Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2020, Agricultural and Extension Education

Food insecurity is an issue faced by one in nine Americans. It is faced by people of all demographics, living all over the United States. Communities have created food councils to help address food insecurity in their communities. Often the work of the food council is completed by volunteers. The purpose of this research is to explore food council participant motivations to volunteer with food insecurity related issues and their perceptions of potential causes of others' impoverished condition. This study will address the following research objectives: 1. Explore volunteer's motivation to work with food insecure individuals. 2. Explore volunteer's perceptions of the causes of food insecure individuals. 3. Explore correlation relationship between volunteering and perceptions of food insecure individuals. The objectives will be explored using social determination theory and the basic psychological needs that are met when engaging in volunteer work. Two quantitative instruments were implemented in a survey to measure volunteer perceptions of people in poverty and another to measure volunteer motivations. The study's population was the Miami County Food Insecurity Alliance. They survey was sent by email to all members. The results showed that most volunteers were motivated to spend their time in causes that they valued. Volunteers are also motivated to understand their valued causes more than they desire to receive career or other benefits. Volunteers also attributed poverty to a variety of structural and cultural reasons, placing less emphasis on individual causes contributing to poverty. When the two were correlated only a negatively significant correlation was found between career motivations in relation to structural and cultural poverty causes. To meet the needs of volunteers, organizations should seek to understand the motivations of their volunteers. This will help them to provide opportunities and training for volunteer's values to be satisfied a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mary Rodriguez Dr. (Advisor); Amanda Bowling Dr. (Committee Member); Jera Niewoehner-Green Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Agricultural Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies

Online participatory translation and localization spread widely with the advent of Web 2.0, and various collaborative translation practices continue to emerge in different contexts (e.g., the entertainment, technology, and software development industries). Collaborative translation also continues to evolve in online education, particularly in massive open online courses (MOOCs), most of which are delivered in English. Therefore, a range of opportunities must be provided to learners with relatively low English language proficiency. Online collaborative translation has been utilized by several prominent platforms such as Coursera, Khan Academy, and edX to increase linguistic diversity and the use of MOOCs in international development. This study explores the online collaborative translation practices evident on educational platforms, with a particular focus on the translation policies of MOOCs' providers, the motivations driving collaborators to engage in these participatory translation initiatives, and the work models implemented by the platforms. Two MOOC providers were identified as case studies, namely Coursera and Khan Academy. This research investigates their respective translation policies, drawing on Gonzalez Nunez's (2013) systematic approach to translation policy as a complex concept that encompasses management, practice, and beliefs. Additionally, this research adopts Engestrom's (1987) activity system model to explain the technologically mediated collaborative translations involving diverse participants and tools on Coursera and Khan Academy, and to identify contradictions within and between the components of their activity system models. It also explores collaborators' motivations through the functional approach, which identifies specific motives driving participation in collaborative translation, alongside demotivating factors. The research employs a combination of methods, including document analysis, observation, questionnaires, and follow-up interview (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Richard Kelly Washbourne (Advisor); Brian Baer (Committee Member); Said Shiyab (Committee Member); Elena Novak (Committee Member); Andrew Barnes (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Technology; Language; Linguistics; Sociology

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

The Education Center serves many adult learners that have the goal of receiving their high school equivalency. Adult learners face many barriers when pursuing this goal. The research in adult education focuses on the barriers that learners face and what drives them to succeed. There is limited research on what learners' perception of knowledge is. This study was conducted utilizing five case studies to explore learners' lived experiences and how those experiences affected their perceptions of knowledge. Findings showed that the barriers and motivations that they experienced affected how they perceived what success was and that the organization and its instructors need to take into consideration all individual learners experiences, barriers, and motivations to create individualized learning plans. An action plan was created to guide the organization towards creating an equitable learning environment and to improve success rates for all learners.

Committee: Davin Carr-Chellman (Committee Chair); Carol Rogers-Shaw (Committee Member); Darnell Bradley (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education Philosophy; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Organization Theory

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Educational Psychology

Since the new driving law enacted on June 24, 2018 in Saudi Arabia, Saudi women's motivations, whether intrinsic or extrinsic to obtain a driver's license and drive have not been studied. This study aims to determine if Saudi women are intrinsically motivated to drive and participate in different activities that satisfy their basic psychological needs. This study also aims to determine how Saudi women's motivations to drive and the satisfaction of the three basic needs impact their psychological well-being. Based on qualitative interview design, this study utilized individual interviews to explain in detail women's motivations and to understand their responses within their cultural framework. Analysis of this study's results indicated that some Saudi women drivers' emotional well-being was improved by satisfying their sense of autonomy, driving competence, and relatedness. Meaning some Saudi women were not only intrinsically motivated to obtain a driver's license and drive but also engaged in different activities. These findings can help researchers extend current knowledge and determine strategies that promote Saudi women's satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs and protect their well-being.

Committee: Revathy Kumar (Committee Chair) Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2022, Educational Leadership

The experiences of seven Catholic homeschooling families about their continued motivations for homeschooling their children was explored in a series of guided interviews conducted within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, located in the state of Ohio. The study examined the initial motivations of why the participating parents chose to homeschool their children as well as how and if those motivations have changed over time. The interview data was analyzed through the lens of transcendental phenomenology. Following the process of transcendental phenomenology set out by Moustakas (1994) two major themes of motivating factors emerged as the primary reasons the participants chose to homeschool their children. The first major theme was Community support, which examined how the participants felt they were receiving positive support or negative support from their local community in the realm of education. The second major theme to emerge was the parent's desire for a curriculum that centered on both Faith and Family. The results showed that all of the participants' initial primary motivations for choosing to homeschool their children corresponded with the current established literature of pedagogical reasons such as curriculum, and school safety. However, their primary motivation for continuing to homeschool their children had shifted over time to religious instruction of their Catholic beliefs and practices. The results of this study suggest a need for dialogue between Catholic homeschool parents within the boundaries of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati about what support can be provided from the later to the former.

Committee: Kathleen Knight-Abowitz PhD (Committee Chair); William Boone PhD (Committee Member); Kate Rousmaniere PhD (Committee Member); Thomas Poetter PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education History; Education Philosophy; Educational Leadership; Individual and Family Studies; Religious Education; Theology

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2021, Environmental Studies (Voinovich)

With the number of women farmers on the rise, questions circulate as to why this phenomenon is happening in a time when the overall numbers of farmers are declining. Following organic practices and being certified are getting increasingly popular in the farming community with women having greater visibility in the realm of sustainable agriculture than ever before. The basis of this study is to give women farmers who are either certified organic* or non-certified organic* a platform to tell their story and divulge barriers they face in their profession. Additionally, this study reflects on broader themes behind organic certification involving the participants' motivations and values. The term organic can take on many meanings depending on who is being asked, so it is important to collect data on this subject straight from the source. By interviewing women who are making most of the decisions on their land clearer definitions will arise and help bridge the gap between personal meaning and perceived meaning. Their unique experiences with food and farming led them to a path that helps sustain local economies and helps local communities access a nutritious food. Their different experiences culminate in a discussion for a change in how food is valued and perceived. While their stories range in scope, they share similar themes and leave one concerned with the current state of the food chain and farm policy for local food systems.

Committee: Stephen Scanlan (Advisor) Subjects: Agriculture; Environmental Studies; Sociology; Sustainability

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Psychology/Clinical

In numerous countries, a large majority of the population gambles each year. Understanding the reasons that motivate individuals to abstain from gambling can help inform researchers' conceptualization of this relatively uncommon decision. I designed this investigation to assess and compare the importance of 13 reasons for abstaining from gambling reported by individuals who were abstinent from gambling for at least 6-months and to identify those motivations associated with continued abstinence during a 6-month follow-up period. To meet these objectives, I conducted two studies. First, I recruited a sample of n=509 adults via Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) who had abstained for at least six months and examined the cross-sectional associations between the importance of reasons for abstinence reported by participants and their durations of abstinence. I also conducted an exploratory factor analysis, which revealed that importance rankings for 9 of the 13 reasons loaded onto subscales of reasons. The survey results indicated that financial concerns and knowledge that the odds are against them were the most commonly reported reasons for abstention. In addition, lifelong abstainers tended to rank reasons reflecting sociocultural values as more important than did non-lifelong abstainers. Next, I conducted a second study in which I analyzed importance rankings of the same 13 reasons that had been previously collected as part of an ongoing longitudinal survey. I also collected 6-month follow-up data from those participants. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the importance rankings from Study 2 demonstrated good fit with the subscales from Study 1, Robust CFI = 0.990, Robust RMSEA = 0.053, 95% CI for RMSEA = 0.047 to 0.059, SRMR = 0.042. Similar to Study 1, participants in Study 2 ranked fear of losing money and knowledge that the odds are against them as the most important reasons for abstaining. In addition, lifelong abstainers in Study 2 also ranked reasons ref (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Joshua Grubbs PhD (Advisor); Andrea Cripps PhD, ATC (Other); Harold Rosenberg PhD (Committee Member); Michael Zickar PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology; Public Health

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2021, Environment and Natural Resources

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) remain a persistent, agriculturally-induced issue that threaten both the physical and economic health of the Western Lake Erie basin (WLEB) and its stakeholders. Edge-of-field conservation practices are recommended to help manage runoff and reach phosphorus reduction targets to mitigate the effects of these HABs. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are a specific edge-of-field practice that could prove critical to these efforts given much of this geographic area was formerly swampland and is now extensively drained for agricultural production. While we know something about why farmers engage in conservation, we know less about why wetlands are adopted than we do other edge-of-field (e.g., buffers) and in-field practices (e.g., cover crops). However, existing literature from studies outside of the U.S. gives us a framework for how to study why wetlands are or are not adopted by farmers. Hansson et al. (2012) conducted a qualitative interview analysis of Swedish landowners, measuring their motivations to implement a CW on their property. Hansson's team identified six primary motivations of these landowners, with the crux being a two-stage decision where wetlands are never acceptable on productive land, but for unproductive land, farmers will consider a wider range of potential costs and benefits to decide if CWs are appropriate for their operation. Our research builds on these findings by transitioning the qualitative work to a quantitative survey instrument administered to private landowners in the WLEB. Our work seeks to discover if farmers in the WLEB are driven by the same motivations found in Hansson's analysis, highlight the primary motivations of the likelihood of CW installation and see how productivity moderates the relationship between these motivations and willingness, and measure how conservation-mindedness affects willingness to implement. While we find certain similarities with Hansson's work, we find that the decision to implement a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Robyn Wilson (Advisor); Eric Toman (Committee Member); Alia Dietsch (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science; Environmental Studies

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 0, Mass Communication (Communication)

Turkish television series has a global popularity and loyal non-Turkish audience fandom. Many of these fans do not see Turkish television shows as simply another version of soap operas or telenovelas. Rather, the Turkish dizi is a unique form, reflected by Turkey's specific hybrid culture and historical East-West synthesis. This dissertation used amulti-method approach and aimed to provide a holistic explanation for the global popularity of Turkish television series. Three aspects were investigated: the role of media creators in the process of making a television series, non-Turkish audience perspectives on structural elements in the shows, and Middle Eastern audience perspectives on Turkish actors and actresses. In-depth interviewing techniques were used in the first study to probe decisions made by creative media workers in the process of making a television series. In the second study, in-depth and structured interviews were provided to global fans of Turkish television series to uncover their reasons for viewing the series. In both studies, admiration towards Turkish performers was a common emerging theme so a third experimental design study was conducted to measure audience casting preferences.Interpretation of the collected qualitative data suggests media creators and executives do not explicitly create Turkish television series for non-Turkish audiences. Instead, structural factors in the process of making the series and casting decisions influence watching behaviors of non-Turkish audiences. This also inadvertently contributes to Turkey's soft power efforts in the region. Furthermore, the third study showed that Middle Eastern audiences prefer stereotypical Western appearances for performers in the series and such casting choices might influence the popularity of Turkish television series.

Committee: Drew McDaniel (Committee Chair); Suetzl Wolfgang (Committee Member); Chawla Dewika (Committee Member); Eliaz Ofer (Committee Member) Subjects: Mass Communications

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2020, Psychology/Clinical

Unwanted consensual sex, when a person willingly consents to sexual activity that is unwanted in some way, is a largely understudied sexual behavior despite its relatively common prevalence. Many researchers have conceptualized unwanted consensual sex to be a negative sexual experience and even to lie on the spectrum of sexual coercion and violence. Previous research has demonstrated associations between unwanted consensual sex and poorer relationship quality and sexual satisfaction, but no research has investigated its potential association with psychological functioning. Additionally, there has been a lack of research on the role of motivations for unwanted consensual sex, though initial evidence suggests that reasons for having unwanted consensual sex may be differentially related to certain outcomes. Using an approach-avoidance motivational framework, I tested moderation models exploring how frequency of unwanted consensual sex relates to mental health and relationship variables, with either approach or avoidance motivations as moderators. A sample of 704 sexually active adults of varied age, gender, sexual orientation, and relationship status were surveyed using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Forty-four percent of the total sample endorsed engaging in unwanted consensual sex in the past year. Frequency of unwanted consensual sex was positively associated with mental health symptoms and negatively associated with well-being (marginally significant) and relationship quality. Results indicate that approach motivations for unwanted consensual sex did not moderate the relation between frequency of unwanted consensual sex and relationship quality as hypothesized. There was modest support for avoidance motivations for unwanted consensual sex as a moderator of the relation between frequency of unwanted consensual sex and mental health symptoms as well as well-being. Taken together, the findings provide initial support for the use of a motivational framework to understand unwa (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Eric Dubow Ph.D. (Advisor); Jeanne Novak Ph.D. (Other); Anne Gordon Ph.D. (Committee Member); Joshua Grubbs Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

PHD, Kent State University, 2019, College of Communication and Information / School of Communication Studies

This dissertation examined how parents share and manage their depression-related private information with children. Based on the communication privacy management theoretical framework (Petronio, 2002; 2013), this study explored how cultural factors, personality characteristics, and collective privacy boundary management factors influence parental collective privacy boundary management satisfaction. More specifically, this study examined how stigma, family privacy orientation, disclosure/nondisclosure motivations, parental openness, parent and parental perceptions of child revisitation of the privacy boundary, and parental privacy rules influence parental satisfaction of the collective privacy boundary management process with children. The study found that families who cultivate more openness in their current family's interior privacy orientation are also more open with children regarding depression-related private information. Four parental motivations for disclosure were positive significant predictors of more openness, including catharsis, duty to inform/educate, close relationship, and similarity. Parents with higher levels of concern about protecting children are less open with them about depression-related content. A hierarchical multiple regression demonstrated the practicality and usefulness of the model in describing parental satisfaction with collective privacy boundary management with children. Each step of the model factored significantly into parental privacy management satisfaction levels. Parental motivations for disclosure/nondisclosure have the most significant impact on parental satisfaction with collective privacy boundary management. Understanding the perspectives that parents bring into their disclosure decisions is significant to helping parents to have healthy dialogue with their children regarding their depression.

Committee: Jeffrey Child T (Advisor) Subjects: Communication

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Psychology

Using an online data collection procedure, I assessed the level of importance (not at all to very important) of each of 17 possible reasons for lifelong abstention from each of four drugs (prescription stimulants, prescription opioids, cocaine, and heroin) reported by 768 undergraduates enrolled at a large state-supported university. Each participant also completed personality measures that assessed trait self-control, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and intellect/imagination. Factor analyses indicated that 16 of the 17 reasons for abstinence comprised four clusters, and I created four subscale scores for each participant by calculating mean ratings for the reasons that loaded on each of the factors. With few exceptions, ANOVAs revealed that importance ratings for each of the four subscales (Negative Consequences, Not Enjoyable, Social Disapproval, and Difficult to Acquire) and the non-loading reason (Against One's Beliefs) were highest for heroin, followed in descending order by cocaine, prescription opioids and, finally, prescription stimulants. Reasons reflecting Negative Consequences were rated most important for each of the four drugs. Reasons reflecting the drugs being Difficult to Acquire were rated as the least important type of reason. These findings suggest that reasons for abstinence are viewed by lifelong abstainers as less important for prescription drugs than they are for comparable nonprescription drugs. Although multiple regressions revealed statistically significant associations between the personality characteristics and reported importance ratings, the associations were quite small (all adjusted R2 ranged from 0.015 to 0.101) suggesting that these personality characteristics may not be reliable predictors of students' reasons for abstaining from these substances. To the degree that these findings generalize across the population of university students, it appears that university students view each type of reason for a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Harold Rosenberg Ph.D. (Advisor); Michael Zickar Ph.D. (Committee Member); Joshua Grubbs Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

PHD, Kent State University, 2018, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to understand and describe the motivations of faculty involvement in internationalization. The findings suggest that key influences that underlie faculty engagement in internationalization include the desire to facilitate and enhance student learning and development; to prepare global citizens; commitment to issues and causes of personal interest; and to increase reputation of academic programs. The findings also showed that intrinsic rewards, rather than extrinsic rewards, have a stronger influence on faculty involvement in internationalization. Finally, yet importantly, analysis revealed that time-commitment, lack of rewards, and insufficient funding are some of the barriers to increased faculty participation in internationalization. These findings provide valuable insights, which enhance our understanding of the drivers of and deterrents to increased faculty engagement in internationalization activities.

Committee: Martha Merrill Ph.D (Committee Chair) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Master of Applied Communication Theory and Methodology, Cleveland State University, 2017, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Previous research has indicated that the overuse of mobile devices by youths, especially at work or in class, can be disruptive to others, and be detrimental to the individual engaged in this activity in regards to task performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between distraction due to use of mobile devices, while engaged in a task, and subsequent recall of details being presented during exposure to a stimulus. Due to the ubiquitous and pervasive nature of mobile devices in today's youth culture, and in our society as a whole, understanding and explaining what personality types and dispositions, are likely to engage in the overuse of mobile devices, and how their motivations for acquiring and using mobile devices in the first place may potentially impact the users task performance, could possibly enlighten parents, educators, and even the subject themselves as to the causes and ramifications of such behavior; thus, paving the way to possibly developing and establishing protocols that might allow individuals to use these devices more effectively and responsibly. This investigation found that there is a significant overall inverse relationship between distraction by mobile device use while on task and attention to the details of the stimulus being presented. Persons between the ages of 26 and 40, and the personality type of Neuroticism showed some relation to being distractible. The study also found evidence that the personality type of Openness, those whose motivation for using mobile devices were utility based, and females were more likely to pay closer attention to the details of a stimulus (when controlling for all other variables including distraction by mobile device use).

Committee: Anup Kumar Ph.D. (Advisor); Kimberly Neuendorf Ph.D. (Committee Member); Cheryl Bracken Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Multimedia Communications

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2017, Medicine: Genetic Counseling

Genetic testing for inherited cancer risk has recently improved through the advent of multi-gene panels and the addition of deletion and duplication analysis of the BRCA genes. The primary aim of this study was to determine which factors influence the intent of individuals with a personal history of breast and/or ovarian cancer and negative or uncertain BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing to return to a hereditary cancer program for additional genetic risk assessment, counseling, and testing. Surveys were sent to 1,197 individuals and 257 were returned. Of those participants who were planning to return to clinic, most cited having family members who could benefit from the test result as the primary motivation to return. Many participants who were not planning to return to clinic cited the cost of testing as a barrier to return. Cost of testing and concerns about insurance coverage were the most commonly cited barriers for the group of participants who were undecided about returning to clinic. Results from this study may be used to guide re-contact efforts by clinicians to increase patient uptake to return to clinic for up-to-date genetic risk assessment, counseling, and testing.

Committee: Jaime Lewis M.D. (Committee Chair); Hua He M.S. (Committee Member); Jennifer Hopper M.S. L.G.C. (Committee Member); Sara Rankin Knapke M.S. (Committee Member); Rebecca Sisson M.S. L.G.C. (Committee Member) Subjects: Genetics

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2017, Food and Nutrition Sciences (Health Sciences and Professions)

Collegiate modern dancers comprise a population of athletes that have not been studied thoroughly in terms of diet and motivations for dietary choices. Professional ballet dancers are well-documented to have higher rates of disordered eating to achieve weight and aesthetic goals. However, it is unclear if collegiate modern dancers have similar dietary issues to professional ballet dancers; thus, recommendations based on studies of professional ballet dancers may not be appropriate to use with collegiate modern dancers. The purpose of this study is to analyze modern dancers at Ohio University to determine the adequacy of their diets, and to find themes in motivations behind their dietary choices in order to understand this population better and to provide guidelines for better, more specific nutritional care. The long-term goal is to better understand the dietary behaviors of these athletes to inform appropriate recommendations to improve their nutrition. The modern dancers studied in this research tended to be heavier and more physically active than ballet and modern dancers that have been studied in the past. Based on their intakes, they were not consuming an adequate diet compared to the recommended daily allowances (RDA) in the majority of nutrients. They reported consuming adequate amounts of kilocalories and total fat and inadequate amounts of zinc, iron, vitamin D, vitamin E, potassium, chloride, copper, and chromium.

Committee: Robert Brannan PhD (Committee Chair); Jeff Russell PhD (Advisor); Darlene Berryman PhD (Committee Member); Elizabeth Beverly PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Dance; Health; Health Sciences; Nutrition

Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2016, Theatre Arts-Arts Administration

The purpose of this study is to explore audience engagement efforts by local arts organizations, Neos Dance Theatre and Summit Choral Society, to determine the most impactful strategies for building and sustaining audiences for New World Performance Laboratory. This thesis also discusses the definition of development and engagement strategies in the 21st century, relationship between arts and community, and motivations and barriers related to arts attendance in order to obtain a broader knowledge of audience engagement. The strategies learned from local arts organizations may inspire other arts organizations to develop more creative strategies and to enrich the arts in the Akron community.

Committee: James Slowiak (Advisor); Beth Rutkowski (Committee Member); Elisa Gargarella PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Arts Management

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2016, Environment and Natural Resources

After the development of the National Organic Standards, scholars began to observe increasing consolidation and reliance on less sustainable production practices in organic agriculture. Scholars argued that these industrial forces – consolidation and conventionalization – could push small and midscale farmers out of production by altering the economic incentives of organic production. Previous scholarly work indicates that a farm household's decisions are often motivated by multiple and complex goals, and a household may prioritize remaining in agricultural production because of its social and personal benefits despite economic pressures to exit. To remain economically viable farm households sacrifice short-term economic gains or diversify their operation so it remains financially sustainable. However, there is limited work on the non-economic motivations and diversification strategies of organic farm households. To fill this gap in the literature, I expand on previous work on substantive rationality, agriculture at the rural urban interface (RUI) and Meert et al.'s (2005) model of farm diversification. I found that organic farmers expressed higher non-economic motivations, engaged in less local sales, off-farm employment, and greater commodity diversification than their conventional counterparts. These results provide mixed support for previous assumptions about the differences between organic and conventional farmers, and raise several questions about the structure of organic farming at the RUI.

Committee: Linda Lobao (Advisor); Sharp Jeff (Committee Member); Clark Jill (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Master of Arts (M.A.), University of Dayton, 2015, Psychology, Clinical

Past research has reported self-disclosure as an important process in both general and romantic relationships. However, research demonstrates that certain disclosures are risky in content (e.g., past relationship experiences) and could lead to subsequent relationship conflict, such as embarrassment or alienation. However, several advantages of self-disclosure have been identified, such as establishment of mutual liking and increased intimacy. Other theories have posited that specific social incentives often drive the decision to disclose or not disclose. Newman (1982) developed a theory about why partners talk about past partners to current partners, and theorized that there are five potential motivations explaining this behavior. To our knowledge, no current studies exist that empirically measure how different motivations for talking about past partner experiences to current partners might be related to various relational and personal characteristics. The purpose of this study is twofold. Study one focuses on the creation of a measure assessing Newman's differing motivations. Cronbach's alphas were run to assess internal consistency of motivational scale items. Study two seeks to re-establish internal consistency and demonstrate construct validity between motivational subscales and correlates under investigation. Thus, the ability of the motivational subscales to predict outcome variables above and beyond the general tendency to disclose was achieved by controlling for general disclosure through partial correlation analyses. Findings demonstrate evidence for the predictive power of three out of the five motivational subscales independent of one's general tendency to disclose. Suggestions are made regarding the remaining subscales less predictive of the tested outcome variables.

Committee: Lee Dixon (Committee Chair); Erin O'Mara (Committee Member); Jackson Goodnight (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2016, Psychology/Clinical

Although many people play online games with few if any consequences, others appear to become addicted to such games. Consequences and symptoms of online gaming addiction can be severe, and may include inordinate time playing the game, sleep deprivation, social and romantic impairment, loss of control over gameplay, ceasing participation in other activities, and loss of educational or career opportunities. Despite these consequences, little research exists regarding interpersonal and intrapersonal factors and aspects of game structure that are associated with indicators of online gaming addiction. Identifying and examining these factors may help clinicians treat individuals who have difficulty moderating online gaming behavior, and may help parents or players choose varieties of games with lower addiction potential. Therefore, I designed the current study to examine several factors that may be associated with the number of endorsed indicators of online gaming addiction, including craving to play online games, motivations for playing online games, harmonious and obsessive passion for playing, and the match between players' motivations for playing games and the structure of their game of choice. Using web-based recruitment and data-collection procedure, 542 participants completed questionnaires to assess indicators of online gaming addiction, craving, motivations, passionate attachment, and structural characteristics of their preferred game. On average, participants met 2 of 9 possible criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder, and 8% would be categorized as having Internet Gaming Disorder using a cut-off score of 5 criteria. Regression analyses to predict number of indicators of gaming addiction revealed the best predictors were obsessive passion, being motivated to play to escape from adverse moods or life problems, and craving scores. Regression analyses to predict craving for online game playing revealed the best predictors were being motivated to play to escape from a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Harold Rosenberg Ph.D. (Advisor); William O'Brien Ph.D. (Committee Member); Anne Gordon Ph.D. (Committee Member); Amy Morgan Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology