaten with their families before. However, it could be temporary mainly because of their busy schedules. They preferred to eat the same foods as before, if their schedule allowed, and they considered that Vietnamese foods should be eaten as their real meals. / Graduation date: 1999

Several popular cultural movements emphasizing indigenous spirituality have arisen in the United States and Europe within the past thirty years. Spiritual discourses attributed to Native Americans, among other groups, are borrowed by Euro-Americans in search of alternatives to dominant ideologies. In such a circumstance, Native Americans become part of a constructed and colonized homogenous category of indigenous people, considered by Euro-Americans as naturally close to the earth and essentially spiritual. The so-called New Age movement has, within it, several sub-movements, which are particularly noted for their emphasis on perceived Native American spiritualism. The Red Cedar Circle, made up primarily of white Americans, focuses on the Si.si.wiss Medicine of the Pacific Northwest Coast, and can be described as falling under the definitional heading of the New Age. The suppression and transformation of the heterogeneous reality of indigenous societies by the imaginings of the Euro-American dominant, has many ethical implications, as does cultural appropriation in a situation of major power differentials. Native communities are becoming increasingly outspoken in their opposition to the practice of Indian, or pseudo-Indian, religions by non-Natives. Many consider such practices to be morally suspect. Both Native and non-Native social critics feel that New Age practitioners involved in appropriated and popularized versions of indigenous religions, are interpreting and using aspects of traditionally subjugated cultures to meet their own needs. What may appear to be a harmless search for enlightenment by Europeans and Euro-Americans might have very real negative consequences for actual Native American lives. This study is based on participant observation of the Corvallis, Oregon Red Cedar Circle, and interviews with its members from June of 1991 to April of 1994. Analysis of data from New Age literature was also conducted, as well as an historical overview of the 'Nobel Savage' myth in Western cultures. Interviews with members of the local Native American community were carried out for feedback on how a given population of Native Americans perceives the Euro-American practice of Native spirituality. The data supports the supposition that cultural borrowing, or appropriation, is both a cause of, and a reaction to, the instability of cultural identity in late twentieth-century America. / Graduation date: 1995

This thesis examines two neighborhood emergency preparedness programs: the Linn-Benton Neighborhood Emergency Training (LB NET) program in Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A., and the Women's Neighborhood Networking Program (WNNP) in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. In Corvallis, the LB NET began in 1996, in part out of concerns that in a large disaster the local emergency agencies would not be able to provide immediate service to all disaster victims. The program encourages the residents in neighborhoods to work together to become better prepared for natural or other disasters, and to be self-sufficient for 72 hours following an event. For this study I interviewed the organizers of 14 neighborhoods between October 2001 and February 2003. Oregon State University Office of International Research and Development used the LB NET as a model to develop a project in Uzhhorod funded by U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The WNNP was funded for one year beginning in July 2000, with a one-year extension. The project included four trips from the U.S. to Uzhhorod: to conduct a needs assessment, participant selection and initial training; two consulting/mentoring trips; and for the project finale in April 2002. All project participants and two Ukrainian coordinators traveled to Corvallis for three weeks training in April 2001. For this study the WNNP participants were interviewed in Corvallis in April 2001 and in Uzhhorod in April 2002. This thesis examines how the Uzhhorod program evolved from the Corvallis program, and similarities and differences between the WNNP participants and the LB NET organizers, including neighborhood demographics, and organizer motivation, volunteer activities and social networks. In the conclusions section, I discuss environments where each program might be successfully duplicated. / Graduation date: 2004

The purpose of this study was to determine new international students' perceptions of United States professors upon entrance into the university and after two months in class, and if differences in expectations exist between groups of students based on demographic variables. A survey designed to assess these expectations was administered to 81 new international students during the fall 1997 international student orientation sessions. The survey was readministered to respondents of the pre-test after two months to evaluate changes in their perceptions of U.S. professors. During winter term 1998 follow-up interviews were conducted with several students to confirm and expand upon the statistical data. Student responses to 12 of the 25 items changed significantly over time. Significant change occurred on items related to the value of international exchange, cultural adaptation, academic adaptation, and on some non-clustering items. In general, new international students held positive views of professors in the United States on both the pre- and post-tests. Of the demographic variables considered in the research, region of origin yielded the greatest number of significantly different responses between groups. European students generally held more positive views of professors in the United States than did Southeast Asian or East Asian students. Graduate status and prior experience in the United States also affected student response rates to certain items. Gender did not significantly affect response rates. Changes in pre- and post-test response rates indicate that students enter the university with expectations for U.S. professors that somewhat inaccurate. The findings also indicate that demographic variables significantly affect the expectations which new international students have upon arrival. The most effective manner to address these issues is to expand upon the information currently presented to new international students during orientation on topics such as classroom and academic expectations and student-faculty interaction. Addressing different perceptions based on demographic variables would require either multiple sessions to meet the needs of diverse student groups, or sessions which cover the above topics expansively. / Graduation date: 1998

This study examined the utilization of selected student services by domestic and foreign students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year at Oregon State University during Winter 1994 to find out if differences in awareness, usage, and satisfaction existed between them. It also examined if differences in awareness, usage, and satisfaction existed between groups within the variables of gender, age, and academic status; marital status was included in the questionnaire for demographic profile purposes only. Thirty-one services provided by the six departments under the Vice Provost for Student Affairs were selected for the study. A comparison of quality ratings was made between Student Affairs Departments that used a formal process of evaluation and those that did not. The Student Services Awareness and Usage Questionnaire was developed and used. A sample of 150 domestic students and 150 foreign students were randomly selected, with equal representation by gender and academic status. A total of 193 questionnaires (64%) were returned, 116 from domestic students and 77 from foreign students. The five null hypotheses were tested using either the chi-square test, t-test, or Fisher's exact test. The study found that a majority of domestic respondents (97%) were aware of more services than a majority of foreign respondents (77%). A majority of each group used only about one-third of the services, with the domestic respondents using one service more than the foreign respondents. Seventeen percent of the domestic respondents and 20% of the foreign respondents were satisfied, while 83% of the domestic respondents and 80% of the foreign respondents were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Neither group indicated being very dissatisfied, dissatisfied, or very satisfied with any of the services. The findings from the other variables yielded varying results. The use of a formal process of evaluation by some service departments did not result in their obtaining higher quality ratings than the rest. Recommendations for administration and further research were included to address the issues involving student services and how they can be delivered more efficiently and effectively to benefit the university's diverse student population. / Graduation date: 1998

This paper provides probit estimates of willingness to pay for Snake River salmon recovery projects using the contingent value survey method. Two types of survey method are tested, the direct question format and the randomized response format. Additionally, both an increase in electric bill payments and volunteer time are offered as payment vehicles. The results suggest that there is not much difference in estimates of willingness to pay between the two survey formats. They also suggest that for the Oregon State University staff, there is substantial willingness to pay through electric bill increases but not in volunteer time. By guaranteeing the respondents anonymity, the randomized response format is hypothesized to encourage more truthful answers, thereby reducing yea-saying bias. The results indicate that yea-saying may be reduced for those who contribute to environmental causes but overall does not affect willingness to pay. Other studies using the randomized response format that show a reduction in yea-saying and willingness to pay were done in classroom settings while this survey was a mail survey. There is an indication that the privacy and anonymity of the mail survey is enough to mitigate social pressure and yea-saying as opposed to a classroom setting. This suggests that the randomized response format may be more appropriate for group surveys or personal interview surveys. The result that there is substantial monetary support in the form of an increase in electric bills but not in the form of volunteer time payments may be due to the sample being fully employed. Also Snake River salmon restoration projects may seem geographically distant to this sample so volunteer activities may seem unrealistic. / Graduation date: 1998

The overarching purpose of this study is to examine the communication implications of a self-proclaimed consensual organization (IT) within a classical organizational environment. The literature review of relevant theory and research covers both hierarchical and consensual organizations viewed via the classical, human relations, and system perspectives. The researcher compares organizational theory to practice by using communication to describe a consensual organization. The analyses of the research questions show that the IT organization, although a self-proclaimed consensual organization, does not obtain as many consensual qualities as the organization perceives. Organizational theorists have positioned bureaucracies and consensual organizations at opposite ends of the task-relational continuum. However, the findings from this thesis study suggest that consensual organizations should be positioned much closer to the task-oriented bureaucracies. / Graduation date: 1997

The purpose of this study was to determine women's perceptions of their physical activity needs and preferences, survey their evaluation of how the Intramural Sports Department accommodates those needs and preferences, and determine if and how intramural sports programming might be adjusted to serve women better. An open-ended survey was administered to female Oregon State University intramural sports participants and potential participants; the survey probed for customer needs, communication aspects, and assessment of program services. Utilizing a grounded theory analysis, five significant findings emerged from the survey results. The first category, women participate in intramural sports for the social aspects, revealed that female respondents participate in the intramural sports program to enjoy the camaraderie that takes place with friends and other participants; this finding is consistent with past research. A lack of opportunities and a desire for a team formation service emerged as the second category; this category indicated a barrier to participation in intramural sports. The third category that emerged indicated that respondents have a desire for multiple skill levels from which to choose to participate; however, a lack of female participation prohibits a multiple skill level option. Although past research has suggested that women prefer a cooperative playing environment, the fourth significant finding indicated that survey results did not confirm nor disconfirm that theory. Female participants and potential participants reported a desire for both competitiveness and cooperativeness in their playing environments. The final significant finding indicated that women are getting the message about intramural sports; however, the message does not entice them to participate. Interactive interviews with three participants and two potential participants confirmed the research findings and analysis. Suggestions to assist with team formation, increase female participation, reduce participation barriers, provide a mixture of competitiveness and cooperativeness, enhance promotion efforts, and conduct future research are presented. / Graduation date: 1996

The children's apparel industry is a fast-growing industry in the United States. It is important to determine what factors are considered as the most important when parents purchase their pre-school children's clothing. To gain a better understanding of parent-consumers' purchasing behavior of pre-school children's apparel, this study focused on parent-consumers' evaluative criteria used in purchasing pre-school children's apparel both in Taiwan and in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to compare the evaluative criteria used by Taiwan and U.S. parent-consumers in their decisions to purchase children's apparel. The importance of intrinsic criteria directly related to the product itself and some selected extrinsic criteria were examined. The theoretical framework used for the present study was the EKB consumer behavior model; with focus on the alternative evaluation stage of the consumer decision making process. Previous research has examined evaluative criteria used in purchasing women's and men's apparel, but only limited research has investigated evaluative criteria used in purchasing children's apparel. Survey methodology was used to collect data. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to two non-probability, purposive samples to collect quantitative data. Data were collected through two selected pre-schools at Oregon State University in the U.S. and at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. The samples consisted of 200 parent-consumers with a child or children, ages 3 to 6. Subjects were given questionnaires through teachers or researcher, resulting in a 84.1% response rate. Collected data were analyzed using two sample t-tests. Significant differences were found between the two groups in the importance of aesthetic and extrinsic criteria but not in the importance of usefulness and performance criteria. Among all 22 criteria, significant differences were found between Taiwan and U.S. respondents in the importance of: fiber content, type of fabric, fabric print, having character/logo, color fastness, price, on sale, brand name, and country of origin. The most important criteria for both groups were comfort and size/fit. By identifying the evaluative criteria used by parent-consumers of pre-school children's apparel in two countries, the results partially supported the EKB consumer behavior model. In addition, the findings about the importance of purchase criteria used by parent-consumers may also benefit children's apparel manufacturers and retailers in revising or improving their competitive ability in global marketing. / Graduation date: 1995

The illicit use of prescription stimulants (IUPS) is a critical Public Health problem in the college population that represents a unique form of substance use. Namely, the primary motives for IUPS by college students are academic in nature (e.g., Teter, McCabe, LaGrange, Cranford, & Boyd, 2006), which may explain why usage rates as high as 43% have been reported on college campuses (Advokat, Guidry, & Martino, 2008). As the field of IUPS is in its infancy, the IUPS-literature lacks 1) a consistent definition of "illicit use of prescription stimulants", 2) an instrument designed to assess the multiple influences on IUPS behavior, and 3) a theoretical lens (Bavarian, 2010a). Accordingly, the goal of this study was to address these research gaps by examining IUPS at one university located in the Pacific Northwest using the theory of triadic influence (TTI; Flay & Petraitis, 1994; Flay, Snyder, & Petraitis, 2009), an integrated, ecological approach to explaining and predicting health behaviors. The study included five phases of research. The first phase began with a systematic approach to measurement development resulting in a 97-item preliminary instrument, the Behaviors, Expectancies, Attitudes and College Health Questionnaire (BEACH-Q). The measure was reviewed by the dissertation committee, leading to revisions in content and structure. During phase II, the BEACH-Q was evaluated by a convenience sample of five health and measurement professionals, and results suggested good content validity of the instrument (i.e. 35 of the 37 TTI-based covariates received a median rating between "agree" and "strongly agree", and 34 received a mean rating between "agree" and "strongly agree"). In phase III (instrument review by a convenience sample of six undergraduates), all 37 covariates received a median and mean rating between "agree" and "strongly agree", confirming good face validity. In phase IV, one undergraduate classroom was selected to participate in a pilot test of the BEACH-Q, using test-retest methodology. Results from the pilot (N = 39) showed that the instrument had moderate to high internal consistency reliability and modest to high stability reliability. In phase V, the final 96-item version of the BEACH-Q was administered throughout campus using one-stage cluster sampling, with classrooms as the sampling unit and students as the observation unit (N = 520 students in 20 classrooms, eligible student response rate = 96.30%). The prevalence of IUPS during college self-reported by the phase V sample was 25.58%, and the probability of engaging in IUPS did not differ between classrooms (Median Odds Ratio = 1.00). In crude logistic regressions, 24 out of 37 hypothesized theoretical covariates were significantly associated with IUPS in the expected direction, suggesting predictive validity of the BEACH-Q. Nested logistic regression analyses illustrated that, for the full multivariate model including ultimate, distal, and proximal covariates, the following measures in the intrapersonal stream were significantly associated with IUPS during college: race/ethnicity, year in school, academic concern, academic grades, diagnosis with Attention Deficit Disorder, and IUPS avoidance self-efficacy. Significant social situation/context stream covariates in the full model included: residence, varsity sports participation, perceptions of IUPS by friends, family, and faculty, endorsement of IUPS by friends, and perceived prevalence of IUPS among friends. With respect to the sociocultural environment stream, in the full multivariate model, the following covariates were found to be significantly associated with IUPS: financial-related stress, participation in religious activities, positive IUPS expectancies, prescription stimulant knowledge and perceived costs/benefits of IUPS. Lastly, intention to engage in IUPS (an immediate precursor) was positively associated with IUPS. Structural equation modeling was used to test models of IUPS for each of the three streams, as well as one integrated model that included covariates from each stream. The models all demonstrated good model fit, and provided insight into the factors that influence (and suggest the mechanisms of causation) intentions to engage in, and ultimately the behavior of, IUPS. In the intrapersonal stream model, inattention was positively associated with academic concern and inversely associated with avoidance self-efficacy, and avoidance self-efficacy was inversely associated with intentions to engage in IUPS. Moreover, intentions to engage in IUPS and avoidance self-efficacy were both significantly associated with IUPS. In the social situation/context stream model, living on-campus was negatively associated with friends' endorsement of IUPS which was positively associated with perceived prevalence of IUPS among friends, and perceived prevalence was positively associated with intentions to engage in IUPS; all of the direct paths to IUPS, excepting the path from perceived prevalence of IUPS among friends, were significant. In the sociocultural environment model, perception of course demand was significantly associated with both the perception that professors give the most attention to top academic students and attitudes about the impact of prescription stimulants on academics, and these attitudes had a positive association with intentions to engage in IUPS. Moreover, the direct paths from attitudes and intentions to IUPS were significant. The mixed model, including participation in religious activities (sociocultural environment stream), friends' endorsement of IUPS (social situation/context stream), and avoidance self-efficacy (intrapersonal stream), also had significant paths from ultimate to distal to proximal to immediate precursor, and significant direct paths to IUPS. This study successfully achieved its goals. First, the instrument developed was theory-driven, broadly defined IUPS, and was psychometrically strong. The cross-sectional study illustrated that IUPS was prevalent on the campus under investigation, as one in four students had engaged in the behavior during college. Associations of use with theoretical correlates were tested for, and structural equation modeling was used to support one premise of the TTI (i.e. that behavior is multifaceted, and covariates from different streams may interact to influence behavior). The findings also suggest that prevention and intervention plans should be multifaceted in nature. Given that this study's cross-sectional nature limited the ability to make causal inferences, future research involving the BEACH-Q should use longitudinal designs. / Graduation date: 2012