Showing papers by "University of Colorado Colorado Springs published in 1989"

Evidence for terror management theory: I. The effects of mortality salience on reactions to those who violate or uphold cultural values.

Abstract: On the basis of terror management theory, it was hypothesized that when mortality is made salient, Ss would respond especially positively toward those who uphold cultural values and especially negatively toward those who violate cultural values. In Experiment 1, judges recommended especially harsh bonds for a prostitute when mortality was made salient. Experiment 2 replicated this finding with student Ss and demonstrated that it occurs only among Ss with relatively negative attitudes toward prostitution. Experiment 3 demonstrated that mortality salience also leads to larger reward recommendations for a hero who upheld cultural values. Experiments 4 and 5 showed that the mortality salience effect does not result from heightened self-awareness or physiological arousal. Experiment 6 replicated the punishment effect with a different mortality salience manipulation. Implications for the role of fear of death in social behavior are discussed.

Organization-Based Self-Esteem: Construct Definition, Measurement, And Validation

Abstract: The article introduces the construct “organization-based self-esteem” and its measurement. We developed a partial nomological network resulting in a set of hypotheses that guided efforts to validat...

Concepts of programming languages

Abstract: From the Publisher: This best-selling book, now in its fourth edition, provides a wide-ranging and in-depth discussion of programming language concepts. As in previous editions, the author describes fundamental concepts of programming languages by presenting design issues of the various language constructs, examining the design choices for these constructs in a few common languages, and critically comparing the design alternatives. The book covers the most widely used methods of syntax description and introduces the most common approaches to describing the semantics of programming languages. Discussions of implementation methods and issues are integrated throughout the book.

Methods and apparatus for material deposition

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming thin films of chemical compounds utilized in integrated circuits. The method includes steps of forming a precursor liquid comprising a chemical compound in a solvent, providing a substrate within a vacuum deposition chamber, producing a mist of the precursor liquid, and flowing the mist into the deposition chamber while maintaining the chamber at ambient temperature to deposit a layer of the precursor liquid on the substrate. The liquid is dried to form a thin film of a solid material on the substrate, then the integrated circuit is completed to include at least a portion of the film of solid material in a component of the integrated circuit.

Depression, self-focused attention, and the negative memory bias.

Abstract: On the basis of self-regulatory perseveration theory, we hypothesized that the negative memory bias commonly found among depressed people is mediated by excess levels of self-focused attention and thus can be reduced by preventing depressed people from focusing on themselves. In Experiment I, nondepressed and subclinically depressed college students were induced to focus either on themselves or externally and then to recall 10 events that had happened to themselves during the previous 2 weeks. Consistent with our hypotheses, events recalled by depressed Ss were more negative than events recalled by nondepressed Ss under conditions of self-focus but not under conditions of external focus. We conducted Experiment 2 to determine whether this effect was specific to self-referent events or generalizable to events that happened to other people. Experiment 2's findings replicated the previous findings for self-referent events but showed a different pattern for recall of events that happened to others, suggesting that self-focus reduces the negative memory bias among depressed individuals by deactivating their self-schemas. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Multilayer electrodes for integrated circuit capacitors

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer capacitor structure in an integrated circuit, including a first electrode constructed by forming at least one layer over a substrate and forming a plate layer over the previous layer(s). A dielectric layer is formed over this first electrode, and a second electrode is established over the dielectric layer by forming a plate layer over the dielectric layer, and forming at least one additional layer over the plate layer. Each layer may serve one or more functions. Also disclosed is a further embodiment including constructing a first electrode by forming at least one layer on a substrate, forming a plate layer over the previous layer(s), and forming a dielectric layer over the first electrode. The resulting structure is then heated, preferably in an oxygen ambient, to oxidize the lower layer. A second electrode can then be formed over the dielectric layer.

Printed circuit board through hole technique

Abstract: A process of forming plated through-holes in a printed circuit board involves placing a film of fluid ink having electrically conductive properties on a side wall of the hole, curing the film to a solid and electroplating a layer of metal on the conductive ink film. The conductive ink preferably is a composition including conductive particles such as carbon and silver flakes. The ink also preferably includes a thermosetting or radiation curable binder and a thinner. The film of ink is cured before the layer of metal is electroplated thereon. The plated through-hole is protected from the etchant when the conductors are etched by placing a radiation curable putty material into the hole, curing it, and then depositing a layer of resist on top of the cured putty and a conductive sheet clad to the substrate of the circuit board.

Preparing is students to deal with ethical issues

Abstract: The recent series of ethics violations in business (e.g., insider trading) has caused a number of firms to begin courses in ethics for employees. Unless professionals improve their ethical practices, legislation will force them to do so. The ACM and DPMA curriculum recommendations include ethics topics. An important issue is the proper education of IS students to deal with on-the-job ethical situations. Unfortunately, ethics education gets lost among the myriad of subjects to be taught in IS courses. But there is an effective pedagogical approach for this material. The approach requires students to determine how they would act in various ethical scenarios. This "personalization" method may be the first step toward proper ethical behavior in the workplace. While not a rigorous scientific treatment of the subject, the classroom experiences reported here may be helpful for IS faculty and IS trainers as they develop improved ethics instruction.

A direct manipulation interface for boolean information retrieval via natural language query

Abstract: This paper describes the design of a direct manipulation user interface for Boolean information retrieval. Intended to overcome the difficulties of manipulating explicit Boolean queries as well as the “black box” drawbacks of so-called natural language query systems, the interface presents a two-dimensional graphical representation of a user's natural language query which not only exposes heuristic query transformations performed by the system, but also supports query reformulation by the user via direct manipulation of the representation. The paper illustrates the operation of the interface as implemented in the AI-STARS full-text information retrieval system.

Partitioning of Boolean logic equations into physical logic devices

Abstract: An automated system for partitioning a set of Boolean logic equations onto one or more devices selected from a plurality of commercially available devices. The system utilizes a processor having a memory containing information on the different architectural types of devices, physical device information on individual devices and user generated design constraints, weighting factors and partitioning directives. Based upon this stored information, the system of the present invention selects all acceptable architectural types of devices wherein at least one of the Boolean logic equations can be placed thereon. For all physical devices associated with the acceptable architectural types only those devices which fall within the selected user constraints are selected. The system then evaluates the weighting factors to order the devices in order of cost value and then fits the equations according to the partitioning directives to the devices. During the fitting process, an optimum device solution is attained having a least cost value for which the system produces an output map suitable for the user of the system to configure the selected devices to implement the set of equations.

Collision avoidance system

Abstract: A collision avoidance system providing to each properly equipped vehicle an indication of the locational direction, heading, and relative velocity of other similarly equipped vehicles or stationary objects. Each vehicle in the system is equipped with a transponder module which transmits information data relating to that vehicle, and receives information data relating to the other similarly equipped vehicles. A central reference time signal transmitter is provided for transmitting a reference timing signal which effectively synchronizes each of the transponder modules. Upon receiving the reference timing signal, the transponder module subsequently transmits information data relating to that particular vehicle. Each of the transponder modules is allocated a unique time period for transmission of its information data. Thus, the system can accommodate a great number of transponder modules within the system, each transmitting their respective information data during unique time slots during a relatively small time frame.

Comparison of programs for teaching personal safety skills to preschoolers

Abstract: We compared the relative effectiveness of two educational approaches for teaching personal safety skills with 100 preschoolers. A behavioral skills training program was compared with a feelings-based program, which instructs children to trust their feelings when making safety decisions. Children's abilities to discriminate between appropriate- and inappropriate-touch requests, their prevention skills, and levels of emotional distress were assessed before, immediately, and one month after program participation. Parents and teachers were surveyed regarding children's reactions. Compared with a control presentation, both programs were effective in enhancing children's knowledge and prevention skills without making them fearful, suggesting that preschool children can benefit from such programs. However, children in the feelings-based program had difficulty recognizing the appropriateness of certain touch requests, suggesting that this approach may have limited utility with preschool-age children.

Non-volatile ram with integrated compact static ram load configuration

Abstract: A non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) cell of condensed size employs a pair of programmable threshold voltage devices, e.g. MNOS (metal nitride oxide semiconductor), SNOS (silicon nitride oxide semiconductor), SONOS (silicon oxide-nitride-oxide semiconductor) or floating gate transistors, in which different threshold voltage levels are established in accordance with the data signal levels existing on the data nodes of a flip flop, when the volatile data is stored in the programmable devices. During recall of the non-volatile stored data to the data nodes of the flip flop, the programmable devices actively conduct current to the data nodes to set the flip flop in the same state that existed when the data was stored. Power is supplied to the flip flop independently of the power supplied to the programmable devices. A single polysilicon conductor forms gates of transistors which connect the programmable devices to the data nodes and the gates of the flip flop transistors. A load device for each data node is integrated in the single polysilicon conductor. A dynamic program inhibit capability is achieved in each programmable device during the store operation, by applying a series of programming signal pulses.

Convergent Validity of Four Computer Anxiety Scales

Abstract: Intercorrelations of four scales purporting to measure computer anxiety exhibited convergent validity among college students.

Track seek recovery system and method

Abstract: At the conclusion of a track seek operation, handoff to track following servo control is delayed for a short time period during which the drive microprocessor determines if the head has failed to stop at the target track by sensing the occurrence of a predetermined number of track crossing pulses, the detection of which causes iterative generation and application of braking current pulses to the head actuator motor. The amplitude and duration of each braking current pulse is chosen to cause forward motion of the head to be retarded to a predetermined percent of its pre-existing velocity. The microprocessor routine includes provision for iteratively determining when the head has slowed to a velocity which allows the track following servo to acquire control of the head. Once stopped on a track, a short seek is executed to return the head to the desired target track. Provision is also made in the microprocessor routine to iteratively determine direction of head movement to complement the polarity of the braking current pulse in the event a previous pulse has reversed the direction of head movement thus assuring that the braking current pulses always result in retarding forward motion of the head.

Partner notification in the control of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Abstract: Partner notification should be standard public health practice in the control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A universal partner notification program for the United States is affordable, operationally manageable, and can effectively reach high-risk persons. Such a focused approach personalizes the epidemic and probably enhances the efficacy of risk reduction messages. Confidentiality protections are attainable. Voluntary partner notification is acceptable to our constituents; while counseling is "mandatory," testing is optional. Evidence of partner notification's usefulness as a case prevention tool should be a by-product of program outcomes and not a prerequisite for its implementation.

Adhering to Organizational Culture: What Does It Mean? Why Does It Matter?

Abstract: As a result of pervasive interest in communication and culture, increasing efforts are being focused on understanding communication/culture relationships and relating them to important organizational processes and outcomes. In an effort to contribute to our understanding, the present study was designed to determine whether thematic rules can be identified as direct reflections of culture and to relate thematic organizational rules to employee values, perceptions of actual and desired message sending and receiving activities, and organizational outcomes, such as perceptions of organizational success and satisfaction with organizational relationships and rewards. The results indicated that rule-value discrepancies, message sending differences, message receiving uncertainty, work satisfaction, and estimations of organizational quality and survival are interrelated and supportive of previously postulated theoretical relationships among values, culture, behaviors, and outcomes.

Biased Information Search in the Interpersonal Domain

Abstract: An experiment was conducted to investigate the conditions under which people selectively seek information about other persons to provide an informational basis for desired positive or negative evaluations of those persons. It was hypothesized that active involvement in an interaction with another person is prerequisite to the occurrence of such biased search. Subjects either received or observed another subject receive a positive or negative evaluation from a confederate. After being led to expect that available information about the confederate was either mostly positive or mostly negative, their interest in acquiring such information was assessed. Subjects who were the recipients of the confederate's praise sought more information when they expected it to be positive than when they expected it to be negative; recipients of the confederate's criticism sought more information when they expected it to be negative than when they expected it to be positive. No hint of such biased search tendencies were found...

A comparison of cognitive‐behavioral and hypnotic treatments of chronic pain

Abstract: Twenty-seven chronic pain patients were assigned to one of three treatment groups: hypnosis, cognitive-behavioral, and an attention control. Hypnosis and cognitive-behavioral treatments were identical with the exception of the hypnotic induction. Scores on the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and the Activity Log (Fordyce, 1976) were collected at pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up intervals. Analyses of changes showed significant increases in activity and decreases in pain intensity for the cognitive-behavioral treatment. Changes for the hypnosis treatment were noted only on the MPQ. Changes for both groups were sustained on the 1-month follow-up. Results of ANCOVAs showed that the cognitive-behavioral treatment resulted in significantly lower pain rating scores than those in the control treatment, but no significant differences were observed between the behavior and hypnosis groups. Findings support the superiority of the cognitive-behavioral treatment on behavior measures and equivalence to hypnosis on subjective measures.

SRAM with programmable capacitance divider

Abstract: A transpolarizer is employed as a programmable capacitance divider. Two ferroelectric capacitors are coupled in series to form a common node and two extreme poles. The polarization of the two capacitors is set by grounding the two poles and then bringing them both up to VCC while impressing a voltage at the common node corresponding to data to be stored. Therefore, while one pole is held at VSS, the other pole is pulsed from VSS to VCC with the common node floating. A voltage develops at the common node which is above or below the midpoint between VSS and VCC, and will be indicative of the stored data. The capacitance divider is programmed in accordance with data. One such divider is added to a DRAM memory cell to form a shadow DRAM cell. Two such dividers are added to a static RAM memory cell to form a shadow static RAM cell. The same divider arrangement is operable in both volatile and non-volatile modes. An improvement arises by using PZT as dielectric in 54:46 mole ratio.

One transistor memory cell with programmable capacitance divider

Abstract: A transpolarizer is employed as a programmable capacitance divider. Two ferroelectric capacitors are coupled in series to form a common node and two extreme poles. The polarization of the two capacitors is set by grounding the two poles and then bringing them both up to VCC while impressing a voltage at the common node corresponding to data to be stored. Therefore, while one pole is held at VSS, the other pole is pulsed from VSS to VCC with the common node floating. A voltage develops at the common node which is above or below the midpoint between VSS and VCC, and will be indicative of the stored data. The capacitance divider is programmed in accordance with data. One such divider is added to a DRAM memory cell to form a shadow DRAM cell. Two such dividers are added to a static RAM memory cell to form a shadow static RAM cell. The same divider arrangement is operable in both volatile and non-volatile modes. An improvement arises by using PZT as dielectric in 54:46 mole ratio.

Two-cycle engine with electronic fuel injection

Abstract: A fuel injection system (10) for a two-stroke cycle engine comprising an air mainfold (80); a throttle valve (82); a fuel injector (92); a fuel supply system including a fuel pump (112); a battery voltage sensor (134); an air temperature sensor (136); an engine speed sensor (140); a timing sensor (142); a barometric pressure sensor (144); a throttle position sensor (146); a first data processor (171); for receiving and processing sensing signals for determining fuel injector duration and timing and fuel pump operating speed; a first data processor temperature sensor (176) for sensing the relative temperature of certain electronic components in the first data processor; a heater (174) operatively associated with the first data processor (171) electronic components for selectively heating the electronic components; and a second data processor (173) operable independently of the first data processor (171) for receiving an electronic component temperature sensing signal and for generating a control signal to the heater (174) responsive thereto for heating the components when the temperature thereof is below a predetermined minimum value.

Personality profiles of the morbidly obese.

Abstract: Personality characteristics of 150 morbidly obese patients (100 pounds or more over ideal weight) were investigated. The patients were given the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and a new, self-report personality disorder inventory. The study attempted to determine whether particular personality variables could predict success or failure at weight loss six months post-surgery. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed no significant differences on any of the personality variables when the patients were divided into "good," "fair," and "poor" success categories. Rank order MMPI scale profiles and personality disorder profiles are presented and implications discussed.

Error limiting analog to digital converter

Abstract: A parallel analog-to-digital converter (10) having a sequence of comparators (50, 80, 110, 140, 170, 200, 230), a first set of logic gates (60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210) and a second set of logic gates (70, 100, 130, 160, 190), wherein each set of logic gates has inputs electrically connected to selected primary outputs (24) and complementary outputs (22) of the comparators.

Jurors' knowledge of battered women

Abstract: An increasing number of psychologists with expertise in the area of battered women are participating in the legal system as expert witnesses and occasionally testify on behalf of a battered woman who has injured or killed her partner. Testimony about the battered woman syndrome has been offered to help the jury understand why the defendant reasonably perceived that she was in danger of harm. One of the requirements of expert testimony is that it be beyond the common understanding of the jury. Many commentators assume that jurors are uninformed or misinformed about battered women and, thus, that expert testimony is necessary to educate them. This study evaluated what jurors know about violent relationships. Approximately 300 jurors read scenarios about spousal violence and answered a questionnaire dealing with circumstances surrounding such abuse. Results suggest that on certain dimensions of spousal violence, jurors are aware of empirical research findings. On other dimensions, jurors are less well-informed and could potentially benefit from the testimony of an expert.