No description available.

No description available.

This dissertation examines aspects of both the consumer (the "give") and the server (the "take") sides of restaurant tipping. On the consumer side, I address both why, and how much, people tip in restaurants. I also examine a policy issue related to the recent Supreme Court decision in United States v. Fior d'Italia. These issues are addressed via a combination of theoretical, empirical, and experimental analysis. On the server side, I use survey data collected from several restaurants to address the issue of labor market discrimination based on beauty. Specifically, do more attractive servers earn higher tips than less attractive servers? I argue that a tipping data set offers several advantages over data sets used in previous studies of the beauty wage gap. This dissertation was funded by a National Science Foundation Dissertation Enhancement Grant (NSF #427347). / Ph. D.

Self-efficacy for avoiding alcohol use predicts alcohol use after treatment. However, self-efficacy predicts outcome differentially depending on whether ratings are made before or after treatment. In order to increase the predictive validity of self-efficacy judgments, the hypothesized sources of self-efficacy were examined in the current study utilizing a college student population. Self-efficacy ratings for avoiding heavy drinking before and after self-monitoring of drinking behavior were examined in order to understand whether careful examination of current behavior would result in more informed self-efficacy judgments. Participants (N = 135) completed questionnaires that assessed self-efficacy, drinking behaviors, alcohol expectancies, and perceived normative alcohol use. Participants were assigned to either the control or self-monitoring condition. Self-monitors recorded drinking behaviors during the four weeks after the baseline assessment. All participants returned for a follow-up assessment four weeks later. Consistent with predictions based on social cognitive theory, heavy drinking, positive alcohol expectancies, and perceived norms of use were inversely related to self-efficacy. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that self-monitoring did not lead to stronger relationships between source variables and self-efficacy. Individuals who appeared to be overconfident in their self-efficacy judgments at baseline did not make more accurate ratings as a result of self-monitoring. Results from this study highlight potential sources of information individuals use in making self-efficacy judgments. / Master of Science

Yes / Objective: Past research has suggested that social influences on drinking can be manipulated with subsequent reductions in alcohol intake. However, the experimental evidence for this and the best strategies to positively change these social influences have not been meta-analyzed. This research addressed these gaps. Method: Randomized controlled trials testing social influence-based interventions on adults’ drinking were systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed. The behavior change techniques used in each study were coded and the effect sizes showing the impact of each intervention on (a) social influence and (b) alcohol intake were calculated. Meta-regressions identified the association between these effect sizes, as well as the effect of specific behavior change techniques on social influences. Results: Forty-one studies comprising 17445 participants were included. Changes in social influences were significantly associated with changes in alcohol intake. However, even moderate-to-large changes in social influences corresponded with only a small change in drinking behavior and changing social influences did not reduce alcohol-related problems. Providing normative information about others’ behavior and experiences was the most effective technique to change social influences. Conclusions: Social influences and normative beliefs can be changed in drinkers, particularly by providing normative information about how much others’ drink. However, even generating large changes in these constructs are likely to engender only small changes in alcohol intake. / NHS Leeds, UK.

I varje klassrum och elevgrupp förekommer normer och förväntningar (Skott, Jess, Hansen & Lundin, 2010). Normer skapas i interaktion mellan lärare och elever, vilket leder till att normer byggs upp i klassrummet (Cobb & Yackel, 1996). Om det saknas förståelse och samsyn om normer finns det risk för att elevernas matematiklärande hämmas. Studiens syfte är att beskriva vilka sociomatematiska normer som visar sig i ett klassrum, i årskurs 5. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten för studien är socialkonstruktivism. 40 elever från en skola i Sverige observerades och åtta av dem samt en lärare intervjuades för att synliggöra vilka sociomatematiska normer som förekom under de observerande lektionerna. Därefter fick läraren och åtta elever beskriva normerna. Resultatet visade att det inte råder en samsyn mellan läraren och eleverna kring de tre normerna: 1) diskussion som arbetssätt för att förstå det matematiska innehållet 2) ett godtagbart matematiskt svar och slutligen 3) det matematiska språket och dess betydelse i undervisningen.  Det fanns en viss samsyn kring de sociomatematiska normerna dock beskrevs skillnader, vilket påverkar lärarens och elevernas syn på vad matematikundervisningen innebär. Slutsatsen av studien är att det i vissa fall finns ett glapp mellan lärarens och elevernas förståelse kring normer. Normen kan därmed ha skapats omedvetet, vilket i sin tur påverkar lärarens och elevernas agerande och var de lägger fokus på i matematikundervisningen. / In every classroom and group of students it occurs norms and expectations (Skott, Jess, Hansen & Lundin, 2010). Norms creates in interaction between the teacher and students, which conduce to that norms establish in the classroom (Cobb & Yackel, 1996). If the knowledge and consensus about norms is missing there is a risk that the students mathematical learning will be inhibit. The aim of the study is to describe which sociomathematical norms that shows in one classroom, in 5th grade. The theoretical basis of the study is social constructionism. 40 students from a school in Sweden was observed and eight of them and one of the teacher was interviewed in order to emphasize which sociomathematical norms that occurs during the observed lesson. Subsequently the teacher and eight students got to express the norms. The result showed that it’s not prevail a consensus between the teacher and students about the three norms: 1) discussion as a way to work 2) an acceptable mathematic answer and at last 3) the mathematic language and its meaning in the education. There was a consensus between some of the sociomathematical norms differences were founded though, which influences the teacher and the student view of what the mathematical education implicates. The conclusion of the study is that in some cases there is a gap between the teacher and the students’ knowledge about norms. The norm has accordingly been created unknowingly, which in turn can influence the teacher and the students acting and where they put their focus in their mathematical education.

<p>One important issue in this dissertation is understanding the concept of ambivalence in academic settings. This is addressed in two empirical studies. The first is an interview study on Swedish sociologists, focusing on how they look at and understand their own research as well as their place within academia. The second study is based on political documents and offers two possible perspectives on the historical development of research policy. On the one hand it can be viewed as a linear development toward more commercialized science, and on the other hand it can be viewed as an ongoing struggle between traditionalists and non-traditionalists. An important perspective in the interpretation of the results is Pierre Bourdieu's theory of cultural fields. This theory is especially useful in pinpointing the issues of ambivalence in science, showing how both the sociologists and the political documents can be understandable through the concept of "positions". Another important issue in the dissertation is understanding what type of norms are connected ambivalence in relationship to academia. In the final part of the dissertation, Robert Merton's CUDOS norms and John Ziman's PLACE norms are used to explain both the ambivalence itself as well as what kind of norms are related to different "positions".</p>

One important issue in this dissertation is understanding the concept of ambivalence in academic settings. This is addressed in two empirical studies. The first is an interview study on Swedish sociologists, focusing on how they look at and understand their own research as well as their place within academia. The second study is based on political documents and offers two possible perspectives on the historical development of research policy. On the one hand it can be viewed as a linear development toward more commercialized science, and on the other hand it can be viewed as an ongoing struggle between traditionalists and non-traditionalists. An important perspective in the interpretation of the results is Pierre Bourdieu's theory of cultural fields. This theory is especially useful in pinpointing the issues of ambivalence in science, showing how both the sociologists and the political documents can be understandable through the concept of "positions". Another important issue in the dissertation is understanding what type of norms are connected ambivalence in relationship to academia. In the final part of the dissertation, Robert Merton's CUDOS norms and John Ziman's PLACE norms are used to explain both the ambivalence itself as well as what kind of norms are related to different "positions".

none

More than half of all the girls in India today are married before the age of 18. This derives from gender inequality and discrimination, which has lead to several health issues. At the same time, the Indian state has passed legislation prohibiting the practice of child marriage and made it possible for girls to void their marriages. The law gives the girls more empowerment even if they are minor, which poses some further issues related to age, consent and substantial freedom. The contradiction in the law’s implementation depends on a disparity between the state and customary laws as well as modern versus traditional norms. With the help of Martha Nussbaum’s Capabilities approach, this study tries to understand the law prohibiting child marriage in India and its restrictions, focusing on girl child empowerment and individual choice. The findings show the limitations in the law in regards to parental consent and children’s rights against their parents. The reason why theories like ours, promoting universal norms should be justified, is contingent on the belief that child marriages are harmful to girls’ health. This is furthermore knowledge that should be taught through education for children and adults, which then might alter the gender inequalities developed within the realms of social customs.