This thesis discusses a multiple-presentation scaling technique, by a somewhat modified successive interval approach. If a subject gives two or more different responses to the same stimulus in repeated presentations this may be considered as an "uncertainty" or lack of the subject's ability to discriminate between adjacent points on the rating scale. This "interval of uncertainty" is assumed to be a constant, and the scale points are estimated, on the basis of this assumption, by a least-squares technique. Analysis and explicit computational procedures have been developed for the case of two, three, and four presentations. Numerical illustrations have been added for each case. The thesis also includes a discussion on the combination of scales for different subjects if their intervals of uncertainty are different. Finally, it proposes methods of testing for bias between presentations, and a randomized procedure to correct for such bias if its presence is indicated by the test. / Master of Science

The main purpose of this study is to analyze a measurement instrument developed by Frost & Stahelski (1988) to measure French & Raven's (1959) bases of social power. The measurement instrument of a competing typology of social influence tactics (Kipnis, Schmidt, & Wilkinson, 1980) was also administered to the same managerial population (N=108). Confirmatory factor analyses using LISREL (Joreskog & Sorbom, 1986) were performed on each scale. Possible relationships between the two typologies were explored. Results include confirming a modified Frost & Stahelski scale and no confirmation of the Kipnis et al. scale. Canonical correlation yielded two dimensions where Coercive Power and Expert Power relate to Assertiveness and Rationality respectively. Exploratory factor analysis of the composite scores from both typologies yielded two factors called Positive Power and Negative Power. Implications and future research are briefly discussed.

Abstract not available

Based on continuum damage mechanics (CDM), an isotropic and anisotropic damage model coupled with a novel plasticity model for plain concrete is proposed in this research. Two different damage evolution laws for both tension and compression are formulated for a more accurate prediction of the plain concrete behavior. In order to derive the constitutive equations, the strain equivalence hypothesis is adopted. The proposed constitutive model has been shown to satisfy the thermodynamics requirements, and detailed numerical algorithms are developed for the Finite Element implementation of the proposed model. Moreover, the numerical algorithm is coded using the user subroutine UMAT and then implemented in the commercial finite element analysis program Abaqus, and the overall performance of the proposed model is verified by comparing the model predictions to various experimental data on macroscopic level. Using the proposed coupled plasticity-damage constitutive model, the effect of the micromechanical properties of concrete, such as aggregate shape, distribution, and volume fraction, the ITZ thickness, and the strength of the ITZ and mortar matrix on the tensile behavior of concrete is investigated on 2-D and 3-D meso-scale. As a result of simulation, the tensile strength and thickness of the ITZ is the most important factor that control the global strength and behavior of concrete, and the aggregate shape and volume fraction has somewhat effect on the tensile behavior of concrete while the effect of the aggregate distribution is negligible. Furthermore, using the proposed constitutive model, the pull-out analysis of the single straight and curved CNT embedded in cement matrix is carried out. In consequence of the analysis, the interfacial fracture energy is the key parameter governing the CNT pull-out strength and ductility at bonding stage, and the Young's modulus of the CNT has also great effect on the pull-out behavior of the straight CNT. In case of the single curved CNT, while the ultimate pull-out force of the curved CNT at sliding stage is governed by the initial sliding force when preexisting normal force is relatively high, the ultimate pull-out force, when the preexisting normal force is not significant, is increased linearly proportional to the curvature and the Young's modulus of the CNT due to the additionally induced normal force by the bending stiffness of the curved CNT.

No description available.

The Order Dominance Scale (ODS) was constructed and proven reliable by Jones (2009). The scale is based on the combination of two theories; namely, Broken Windows Theory or BWT (Wilson & Kelling, 1982) and Reversal Theory (Apter, 1982). BWT provided the gap in the literature on which the personality trait of order dominance is based, while Reversal Theory provided the means with which to measure this trait. The purpose of this research was to take the completed scale constructed by Jones (2009) and test it for various types of psychometric validity. The research was able to establish predictive validity (although not in the way it would conventionally be done) and construct validity (which was established in conjuncture with convergent and discriminant validity). After going through testing for both reliability and validity, the ODS can now be considered a worthwhile scale by psychometric standards. The sample with which the data for this research was collect yielded a new set of norms for the ODS. The new set of norms gives it a mean of 31.38 with a standard deviation of 7.79, an absolute range of 0-50, an observed range of 8-48, and a reliability coefficient (alpha) of 0.7527. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1975. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 213-223).

Thesis (M.A.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2010. / Directed by Thomas Kwapil; submitted to the Dept. of Psychology. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jul. 7, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-70).

Dislocation channel-veins and persistent slip bands (PSBs) are characteristic dislocation configurations that are of interest to both industry and academia. However, existing mathematical models are not adequate to describe the mechanism of the transition between these two states. In this thesis, a series of models are proposed to give a quantitative description to such a transition. The full problem has been considered from two angles. Firstly, the general motion and instabilities of arbitrary curved dislocations have been studied both analytically and numerically. Then the law of motion and local expansions are used to track the shapes of screw segments moving through channels, which are believed to induce dislocation multiplication by cross-slip. The second approach has been to investigate the collective behavior of a large number of dislocations, both geometrically necessary and otherwise. The traditional method of multiple scales does not apply well to describe the pile-up of two arrays of dislocations of opposite signs on a pair of neighbouring glide planes in two dimensional space. Certain quantities have to be more accurately defined under the multiple-scale coordinates to capture the much more localised resultant stress caused by these dislocation pairs. Through detailed calculations, one-dimensional dipoles can be homogenised to obtain some insightful results both on a local scale where the dipole pattern is the key diagnostic and on a macroscopic scale on which density variations are of most interest. Equilibria of dislocation dipoles in a two-dimensional regular lattice have been also studied. Some natural transitions between different patterns can be found as a result of geometrical instabilities.

The main objective of this investigation was to study the influence of sex on extreme response style as measured by a semantic differential. The previous studies led to a general hypothesis formulated as follows. Normal males and females differ from each other with regard to their mean extreme response style scores with females having the greater extreme response scores on the semantic differential.