�Blacking Up�: English Folk Traditions and Changing Perceptions about Black People in England

This thesis investigates the custom of white people blacking their faces and its continuation at a time when society is increasingly aware of accusations of racism. To provide a context, an overview of the long history of black people in England is offered, and issues about black stereotypes, including how �blackness� has been perceived and represented, are considered. The historical use of blackface in England in various situations, including entertainment, social disorder, and tradition, is described in some detail. It is found that nowadays the practice has largely been rejected, but continues in folk activities, notably in some dance styles and in the performance of traditional (folk) drama. Research conducted through participant observation, interview, case study, and examination of web-based resources, drawing on my long familiarity with the folk world, found that participants overwhelmingly believe that blackface is a part of the tradition they are following and is connected to its past use as a disguise. However, although all are aware of the sensitivity of the subject, some performers are fiercely defensive of blackface, while others now question its application and amend their �disguise� in different ways. Further factors underlying the use, and usefulness, of blacking up are suggested, including tradition, identity, community, and mystery. Reasons why the practice continues despite significant opposition are discussed. It is concluded that there is a long history of blacking up in England and that current blackface practice is not intentionally associated with Victorian �nigger minstrels�; however, minstrelsy was so popular that its influence cannot be discounted. It is also suggested that the folk process has always absorbed and reflected influences from popular culture, and continues to do so; and that in an area of strong opinion, no definitive answers can be given that will satisfy everyone

The Effects of Bullying and the Mediating Role of Attachment and Humanity-Esteem on Self-Esteem and Behavioral Outcomes

Any type of bullying can become a traumatic event for a child, leading to lasting negative effects. Specifically, victimization may lead to numerous behavioral problems and lowered self-esteem. Also, the quality of attachment may have a predictive relationship with the victimization and the negative outcomes it may cause. Other research implied that a similar relationship may be found between retrospective bullying and humanity-esteem. Despite the collective research done on these variables, no study, until now, has looked at retrospective bullying, humanity-esteem, attachment, behavior problems, and self-esteem all together. This study not only looked at the relationships among these variables but also the role that humanity-esteem and attachment served between victimization, later behavior problems, and later self-esteem. One hundred thirty-six participants completed five questionnaires assessing experiences of retrospective bullying, humanity-esteem, current attachment relationships, behavior problems, and self-esteem. The results of this study indicated that participants who reported having been bullied previously also endorsed internalizing and externalizing problems as well as low self-esteem. Further, humanity-esteem and attachment both served as significant predictors of victimized individuals\u27 behavioral problems and self-esteem. Such findings suggested that a higher view of humanity and secure attachment may serve as a protective factor against the negative outcomes that may be related to having been bullied. The importance of studying the relationships among these variables is discussed further

Child Routines and Self-Regulation as Mediators of Parenting Practices and Externalizing Problems in Preschoolers

Studies clearly indicate that parenting practices relate to child externalizing behaviors, although the mechanisms underlying this relation are less well understood. Researchers suggest that daily routines are one way through which parenting practices relate to externalizing behaviors, allowing children to regulate their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors accordingly, potentially promoting development of appropriate self-regulatory behaviors. Self-regulation is also a possible route through which child routines inversely relate to externalizing behaviors. These relationships have been tested in school-age and older children, yet self-regulatory abilities are known to develop during the preschool period. This study examined child routines and self-regulation as serial mediators of the relations between positive and negative parenting practices (separately) and child externalizing problems among preschool children. Participants included 166 maternal caregivers of preschool children who completed a self-report measure of their parenting practices and parent-report measures of their child’s daily routines, self-regulation, and externalizing behaviors. Results demonstrated that both child routines and self-regulation are significant mechanisms through which negative and positive parenting practices relate to externalizing problems in preschoolers, although the temporal sequencing is only upheld in respect to negative parenting. These findings suggest that child routines play a critical role in the development of self-regulation among preschool children, which, in turn, are inversely associated with externalizing behaviors

Structural Model of Child Routines and Self-Regulation in Relation to Parenting and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Young Children

The relationship between parenting practices and externalizing behavior problems in preschool children is well established; however, the mechanisms that explain this relationship are less understood. It is suggested that the structure and predictability created by child routines allow children the opportunity to become aware of and learn to regulate their behaviors accordingly, yet only a couple of studies have examined this relationship. Therefore, this study examined competing models (i.e., direct, indirect, and serial mediation models) to help determine which model captures the relationship between the variables of interest. It was hypothesized that each model would have good model fit but that the serial mediation model with child routines and self-regulation as serial mediators would be the model with the best fit. A sample of 160 maternal caregivers of preschool age children completed questionnaires measuring parenting practices, child routines, child self-regulation, and child externalizing behavior problems. A series of Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) were conducted to determine how well the observed measures operationalize the proposed latent variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was then used to determine what structural pathway best represents how the variables of interest relate to one another. The CFAs and subsequent SEMs had mediocre to poor model fit and failed to support the serial model as the best fit. Rather, the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) suggested that the indirect effect model with self-regulation as the mediator between the three independent variables and the externalizing behavior problem latent variable had the best fit. All models supported self-regulation as a mediator of negative parenting and externalizing behavior problems, and child routines as a mediator of positive parenting and self-regulation. These findings suggest that these relationships are stronger within their respective parenting practice contexts (i.e., negative or positive), and a serial mediation relationship may not be supported. However, these results are reflective of a community, non-clinical sample where few externalizing behavior problems were reported. Limitations and future directions are discussed

Ground Beetles From a Remnant Oak-Maple-Beech Forest and Its Surroundings in Northeastern Ohio (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

We report 66 ground beetle species in 14 tribes from a natural preserve in northeastern Ohio (Stark County). Six species are new state records. Data from pitfall trap transects across adjoining habitats suggest narrow habitat preferences in some species and broad tolerances in others. Trends toward flightlessness in forest species and macroptery in the fauna of disturbed agricultural sites are apparent

Alarm Pheromone in a Gregarious Poduromorph Collembolan (Collembola: Hypogastruridae)

We report an alarm pheromone in the gregarious poduromorph collembolan, Hypogastrura pannosa. Cuticular rupture results in emission of a rapidly vaporizing hexane-soluble material with an active space diameter of ca. 1 cm. Conspecifics encountering the vapor front respond with stereotypic aversion and dispersal behaviors. This is the first report on the presence of an alarm pheromone in the order Collembola

The EURECA telecommanding chain: Experience with packet telecommand and telemetry systems

The European Retrieval Carrier (EURECA) was launched on its first flight on the 31st July 1992 by the Space Shuttle Atlantis. EURECA is characterized by several new on-board features, most notable Packet Telemetry and a partial implementation of Packet Telecommanding using an early version of the Command Operation Procedure (COP-1) protocol. EURECA has also very low contact time with its Ground Station, with a consequent high number of out-of-visibility onboard operations. This paper concentrates on the implementation and operational experience with the COP-1 Protocol and the effect the short ground contact time has on the design of the Commanding System. Another interesting feature is that the COP-1 is implemented at the control center rather than at the ground station. The COP-1 protocol also successfully supported the mission during the launch where commands were sent via NASCOM and the Shuttle