Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Relaxing The Rational Expectations Assumption: Data-Based And Model-Based Approaches, Yifan Gong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The fundamental importance of beliefs about future outcomes in decision-making suggests that an accurate characterization of these beliefs is important for understanding individuals' behavior and for evaluating the counterfactuals typically needed for policy analysis. Traditionally, many researchers have been using some form of Rational Expectations (RE) assumptions to characterize these beliefs. However, empirical evidence suggests that the RE assumption might not hold in many contexts, and that incorrectly imposing the RE assumption can lead to biased policy predictions. Motivated by these findings, I explore alternative approaches to conducting economic analysis without imposing the RE assumption.

Chapters 2 and 3 of …

Canadians' Views About The 2019 Federal Election Process, Jacob Allin, Laura Stephenson, Allison Harell

Reports

No abstract provided.

Gender And Sexuality-Based Bullying: Student Experiences And Educator Responses, Elizabeth Torrens

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Drawing on qualitative interview data, this dissertation critically examines the issue of gender and sexuality-based bullying (GSB) in the context of Ontario schools. GSB is explained through a theoretical perspective that situates bullying as a mechanism employed by students as they navigate gendered and heteronormative school status structures. Because the status-based structures are so entrenched in educational contexts, a resilience perspective is also adopted to determine best next-steps for mitigating the negative effects of GSB. Further, resilience in this case is viewed through a critical sociological lens that requires the consideration of broader social forces, rather than reducing resilience to …

Acceptability Of Making Mindfulness Matter (M3): A Community Based Program For Families Experiencing Adversity, Emilia Pacholec

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study utilized a mixed methods sequential embedded design to explore the acceptability of Making Mindfulness Matter (M3), an eight-week, concurrent intervention for families who have experienced adversity, from the parent’s perspective. M3 incorporates education and skills development around mindfulness, social-emotional learning, positive psychology, and neuroscience. Participants were 74 families, with children ages four to nine, who participated in the M3 program at a family support and crisis centre. Frequency data was collected for attendance and skills use between sessions. An inductive content analysis was used to identify the key themes pertaining to parent’s experience with the M3 program. The …

The Impact Of Text Orientation On Form Effects With Chinese, Japanese And English Readers, Huilan Yang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Does visuospatial orientation influence form priming effects in parallel ways in Chinese and English? Given the differences in how orthographic symbols are presented in Chinese versus English, one might expect to find some differences in early word recognition processes and, hence, in the nature of form priming effects. According to perceptual learning accounts, form priming effects (i.e., “form” priming effects) should be influenced by text orientation (Dehaene, Cohen, Sigman, & Vinckier, 2005; Grainger & Holcomb, 2009). In contrast, Witzel, Qiao, and Forster’s (2011) abstract letter unit account proposes that the mechanism responsible for such effect acts at a totally abstract …

Standing On The Forefront Of School Mental Health: Building Upon Capacity In Teacher Candidates Through Mental Health Literacy And Trauma-And-Violence-Informed-Care, Richelle L. Bird

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Early identification and access to appropriate supports can improve the trajectory of childhood mental illnesses. Schools and educators have consistently been identified as having a significant role in both mental health promotion efforts as well as the identification of emerging mental health concerns amongst students. Equipping teachers for this role through professional development related to mental health literacy (MHL) is essential in ensuring their success. Closely tied to mental health is a sense of safety, and children who feel unsafe at school may have greater difficulty regulating their emotions and behaviour and be less available for learning. Utilizing a trauma-and-violence-informed-care …

Effects Of The Imposter Phenomenon, Stress, And Belonging On Perfectionism In Freshmen Undergraduate Students, Taylor M. Pratt

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

This study investigated whether students who scored high in Perfectionistic Concerns (i.e., unhealthy perfectionists) would have higher Imposter Phenomenon and stress scores, as well as lower self-efficacy, belonging, and social acceptance scores. Additionally, the study sought to clarify how the two dimensions of perfectionism, Concerns and Strivings, are associated with the Imposter Phenomenon. The sample consisted of 48 female undergraduate students at a university in London, Ontario. A Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between Perfectionistic Concerns and the Imposter Phenomenon. A significant positive correlation was also found between stress and the Imposter Phenomenon. Additionally, a significant …

Individual Differences In Cognitive Flexibility And Cognitive Map Accuracy, Vanessa C. Cunha

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

Research has demonstrated broad individual differences in the ability to form a cognitive map of a novel environment. The current study investigated whether individual differences in cognitive map accuracy are driven by differences in cognitive flexibility specifically, the ability to switch between tasks. Using the Silcton virtual environment, participants explored four routes in Silcton and were assessed on cognitive map accuracy using the Silcton onsite pointing task and the Silcton model building task. To assess task-switching, perseveration error from the Wisconsin Card Sort Test (WCST) was measured. There was a significant correlation between the WCST and the onsite pointing task, …

A Comes Before B, Like 1 Comes Before 2. Is The Parietal Cortex Sensitive To Ordinal Relationships In Both Numbers And Letters? An Fmri-Adaptation Study, Celia Goffin, Stephan E. Vogel, Michael Slipenkyj, Daniel Ansari

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

How are number symbols (e.g., Arabic digits) represented in the brain? Functional resonance imaging adaptation (fMRI-A) research has indicated that the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) exhibits a decrease in activation with the repeated presentation of the same number, that is followed by a rebound effect with the presentation of a new number. This rebound effect is modulated by the numerical ratio or difference between presented numbers. It has been suggested that this ratio-dependent rebound effect is reflective of a link between the symbolic numerical representation system and an approximate magnitude system. Experiment 1 used fMRI-A to investigate an alternative hypothesis: that …

The Effects Of Verbalizable Features On Category Learning Strategies, Marwan A. Syed

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The present study investigated the effects of how verbalizable features (easy vs not-easily) are on category learning strategies with respect to the COVIS model, which states there are two competing systems (verbal and implicit) that operate simultaneously when making categorization decisions. A total of 102 undergraduate students took part in the experiment, which was an A-B categorization task conducted in a video game setting. A rule-based approach reflected the verbal system whereas a family resemblance approach reflected the implicit system. The findings partially support the hypothesis and COVIS model in that participants in the easily verbalizable condition were more likely …

Information, Employment, And Settlement Of Immigrants: Exploring The Role Of Information Behaviour In The Settlement Of Bangladesh Immigrants In Canada, Nafiz Zaman Shuva

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Immigrants shape Canada’s future in terms of innovation, population, and economic growth. Immigrants need information before and after arrival to make informed decisions about their move and for satisfactory settlement. Although Canada regularly welcomes immigrants with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, very little is known about the settlement information behaviour of immigrants. This doctoral study investigates the transitional information behaviour of Bangladeshi immigrants in Canada. It uses mixed methods to explore the information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants in pre- and post-arrival contexts and features the role information plays in newcomers’ employment. Bangladeshi immigrants who arrived in Canada between 1971 and 2017 were …

Coping And Stress Related To Support Needs: Assessing Needs In Parent And Caregivers Of Children With Down Syndrome, Yejin Esther Lee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The present study aims to better understand support needs among parents/caregivers of children with Down syndrome, and its relationship to parental stress and coping strategies. 122 parents and caregivers of children with Down syndrome of various age groups completed an online survey including demographics information, Family Needs Survey - Revised, Questionnaire on Resources and Stress – Friedrich Version, and the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Scales. Descriptive statistics characterize the sample and determine which items are important and met as needs. Relationship between the important unmet needs (IUN), coping and stress were explored using Pearson correlations across the three measures. The …

We Don’T Know How This Virus Began, But We Know How We Can Learn From Our Response, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The article examines the proliferation of conspiracy theories linking the COVID-19 pandemic to a laboratory release in China and discusses the credibility of these claims based on expert opinions and factual analysis. It highlights the international scrutiny and calls for strengthened adherence to the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention (BWC) to improve global cooperation and transparency in disease reporting. Emphasizing the need for rapid and transparent information sharing across borders, the piece advocates for enhanced international governance and preparedness measures to mitigate future biological threats effectively. It underscores the role of organizations like the United Nations and World Health Organization …

Trauma And Violence-Informed Care: Evaluating The Impact On Teacher Candidate Attitudes And Intended Responses Towards Problem Behaviour Of Students Affected By Trauma, Michelle M. Philippe

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Teachers have an important role in their student’s lives (Brunzell, Waters, & Stokes, 2015). It is important that pre-service teachers are provided with knowledge and skills to best support students that may be affected by trauma or systemic inequity, and to consider problem behaviour through an informed lens. Trauma and violence-informed care (TVIC) teaching practices are universally beneficial and necessary for students healing with the after effects of trauma and structural violence. In this program evaluation, 318 teacher candidates completed an online mental health literacy course including TVIC knowledge and skills. Participants’ attitudes related to trauma and their intended behavioural …

Unbundling Practice: The Unbundling Of Big Deal Journal Packages As An Information Practice, Samuel Cassady, Catherine Anne Johnson, Asen O. Ivanov

Western Libraries Publications

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to introduce a theoretical framework and approach for studying the evaluation and decision-making practices through which academic librarians attempt to reduce the cost of electronic journal subscriptions – an organizational practice known as the unbundling of big deal journal packages.

Design/methodology/approach

The article presents a literature-based conceptual analysis of several fields to delineate the elements of the practice of unbundling of big deal journal packages. Beyond analysing the prior literature, the discussion is supported by empirical findings from a pilot study on the topic conducted by two of the article's authors.

Findings

The …

Barriers To Accessing Community Mental Health Services For Migrant Youth, Charlotte A. Carrie

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The study explored the barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health services by migrant youth. Participants were asked two questions: 1) “What are the mental health stressors that you face?” and 2) “What would stop you from talking to someone about mental health stress?” 30 migrant youth between the ages of 16 and 22 from a mid-sized city in central Canada were interviewed. The data was analyzed using group concept mapping. For question one, mental health stressors, participants grouped the statements into seven concepts, including: Family, Isolation, Communication, Anxiety, Overburdened, School Difficulties and Working with Others. For question two, barriers …

Unique Challenges In Risk Assessment With Rural Domestic Violence Victims: Implications For Practice, Nicole L. Youngson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Through interviews with violence against women (VAW) workers (n=14), the present study examined workers’ perspectives of risk factors and the challenges in assessing risk for women experiencing domestic violence (DV) in rural locations. The present study also examined what promising practices VAW workers are utilizing when working with women experiencing DV in rural locations. Qualitative analysis indicated several risk factors including the location (i.e., geographic isolation, lack of transportation, and lack of community resources) and cultural factors (i.e., accepted and more available use of firearms, poverty, and no privacy/anonymity). Moreover, qualitative analyses indicated several challenges for VAW workers assessing risk …

Exploring The Relationship Between Misophonia Severity And Anterior Insular Cortex Activity, Nicole M J Sedlak

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Misophonia is an under-recognized neuropsychological condition involving a severe sensitivity towards specific sounds called triggers. The aim of this study was to investigate how activity in the anterior insular cortex (AIC) differed with varying levels of sound sensitivity (SS); misophonia being the most severe. Data was collected from university undergraduates/young adults (N = 31). Participants completed an online survey to assess their misophonia severity and symptoms. A case study was conducted on some of the students (N = 4) to assess misophonia at a neurological level. In addition to experiencing a heightened sensitivity to sounds, the misophonia group reported having …

Direct And Indirect Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (Nssi) Expression: An Investigation Into The Nature Of Nssi And Childhood Maltreatment, Emma Truffyn

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) involves deliberate damage to the body without suicidal intent. St. Germain and Hooley (2012) classify two forms of NSSI: direct and indirect. Direct NSSI is expressed through behaviours with immediate results (e.g. cutting), whereas indirect NSSI is expressed through means that are damaging to the body without immediate injury (e.g. promiscuity, substance abuse, risk behaviours, etc.). Research supports that NSSI behaviours occur in youth with histories of childhood maltreatment (CM; Trocmé et al., 2010); however, no study has examined if experiences of CM influence NSSI expression. Utilizing the InterRAI Child and Youth Mental Health tool (N …

Influence Of Feedback Modality On Motor Sequence Learning, Heba Hussian

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Throughout our lifespan we obtain and refine our motor skills with the use of sensory feedback, such as learning how to play a piano. Research has suggested visual feedback is more advantageous to improve motor learning compared to other types of feedback. However, it is unclear if these advantages stem from the feedback being more relevant to the task. We developed an experimental design that tests the influence of visual, auditory and haptic feedback when acquiring a sequence learning task. The study uses a piano-like task, and therefore we propose that learning is enhanced by auditory and haptic feedback, …

Using Visual Stimuli To Investigate Cross-Modal Plasticity In The Deaf, Efterpi Marinis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Theories of cross-modal plasticity have explored how a certain modality can be repurposed after prolonged loss of input to support remaining modalities. This present study aimed to further understand effects of cross-modal plasticity through an investigation on individuals who have experienced auditory deprivation. Prior research has shown inconsistent results about possible visual advantages which early-deaf individuals may possess. In this study, it was hypothesized that early-deaf individuals would perform better than hearing controls in specific visual tasks, due to functional reorganization of the auditory cortex. It was expected that differential activation would show in visual and auditory cortices of early-deaf …

Do Visual-Olfactory Associations Strengthen The Real-Object Preference?, Carly V. Goodman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Current knowledge of human object perception relies heavily on studies using images as proxies for real objects. However, real objects are fundamentally different from images. For example, real objects have multisensory properties while images do not. Given that research shows that people look longer at real objects than images of objects, known as the real object preference, and that people look longer at objects when they are presented along with an associated smell, the present pilot study aimed to assess whether visual-olfactory associations contribute to the real-object preference. The present study used a within-subjects design including four participants. Participants …

Formation Of Implicit Memories From A Narrative Played During Sleep, Amanat Ludhar

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Though, it was previously thought that the sleeping brain was dormant, research suggests that participants can process salient stimuli and form implicit memories of simple stimuli (e.g. words) during sleep. Thus, the current study aimed to determine whether participants could form implicit memories of a narrative played during sleep, and what role different sleep stages played in this memory formation. Participants were played a story while taking a nap, and EEG was used to track time spent in different sleep stages. Later, participants completed an implicit memory task where they were asked to differentiate between animal and non-animal words through …

Does Psychological Resilience Affect The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experience And Self-Regulation?, Jiacheng Yu

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The present study investigated the potential effect of psychological resilience on the relationship between adverse childhood experience (ACEs) and self-regulation. There were 18 adult participants (five males and 13 females). The ages ranged from 19 to 30 (M = 23.11, SD = 3.39) years old. To measure psychological resilience, ACEs, and self-regulation, participants were required to respectively finish the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire, and the Two-Urn Task. Contrary to expectation, data analysis showed that the negative correlation between ACEs and self-regulation remained statistically significant regardless of the resilience level, suggesting that resilience did not alleviate …

Comparing Executive Functions In Dancers Versus Aerobic Exercisers: A Study On Older Adults, Jai S. Ravipati

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many older adults may experience cognitive decline with aging, and with a rising aging population it is important to investigate interventions that improve cognitive functions. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in executive functioning between older adult dancers and older adult aerobic exercisers. Given that dance involves the use of executive functions, in addition to engaging in aerobic exercise, older adult dancers were expected to score higher on the executive functioning tasks than the older adult aerobic exercisers. Using the Cambridge Brain Sciences Battery to assess executive functioning, this study sought to compare older adults, 50 years …

How Do Leaders Judge What Is A Responsible Course Of Action?, Rita A. Gardiner Ph.D

Education Publications

In this chapter, I ask two interrelated questions. First, how do leaders judge what is a responsible course of action? Second, and relatedly, how do others judge what constitutes responsibility in leadership action? The core argument I put forward is that thinking with Hannah Arendt deepens our comprehension of what it might mean to lead responsibly. She encourages us to recognize that leading in a responsible manner is, above all, a judgment call. From an Arendtian perspective, to judge responsibly entails taking the time to reflect upon a decision so as to weigh up the different sides of an argument. …

Political Attitudes Vary With Detection Of Androstenone, Amanda Friesen, Mike Gruszczynski, Kevin B. Smith, John R. Alford

Political Science Publications

Building on a growing body of research suggesting that political attitudes are part of broader individual and biological orientations, we test whether the detection of the hormone androstenone is predictive of political attitudes. The particular social chemical analyzed in this study is androstenone, a nonandrogenic steroid found in the sweat and saliva of many mammals, including humans. A primary reason for scholarly interest in odor detection is that it varies so dramatically from person to person. Using participants’ self-reported perceptions of androstenone intensity, together with a battery of survey items testing social and political preferences and orientations, this research supports …

Harold Innis And The Greek Tradition: An Essay Concerning His Ontological Transformation, Edward Comor

FIMS Publications

The transition of Harold Innis’ work from staples research to communications studies commonly is understood to have been an extension of his earlier research rather than a dramatic break from it. While in agreement, we argue that a significant transformation in Innis’s ontology (but not his epistemology) also took place. This can be understood by referencing his concerns about the fate of civilization and his views on the prospectively strategic role of what he called the Greek tradition. To explain this, herein we concentrate on Innis’ largely forgotten book Political Economy in the Modern State, initiated in 1943 and …

Neural Activity During Self-Referential Processing In Children At Risk For Depression., Pan Liu, Matthew R J Vandermeer, Marc F Joanisse, Deanna M Barch, David J A Dozois, Elizabeth P Hayden

Psychology Publications

BACKGROUND: According to cognitive theories of depression, more negative and less positive self-schemas are thought to play a causal role in the disorder. Existing evidence speaks to the neural substrates of self-referential processes in both healthy and depressed individuals, but little is known about how the brain relates to self-referential processing in the context of depression risk in children. We therefore studied the neural substrates of self-referential processing in never-depressed preadolescent children at high and low risk for depression based on maternal depression history.

METHODS: A total of 87 never-depressed 10-12-year-old children (29 with maternal depression) completed a self-referential encoding …

The Networked Question In The Digital Era: How Do Networked, Bounded, And Limited Individuals Connect At Different Stages In The Life Course?, Barry Wellman, Anabel Quan-Haase, Molly-Gloria R. Harper

FIMS Publications

We used in-depth interviews with 101 participants in the East York section of Toronto, Canada to understand how digital media affects social connectivity in general--and networked individualism in particular--for people at different stages of the life course. Although people of all ages intertwined their use of digital media with their face-to-face interactions, younger adults used more types of digital media and more diversified personal networks. People in different age-groups conserved media, tending to stick with the digital media they learned to use in earlier life stages. Approximately one-third of the participants were Networked Individuals: In each age-group, they were the …