The purpose of this study was to determine the various value levels that may be affecting communication in the church and to discover the predominant levels of psychological existence. Data was collected using the Value for Religion test. A total of 288 college and seminary students were tested. Comparisons of the differing scores of demographic variables formed the bases of the conclusions drawn in the study. Significant relationships were found between one's personal value cluster and sex, career intention, and type of college attended. Much research is still needed in the area of value levels in religion. Hopefully, this research will contribute to the success of religion in the future.

This work is an effort to investigate the relationship between Albert Camus' philosophic concepts of the absurd presented in "The Myth of Sisyphus" and the Absurdist Theatre as defined by Martin Esslin. Included in this thesis is a discussion of each of the above concepts. Focus is placed upon the characteristics of the Absurdist Theatre which constitute the basis for the label "Absurdity." The conclusion indicates that while the playwright's personal experiences and philosophies correspond to Camus', their plays fail to communicate or express that concept of absurdity satisfactorily. The major emphasis is on the lack of concrete reality used to communicate a concept based upon concrete reality.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of selected television commercials according to Kenneth Burke's theory of the rhetoric of rebirth. A supplementary Burkeian method called cluster analysis was also used. The analysis revealed, that the rhetoric of rebirth was incorporated in the commercials to stimulate guilt in the television audience. The products offered in the commercials supposedly purged this guilt, transforming the person to a new way of life. The analysis revealed meanings inherent in the word choices for various commercials as well as the potential impact of those words. The study isolated several underlying motifs in the substance of the commercials. The effect of the visual message may cause the audience to overlook the message of the words. Experimental research cited in this study confirms this hypothesis.

The purpose of this project was to prepare a group interpretation script which is derived from the books cited in the title. An effort was made to prepare a unified script reflecting contemporary American Indian concepts of mysticism, philosophy, ecology, psychology, and education by selecting appropriate portions from the three books. The thesis includes a production concept, production procedures, the rationale for selection of excerpts, and the finished script, It is designed to employ seven readers and is divided into six parts. Those elements may be altered to fit various physical arrangements and program lengths.

Research was conducted on twenty-seven preoperative myringotomy patients to clarify the correlation between tympanometry type and the presence of middle ear effusion. Test results indicate that the relationship between tympanometry and middle ear effusion is dependent on the amount of fluid present. In impacted ears primarily Type B tympanograms were obtained whereas for less than impacted ears all tympanogram types were seen. Also suggested was that a combination of height of the tympanogram and the amount of negative pressure may be diagnostically more important than negative pressure alone as an indicator of effusion. It was recommended that other measures in addition to tympanometry be employed in the diagnosis of middle ear effusion and that further research is needed to achieve optimal use of impedance audiometry.

The purpose of this study was to determine the various values that influence nurses within the hospital, and ascertain, through comparison, any significant differences between the values of the floor nurse and the values of the emergency room nurse, The value systems (Tribalistic, Egocentric, Conformist, Manipulative, Sociocentric, and Existential) were developed by Clare W. Graves as the "Levels of Psychological Existence." A values test was utilized in order to collect data. The "Values for Nursing" test was administered to 161 nurses in a large metropolitan city in Texas. Specific hypotheses regarding value differences in nursing groups were tested.

This rhetorical study applies Clare W. Graves' "Level of Existence" or value systems theory to the English Neo-Classic and Romantic Movements. Graves' framework, which focuses on sacrificial (Tribalistic, Absolutistic, and Sociocentric) systems and expressive (Egocentric, Achievist, and Individualistic) systems~was utilized in analyzing the politics, society, religion, philosophy, and literature of the two periods. The Neo-Classic Period was dominated by sacrificial systems, especially Absolutistic, while the Romantic Movement was dominated by expressive systems, especially Achievist. This thesis suggests that man's cultural development, like his psychological development, appears to evolve in a spiraling, pendular motion between sacrificial and expressive systems.

The focus of this study is on the development of an original script designed to introduce concepts of structural and transactional analysis to elementary school children. Included in Chapter One are reviews of Transactional Analysis and the PAC communication model. Classroom application of Transactional Analysis principles is examined in Chapter Two. Chapter Three examines needs and characteristics of young children. Qualities of good children's literature are discussed in relationship to the selection and explication of script material. The manuscript appears in Appendix B. This report accepts evidence that Transactional Analysis training can be an additive part of the elementary school curriculum. It further proposes that story material conscientiously designed for young children could prove effective and entertaining training vehicles for Transactional Analysis concepts.

The problem with which this thesis is concerned is the definition, justification, and implementation of behavioral objectives as they relate to Speech Communication and Drama courses. Chapter One provides definition and justification of behavioral objectives. In Chapter Two, the process of writing the objectives is explained. Chapter Three contains examples of behavioral objectives which could be implemented in two of the basic courses in the Speech Communication and Drama Department at North Texas State University. Chapter Four furnishes examples for two courses which are based on more specific content. Chapter Five contains conclusions. Evidence indicates that behavioral objectives facilitate learning and accrue advantages to parents, administrators, teachers, and students. The teacher of Speech Communication and Drama can no longer ignore the behavioral precepts.

The Seattle Repertory Theatre is one of the most successful regional theatre companies in the country. This study attempts to determine the components-of its success. It concludes that the unique community acceptance and support of the Seattle Repertory Theatre is due primarily to the innovations of its Artistic Director, W. Duncan Ross, including a departure from the "permanent company" repertory theatre concept to a more flexible "nucleus company" supported by special guest artists, a shift in play selection emphasis from traditional dramatic plays to more contemporary and comedic works, and shortened .duration for each play from four to three weeks. Also examined are the growth of American Theatre, Ross's community involvement, guest directors, critical acceptance, and audience attendance.

The primary purpose of this study is to survey the attitudes of high school teachers toward the oral interpretation contests of the University Interscholastic League in Texas. The secondary purpose is to trace the development of those contests from their inception to the present time. The thesis contains four chapters: I -- An explanation of the purposes and procedures followed in the study. II -- A history of the interpretation competition in the Texas University Interscholastic League. III -- A compilation of the results of a questionnaire mailed to 240 selected teachers. IV -- A summary of the attitudes reflected in the questionnaires and recommendations for changes in the current structure of the University Interscholastic League.

Chapter I includes a description of the Chartist Movement and discusses the criteria found in John W. Bowers and Donovan J. Och's Rhetoric of Agitation and Control that were used to analyze the agitation and control groups of the movement. Chapter II describes the ideologies of both groups. Chapter III analyzes the rhetorical strategies of the agitation group: petition, solidification, promulgation, polarization, non-violent resistance, and confrontation-escalation, and the strategies of the control group: avoidance and suppression. Chapter IV concludes that Chartist agitators effectively used rhetorical strategies; however, the control strategy of suppression was stronger and brought about the demise of Chartism.

This investigation was based on a production performed by the Irving, Texas, Community Theatre in March, 1978, directed by the author of this thesis. The paper concerned the problems of producing a play under adverse conditions, such as lack of money, inadequate technical equipment, and a small stage. Chapter I included an investigation of the reviews of the original production in order to establish criteria by which to judge the Irving production. Chapters II and III dealth with varied technical aspects and their application under the adverse conditions. Examples of the technical factors were included in Chapter IV, with a scene synopsis. Chapter V contained a primarily favorable analysis based on the critic's and the audience's judgments, indicating most production elements to be successful.