Department: Arts and Sciences : Sociology ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
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1.
Banks, Eric Ormond.
EXAMINING INFIDELITIES WITHIN MONOGAMOUS DATING RELATIONSHIPS.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2001, University of Cincinnati
► In this study, data from 115 undergraduate and graduate students at the…
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▼ In this study, data from 115 undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Cincinnati who had been involved in at least one monogamous dating relationship were examined with regard to their participation in "extradyadic behavior" (physically and/or romantically intimate behavior with someone other than a monogamous dating partner). Though more male respondents than female respondents (41.7% to 34.3%) admitted to having had an extradyadic relationship, this finding was not statistically significant. However, statistically significant results were found for several other hypothesized relationships. Those respondents who were members of fraternities (not sororities) were more likely to participate in extradyadic behavior. The most significant predictor of extradyadic behavior was whether or not a respondent consumed alcohol. Those respondents who consumed alcohol were significantly more likely than those who did not to have been involved in extradyadic relations. Finally, limitations of this research are discussed, conclusions regarding the significant results are made, and suggestions for future research are proposed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dubeck, Paula.
Keywords: EXTRADYADIC BEHAVIOR; INFIDELITIES; MONOGAMOUS; DATING
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2.
Baumann, Amy Elizabeth.
Television News Viewership and Prejudicial Attitudes Towards Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Whites: The Role of Perception of Crime.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2009, University of Cincinnati
► Television news media is a pervasive influence and has the ability to…
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▼ Television news media is a pervasive influence and has the ability to shape and otherwise define perceptions of the social world. This project examines the influence of television news media viewership on prejudicial attitudes towards four target groups of blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and whites through the mediating variable of perception of the occurrence of crime. Data are from the 2000 American National Election Survey (ANES); 887 respondents answered questions on television news media viewership, perceptions of the occurrence of crime, and prejudicial attitudes towards blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and whites. Support was found for perception of the occurrence of crime having a positive effect on prejudicial attitudes towards blacks and Hispanics, although the hypothesis did not hold true for prejudicial attitudes towards Asians and whites. Other hypotheses about the effects of television news media viewership and the perception of the occurrence of crime having a mediating variable were not supported. Perception of the occurrence of crime does have significant effects on prejudicial attitudes towards the target groups of blacks and Hispanics, although television news media viewership did not have any positive, significant effects on perception of the occurrence of crime or prejudicial attitudes towards the four target groups. Given the negative portrayals of and attitudes about both minority groups in the larger society, it is not surprising that as one perceives the crime rate to have gotten worse more negative attitudes about blacks and Hispanics are found. While more overt displays of racism may be on the decline, prejudicial attitudes associated with overt racism do still exist. Recent research has turned to an understanding of modern racism; however, this study's finding underscore that ideas of overt racism should not be ignored.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ritchey, P. Neal.
Subjects: Sociology
Keywords: prejudicial attitudes; crime, race; media
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3.
Boop, Donielle L.
Expanding the Second Shift: Exploring Women's Work in Elder Care.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Informal caregivers provide the backbone of elder care-work. Current estimates suggest that…
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▼ Informal caregivers provide the backbone of elder care-work. Current estimates suggest that between 30 and 38 million Americans (age 18 and older) provide care to an aging adult with limited functioning. Although they often go unrecognized in public policy discussions, these family members, friends, and neighbors provide the majority of long-term services and support to the aged and disabled. However, researchers have become increasingly aware of the need for informal caregivers as public concern grows over the sustainability of Social Security, as well as the potential lack of adequate formal care, in the near future. Although more attention is being given to concerns about physical availability, the concern over whether or not informal caregivers are mentally and emotionally prepared to handle elder care-work is noticeably lagging. To better understand the caregiver experience, this study evaluates contributing factors for caregiver stress among individuals caring for someone aged 65 or older. Using the 2004 National Survey of Informal Caregivers I argue: (1) greater involvement in caregiving increases caregiver stress; (2) access to social and emotional support alleviates caregiver stress; and (3) living with the care recipient increases caregiver stress. I also argue that the way elder care-work is experienced reflects a new dimension of Hochschild’s (1989) work on the “second shift.” For this reason, I expect to find that women disproportionately experience caregiver stress compared to men because the act of “caregiving” is closely tied to gendered notions of mothering and femininity. Thus, I expect women to be more emotionally invested in and critical of their care-work than men. When care-work is done “in the home” it is subject to even greater scrutiny because the “home” represents a “woman’s domain.” Using OLS regression technique and a sample of 519 informal caregivers, this study finds that extent of care, social support, and gender significantly influence the level of stress experienced by caregivers. Having access to an available social network alleviates stress while the number of care-related tasks and ‘being female’ increases caregiver stress. Using the ‘Second Shift’ as a framework, this analysis suggests that interpreting elder care-work as a dimension of the larger gendered identity of “caregiver” will help expose gendered inequities in emotional labor among elder caregivers.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dubeck, Paula.
Subjects: Families and family life
Keywords: gender; intergenerational relationships; caregiving
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4.
BOWNE, SHELL L.
MIDWIVES IN A PRECARIOUS BALANCE OF POWER WITHIN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2002, University of Cincinnati
► The status of midwifery has been in a state of flux since…
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▼ The status of midwifery has been in a state of flux since the inclusion of midwifery into the mainstream medical community within the last few decades. The available literature is ambiguous concerning those changes and how they influence the midwife. Using in depth interviews with midwives who are carving out positions for themselves under new laws and new relationships within the medical hierarchy, this thesis seeks to uncover how these changes affect the midwives' commitment and adherence to the traditional-and idealized-midwifery model of care. Specifically, this means an examination of their perceptions concerning the use of pain control, new technologies, relationships with physicians, VBACs and the splintering of the midwives opinions over credentialing and midwifery education.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Dr. Annula.
Keywords: midwife; Eliot Friedson; midwifery model of care; VBAC; physician dominence
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5.
BUCHANAN, THOMAS WALKER.
THE PARADOX OF THE CONTENTED FEMALE WORKER IN A HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATION.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2002, University of Cincinnati
► Women hold jobs in which they consistently experience fewer rewards, poorer working…
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▼ Women hold jobs in which they consistently experience fewer rewards, poorer working conditions, less autonomy, and less authority than men. Despite these differences in job characteristics, studies show that women are just as satisfied with their jobs as men. The disparity between objective working conditions and reported job satisfaction has been referred to as "the paradox of the contented female worker" (Crosby, 1982). There are five competing perspectives in existence that attempt to explain this phenomenon. One of the existing explanations (the own-gender referents perspective) has not been tested against competing perspectives with appropriately specified measures. The own-gender referents perspective argues that women report higher relative levels of job satisfaction because they refer to other women when evaluating their jobs. Because other women are also in positions of lower rewards and opportunity, their job satisfaction is not impacted negatively. Also, former tests of these perspectives have used samples from male-dominated occupations. The paradox has not been examined in predominantly female work settings. Using data collected from a 518 employees of a large, human services organization in a Midwestern city, the existence of the gender paradox is examined. Using multiple regression techniques, the competing perspectives of the gender paradox are tested against each other. A paradox does not exist for organizational commitment. Findings support the own-gender referents perspective for job satisfaction. Women using other women for comparison in evaluation of their jobs are more satisfied than those using both males and females. With the inclusion of the referent choice in the analysis, there is no longer a gender paradox for job satisfaction for these human services workers. The differential job values perspective is also supported, but the interpretation of the findings is speculative. The effect of hourly wage on job satisfaction is different for men and women. Pay is negatively related to satisfaction for males. For women, higher status positions and pay are positively related to job satisfaction. Possible explanations of this finding are explored.
Advisors/Committee Members: Maume, Dr. David.
Keywords: gender; organization; job satisfaction; organizational commitment; paradox
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6.
Burstion-Young, Michelle R.
“Let’s Stay Together: Racial Separation and Other Coping Strategies Among African American High School Students Attending Predominately White Schools.”.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2009, University of Cincinnati
► In this study, I explore what I call “coping strategies” – assimilation, integration,…
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▼ In this study, I explore what I call “coping strategies” – assimilation, integration, separation and marginalization – used by minority students who are in predominately White schools. Rather than being understood individually, I show in this study that these strategies are better understood as a social matrix. Depending upon the context, the majority of the minority student population will use more than one of these strategies at any given time. Further, we might gain a better understanding of micro-level race interactions if we can begin to map context. Are there times when minorities are more likely to engage in “separation” than other times? Why? Is there one strategy that seems to be more appealing overall, or are all tools equally useful? The main goals of this study are fivefold: 1) to depart from binary models which treat the four coping strategies I have identified – assimilation, integration (or cultural “straddling” to paraphrase Carter 2005) marginalization, and separation as if they are mutually exclusive. I want to uncover how they are all constantly being used and begin mapping the process of when they are used: 2) to engage and challenge the two prevailing theories about acting White. I will challenge Fordham and Ogbu’s (1986) “acting White“ hypothesis which links low achievement to Black students who do not do well in school for fear of being labeled “White.” In addition I will engage Carter’s (2005) hypothesis that “acting White” is linked to social behaviors not academic ones: 3) To engage Tatum’s (1999) supposition that “all the Black Children are sitting together in the cafeteria” and add a sociological perspective to her psychological approach: 4) To begin mapping the process and context in which students become “cultural straddlers” (Carter 2005): 5) To examine potential gendered differences in how the coping strategies are enacted. If we do all these things; a) we can begin to map the contextual nature of collective racial identity, b) we can unlock how students successfully negotiate race, collective identity, and school success, c) we can chart a course that will allow us to better understand how we can create inclusive environments that allow students to be academically (or professionally) successful and stay culturally rooted.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Annulla.
Subjects: African Americans; Education; Educational sociology; Secondary education; Sociology
Keywords: Race; self segregation; acting White; race and education; collective identity.
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7.
BYRNE, SARAH REBECCA.
CONSTRUCTING RACIALIZED IDENTITIES IN THE SEARCH FOR INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS: AN ANALYSIS OF PERSONAL ADVERTISEMENTS 1974-2002.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2003, University of Cincinnati
► Prior studies on personal advertisements have focused on the ways that gender…
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▼ Prior studies on personal advertisements have focused on the ways that gender is enacted in heterosexual-themed personal ads. Much less research has been done on the ways that race and sexual orientation are overtly and covertly referred to in personal ads. For example, race is rarely mentioned in previous work on personal ads, despite the fact that most personal ads begin with a race indicator. The overall inattention to race in personal ad research is a significant omission because racial politics in the United States have always influenced the way people approach romantic/sexual relationships. This can be seen especially in social norms that stress homogamy, which in turn perpetuates the racial stratification system in U.S. society. Discourse surrounding sexuality and/or romance is permeated with racial ideology and imagery, and minorities are positioned as “the other” which makes their sexuality simultaneously invisible, hypervisible, and pathologized. Meanwhile, recent scholarship in the area of whiteness studies has noted how the meaning of whiteness is often unexamined. The sexual politics of race (or the racial politics of sex) are even more complex when considering the issues brought forth by the increasingly visible presence of relationships that fall outside of the heterosexual monogamous tradition held as the standard in the United Sates. Personal ads from the Village Voice, Cincinnati Enquirer, and Chicago Defender were used to examine the ways the ads themselves have been changing in the period after the immense social change of the late 1960’s, from 1974-2002. This examination of personal advertisements illustrates the taken-for-granted importance of race in the construction of romantic relationships. Ad placers work within dominant systems of meanings and structures imposed by the newspapers to articulate identities and relationship desires in ways that make race and gender central. Some ad placers challenge the dominant social norms, while others support it. Personal ads are simultaneously a site where gender boundaries are sometimes blurred, racial boundaries are often maintained through an emphasis on homogamous relationships, and where ad placers invoke (or position themselves against) racial stereotypes.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Dr. Annulla.
Keywords: personal advertisements; dating; sexuality; personals; race
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8.
Caswell, Rex A.
Gender and Work Reactions in a Sales Occupation: A Test of Three Models.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2000, University of Cincinnati
► The American economy is undergoing a fundamental transformation, moving into a post-industrial…
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▼ The American economy is undergoing a fundamental transformation, moving into a post-industrial society marked by a fast-growing knowledge sector with a diverse, gendered workforce. In this context, through a 2008 survey of 305 people in an information services company, the current project examines employees' job experiences in this new economy. Four potential negative reactions are investigated: work dissatisfaction, lack or organizational commitment, work stress, and life stress. The study assesses the impact on these outcomes of factors derived from three theoretical perspectives: the Gender-Importation Model, the Work Role…rdquo;Occupational Socialization Model, and the Family-Spillover Model. The analysis revealed three major conclusions. First, individual characteristics, including being a woman, had little impact on work reactions. In fact, if anything, males showed higher levels of work dissatisfaction and life stress than females. Second, work-role experiences shaped job-related reactions. Consistent with previous research, supervisory support insulated against all outcomes. Among work-role factors, role overload exerted the most pervasive effects, suggesting that the amount of work expected in the new economy may be particularly detrimental to employees. Third, when the intersection of work and family was examined, role overload in this social domain was unrelated to views about work (dissatisfaction and commitment) but had clear effects in increasing work stress and life stress. This finding indicates that family-related factors do not reduce employees' embrace of their careers but do exact a cost by fostering higher levels of stress. Further, a special challenge faced by workers in the new economy may be coping with diverse forms of role overload, as the demands for productivity at work and involvement at home coalesce in unprecedented ways. This possibility is merits future study.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dubeck, Paula.
Subjects: Gender; Sociology
Keywords: Gender; Work-Family Conflict; Work Satisfaction; Work Commitment; Life Stress; Work Stress
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9.
Chapman, Kelli.
Mannheim in the Digital Age: Assessing Generational Effects on Internet Use.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► While research has consistently revealed unequal patterns of Internet use by age,…
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▼ While research has consistently revealed unequal patterns of Internet use by age, race, sex, community type, education and income (Bimber, 2000; Park, 2009; Jones, Johnson-Yale and Millermaier, 2009; Zillien and Hargittai, 2009; and Wilson, Wallin and Reiser, 2003), research has yet to reveal the generational effect on Internet use. Previous research has assumed that Internet use decreases consistently with age. However, this assumption is problematic as Mannheim's theory of generational cohorts indicates that cohorts, created during major shifts in the social structure, think and act differently. Data from the Pew Internet & American Life Project reveal significant differences in the rates of Internet use of three different generations; digital natives, digital immigrants, and digital aliens. These differences are further structured by race, sex, community type, education and income. Results support Mannheim's theory and provide a more accurate picture of Internet use in America. In this paper, I discuss the results and implications of the generational effect on Internet use.
Advisors/Committee Members: Carlton-Ford, Steven.
Subjects: Sociology
Keywords: Internet; Mannheim; Generations; Digital Divide; Inequality
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10.
Cheng, Li-hsueh.
PARENTAL COLLABORATIVE DECISION-MAKING AND CHILDREN'S SELF-ESTEEM AND LOCUS OF CONTROL.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2000, University of Cincinnati
► The main concern of this study is how parental decision-making style affects…
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▼ The main concern of this study is how parental decision-making style affects children’s self-esteem and locus of control. A secondary longitudinal study was employed to investigate how parental decision-making style, which was broken into three categories – collaborative, independent, and autocratic – affects children’s self-esteem and locus of control. Sex and ethnicity were also examined for their effects on parental decision-making style as well as on self-esteem and locus of control. The results showed that, contrary to what I predicted, the more frequent the use of independent decision-making relative to collaborative decision-making, the lower the child's self-esteem and locus of control. However, as I predicted, the more frequent the use of autocratic decision-making relative to collaborative decision-making, the lower the child's self-esteem and locus of control. It was also found that sex and ethnicity interact in their effect on parental decision-making style. White male adolescents are more likely than White females to have either independent decision-making or autocratic decision-making relative to collaborative decision-making. Asian male and female adolescents have no apparent differences in parental decision-making styles. Asian female adolescents are more likely than White female adolescents to show both independent and autocratic decision-makings relative to collaborative decision-making. White male adolescents are more likely than Asian male adolescents to have independent decision-making relative to collaborative decision-making. White male adolescents and Asian male adolescents show no differences in the frequency of autocratic decision-making relative to collaborative decision-making. Male adolescents have a higher level of self-esteem than female adolescents, while female adolescents have a higher level of internal locus of control than male adolescents. No differences were found in White Americans’ and Asian Americans’ self-esteem or locus of control. Limitations and applications were also discussed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lundgren, David.
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11.
CRAGUN, RYAN T.
THE SECTARIAN SAFE HAVEN.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2004, University of Cincinnati
► Secularization theories have assumed religiosity will decline as a result of increasing…
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▼ Secularization theories have assumed religiosity will decline as a result of increasing educational attainment. However, secularization theories do not take into consideration educational attainment in religiously supportive environments, namely sectarian academic institutions. Also, as sectarian academic institutions foster religiously supportive cultures, it is possible scholars employed at such institutions are more likely to let their religious faith and beliefs influence their academic research. Using a number of statistical techniques, I illustrate that academics who attended sectarian undergraduate and graduate institutions are more religious than are academics who attended secular academic institutions. I also illustrate that academics who work at sectarian institutions are more religious than are academics who work at secular institutions. Finally, I illustrate that academics who work at sectarian institutions are more likely to let their religious faith influence their work than are academics who work at secular institutions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Williams, Dr. Rhys H.
Keywords: secularization; sectarian; secular; religion; academia; neo-secularization; institutional culture
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12.
CRAGUN, RYAN T.
A ROLE CONFLICT THEORY OF RELIGIOUS CHANGE: AN EXPLANATION AND TEST.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2007, University of Cincinnati
► Two trends in the religious makeup of the U.S. that have received…
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▼ Two trends in the religious makeup of the U.S. that have received little attention from sociologists of religion are the increasing number of people who leave the religion in which they were raised and the increasing number of people who are leaving all religion (religious nones or independents). This project develops a theoretical model based on role theory and role conflict that explains individual level religious change with the goal of ultimately helping sociologists understand these two trends. I use religious dropouts – those who at one point claimed a religious affiliation but no longer do so – to test the theory, finding that a number of factors are important correlates of this specific type of religious change, including: having a non-affiliated spouse, higher levels of educational attainment, and lower levels of religious commitment in other dimensions of one's religious role (i.e., religious service attendance, belief in immortality, and frequency of prayer). I conclude that many changes in religious roles are the result of intra- and/or inter-role conflict.
Advisors/Committee Members: Williams, Dr. Rhys H.
Subjects: Sociology, General
Keywords: religion; apostasy; dropping out; role theory; role conflict; religious exiting; age, period, cohort analysis
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13.
Cui, Yan.
Self-Employment: Opportunity Pursuit for the Haves or Survival Strategy for the Have-nots.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2009, University of Cincinnati
► In a free market economy, entrepreneurship plays a central role in economic…
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▼ In a free market economy, entrepreneurship plays a central role in economic growth. There is a unanimous agreement that entrepreneurship creates new economic entities, promotes new markets and innovations, and introduces new goods and services. However, scholars disagree on the issue that why people start their own businesses in the first place. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of various socioeconomic indices on the probability of becoming self-employed. It sheds some light on who the new entrepreneurs are—the haves who start their own businesses as a career option to pursue more opportunities (opportunity pursuit theory), or the have-nots who use self-employment as a default to deal with economic hardship (survival strategy theory). Using 2005 and 2006 Current Population Survey (CPS) data, this study applies multinomial regression analysis to examine 20,571 respondents’ socioeconomic indices and their employment status, either as being self-employed (unincorporated/incorporated) or as being employed workers. By examining explanatory variables in the model, including prior employment experience and occupation-related variables, this study reveals that the self-employed should not be treated as a homogenous category. People who are in incorporated self-employment often fall in the category of the haves (i.e., higher earnings and professional status), which fits the opportunity pursuit theory; the unincorporated self-employed is in general associated with lower income and longer period of unemployment, which fits the survival strategy theory. Possible explanations are presented, and related policy implications are discussed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ritchey, Neal.
Subjects: Sociology
Keywords: unincorporated/incorporated; Self-Employment; relative income; self-employed not incorporated; unincorporated self-employed; income; unincorporated self-employment
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14.
DAWES, MARK EDWARD.
DOING CORPORATE CULTURE CHANGE: AN EXAMINATION OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF TIME AND SPACE FOR SUSTAINED PRODUCT INNOVATION AT ALPHACO.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2006, University of Cincinnati
► This thesis is an ethnomethodologically-informed ethnographic analysis of product innovation and management…
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▼ This thesis is an ethnomethodologically-informed ethnographic analysis of product innovation and management practices in Alphaco a large, complex corporation. I explore organizational dynamics that lead senior leadership to repeatedly rediscover the same innovation problems over decades. Workplace practices involved in management’s role in new product innovation will be directly examined, using one division of the corporation, Proddiv, as a case study. I use Giddens’ structuration theories to research innovation practices and find that cultural resources embedded in the company’s communication and business systems are a source of unintentional consequences that problematize efforts at sustained innovation. I will argue that while these systems are often viewed as “bedrock” and “untouchable,” the changing business environment requires that they adapt in order to free innovators and innovation managers to produce sustained innovation. Data for this study include observations of meetings, interviews, and internal documents.
Advisors/Committee Members: Garcia, Dr. Angela Cora.
Keywords: sustained innovation, structuration
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15.
Dooley, Pamela A.
Examining Individual and Neighborhood-Level Risk Factors for Delivering Preterm.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2009, University of Cincinnati
► This dissertation examines the relationship between several neighborhood and individual-level factors and…
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▼ This dissertation examines the relationship between several neighborhood and individual-level factors and the probability of delivering a preterm infant. Infants born prematurely, or at less than 37 weeks of gestation, have a greater risk of long-term developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, than infants born at full term. This research draws on various perspectives on the social causes of health to illustrate pathways that may account for neighborhood socioeconomic and racial differences in preterm birth. I hypothesize that neighborhood concentrated disadvantage influences preterm birth indirectly through smoking, medical risk, and perceived neighborhood support. Traditionally, the birth outcome literature has focused on individual-level risk factors. Neighborhood concentrated disadvantage is expected to affect preterm birth, in part, by patterning exposure to stress, which can compromise overall health by increasing the likelihood of having a medical risk, such as hypertension, or smoking during pregnancy. In turn, such illnesses and smoking can lead to the onset of preterm labor. As a community-level social resource, perceived neighborhood support is expected to function by buffering the impact of adverse neighborhood conditions. Living in a community where residents believe that their neighbors are supportive and can be depended upon in times of need should reduce the likelihood of delivering preterm, especially in disadvantaged communities. Maternal black race and older maternal age—also included in the model—are hypothesized to influence preterm birth indirectly through medical risk. This study made use of data from the U.S. Census and Ohio birth certificate files as well as the Greater Cincinnati Community Health Status Survey. The path model’s dependent variables were binary or continuous and information was combined from two-level logistic and linear regression analysis to compute a comparable metric for the model, which allowed for a comparison of the relative strength of the predictors. Neighborhood concentrated disadvantage had significant indirect effects on preterm birth through medical risk and smoking, but not perceived neighborhood support. An indirect relationship between black maternal race (compared to white) and preterm birth, through medical risk, was also found and the overall effect of black maternal race on preterm birth was suppressed somewhat by smoking since black mothers were less likely than white mothers to smoke while pregnant. Medical risk during pregnancy operated as a causal mechanism linking older maternal age (e.g., 35 years of age and older) with an increased likelihood of delivering preterm. Although statistically significant, the indirect effects were relatively weak. Compared to other predictors, neighborhood concentrated disadvantage had the strongest effect on preterm birth, medical risk, and maternal smoking—the three individual-level outcomes in this study. This dissertation extends the literature on neighborhood effects and birth outcomes by providing support for causal mechanisms linking neighborhood socioeconomic status, and the findings demonstrate the need to contextualize individual-level risk factors for preterm birth. Given the relatively weak indirect effects, however, this research also demonstrates that these multilevel relationships are complex and additional theoretical and empirical work is needed to better specify the causal mechanisms.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ritchey, Phillip Neal.
Subjects: Sociology
Keywords: neighborhood disadvantage; preterm birth
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16.
Dryfhout-Ferguson, Vicki L.
Racial Disparities in Pregnancy Outcomes.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Blacks are more likely than whites to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. Preterm…
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▼ Blacks are more likely than whites to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. Preterm and stillbirths are much more common among blacks than whites. To better understand racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes, I develop a heuristic model using a structural perspective of race and combination of the medical and social epidemiological model. Using data from the National Maternal and Infant Health Survey 1988 (NMIHS), I then investigate medical and social epidemiological explanations for the racial disparity in preterm and stillbirths. Findings indicate that medical risks explain only a small amount of the racial gap, but are important predictors of preterm and stillbirths. Social epidemiological variables explain a larger share of the racial gap in preterm and stillbirths than medical risks but a disparity remains. A competing risks analysis shows that risks of preterm and stillbirths differ for blacks and whites. The amalgamation of medical and social epidemiological models is important for understanding why blacks are more likely to experience preterm and stillbirths and needs to be considered as physicians and medical professionals seek to reduce the racial gap. If substantial efforts are not made to reduce inequalities on important social and economic resources attempts to reduce inequalities in medical risks may be futile.
Advisors/Committee Members: Timberlake, Jeffrey.
Subjects: Sociology
Keywords: Preterm Birth; Stillbirth; Health; Race; Inequality; Stratification
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17.
DRYFHOUT-FERGUSON, VICKI LYNN.
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN INTENTIONS TO LEAVE ACADEMIA: SOCIAL CONTROL, WORK AND FAMILY EXPLANATIONS.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2003, University of Cincinnati
► In this investigation, my goal is to identify patterns of gender differences…
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▼ In this investigation, my goal is to identify patterns of gender differences in job-leaving among university faculty and to identify factors related to these differences. Previous descriptive investigations relying on institution specific samples have found gender differences in job-leaving using institution specific samples of faculty. I build on these previous studies by identifying gender differences in leave intentions from academia using a nationally representative sample of faculty. In addition, in contrast to previous studies, which mostly look at turnover and job-leave, in general, I divide leave intentions into turnover intentions (i.e., leaving current job for another job in academia) and attrition intentions (i.e., leaving academia altogether). Finally, using multinomial models, I investigate the extent to which social control, work, and family factors are related to gender differences in leave intentions. I find gender differences in leave intentions. Indeed, women are more likely than men to intend to turnover, and to intend to leave academia altogether. Furthermore, multinomial logit models show that social control factors and work factors largely account for gender differences in leave intentions. In part, findings show that gender differences in turnover intentions are largely due to social control factors, with differences in attrition intentions largely due to work factors. These findings indicate that the unfair treatment of women and the lower levels of resources women have on a variety of work factors result in women's greater propensity to have leave intentions academia. Ultimately, it appears that informal processes as well as structural- level factors both contribute to the greater strength of females leave intentions, relative to mens'.
Advisors/Committee Members: Estes, Dr. Sarah Beth.
Subjects: Sociology, General
Keywords: academia; gender; work; turnover; attrition
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18.
Elrod, Leslie R.S.
From Fat to Fabulous: Adolescent Obesity, Self-Esteem, and Coping Mechanisms.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2007, University of Cincinnati
► Using the National Longitudinal Study for Adolescent Health (AddHealth) this study investigated…
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▼ Using the National Longitudinal Study for Adolescent Health (AddHealth) this study investigated six hypotheses assessing the relationship between adolescent body mass and self-esteem. Specifically, this study sought to identify whether elective coping mechanisms, including academic performance, extracurricular participation, and voluntarism, mediated the relationship between body mass and self-esteem. A variety of statistical methods (including regression and path analyses) revealed that the relationship between adolescent body mass and self-esteem was suppressed by intervening variables including negative body image and academic performance. When controlling for academic performance and body image, adolescents with higher body mass exhibit higher self-esteem than those adolescents with lower body mass at the stringent p > .001 level. The implication of the finding of higher body mass being related to higher self-esteem, when controlling for negative body image and academic performance, is enough to give pause. Perception of acceptance of those of varying body sizes may protect a growing group of adolescents from diminished self-esteem.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Dr. Annulla.
Subjects: Education, Sociology of; Psychology, Social; Sociology, General; Women's Studies; Women's Studies
Keywords: Obesity; Self-Esteem; Adolescent; Coping; Body Mass; Body Image; Weight
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19.
Felker, Deborah.
The Impact of Civil War on Institutionalized Gender Inequality: Taking a New Approach.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Two of the most enduring and troubling elements of the social world…
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▼ Two of the most enduring and troubling elements of the social world are civil war and gender inequality. They are not just human rights issues; they are complex development issues. Of the 150 armed conflicts since World War II, 90 percent have taken place in developing countries, the places where women’s status is most tenuous. This study examined the relationship between civil war and women’s status in less-developed countries. The primary hypothesis was supported that institutionalized gender inequality is higher in countries where there has been recent civil war. Part of these effects are slightly mitigated by the level of democratic development, and by economic development. Nevertheless, the effect remains significant. Specifically, results show that countries that have been involved in civil war at some time between 1995 and 2004 have higher overall institutional gender inequality, specifically more discrimination in property rights and relative decision-making authority in the household. This cross-national study expands the scholarship on the effect of armed conflict on the status of women, using an institutional framework, and is guided by structural theories of gender stratification developed by scholars such as Rae Lesser Blumberg, Janet Chafetz, and Randall Collins. It utilized a groundbreaking index of institutionalized gender inequality that has never been employed in sociological analysis or any study involving armed conflict. In addition, it may help identify places where women and girls need the most help not just with short-term needs (as humanitarian relief focuses on) but also on the long-term needs for structural changes in their status.
Advisors/Committee Members: Carlton-Ford, Steven.
Subjects: Sociology
Keywords: gender inequality; civil war; women's status; armed conflict; gender stratification
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20.
Fisher, Lisa M.
Flexible Work Arrangements in Context: How Identity, Place and Process Shape Approaches to Flexibility.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2010, University of Cincinnati
► Very little is known about how flexible work policies affect the processes…
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▼ Very little is known about how flexible work policies affect the processes of work itself, yet many organizations resist flexible work arrangements due to operational concerns. This is occurring despite larger numbers of workers seeking flexibility at work. My dissertation examines how flexible work arrangements are designed and implemented, how work processes and job responsibilities are affected, and how workplace culture and structure shape these activities. I use a qualitative, grounded theory approach to conduct a case study of a large Midwestern U.S. workplace with a diverse hierarchy of jobs. Spatial analysis and semi-structured face-to-face interviews with both managers and non-managers in salary and hourly positions were used to gather data. Data analysis focused on identifying and examining themes and concepts indicative of the language and tools of flexible work arrangements and work process change associated with those arrangements. A focus on language allowed me to consider how respondents understood and talked about their workplace and flexibility, as well as work process and environmental changes made in the interest of flexibility. A focus on tools allowed me to consider structural and cultural mechanisms, both intended and unintended, that affected flexibility in the workplace. Findings provide insights into the practical aspects of flexible work arrangements and ways that workplace structure and culture can affect corporate organizations approaches to flexibility in ways that may not even be directly associated with flexible work arrangements in the minds of organizational members. I provide a snapshot of workplace structure and culture, discuss the state of flexible work arrangements at the organization, present structural and cultural factors that affect flexibility, outline tensions between what is seen as an optimal workplace versus a flexible workplace, and discuss ways that identity, place and process appear to shape all of these things. Based on my findings, I also present several hypotheses as a means of contributing to the research agenda on flexible work arrangements in corporate settings.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dubeck, Paula.
Subjects: Organizational behavior
Keywords: work-family; work-life; flexible work arrangements; workplace culture; workplace structure; work processes
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21.
GOSSETT, JENNIFER LYNN.
EXAMINING POTENTIAL SOCIAL CAPITAL THROUGH THE LENS OF INTERSECTIONALITY.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2003, University of Cincinnati
► “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is a modern…
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▼ “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is a modern adage in the United States. Social networks allow people to gain access to information, employment, assistance, and desired resources. Interacting within one’s family and close friendship groups encourages a reliance on homogeneous information and resources. Developing weak-tie relationships outside family and friends allows people to diversify their networks or connections that build social capital. Social capital provides an avenue for people to share valuable resources that benefit themselves, their children, their family and friends, and their communities. Social structures that influence a person’s position in society may influence accessibility to weak-tie contacts that have the potential to develop into social capital. Race, class, and gender, as independent positions and as intersectionality categories, may influence participation in community and school activities that could potentially develop into social capital. This study examines differences in the potential development of social capital through social contacts based upon parents’ independent and intersecting social positions. Using the 1999 National Household Education Survey, responses from parents categorized as Black or White with children in grades K – 5th are analyzed to explore community and school contacts that potentially develop into social capital. Additive and interaction models are constructed to test the effects of race, gender, class, and community social vulnerability on participation in social activities. Findings show that the interaction model is not significantly different from the additive model. Both models support the finding that social class is a significant variable in community and school participation that have the potential to develop weak ties to gain access to social capital. Although the additive model is the more parsimonious model, intersectionality provides the theoretical justification to test race, class, and gender interactions when examining potential social capital. Intersectionality may better explain the quality of school and community interactions rather than the quantity of contacts in the development of social capital. Future research needs to incorporate an intersectionality approach to examine the multifaceted dimensions of social capital to understand its conceptualization, practicalities, and potential biases.
Advisors/Committee Members: Bellas, Dr. Marcia.
Subjects: Sociology, General
Keywords: intersectionality; social capital; weak ties; social contacts
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22.
GRANDMONT, JENE M.
TESTING THE WATER BEFORE TAKING THE PLUNGE: AN ANALYSIS OF COHABITATION IN OHIO.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2006, University of Cincinnati
► National level data show that cohabitation has been increasing in prevalence. Cohabitation…
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▼ National level data show that cohabitation has been increasing in prevalence. Cohabitation has traditionally been seen as a living arrangement reserved for minority, low-income, and poorly educated couples. Public opinion surveys show increasing acceptance of cohabitation. The present study examines the demographic makeup of cohabiters in Ohio using data from the fall 2005 Ohio Poll conducted by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati. The research objectives are to determine the prevalence of cohabitation in Ohio and to test whether race, income, education, and age are significant predictors of cohabitation. Results suggest that education and income do not predict cohabitation, consistent with the idea that as cohabitation becomes more popular and acceptable a wider variety of individuals will cohabit. Age and race are significant predictors. There is a significant interaction between age and race – nonwhites are more likely to cohabit among respondents under the age of 63.
Advisors/Committee Members: Carlton-Ford, Dr. Steve.
Keywords: Cohabitation; Family Formation
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23.
GROSCHWITZ, STEPHAN F.
A WATERSHED MOMENT? THE CHANGES IN DETERMINANTS OF NATIONAL PRIDE AFTER 9/11. EVIDENCE FROM THE GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY AND THE NATIONAL TRAGEDY STUDY.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2007, University of Cincinnati
► In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the sentiment that “Nothing…
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▼ In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the sentiment that “Nothing will ever be the same” was widely spread, as were displays of national pride. Using data from the 1996 and 2004 General Social Surveys and the 2001 and 2002 waves of the National Tragedy Study, I test whether 9/11 did indeed change Americans in regard to national pride. Drawing on a wide range of scholarly literature on the effects of 9/11, I compare the effects of party identification, race, gender, and religious orientation on national pride in these four years and argue that even in the initial, often characterized as “unified” reaction to 9/11, fissures along social-structural lines that preceded 9/11 were not overcome, but rather prepared the ground for an increasingly divergent structure and polarization of national pride in the so-called “New Normal” of post-9/11 America.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Dr. Annulla.
Subjects: Sociology, General
Keywords: 9/11, National Pride, Rally-Effect, Presidential Leadership, Leader as Prototype, National Tragedy Study (NTS), General Social Survey (GSS), International Social Survey Program (ISSP)
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24.
Hamill, Ann T.
Two Moral Universes: The Social Problem of the Idiots from 1845 to 1855 and Mentally Retarded Sons and Daughters from 1945 to 1955.
Degree: PhD, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2008, University of Cincinnati
► This historical-comparative story regarding idiocy and mental retardation in the United States…
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▼ This historical-comparative story regarding idiocy and mental retardation in the United States is not about the underlying condition suggested by these terms, but rather the process of raising subjective concerns about that condition. The social presence of what today is called developmental disabilities was twice transformed into an urgent social problem and solved in opposite ways. Mid-19th-century physicians and their contemporaries claimed the problem was idiots themselves who were either the cause or consequence of immorality. Unless reformed in institutions, they inflicted moral harm on the community and future generations of Americans. The solution was temporary removal from the community to institutions for training by the “claimsmaking” physicians. Mid-20th-century parents and their supporters morally absolved the mentally retarded and located moral responsibility with everyone but them. “Claimsmaking” parents said that denying the mentally retarded the opportunity to better themselves was both paramount to denying their birthright and a betrayal of Americans' trust in their own nation. To solve (and define) this problem, white, middleclass parents emerged from decades of hiding and mobilized nationally. They created community schools and clinics and educated the public that, contrary to professional and popular claims, retarded children could be helped. This was the precursor to deinstitutionalization. The emergence of the problem and its solution is traced in the professional and popular press in the middle decade of each century. Dominating the 19th- and 20th-century primary data are, respectively, annual reports issued by institutions for the feebleminded and records preserved by the Hamilton County, Ohio parents' group which played a strong leadership role in the formation of the national Parents' Movement. The subjective concerns raised in each mid-century period emerged from a particular symbolic, material, and power-structured context. To effectively answer why there were opposite solutions to the same underlying condition, some analytical strategies for selecting contextual elements are delineated. These strategies are applicable across research in the social construction of social problems. Three explanatory elements are compared across the two time periods: a cultural element of pervasive and profound influence (the Second Great Awakening and the Second World War), medical thinking, and power-structured relationships.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Annulla.
Subjects: History; Sociology
Keywords: social problems; social construction; idiocy; mental retardation; institutionalization; deinstitutionalization; parents' movement; historical-comparative
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25.
Hamilton, Maryann.
Experiences of Everyday Racism: Understanding the Racial Differences in Perceptions of Physicians’ Cultural Competence.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2003, University of Cincinnati
► In this thesis, it is my aim to expand the cultural competency…
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▼ In this thesis, it is my aim to expand the cultural competency literature by applying the sociological theory of everyday racism to an analysis of perceptions of physicians’ cultural competence in the healthcare system. To this end, I examine two separate literatures, research on race, racism and health and research on the cultural competency approach organized to improve healthcare. The research on cultural competency narrowly focuses on defining characteristics, guidelines, and teaching techniques. I expand this research by applying Philomena Essed’s interdisciplinary theory of everyday racism to an analysis of perceptions of cultural competence. Within this theory, everyday racism is defined as the integration of racism into everyday situations through practices that activate underlying power relations. In this thesis, I specifically examine African Americans’ and whites’ perceptions of physicians’ cultural competence using a nationally representative dataset. In so doing, I assess the extent to which experiences of everyday racism impact these perceptions. Results suggest that race does impact perceptions of cultural competence. Furthermore, experiences of everyday racism do mediate the effect of race on some perceptions of cultural competence. Based on the findings of this thesis, I propose that future research on cultural competency address the importance of race as a principal component of social organization.
Advisors/Committee Members: Malat, Dr. Jennifer.
Subjects: Sociology, General
Keywords: racism; discrimination; healthcare; physicians; cultural competence
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26.
HOLLAND, MICAH.
RETHINKING THE ROLE OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND INTERNATIONAL LENDERS IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIES.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2006, University of Cincinnati
► While foreign capital penetration, pressure for repayment exerted by international lenders, and…
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▼ While foreign capital penetration, pressure for repayment exerted by international lenders, and world systems prominence are often examined in development studies, few attempts have been made to discover their unified effects. The research below is intended to address the limitations of previous scholarship to include an examination of the combined effects of foreign capital penetration, austerity measures, and world system position on indicators of poverty and human capital development. Results indicate that social spending budgets are significantly constrained by involvement in structural adjustment programs and that reduced social spending tends to increase the percentage of the population living in poverty and depress levels of human development. Moreover, support is found for detrimental effects of foreign capital penetration on levels of poverty and human capital development, though it does not appear that IMF pressure significantly increases foreign capital penetration.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ritchey, Dr. Phillip Neal.
Keywords: Foreign Investment; Structural Reform; IMF; Social Spending
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27.
HOLLENBECK, JENNIFER B.
A CRITICAL LOOK AT YOUTH AT RISK: HOW DO WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2004, University of Cincinnati
► Approaching the problem of youth at risk from a historical and social…
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▼ Approaching the problem of youth at risk from a historical and social constructionist perspective, I argue in this thesis that the notion of youth risk that guides contemporary efforts to reduce risk is a historical construct that can be understood only in light of a broader analysis of the status of youth in our society. In the United States, the emergence of youth as a distinct category was facilitated by the introduction of compulsory education, restrictions on child labor, and, permeating these changes, new theories of human development. It is with these changes in mind that the notion of "risk" for all adolescents can be understood. In practice, however, some youths are deemed especially at risk. How those youths are identified and placed in intervention programs is the topic of this thesis. In school and out of school youth risk professionals, seventeen in total, in a large mid-western city were interviewed about their experiences with youth at risk. In general, the findings confirm the pervasiveness of the notion that all youths are at some level of risk. Moreover, with few exceptions, youth risk workers are committed to an approach to youth risk that is designed to "fix" individual youths, that is, they view youth risk as an individual attribute. Noteworthy differences between youth risk workers working within or outside the school system include perceptions about the importance of a high school diploma as a risk prevention measure and the role of the larger community in reducing risk.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Dr. Annulla.
Keywords: Youth; Risk; High School; Social Construction
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28.
HOWARD, DESTINY S.
Social Construction of Meaning: Gangs and Fraternities in Atlanta.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2004, University of Cincinnati
► How we define groups is important to the way we perceive their…
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▼ How we define groups is important to the way we perceive their activity. Gangs and fraternities are two groups defined very differently even though they share similar ideologies and histories. In this paper I argue that the meaning about gangs and fraternities are projected images about the group created through claims make about them by claimsmakers in the media, more specifically the newspaper. Historically fraternities were formed to create a venue for young collegiate men to express themselves, form a brotherhood, and establish a familial connection with other young men at the institution. Gangs were also established out of a need to secure something; most inner city gangs were established to control “turf”. They had a latent function of fulfilling familial needs and a sense of brotherhood. Over time fraternities acquired a more positive image despite the misdeeds of contemporary fraternities who have been cited on numerous counts of hazing, underage drinking and rape. Gangs, on the other hand have had to deal with the stereotype of being poor minorities, who frequent juvenile offenders, from inner city neighborhoods. In comparing newspaper articles taken from The Atlanta Journal and Constitution concerning an incident involving a gang and another involving a fraternity I found that claims of fraternity members were frequently used in constructing meaning about the incident and the perpetrators while no gang members’ claims were used. Furthermore, when charged with similar crimes, perpetrators in the fraternity incident received a less severe punishment than perpetrators in the gang incident.
Advisors/Committee Members: Linders, Annulla.
Subjects: Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies
Keywords: gangs fraternities violence
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29.
HOWELL, AARON J.
SAFETY IN NUMBERS? RACIAL and ETHNIC DIFFERENCES IN THE EFFECT OF NEIGHBORHOOD MINORITY CONCENTRATION ON MINORITIES' PERCEPTIONS OF DISCRIMINATION.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2007, University of Cincinnati
► Extensive research on White attitudes toward racial and ethnic minority groups shows…
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▼ Extensive research on White attitudes toward racial and ethnic minority groups shows that large minority concentrations produce a threatened response in Whites, leading to prejudice and discrimination. However, little research has examined the extent to which minorities perceive such discrimination. This analysis utilizes several theoretical frameworks to test hypotheses regarding the effects of neighborhood minority concentration on minorities' perceptions of discrimination. The buffering hypothesis claims that high concentrations of in-group individuals operate as a shield from discrimination from Whites. In contrast, the enclosure hypothesis and ethnic community theory predict that segregated neighborhoods create a heightened sense of racial/ethnic differences, leading to the perception of more discrimination. In this paper, I test these predictions with data from a large multi-city survey. Findings are largely in support of the buffering hypothesis, in that segregated neighborhoods reduce the likelihood of respondents' perceiving housing and labor market discrimination.
Advisors/Committee Members: Timberlake, Dr. Jeff.
Subjects: Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies
Keywords: residential segregation; racial discrimination
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30.
Hulsmann, Jaclyn E.
Rates of Female Revictimization: A Longitudinal Prospective Study.
Degree: MA, Arts and Sciences : Sociology, 2005, University of Cincinnati
► The current study provides a prospective long-term longitudinal examination of the rate…
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▼ The current study provides a prospective long-term longitudinal examination of the rate and frequency of revictimization of adolescent females maltreated in early childhood in contrast to a comparison group. Data included information about physical and sexual trauma, the identification and age of the perpetrator, age of subject at the time of victimization, frequency, and other details such as if the victim experienced injury or penetration. Differences between the abused and comparison group regarding the rate, frequency, and type of subsequent sexual and physical victimization episodes were seen. Further, among abused subjects, characteristics of the primary victimization give rise to differences in subsequent sexual and physical victimization. Characteristics of victimization may provide information in relation to short and long term outcomes, notably the level of risk for subsequent sexual and physical victimization.
Advisors/Committee Members: Carlton-Ford, Steve.
Keywords: child sexual abuse, revictimization, rates
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