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Title: A NEW FOCUS FOR THE STUDY OF PERSONAL INFLUENCE: PUBLIC SCHOOL DESEGREGATION.
Creator: ATHOS, DEBORAH E., Florida Atlantic University, Gatlin, Douglas S., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this thesis was to test hypotheses associated with the "two-step flow of communication." The uniqueness of this study rests in the new type of issue used as a data base--public school desegregation. This study relied on a larger effort by Drs. Douglas S. Gatlin, Everett F. Cataldo, and Micheal W. Giles in which over 6,000 respondents from eight Florida counties were interviewed. The extremely narrow context of personal influence and the overwhelming importance of personal...
Show moreThe purpose of this thesis was to test hypotheses associated with the "two-step flow of communication." The uniqueness of this study rests in the new type of issue used as a data base--public school desegregation. This study relied on a larger effort by Drs. Douglas S. Gatlin, Everett F. Cataldo, and Micheal W. Giles in which over 6,000 respondents from eight Florida counties were interviewed. The extremely narrow context of personal influence and the overwhelming importance of personal experiences in explaining why people change their minds suggest that successful community adjustment to integrated schooling will become a reality only through careful re-evaluation of existing desegregation policy.
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Date Issued: 1974
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13657
Subject Headings: Segregation in education, Communication--Research
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Foreign aid allocation: Humanitarian needs and donor interests.
Creator: McCluskie, Sean Edward., Florida Atlantic University, Vincent, Jack E., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines if characteristics of a foreign nation's economic, social and foreign policy affect U.S. policy makers foreign aid allocation decisions. The three years of 1981, 1985, 1988 were studied. There were several theories that were taken form previous literature that could be grouped generally into humanitarian interests and donor interests that were used to determine the rationale behind the U.S. foreign aid allocation. There were two stages in the study, the first asked: what...
Show moreThis thesis examines if characteristics of a foreign nation's economic, social and foreign policy affect U.S. policy makers foreign aid allocation decisions. The three years of 1981, 1985, 1988 were studied. There were several theories that were taken form previous literature that could be grouped generally into humanitarian interests and donor interests that were used to determine the rationale behind the U.S. foreign aid allocation. There were two stages in the study, the first asked: what are the characteristics of nations most likely to receive aid from the U.S.? The second stage asked among nations receiving aid, which attributes--humanitarian interests or donor interests--are associated with greater amount of aid?
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Date Issued: 1992
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14833
Subject Headings: Economic assistance, American, International economic relations, United States--Foreign economic relations
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AS SEEN BY FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATORS: LAND-USE AND WATER RESOURCE PROBLEMS.
Creator: HAMM, KEITH EDWARD., Florida Atlantic University, Thomas, Robert D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The major purposes of this study are (1) to ascertain legislators' perceptions of intergovernmental relations for policy issues and (2) to seek an explanation for these perceptions. The central focus of this thesis is on the 1972 Florida Legislature. Specifically, the focus is on the legislators' perceptions with regard to land use and water resource problems in Florida.
Date Issued: 1973
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13572
Subject Headings: Legislators--Florida--Attitudes, Land use--Law and legislation--Florida, Water resources development--Law and legislation--Florida, Water--Pollution--Law and legislation--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: INTRAGOVERNMENTAL AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ASPECTS OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL IN BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA.
Creator: DAVIS, NOREEN SNYDERMAN., Florida Atlantic University, Thomas, Robert D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis was prepared to ascertain how the activities of the county, state, and federal governments, affected the attitudes of top level Broward County officials who have formal responsibilities in the area of water pollution control in Broward County. Their attitudes were determined by their responses to questions on intra-governmental and intergovernmental cooperation in both general and specific areas. The specific areas were: program development and/or implementation, sharing...
Show moreThis thesis was prepared to ascertain how the activities of the county, state, and federal governments, affected the attitudes of top level Broward County officials who have formal responsibilities in the area of water pollution control in Broward County. Their attitudes were determined by their responses to questions on intra-governmental and intergovernmental cooperation in both general and specific areas. The specific areas were: program development and/or implementation, sharing information, sharing equipment, sharing manpower, sharing funding. The findings showed that in both the general and specific areas, county officials felt the intra-county relationship to be cooperative. In all categories but that of funding, the intra-county cooperative ratings were equal to or higher than the inter-level ratings. The high intra-county cooperative rating was attributed to the homogeneity of the respondents, and to their perceptions of the nature of the county, state, and federal water pollution control programs.
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Date Issued: 1972
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13474
Subject Headings: Water--Pollution--Florida--Broward County, Broward County (Fla)--Officials and employees--Attitudes
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: PERSONAL TRUST AND POLITICAL TRUST: AN EXAMINATION OF A RELATIONSHIP.
Creator: WELLINGS, CONSTANCE., Florida Atlantic University, Gatlin, Douglas S., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines the relationship between personal trust and cynicism and political trust and cynicism. In addition, it relates trust and cynicism to such variables as socio-economic status, issue orientation, voting behavior, partisanship, and political efficacy. The research revealed that political cynicism often exists independently of personal cynicism. Another important finding was that political cynicism is a flexible attitude that can vary over time. In addition, the data revealed...
Show moreThis thesis examines the relationship between personal trust and cynicism and political trust and cynicism. In addition, it relates trust and cynicism to such variables as socio-economic status, issue orientation, voting behavior, partisanship, and political efficacy. The research revealed that political cynicism often exists independently of personal cynicism. Another important finding was that political cynicism is a flexible attitude that can vary over time. In addition, the data revealed that political cynicism is very significantly related to political variables.
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Date Issued: 1972
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13518
Subject Headings: Political psychology, Cynicism
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Party Platforms: The Measurement of a Dualism in a Moving Consensus.
Creator: Elliott, Eric E., Huckshorn, Robert J., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The theory of a dualism in a moving consensus, as a covariance in the party's outlook on major governmental issues, is explained in the introduction of the paper. It is illustrated by the most noteworthy example, the convergence in attitudes of both parties on the importance of governmental aid in economic And social areas after the Great Depression. The importance of developing parallel examples of interparty dualism on other issues is presented as the goal of the paper. The utility of the...
Show moreThe theory of a dualism in a moving consensus, as a covariance in the party's outlook on major governmental issues, is explained in the introduction of the paper. It is illustrated by the most noteworthy example, the convergence in attitudes of both parties on the importance of governmental aid in economic And social areas after the Great Depression. The importance of developing parallel examples of interparty dualism on other issues is presented as the goal of the paper. The utility of the party platforms as the most suitable continuous documents available for the measurement of issue covariance is supported by a brief description of their historical background and the political processes involved in their completion . It is proposed that with the party leadership determining the process of their adoption, they are the best indicators of party attitude on major issues. Three platform hypotheses are presented to test the dualism theory. The first hypothesis tests the covariance of subject matter which each party develops in the major issue areas of the platforms, to prove that they are in agreement on the importance of the same problems. The test of the second hypothesis requires the proof of a similar covariance of attitude toward these issues. The third hypothesis is a test to eliminate the factor of being in or out of power as the prime determinant of a party's attitude toward major issues, rather than the dualism in a moving consensus which slowly changes a party's outlook. The background and methodology of content analysis is developed to show its application to the first hypothesis. The coding of the units of content on six major issue areas and their subsequent statistical correlation validated this hypothesis on the covariance of subject matter in the platform8. The technique of the Q-sort is explained as a measurement of party attitudes on the issues of Big Government and Interventionism. Correlation of Q-sort data from both parties on these issues did not support the second hypothesis. The data failed to show a dualism in party attitude similar to that found in subject matter. When the third hypothesis was tested by Q-sorting it was rejected because it indicated that a covariation of attitude toward the two issues is correlated with the parties' change in control of the presidency. It is therefore concluded that the theory of a dualism in a moving consensus does not extend itself to cover the issues tested . Instead it was indicated that the condition of being in or out of power is the main fa ctor in the formation of party attitude on the issues.
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Date Issued: 1968
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012586
Subject Headings: Political parties--United States, Popular fronts, Political psychology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Party Competition as a Function of Demographic Variables.
Creator: Corbett, A. M., Huckshorn, Robert J., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The general hypothesis is that variation in party competition can be accounted for in terms of socio-economic diversity. Since this general hypothesis is not amenable to direct testing, eleven lowerlevel hypotheses concerning the relationship between party competition and variation in socio-economic structure were used. The county was the unit of analysis. Party competition was measured for two levelsthe presidential and the gubernatorial--for each county. Party competition was defined at...
Show moreThe general hypothesis is that variation in party competition can be accounted for in terms of socio-economic diversity. Since this general hypothesis is not amenable to direct testing, eleven lowerlevel hypotheses concerning the relationship between party competition and variation in socio-economic structure were used. The county was the unit of analysis. Party competition was measured for two levelsthe presidential and the gubernatorial--for each county. Party competition was defined at each level in teras of the percentage of the vote which a county gave to the candidate who failed to carry the county. For the presidential levelf an average was taken for the 1956 and 1960 elections. Por the gubernatorial level, an average was taken for the elections between 1956 and 1960. The higher is the average, the higher is party competition for the county. Measured thusly, party competition was predicted to vary directly with: (1) per cent urban; (2) median income for the county; (3) median number of years of education of those twenty-five years of age or older; (4) the degree of income variation for the county; (5) the degree of variation in number of years of school completed by those twenty-five years of age or older in the county; (6) the degree of dispersion among the major occupational categories within the county; (7) population density per square mile; (8) the per cent of the labor force engaged in white-collar occupations; (9) the per cent Negro of the county population. Party competition was predicted to vary inversely with (l) the extent to which urbanism in a county deviated from fifty per cent ; and , (2) the extent to which the per cent employed in white-collar occupations deviated from fifty per cent. Multiple correlation and regression analysiB was used to teat the hypotheses. A selected sample was used, consisting of the counties of two sets of states. The Homogeneous Set consisted of the counties of Maine, New Hampshire, Wyoming, and North Dakota. The Heterogeneous Set consisted of the counties of New Jersey and Ohio. Also, these two sets were combined to form a Combined Set. The multiple correlation coefficients indicated that party competition could be accounted for in terms of socio-economic diversity to a significant degree at the presidential level but not at the gubernatorial level for each of the sets. However, many of the relationships were not in the predicted direction, indicating that party competition will not necessarily increase with all types of socio-economic diversity. A surprising finding was that the relationships between party competition and the independent variables were often reversed for the two ballot levels . It was suggested that perhaps two party systems are operating in these states at the different ballot levels. The most consistent finding was the negative relationship-contrary to the predicted positive relationship--between party competition and the median educational level of a county. Several others of the independent variables were found to have some tmportance, but there were many inconsistencies in the findings between the ballot levels and, to a lesser extent, between the sets of counties. The results auagest that the simple linear model which vas used might need complicating; the relationships may be more complex than can be accommodated by a linear model.
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Date Issued: 1968
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012585
Subject Headings: Political parties--United States, Geopolitics, Demography--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Patterns of Black Leadership in a Southern Community: 1946-1970.
Creator: Robinson, Trinette W., DeGrove, John M., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: Many approaches to the study of leadership have been limited to trait studies and patterns of race relations, neglecting on the whole the intra-group approach. Leadership may be present in a subcommunity or in an associational group when no political structure or formal decision-making position exists. When the political culture dictates the non-existence of an unassimilated minority group which comprises less than one-third of the voting population, a member of that group has less than a...
Show moreMany approaches to the study of leadership have been limited to trait studies and patterns of race relations, neglecting on the whole the intra-group approach. Leadership may be present in a subcommunity or in an associational group when no political structure or formal decision-making position exists. When the political culture dictates the non-existence of an unassimilated minority group which comprises less than one-third of the voting population, a member of that group has less than a remote chance of achieving electoral status. In that case, sub-community institutional forces (churches, schools, businesses, clubs) may give rise to a form of leadership which responds to the unmet needs and demands of the community. The emergent leadership becomes a function of the group and only after group needs and objectives are defined (articulated) do traits become important as they propel the individual into position. It is, therefore, necessary, if not sufficient, that the group perceive its leaders to be leaders.
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Date Issued: 1970
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012594
Subject Headings: African American leadership--Florida--West Palm Beach
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: PREDICTING INTERNATIONAL BEHAVIOR: THE EMPIRICAL RELEVANCE OF FIVE THEORIES.
Creator: BAKER, ROGER JOHN., Florida Atlantic University, Vincent, Jack E., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This study empirically tests two new theories of international relations elaborated by Jack E. Vincent as "Relative Status-Field Theory" and "Distance Theory." The findings are compared with empirical results for R. J. Rummel's "Attribute," "Social Field," and "Status-Field" Theories. The cowman philosophical foundation of the theories is discussed, and the basic assumptions and expectations of each theory are specified. The data and methodological procedures necessary for testing the...
Show moreThis study empirically tests two new theories of international relations elaborated by Jack E. Vincent as "Relative Status-Field Theory" and "Distance Theory." The findings are compared with empirical results for R. J. Rummel's "Attribute," "Social Field," and "Status-Field" Theories. The cowman philosophical foundation of the theories is discussed, and the basic assumptions and expectations of each theory are specified. The data and methodological procedures necessary for testing the theories are considered. Suggestions for further theoretical development and testing are given. An elementary knowledge of statistics is required, although some knowledge of multi-variate analysis would be helpful.
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Date Issued: 1975
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13697
Subject Headings: International relations--Research
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Predicting Municipal Expenditures.
Creator: Bozeman, Barry L., Vincent, Jack E., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The present research examines the proportions of the general expenditures of the nation's largest cities allocated for various functions of government. It is the intent of the research to determine whether the difference in proportions allocated to these functions may be predicted in terms of demographic and socio-economic attributes of the cities. Essentially, the research will be concerned with determining the degree of correlation between the dependent variables (the allocations) and the...
Show moreThe present research examines the proportions of the general expenditures of the nation's largest cities allocated for various functions of government. It is the intent of the research to determine whether the difference in proportions allocated to these functions may be predicted in terms of demographic and socio-economic attributes of the cities. Essentially, the research will be concerned with determining the degree of correlation between the dependent variables (the allocations) and the independent variables (the attributes) and explaining as much of the variance in the subject's spending patterns as is possible.
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Date Issued: 1970
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012583
Subject Headings: Municipal finance--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Neighborhood revitalization: The Community Development Corporation (CDC) and the climate of the political, social, and economic environment.
Creator: Cioci, Tripp., Florida Atlantic University, Turner, Robyne, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines the importance of a CDC in the revitalization efforts for the neighborhood. The thesis also examines various elements in the political, social, and economic climate, that can have an affect on the successful establishment of the community development corporation (CDC) as the agent for revitalization in the neighborhood. CDC presidents, neighborhood residents, presidents from private lending institutions, and government officials from various levels were interviewed in an...
Show moreThis thesis examines the importance of a CDC in the revitalization efforts for the neighborhood. The thesis also examines various elements in the political, social, and economic climate, that can have an affect on the successful establishment of the community development corporation (CDC) as the agent for revitalization in the neighborhood. CDC presidents, neighborhood residents, presidents from private lending institutions, and government officials from various levels were interviewed in an attempt to gauge the climate in which CDCs in Palm Beach County operate in. This analysis was used to predict the likelihood that the CDC will successfully be established as the agent for neighborhood revitalization in three neighborhoods in Palm Beach County.
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Date Issued: 1993
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14923
Subject Headings: Community development corporations--United States, Neighborhoods, City planning
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: PATTERNS OF CONFLICT AND COOPERATION FOR INTERNATIONAL GROUPS BASED ON SOCIAL FIELD THEORY.
Creator: SLITOR, JAMES LEWIS., Florida Atlantic University, Vincent, Jack E., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This study empirically tests Model II of Social Field Theory, a model elaborated by R. J. Rummel in the Dimensionality of Nations (DON) project at the University of Hawaii. The basic assumptions of this empirical theory are specified and the methodological considerations for transforming the sample data and testing the theory are presented in detail. Comparisons are made of the findings of this research to previous and similar empirical studies in international relations. The results of the...
Show moreThis study empirically tests Model II of Social Field Theory, a model elaborated by R. J. Rummel in the Dimensionality of Nations (DON) project at the University of Hawaii. The basic assumptions of this empirical theory are specified and the methodological considerations for transforming the sample data and testing the theory are presented in detail. Comparisons are made of the findings of this research to previous and similar empirical studies in international relations. The results of the tests cf Hodel II of Social Field Theory on 128 nation subjects and twenty international groups are presented and analyzed. Interpretations and policy implications are specified on the basis of these findings.
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Date Issued: 1979
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13973
Subject Headings: International relations--Methodology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: RACIAL AND ETHNIC SCHOOL SEGREGATION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS.
Creator: MATTHES, HORST-DIETER., Florida Atlantic University, Giles, Michael W., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This study has confined itself to examining two specific questions: (1) Are other minorities educationally isolated to the same extent as Negroes? and (2) Does the level of concentration of other minorities in the school population influence their segregation as has been the case for Negroes? Results of the present study show Negroes to fare significantly less favorably in the area of educational segregation than the other minorities under study. Furthermore, whereas the percent Negro showed...
Show moreThis study has confined itself to examining two specific questions: (1) Are other minorities educationally isolated to the same extent as Negroes? and (2) Does the level of concentration of other minorities in the school population influence their segregation as has been the case for Negroes? Results of the present study show Negroes to fare significantly less favorably in the area of educational segregation than the other minorities under study. Furthermore, whereas the percent Negro showed a significant relationship with the level of Negro school segregation, no such relationship was found for the other minorities in this study. Controlling for regional and ethnic variations did not significantly alter these findings.
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Date Issued: 1973
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13614
Subject Headings: Political Science, General
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: RECREATION AS AN ISSUE OF URBAN PUBLIC POLICY IN TWELVE SOUTH FLORIDA MUNICIPALITIES.
Creator: BERTALAN, JOHN J., Florida Atlantic University, DeGrove, John M., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis was undertaken to empirically investigate the reason or reasons for some municipalities to pursue a "high effort" per capita allocation for recreation while proximate communities demonstrate a "low effort." Twelve communities along the Florida Gold Coast satisfied four criteria and were selected in this comparative study, including Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami Beach. Comparable per capita recreation allocations were computed from the adopted 1971- 72 municipal budgets....
Show moreThis thesis was undertaken to empirically investigate the reason or reasons for some municipalities to pursue a "high effort" per capita allocation for recreation while proximate communities demonstrate a "low effort." Twelve communities along the Florida Gold Coast satisfied four criteria and were selected in this comparative study, including Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami Beach. Comparable per capita recreation allocations were computed from the adopted 1971- 72 municipal budgets. The Spearman rank order statistical test was performed on twelve demographic, social and economic independent variables to measure their association with the per capita allocations for recreation. Results: the percentage of the population with an income of $15,000 or more, and the tax quotient independent variables were positively associated, whereas the density and percentage of population 18 and under independent variables were negatively associated with the per capita recreation allocation.
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Date Issued: 1972
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13495
Subject Headings: Recreation--Florida--Management, Recreation--Economic aspects--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: TOWARD A MORE RESPONSIBLE USE OF UNIDIMENSIONAL DETERMINISTIC SCALING.
Creator: HERB, JAMES ALLAN., Florida Atlantic University, Thomas, Robert D., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this thesis is to examine the problem of employing unidimensional deterministic scaling in a multidimensional probabilistic world. The best known unidimensional deterministic scaling method is Guttman scaling. The scope of inquiry is limited to scaling with four dichotomous scale items. As a consequence of this examination, the paper offers two contributions to the study of scaling. First, it identifies two paradoxes of existing unidimensional deterministic scaling methods....
Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to examine the problem of employing unidimensional deterministic scaling in a multidimensional probabilistic world. The best known unidimensional deterministic scaling method is Guttman scaling. The scope of inquiry is limited to scaling with four dichotomous scale items. As a consequence of this examination, the paper offers two contributions to the study of scaling. First, it identifies two paradoxes of existing unidimensional deterministic scaling methods. Second, it suggests a general framework, called segment analysis, from which to approach unidimensional deterministic scaling with dichotomous scale items.
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Date Issued: 1976
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13826
Subject Headings: Psychometrics, Scale analysis (Psychology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Analysis of Variance in Party Loyalty: The Eighty-seventh Congress.
Creator: Lane, Cecil C., Huckshorn, Robert J., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This is a study of the impact of constituency pressures on the United States House of Representatives in the Eighty-seventh Congress. It is an attempt to measure by quantitative methods the relative effectiveness of pressures on congress from the various types of constituencies normaily associated with one party or another. Political pressure is defined here as a force which brings about distinctive patterns of voting behavior on the part of the representatives. whether the force is applied...
Show moreThis is a study of the impact of constituency pressures on the United States House of Representatives in the Eighty-seventh Congress. It is an attempt to measure by quantitative methods the relative effectiveness of pressures on congress from the various types of constituencies normaily associated with one party or another. Political pressure is defined here as a force which brings about distinctive patterns of voting behavior on the part of the representatives. whether the force is applied through conventional forms of coercion or through the appeal of loyalties and ideologies. The two sources of pressure which are the major concern of this research are the representative's party affiliation and his constituency. The former is held constant while the latter is permitted to vary in order to observe more closely the differing impact of certain constituency pressures on members of the Democratic and Republican parties. The dependent variable in this study is party loyalty which is the per cent of the times a congressman voted with his party on a set of one hundred and fifteen party unity roll-calls. These roll-calls are those on which a majority of one party opposes a majority of the other party. The independent variables are gross measures of broad demographic, socio-economic, and political characteristics of congressional districts. The theory is that these factors reflect significant differences between the Democrats and Republicans with regard to electoral centers of support. Consequently, it is hypothesized that variations in a congressman's constituency would be related to variations in legislative voting behavior as measured by party unity roll-calls . The step-wise multiple regression technique is the means of testing the major proposal. It indicates that a proportion of the variance in party loyalty can be explained by variation in constituency. But the proportion explained for the Democrats (34.7%) is much greater than that for the Republicans (11. 8%). The threshold concept is proposed as an explanation for this. It is also suggested that new research is needed to clarify the types of constituencies most likely to associate with the two major parties. Thus, the theory that constituency pressures can explain, to some extent, legislative voting behavior has been tentatively validated. However, the findings indicate that a more complex, multi-variate, theory of legislative behavior is needed before accurate predictions can be made. Therefore, the constituency model must be expanded to include other factors such as psychological and institutional ones.
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Date Issued: 1969
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012590
Subject Headings: Political parties--United States, Party discipline
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The impact of electoral forces on party unity: An analysis of voting patterns among Florida's Democratic congressional delegation, 1972-1992.
Creator: O'Malley, Terence Trumpy Sr., Florida Atlantic University, Pritchard, Anita, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines the impact of electoral forces on party unity scores among Florida's Democratic congressional delegation from 1972 to 1992. The impacts of in-migration of non-southern whites, immigration of Hispanics, realignment into the Republican Party, and the enfranchisement of Black voters were analyzed. The increased party unity scores among Florida's Democratic Representatives was determined to be primarily the result of in-migration and realignment which resulted in a smaller,...
Show moreThis thesis examines the impact of electoral forces on party unity scores among Florida's Democratic congressional delegation from 1972 to 1992. The impacts of in-migration of non-southern whites, immigration of Hispanics, realignment into the Republican Party, and the enfranchisement of Black voters were analyzed. The increased party unity scores among Florida's Democratic Representatives was determined to be primarily the result of in-migration and realignment which resulted in a smaller, but more homogeneous Democratic delegation, a trend likely to continue.
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Date Issued: 1994
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15010
Subject Headings: United States--Congress--Voting, Florida--Politics and government, Political parties--Florida, Party affiliation--Florida
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS AND RIOT CONDUCIVENESS: THE IMPACT OF ASPECTS OF THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE ON URBAN RIOTS.
Creator: WEINBERGER, ELEANOR., Florida Atlantic University, Giles, Michael W., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: This thesis analyzes the legal institutional structure of the urban community, as symbolized by the police, to determine if differences in the capacity to function effectively was a significant factor in the urban racial violence of the mid-1960's. Performance capacity was operationalized by the following objective measures for pre-riot "normal" times: quality of manpower potential, municipal governmental structure, confrontation potential, and potential resources of the community. Additional...
Show moreThis thesis analyzes the legal institutional structure of the urban community, as symbolized by the police, to determine if differences in the capacity to function effectively was a significant factor in the urban racial violence of the mid-1960's. Performance capacity was operationalized by the following objective measures for pre-riot "normal" times: quality of manpower potential, municipal governmental structure, confrontation potential, and potential resources of the community. Additional independent variables were the city's total population and socio-economic measures of absolute and relative deprivation. Although the results were not conclusive, only a community's confrontation potential, potential resources , and total population size were found to significantly contribute to an explanation of a community's riot potential.
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Date Issued: 1977
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13900
Subject Headings: Riot control, Riots, United States--Race relations
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Local politics on the sports page: News assembly and its influence on stadium development policy.
Creator: Marichal, Jose Francisco., Florida Atlantic University, Turner, Robyne, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The ways in which local newspapers select those actors who will be quoted in their stories has a profound effect on the local policy-making process. In stadium development issues, it is theorized that the media has a pro-growth bias because it has a vested interest in expanding its readership and it relies on institutional sources at the expense of community actors in part because of its increased need to maximize efficiency in its news gathering routines. The results are inconclusive on...
Show moreThe ways in which local newspapers select those actors who will be quoted in their stories has a profound effect on the local policy-making process. In stadium development issues, it is theorized that the media has a pro-growth bias because it has a vested interest in expanding its readership and it relies on institutional sources at the expense of community actors in part because of its increased need to maximize efficiency in its news gathering routines. The results are inconclusive on whether or not a growth bias exists but definitive in its illustration of the over-reliance on governmental sources. The result is that latent and/or actual community opposition to the stadium development issue is ignored in lieu of institutional complaints and the true sentiment of the public is not presented in the public arena.
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Date Issued: 1995
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15165
Subject Headings: Newspapers--Objectivity, Journalism--Political aspects--United States, Stadiums--Economic aspects--United States, Sports--Economic aspects--United States
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: LEGAL POWERS OF STATE CHAIRMEN: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF PARTY BY-LAWS AND STATE ELECTION LAWS.
Creator: DAVIS, DAVID MIDGLEY., Florida Atlantic University, Huckshorn, Robert J., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Political Science
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this project was to determine the legal powers and duties of state political party chairmen, as enumerated in party by-laws and state election laws. The thesis is divided into six chapters, the most extensive of which contains empirical tests of twenty-six hypotheses pertaining to eleven groups of items organized from 235 judge-evaluated items. The groups are: Qualifications, method of election and term of office; Appointive powers; Removal powers; Vacancy-filling powers;...
Show moreThe purpose of this project was to determine the legal powers and duties of state political party chairmen, as enumerated in party by-laws and state election laws. The thesis is divided into six chapters, the most extensive of which contains empirical tests of twenty-six hypotheses pertaining to eleven groups of items organized from 235 judge-evaluated items. The groups are: Qualifications, method of election and term of office; Appointive powers; Removal powers; Vacancy-filling powers; Voting; and Functions of the chairman vis-a-vis the state committee, executive committee, subcommittees, local committees, state conventions, local conventions and elections. There are also chapters which analyze the 235 evaluated items, the effectiveness of the by-laws and election laws, and the relationship be tween the party scores and selected political and demographic variables. The final chapter recapitulates the major findings and conclusions. Ten appendices contain data utilized in the study.
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Date Issued: 1971
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13448
Subject Headings: Political parties--Florida, Florida--Politics and government
Format: Document (PDF)

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