Although Republicans and Democrats frequently disagree ideologically, the leaders of both parties share one commonality in particular--they inevitably make flawed judgments. To adequately understand the extent to which psychological filters act as a fundamental factor in decision making, this thesis shall analyze current political events and observe how partisans within both administrations deal with information incompatible with their own values and beliefs. Specifically referencing the war in Iraq, weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), civil unrest, national security, the national economic climate, and the housing market, this study examines the way leaders deal differently with conflicting information. Although all subjects in the latter shall be discussed, the primary focus is directed towards weapons of mass destruction during the Bush administration and the economic climate during the Obama administration. During their presidencies, both administrations faced different circumstances and congruently possessed different ideologies in respect of how to resolve current problems. Therefore, both President Obama and Bush shall equally be observed in order to adequately compare the extent to which each succumbs to cognitive biases when faced with dissonant information. In addition, groupthink theory, schema theory, and self-justification shall be discussed as complimentary forces which impair political members' decisions. Overall, qualitatively assessing both Republican and Democratic parties in one comprehensive examination breaks the bounds of usual political science studies because both partisans are linked more by their similarities than differences.

This study investigated the impact expectancy beliefs had on third through fifth-grade teachers’ instructional teaching practices. These instructional teaching practices included how teachers used their pedagogical content knowledge, specifically their content knowledge for teaching mathematics and formative assessment, to make scaffolding decisions while supporting students in mathematics intervention. The investigation included the analysis of stratified sampling procedures, expectancy beliefs, observations, and self-reported scaffolding ratings. A multiple case study was conducted to understand how four participants, the teachers in the study, expected students to perform in mathematics intervention along with the participants’ pedagogical content knowledge and the impact those beliefs and knowledge had on scaffolding practices. Scaffolding practices highlighted in this study were the teachers’ use of cognitive activation, mathematical discourse, and handling errors productively. Findings suggested that even though teachers demonstrated having content knowledge for teaching mathematics and effective use of formative assessment the teachers still scaffolded just-in-case students might need it during mathematics intervention. The results also suggested that teachers relied upon their expectancy beliefs of students to make scaffolding decisions more than the teachers relied upon their own pedagogical content knowledge. Additionally, this study found that a scaffolding workshop focused on teacher actions may impact the teachers’ self-reported ratings and in turn the teachers’ scaffolding practices. Discussion of the findings in relation to the current literature and their implications was provided. Continued research was suggested to examine how teachers self-rate their scaffolding practices pre- and post-scaffolding workshops and the impact that may have on teachers’ scaffolding practices. These findings add to the research in the field of mathematics education in equitable teaching practices, mathematics intervention, and scaffolding practices.

Sensitivity to rejection is a tendency to anxiously or angrily expect, readily perceive, and then overreact to rejection in interpersonal relationships (Downey & Feldman, 1996). This thesis examined the potential associations between rejection sensitivity and romantic relationships in an adult population. I hypothesized that rejection sensitivity will negatively influence perceived quality of romantic relationship, including these relational factors: viability, intimacy, passion, care, satisfaction, conflict, maintenance and commitment. In the research participated 296 respondents (i.e. 148 couples), which individually completed Sensitivity to rejection scale and Relationship rating form (both measures used in Czech translation). On the basis of individual analysis of all respondents (i.e. the whole sample) were found most significant negative correlations with the viability factor and care factor. Furthermore, also the low negative correlation between sensitivity to rejection and satisfaction and commitment factors. At the level of couples were not confirmed either one statistically significant result. Although hypothesis about the influence of sensitivity to rejection on the romantic relationship were confirmed only at the individuals, and not at the individual couples, this study suggest the...

In the 21st Century, many Americans continue to fight battles for men of color who are at the forefront of criminal injustice, unemployment, and low matriculation. With great dominion and urgency, our Nation must ensure all men, regardless of the adversity can succeed and build legacies in their families, communities, and the economy. In this action research study, an ecological system theory was used to analyze the stakeholders who have implemented the following public polices under the Obama Administration: 21st Century Policing, My Brother's Keeper, and Race to the Top. This research answers the question how stakeholders are able to impact positive social change through implementing polices that focus on academia, criminal justice, and employment for African-American and Latino males living in Los Angeles County. Data was retrieved from 16 non-profit organizations; a target population was then sampled resulting in 25 participants that have expertise in working with men of color. Participant's answered 10 interview questions and their short answers were inductively coded, which revealed significant themes. Daily mentorship was identified as the leading tool to garner success in working with men color, while ecological influences, limited funding, policy misalignment, and stereotypical threats have been recurring barriers. Key findings recommended: mixed-method data, stakeholder collaborations, training programs, and creative marketing. Furthermore, this study closes the gap towards aligning with public polices that will create supportive services for men of color and offering stakeholders -'the what, and the how' towards implementing social change.

Cette thèse a pour objectif de participer à l’étude du changement des industries contemporaines et d’appliquer des outils de la science politique à l’analyse de l’économie. À travers l’étude du cas de la voiture électrique, nous nous interrogeons sur les causes des évolutions de l’industrie automobile. Notre hypothèse est que la construction du marché des voitures électriques entre 2008 et 2013 n’a pas produit la « Révolution » annoncée par les acteurs sociaux. Au contraire, elle a permis la reproduction des structures et des hiérarchies industrielles existantes. Pour le démontrer, ce travail tente de comprendre non seulement comment la question du développement des voitures électriques a été érigée au rang de problème public, mais aussi comment ce « problème » s’est institutionnalisé comme un cadre consensuel d’action des constructeurs automobiles. Par ce biais, nous mettons en lumière l’importance des croyances et des représentations collectives sur l’activité économique, dans l’optique de déconstruire le mythe de la « Seconde Révolution automobile ». En outre, notre travail montre que la science politique, et plus précisément l’analyse des politiques publiques et la sociologie de l’action publique, peut apporter des outils analytiques heuristiques et des réponses concrètes au fonctionnement des industries et du capitalisme contemporain. Par cette voie, cette thèse entend apporter une contribution aux questions que se posent sociologues, économistes et politistes sur le changement économique et les processus qui en sont à l’origine. / This thesis aims to generate knowledge upon change within contemporary industries and apply tools from political science to the analysis of the economy. Through the case study of the electric car market, the focus is on the causes of the transformation of the automobile industry. The central claim made is that the social construction of the electric car market between 2008 and 2013, did not produce the “Revolution” announced by the actors involved in this industry. On the contrary, it has facilitated the reproduction of existing industrial structures and hierarchies. To demonstrate this claim, the thesis has sought to understand how the issue of the development of electric cars has been elevated to the status of public problem by several States around the world. From there, we then sought to discover how this “problem” has become a consensual strategic framework for automakers and a key issue within the automobile industry. Throughout this research, we highlight the impact of beliefs and collective representations upon economic activity, and deconstructed the myth of the “Second Automobile Revolution”. Furthermore, our work shows that political science, specifically the sociology of public action, can supply heuristic analytical tools and practical answers to the understanding of contemporary industries and capitalism. This thesis is thus a contribution to questions asked by sociologists, economists and political scientists about economic change

DUŠKOVÁ, Barbora. The relationship between the teacher and the pupils at the elementary school. České Budějovice: University of South Bohemia, Pedagogical Faculty, Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, 2011, 85 pp., Supervisor of the diploma thesis PhDr. Marta Franclová. This diloma thesis is focused on the topic of the relationship between the teacher and the pupils at the elementary school.The theoretical part describes changes in the czech school system after 1989 and concerns developement of the new educational aims. It also deals with the personality of a teacher and his temperament, choice of teacher´s profession and requirements for this job. The theoretical part also contains the question of mutual relationship between the teacher and the pupils. In the practical part the author focuses on the results of the research of teacher´s interactive style which was accomplished by the method of the questionnaire.

Along this dissertation I propose to walk the reader through several macroeconomic<p>implications of information asymmetries, with a special focus on financial<p>issues. This exercise is mainly theoretical: I develop stylized models that aim<p>at capturing macroeconomic phenomena such as self-fulfilling liquidity dry-ups,<p>the rise and the fall of securitization markets, and the creation of systemic risk.<p>The dissertation consists of three chapters. The first one proposes an explanation<p>to self-fulfilling liquidity dry-ups. The second chapters proposes a formalization<p>of the concept of market discipline and an application to securitization<p>markets as risk-sharing mechanisms. The third one offers a complementary<p>analysis to the second as the rise of securitization is presented as banker optimal<p>response to strict capital constraints.<p>Two concepts that do not have unique acceptations in economics play a central<p>role in these models: liquidity and market discipline.<p>The liquidity of an asset refers to the ability for his owner to transform it into<p>current consumption goods. Secondary markets for long-term assets play thus<p>an important role with that respect. However, such markets might be illiquid due<p>to adverse selection.<p>In the first chapter, I show that: (1) when agents expect a liquidity dry-up<p>on such markets, they optimally choose to self-insure through the hoarding of<p>non-productive but liquid assets; (2) this hoarding behavior worsens adverse selection and dries up market liquidity; (3) such liquidity dry-ups are Pareto inefficient<p>equilibria; (4) the government can rule them out. Additionally, I show<p>that idiosyncratic liquidity shocks à la Diamond and Dybvig have stabilizing effects,<p>which is at odds with the banking literature. The main contribution of the<p>chapter is to show that market breakdowns due to adverse selection are highly<p>endogenous to past balance-sheet decisions.<p>I consider that agents are under market discipline when their current behavior<p>is influenced by future market outcomes. A key ingredient for market discipline<p>to be at play is that the market outcome depends on information that is observable<p>but not verifiable (that is, information that cannot be proved in court, and<p>consequently, upon which enforceable contracts cannot be based).<p>In the second chapter, after introducing this novel formalization of market<p>discipline, I ask whether securitization really contributes to better risk-sharing:<p>I compare it with other mechanisms that differ on the timing of risk-transfer. I<p>find that for securitization to be an efficient risk-sharing mechanism, it requires<p>market discipline to be strong and adverse selection not to be severe. This seems<p>to seriously restrict the set of assets that should be securitized for risk-sharing<p>motive.<p>Additionally, I show how ex-ante leverage may mitigate interim adverse selection<p>in securitization markets and therefore enhance ex-post risk-sharing. This<p>is interesting because high leverage is usually associated with “excessive” risktaking.<p>In the third chapter, I consider risk-neutral bankers facing strict capital constraints;<p>their capital is indeed required to cover the worst-case-scenario losses.<p>In such a set-up, I find that: 1) banker optimal autarky response is to diversify<p>lower-tail risk and maximize leverage; 2) securitization helps to free up capital<p>and to increase leverage, but distorts incentives to screen loan applicants properly; 3) market discipline mitigates this problem, but if it is overestimated by<p>the supervisor, it leads to excess leverage, which creates systemic risk. Finally,<p>I consider opaque securitization and I show that the supervisor: 4) faces uncertainty<p>about the trade-off between the size of the economy and the probability<p>and the severity of a systemic crisis; 5) can generally not set capital constraints<p>at the socially efficient level. / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Die Dissertation untersucht Leistungserwartungen von Lehrkräften. Teilstudie 1 und 2 gehen der Frage nach, welche Merkmale von Schüler*innen Lehrkräfte in ihre Erwartungen an die Leistungen von Lernenden einbeziehen. Teilstudie 3 untersucht, welche Bedeutung inakkurat hohe oder niedrige Leistungserwartungen von Lehrkräften für ihr unterrichtliches Handeln und für die Leistungsentwicklungen der Lernenden haben. Die Analysen basieren auf Daten der Längsschnittstudie „Kompetenzerwerb und Lernvoraussetzungen“, an der im Schuljahr 2013/2014 insgesamt 1065 Schüler*innen aus 64 ersten Grundschulklassen teilgenommen haben. Teilstudie 1 ergab, dass Erwartungen von Lehrkräften an die sprachlichen und mathematischen Leistungen von Erstklässler*innen in Abhängigkeit vom ethnischen Hintergrund, sozialen Hintergrund und Geschlecht der Lernenden variieren. Diese Unterschiede blieben zum Teil auch nach Kontrolle der Ausgangsfähigkeiten und selbsteingeschätzten Motivation der Schüler*innen bestehen und kennzeichnen daher Verzerrungen. Den Ergebnissen von Teilstudie 2 zufolge gehen solche sozialen und geschlechtsbezogenen Verzerrungen zum Teil auf Lehrkrafteinschätzungen der Motivation und des Arbeitsverhaltens zurück. Ethnische Verzerrungen bestanden hingegen unabhängig von diesen Lehrkrafteinschätzungen. Dass inakkurat hohe oder niedrige Leistungserwartungen die Leistungsentwicklung von Lernenden bereits im ersten Grundschuljahr beeinflussen können, zeigten die Ergebnisse der Teilstudie 3. Die zugehörige Videostudie ergab, dass sich inakkurate Leistungserwartungen von Lehrkräften in ihrem Feedbackverhalten niederschlagen. Eine bedeutsame Mediation der Erwartungseffekte durch das Feedback ließ sich aber nicht nachweisen. Die Befunde der Dissertation sind für die pädagogische Praxis sehr relevant. Sie sprechen einerseits für den Vorteil hoher Erwartungen und sensibilisieren andererseits für das Risiko verzerrender Einflüsse von Hintergrundmerkmalen der Schüler*innen. / The dissertation deals with teacher expectations for student achievement. The first two studies investigate student characteristics teachers rely on when forming their achievement expectations. Study 3 investigates the associations of inaccurately high or low teacher expectations with their teaching behavior and students’ subsequent achievement development. The analyses are based on data from the longitudinal research project “competence acquisition and learning preconditions” in which 1065 students from 64 first grade classes participated in the school year 2013/2014. Study 1 revealed that teachers’ expectations for students’ language and mathematics achievement differed depending on students’ ethnic background, social background and gender. These differences partly persisted even after controlling for students’ actual achievement, general cognitive abilities and motivation, and therefore indicate biased expectations. The results of study 2 showed that social bias and gender bias in teacher expectations were partly due to differences in teachers’ perceptions of students’ motivation and learning behavior. Ethnic bias, however, appeared independent of these teacher perceptions. The results of study 3 support the assumption that inaccurately high or low teacher expectations may result in self-fulfilling prophecies and influence students’ achievement development as early as in the first school grade. The video study of study 3 further revealed that inaccurately high or low teacher expectations may result in different teacher feedback for the students. Teacher feedback, however, did not substantially mediate teacher expectancy effects on student achievement. The results of the present dissertation are of great relevance for educational practice. First, they highlight the advantages of high expectations and, second, they sensitize for biasing influences of student background characteristics.

Al hoe meer organisasies in Suid-Afrika gaan tans deur 'n herstruktureringsfase wat meebring dat die totale werksmilieu verander. Die werknemer verkeer onder druk om aan die nuwe eise in die wereld van werk te voldoen. Druk om te presteer en werksuitset te !ewer mag disfunksionele stres en antler psigiese probleme meebring. Organisasies speel 'n belangrike rol in die dinamiese groeiproses van die individuele werknemer en raak toenemend bewus van die werknemer se fisiese en psigiese gesondheid. Talle organisasies het reeds korporatiewe gimnasiums opgerig en sommige bied subsidiering van lidmaatskap aan gesondheidsklubs aan hul werknemers. Sekere mediese skemas begin self gesondheidsplanne ontwerp met behulp van gesondheidsklubs om die gesondheid van die werknemer te bevorder. / M.A. (Bedryfsielkunde)

German text / Gutes Altern gelingt selbst bei den zumeist günstigen äusseren Voraussetzungen in der Schweiz nicht allen Menschen. Die Frage stellt sich, unter welchen Bedingungen sowohl echtes Wohlbefinden im Alltag als auch Lebenssinn und -perspektive erreicht und erhalten werden können. Gelingt dies bekennenden Christen besser als nicht religiösen Menschen? Im Hinblick auf diese Fragestellung untersuchte die vorliegende Arbeit die bisherige gerontologische Forschung hauptsächlich in der Schweiz. Es wurde versucht, die Begriffe Wohlbefinden, Lebenssinn in Verbindung mit Religionsgerontologie anhand einzelner Exponenten zu definieren und das Zusammenspiel der Faktoren aufzuzeigen. In einer qualitativen empirischen Studie wurden gemäss der Grounded Theory zwölf Personen zwischen 50 und 80 Jahren (drittes Alter) mit zehn verschiedenen religiös/spirituellen Hintergründen mit Hilfe eines halbstrukturierten Leitfadens interviewt. Die Hauptthemen waren Wohlbefinden, Lebenssinn, Glaube/Spiritualität und Sterben/Tod. Der Zusammenhang zwischen alltäglichem Wohlbefinden und Lebenssinn bzw. -perspektive erwies sich als stark. Menschen mit einer persönlichen Gottesbeziehung schienen über mehr Ressourcen zu verfügen, nicht nur, um die eigene Endlichkeit zu akzeptieren oder schwierige Ereignisse im Leben zu meistern, sondern auch, um ihren letzten Lebenssinn in Gott zu erkennen, also ausserhalb von sich selbst. So waren sie besser befähigt, in ihrem Lebenslauf Erreichtes wieder abzugeben. Dieser Lebensstil benötigt Einübung, er kann jedoch auch gezielt gefördert werden. Aufgrund der Erkenntnisse konnten eine Reihe von Aufgaben formuliert werden, die den älteren Menschen Anweisung geben, wie sie diesen Lebensstil konkret in ihrem Alltag umsetzen könnten. Zudem scheint christliche Gemeinde ein geeigneter Rahmen darzustellen, wenn sie für das dritte Alter interdisziplinäre Lernangebote aus den Bereichen Medizin, Psychologie, Soziologie und Theologie wie auch die Möglichkeit persönlicher Seelsorge bereitstellt. Der ältere Mensch wird dadurch frei, sich generativ für andere einzusetzen und für sie da zu sein, innerhalb der christlichen Gemeinde oder auch ausserhalb als Teil der Gesellschaft. Somit wird dem neutestamentlichen Gebot der Nächstenliebe nachgekommen, Solidarität anderen gegenüber wird gelebt. Stärkeres Sinnempfinden und höheres Wohlbefinden sind geschenkte Nebenprodukte, die zu einem erfüllten Leben beitragen. / In Switzerland ageing is not necessarily unproblematic, even in the most favorable conditions. The question to answer is on what conditions in everday life a high level of wellbeing as well as meaning and perspective of life can be attained and preserved. Do professing Christians succeed better than non-religious people? The present study examined the results of current gerontological resarch in this respect, primarily in Switzerland. It attempted to define the terms of wellbeing, meaning of life in connection with religious gerontology with specific criteria and to show up the interaction of their several components. In a qualitative empirical study, according to the Grounded Theory, twelve persons between fifty and eighty years of age with ten different religious/spiritual backgrounds were interviewed with the aid of a semistructured interview guide. The main topics were wellbeing, meaning of life, faith/spirituality and dying/death. The relationship between everyday wellbeing and meaning of life and life perspective proved to be strong. People with a personal relationship with God seemed to have more resources to accept not only their own mortality or to cope with negative events in life, but to recognize their ultimate meaning of life to be in God, which is outside themselves. In consequence they were better able to let go any of their own achievements. This lifestyle requires practise and promotion. On account of the results a number of tasks were formulated to guide the older people in their daily life in practicing this lifestyle. The Christian community seems to be a suitable framework to provide interdisciplinary learning opportunities for the third age in the fields of medicine, psychology, sociology and theology as well as the opportunity of personal counseling. In this way, the never-ending process of maturation of individual elderly people should be encouraged. They are free, according to their talents, to get themselves involved with other people, to have time for them, that is within the Christian community or outside, in society. Thus, the New Testament commandment to love one another can be complied with, and solidarity with others will truly be fact. A stronger sense of meaning and a higher grade of wellbeing will be welcome by-products, which will contribute to a fulfilled life. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)