Western Carolina University

About: Western Carolina University is a education organization based out in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 1660 authors who have published 3192 publications receiving 69454 citations.

Reshaping HRD in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Ethics of Care Approach

Abstract: The ProblemThe COVID-19 pandemic has shone a stark light on workplace inequities and injustices. Aside from disrupting daily routines and ways of working, the pandemic has unmasked significant and ...

Humor and Affective Consequences of a Stressful Task

Abstract: This study addressed the combined effects of trait humor and a humorous situation designed to generate mirth on affective consequences following anagram tasks inducing either low or high stress, and differences between men and women. The results revealed an overall greater benefit from viewing a humorous video versus a nonhumorous video with reduction in state anxiety and improvement in positive affect under both low and high stress. However, an interaction with gender indicated women benefiting more from the humorous condition under low stress and men benefiting more under high stress. At low trait humor, significantly lower state anxiety existed for those experiencing high stress and viewing a humorous versus nonhumorous video; no significant difference for type of video existed at high trait humor. Finally, a significant negative relationship existed between trait humor and anxiety for highly stressed women regardless of video viewed, no significant relationship was obtained for men. Results w...

Teaching thermodynamics with Physlets? in introductory physics

Abstract: This paper describes the use of interactive, Physlet®-based curricular material designed to help students learn concepts of thermodynamics with a particular focus on the use of kinetic theory models. These exercises help students visualize ideal gas particle dynamics and engine cycles, make concrete connections between mechanics and thermodynamics, and develop a conceptual framework for problem solving. Examples of curricular material from thermodynamics will be presented as well as the Web address for its download.

Does Age Matter? Judicial Decision Making in Age Discrimination Cases*

Abstract: Objective. Drawing upon research that suggests that race and gender may shape judicial views about legal issues pertaining to these attributes, this study conducts an investigation of the influence of age on judicial decision making in age discrimination cases. Methods. This research analyzed 544 age bias rulings and 1,592 decisions in racial and gender discrimination cases handed down in the federal district courts from 1984 to 1995. Descriptive statistics incorporating crossproduct ratios were analyzed, and logit models were developed. Predicted probabilities were utilized to isolate differences in predicted decision-making patterns for different age cohorts. Results. The youngest judges were least sympathetic to those who alleged that they were victims of age discrimination while the oldest judges were the most sympathetic to age discrimination claimants. This study also identified a generally more conservative decision-making pattern in age cases compared to cases dealing with racial and gender discrimination. Conclusions. The data support the hypothesis that increased age corresponds with increased pro-elderly decision making in age bias cases, though the effects appear at the age extremes among the very oldest and youngest judges. These results provide new evidence to support the social attribute model of judicial decision making, with a clear suggestion that some socioeconomic variables may affect judges’ decision making differently over time. It has been well documented in the popular press that the ‘‘baby boom’’ generation, which came of age during the 1960s and early 1970s, will soon be approaching retirement age. Because this growth in population was followed by a decline in the birthrate, the average age of the American population has increased. This aging of the population has not been lost on policymakers. Issues that have traditionally been of concern to older Americans have taken on new importance as more people approach

Joint reading between mothers and their head start children: Vocabulary development in two text formats

Abstract: The intent of this study was to examine the ways in which Head Start children's vocabulary was developed when they and their mothers engaged in joint reading contexts. Nineteen dyads were observed while interacting around expository texts presented in two formats: familiar (newspaper toy advertisements) and traditional (trade books). Dyads in this study were observed in their homes across four observations while reading a series of presented texts. Children's ability to identify words from the texts read was measured as was their comprehension of a standardized receptive vocabulary list. Mothers talked more than children in all contexts; furthermore, different forms of talk were observed around the different text formats. Correlational and sequential analyses indicated that children's word recall was best predicted by responsive maternal strategies, such as encouraging children to talk about the text, and children's modelling maternal strategies. Word recall and vocabulary, however, was significantly corr...