dc.contributor.author |
Ballard, Courtney E. |
en_US |
dc.date.accessioned |
2011-01-31T14:18:54Z |
|
dc.date.accessioned |
2019-09-08T02:27:38Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2011-01-31T14:18:54Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2019-09-08T02:27:38Z |
|
dc.date.created |
1999 |
en_US |
dc.date.issued |
1999 |
en_US |
dc.identifier |
273050304 |
en_US |
dc.identifier.other |
b18406488 |
en_US |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?ysu999019449 |
en_US |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://jupiter.ysu.edu/record=b18406488 |
en_US |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/1989/6250 |
|
dc.description |
viii, 83 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm. |
en_US |
dc.description |
Thesis (M.S.)--Youngstown State University, 1999. |
en_US |
dc.description |
Includes bibliographical references (leaves ). |
en_US |
dc.description.abstract |
An analysis of existing U.S. Census, Uniform Crime Report
and Vital Statistics data was undertaken to determine whether
a relationship exists between environmental factors,
specifically sex ratios, and population behavior. Nine U.S.
states were examined for their ratios of men to women, and
then compared to existing data concerning marriage rates,
birth rates, rates of birth to un-wed mothers, and violent
crime rates The theoretical framework for this research was
based on the r/K continuum, a biological theory focused on
reproductive strategy and resource allocation of individuals
within a population.
Pearson's Correlation coefficients were calculated in
order to find the strength, direction, and significance of any
linear relationship between the variables. Four hypotheses
were tested in this way:
Hypothesis One: Since high birth rates are more
indicative of the r end of the continuum and low sex
ratios represent an r-selected population, there should
be a statistically significant (a < .05) negative
correlation between birth rates and sex ratios;
Hypothesis Two: Since r-selected populations exhibit
higher rates of birth to un-wed mothers, and low sex
ratios represent an r-selected population, there should
be a statistically significant (a < .05) negative
correlation between rates of birth to un-wed mothers and
sex ratios;
Hypothesis Three: Since higher ratios of married to unmarried
people suggest a K-selected population, and
higher sex ratios represent a population at the K end of
the continuum, there should be a statistically
significant (a < .05) positive relationship between
marriage ratios and sex ratio; and
Hypothesis Four: Since high violent crime rates are
associated with an r-selected population, and low sex
ratios represent a population at the r end of the
continuum, there should be a statistically significant (a
< .05) negative correlation between violent crime rates
and sex ratios.
The results of the statistical analysis supported only
Hypothesis Two; there was a statistically significant inverse
relationship between sex ratios and rates of birth to un-wed
mothers. The results of the study showed general support for
the evolutionary theory of human behavior, as the trends
revealed by the correlation coefficients demonstrated the
expected outcome. However, the trends were not statistically
significant and, therefore, the remaining hypotheses were
rejected. |
en_US |
dc.description.sponsorship |
Youngstown State University. Criminal Justice Dept. |
en_US |
dc.description.statementofresponsibility |
by Courtney E. Ballard. |
en_US |
dc.language.iso |
en_US |
en_US |
dc.relation.ispartofseries |
Master's Theses no. 0649 |
en_US |
dc.subject.classification |
Master's Theses no. 0649 |
en_US |
dc.title |
Sex ratios and the r/K continuum / |
en_US |
dc.type |
Thesis |
en_US |