http://hdl.handle.net/1920/2918 Search the Channel search http://digilib.gmu.edu:8080/dspace/simple-search http://hdl.handle.net/1920/5645 Title: Type of Diversity and Subgroup Formation: Implications for Team Composition<br/><br/>Authors: Wiggins, Bryan K.<br/><br/>Abstract: The group faultline model (Lau & Murnighan, 1998, 2005) suggests that strong faultline groups, in which individuals within a group share several diversity characteristics with one another and not with other members, will lead to greater ingroup/outgroup perceptions than weaker faultline groups, in which all group members share some diversity characteristics and differ on others. Recent research has supported this model at the group level (Lau & Murnighan, 2005; Sawyer et al., 2006; Thatcher et al., 2003). In order to advance this line of research, it is necessary to understand why these differences occur. Discovering where ingroup/outgroup relationships exist within the group is the first step in understanding why faultlines may disrupt group processes. Dyadic level measures of subgroup perceptions (trust and conflict) between individuals differing on nationality and functionality in strong and weaker faultline conditions werecollected. Dyadic differences were found based on the demographic context of the group, the number of shared characteristics, and a combination of the two. However, not all dyads exhibited the expected relationships. Differences due to the demographic context of the group, the number of shared diversity characteristics, and the types of diversity characteristics shared are explored as possible reasons why some dyadic relationships, but not others, exhibited the expected ingroup/outgroup relationships. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:15:29 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1920/5644 Title: Institutional Aspects and Fiscal Outcomes of U.S. Municipal Governance<br/><br/>Authors: Rundle, Jonathan<br/><br/>Abstract: A large body of literature suggests that institutional arrangements for collective politicaldecisions are not simply “veils”, but exert a real influence on the particular policies thatemerge. This thesis is a compilation of three essays exploring various institutionalaspects of governance at the municipal level in the United States. Each essay empiricallytests whether those institutions have implications for public fiscal outcomes.The first essay attempts to investigate whether, and if so how, financial markets assessinstitutional arrangements where the policy outcomes will bear directly on the valuationof financial securities. A model of interest rate determination for municipal bond issuesis presented and tested using market data from bond issues to assess whether formal debtlimitations, tax limitations, and expenditure limitations affect municipal marketparticipants’ credit evaluations of the issuing governments. The empirical results suggestthat tax limits in particular increase borrowing costs to local governments byapproximately 5 to 8 basis points.The second essay tests whether increased jurisdictional competition in the local provisionof publicly financed goods results in lower per capita debt levels. The empirical resultsfind evidence that in U.S. metropolitan counties, increased jurisdictional fragmentationlowers all non-school related local government debt burdens, particularly non-guaranteeddebt.The final essay considers political institutions in large U.S. cities, and whetherpartisanship at the local level can impact fiscal outcomes. Specifically, the essay testswhether local politicians engage in the strategic use of debt. Two different models of thestrategic use of debt are tested by considering mayoral election prospects andcorresponding city per capita debt levels. The results do not support the hypothesis thatthis type of political behavior is a significant determinant of large U.S. city debt levels.The essay conjectures that other institutions such as strong Tiebout competition ormajoritarian electoral systems may mute or prevent partisanship behavior such as thestrategic use of debt. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:53:13 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1920/5643 Title: Sequencing Training Interventions to Promote Self-Regulation, Knowledge, and Adaptive Transfer<br/><br/>Authors: Ely, Katherine<br/><br/>Abstract: Changes in the nature of work, such as the shift away from repetitive and well-definedtasks toward increasingly novel and ambiguous tasks, require training programs toprepare trainees to be adaptable. As a result, researchers have examined a variety oftraining interventions designed to encourage different self-regulatory processes thattheory suggests are important for promoting knowledge acquisition and adaptive transfer(e.g., Bell & Kozlowski, 2008). The current study focused on two of these approaches:error management training and prompting strategy regulation. These interventions arebased on active learning principles and are theorized to increase adaptive transfer viaself-regulation and task knowledge. Despite the growing body of research in this area,this line of research has developed independently from the literature on the nature ofknowledge acquisition—despite evidence that self-regulatory processes are differentiallybeneficial at different stages of knowledge acquisition. As such, the present study wasdesigned to integrate research on adaptability training interventions with the literature onthe nature of knowledge acquisition. The results highlight the importance of consideringthe timing of implementing training interventions. Specifically, receiving errormanagement training in the first half of training led to higher levels of mid-trainingemotion control and basic knowledge, while receiving strategy regulation prompts in thesecond half of training led to higher levels of post-training motivation and strategicknowledge. Additionally, results from mediation analyses suggested that self-regulationprocesses and knowledge levels fully mediated the relationship between trainingconditions (early and late training) and adaptive transfer. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:30:56 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1920/5637 Title: Optimism and Inmates: Uncharted Territory<br/><br/>Authors: Heigel, Caron P<br/><br/>Abstract: National statistics indicate that the rate of incarceration is rising (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006). A high percentage of these inmates exhibit mental health issues and substance dependence upon entry into correctional facilities. As 95% of inmates are released back into the community, the period of incarceration is an optimal time to address inmates’ mental illness and substance dependence. It is important that research investigate mutable psychological variables to develop effective interventions that may help offenders upon release. One such promising variable is optimism. Research with community samples indicate that optimism, the expectation that good, rather than bad things will happen, is related to positive mood, perseverance in the face of adversity, and better mental and physical health (Carver & Scheier, 2002). Current research has found evidence that it is possible to help individuals increase their level of optimism. Given the positive outcomes routinely associated with high optimism, fostering optimism may be beneficial in the inmate population. However, before implementing interventionsdesigned to increase optimism, it is important to understand how this variable operates in an inmate population. Drawing on data from an ongoing longitudinal study, the present research study examined the relationship between optimism and several variables of interest in a sample of 523 inmates housed in an urban jail. Participants completed measures of theoretical and clinical interest upon entry to the jail (Time 1), upon release or transfer from the jail (Time 2, n = 268), and one-year post-release (Time 3, n=244). Direct effects were examined between optimism and treatment seeking, changes in mental health, negative behaviors one-year post-release, and positive behaviors one-year post-release. There was a significant inverse relationship between optimism and negative post-release outcomes (recidivism and drug use). All other relationships were non-significant. In addition to direct effects, alternative models were tested. There was no evidence of a curvilinear nature between optimism and the outcome variables. Psychopathy significantly moderated the relationship between optimism and self-reported treatment seeking and the relationship between optimism and positive post-release; stability in housing and employment. Examination of the nature of the interaction indicated that for low psychopaths, optimism was associated with treatment participation, living in more places during the first year following release, and shorter length of employment. However, for high psychopaths, optimism was related to lower levels of treatment participation, living in fewer places, and longer length of employment. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:38:08 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1920/5636 Title: An Examination of the Impact of Identity Conflict on the Relationship between Sexual and Religious Identities and Mental Health<br/><br/>Authors: di Bartolomeo, Amanda E.<br/><br/>Abstract: Research using samples of primarily heterosexual participants indicates that identificationwith a religious community promotes mental health and protects against psychopathology(George, Ellison, & Larson, 2002; Pargament, 2002). Additionally, research on lesbian,gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals indicates that identification with an LGB communityprovides similar mental health benefits (Bell & Weinberg, 1978; Hammersmith &Weinberg, 1973; Savin-Williams, 1990). However, limited research exists exploring therole of religious identification among LGB individuals. Existing research demonstratesmixed results for the benefits of religious identification among LGB individuals (Allen &Oleson, 1999; Greenberg, 1973, as cited in Rosario, et al., 2006; Mohr & Fassinger,2000; Shidlo, 1994; Szymanski, Chung, & Balsam, 2001; Woods, Antoni, Ironson, &Kling, 1999). Religious identification may not serve the same protective role for LGBindividuals that it does for heterosexual individuals because of the anti-gay dogmaprofessed by many major religious traditions. Previous research has suggested when twocommunities with which an individual identifies have conflicting values, weakeningidentification with one of those communities may lead to resiliency (Brodsky & Marx,2001). However, studies examining the role of religion in the lives of LGB individualshave not investigated the potential identity conflict between religious and LGB identities.The present study examined strength of identification and identity conflict for 174religiously-identified LGB individuals in a community sample. It was hypothesized thatidentity conflict would mediate the relationship between the interaction of LGB identityand religious identity and mental health outcomes, specifically, depression, anxiety, andlife satisfaction. Although the hypothesis was not supported, conflict did mediate therelationship between both LGB identification and religious identification, independently,and mental health outcomes. The current study demonstrated that as identity conflictincreases, LGB and religious identification decrease. Additionally, as identity conflictincreases, levels of depression and anxiety increase and life satisfaction decreases. Thecurrent study also investigated the mediational model for a subset of participants, thosewho endorsed belonging to a religious congregation, with similar results. Exploratoryanalyses investigated an alternative model, in which LGB identification, religiousidentification, and the interaction between the two mediated the relationship betweenconflict and mental health outcomes, but found that the hypothesized model demonstrateda better fit. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:19:42 GMT