Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

'Why Should We Learn About Crime?': Exploring The Perceptions And Fear Of Crime Among Recent Immigrants In Waterloo Region (Ontario), Jennifer Robena Bernier

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research project was to achieve a greater understanding of the perceptions and fear of crime among recent immigrants in Waterloo Region, including how recent immigrants define crime, the types of activities that recent immigrants considered to be criminal in both Canada and their countries of origin, and how perceptions of crime are similar and different among the various countries that the participants represented. Furthermore, in this study I hoped to identify the types of crime(s) that recent immigrants in Waterloo Region fear and the factors that may be important in explaining fear of crime among recent …

Looking Forward To Fitness: The Effects Of Time Perception On Exercise Behaviour, Lianne Mclellan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Previous research has shown that people induced with a future-oriented time perspective were more likely to adhere to an exercise program because they were focused on the benefits of exercise and therefore better able to overcome short-term (ST) costs. The current research aimed to extend these findings by examining time perception—how close or distant the future benefits of exercise subjectively feel. Three studies examined participants’ perceptions of the ST and long-term (LT) benefits of exercise on their motivation to be physically active and their subsequent exercise behaviour. Study l found that having a future time perspective was related to higher …

Motivated Prediction Of Future Feelings: The Effects Of Mood And Mood Focus On Affective Forecasts, Vassili Spyropoulos

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

People often predict they will experience more positive or more negative emotional reactions to upcoming pleasant and unpleasant events respectively, than they actually do. Although researchers have identified several cognitive processes underlying this bias in affective forecasting, the present research examined the role of motivational factors. We proposed that people sometimes generate relatively positive affective forecasts to fixture positive events (or less negative affective forecasts to future negative events) as a mood regulation strategy. That is, they may attempt to cope with threatening negative feelings by anticipating pleasant emotions in the future. More specific hypotheses were derived from recent research …

Exposing The Needs Of An Invisible Community: Queer Youth In Kitchener-Waterloo, Meghan Kenny

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Using a participatory action research approach, and a steering committee composed of stakeholders from the community, this thesis focused on identifying the needs of queer youth in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Multiple methods were used including focus groups, key informant interviews, and an online survey. A total of 31 participants were involved in this study including youth between the ages of 16 and 25 (who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, or unsure), parents of queer youth and other community members. Barriers to queer youth wanting to access resources were addressed and strategies to overcome them are offered. In addition, suggestions …

The State Of Our Union: Appraisals Of Romantic Relationships, Stephen Allan Michael Gallant

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

How do romantic partners determine if they are happy in their current relationship? What standards do they use when appraising their romantic relationship? The present thesis examines people’s preferences among various comparison standards (social comparisons, temporal past comparisons, temporal future comparisons and previous relationship comparisons) for relationship appraisal, the direction in which people prefer to make various relationship comparisons and the reported and actual impact of these comparison standards on relationship appraisals. The present research also examines the hypothesis that certain relationship beliefs and characteristics (controllability and satisfaction) affect how one interprets these comparison standards. In study 1, 140 undergraduate …

Wheel Running As A Function Of Varying Effort Requirements In Rats, Doreen B. Weise

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

These experiments explore a wheel running work-response function with the goal of paralleling the drug magnitude-response (dose-response) function, as a way of measuring the value of running for rats. Friction levels were manipulated by varying the amount of weight applied to running wheels. Experiment 1 examined how male running patterns changed in response to weights applied on alternate days and calculated the work-response scores for each weight. Experiment 2 explored how male running changed when weights were applied for only a portion of the night, on an alternate night schedule. Experiments 3 and 4 replicated the procedures used in Experiments …

Visualizing The Future: Can 'She' Predict Project Completion More Accurately Than 'I' Can?, Jenny Deslauriers

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Although people often make overly optimistic predictions of when their own projects will be completed, neutral observers tend to be more realistic. Study 1 examined whether people would make more accurate predictions for their own projects by adopting the visual perspective of an observer. Participants identified a personal project that they hoped to complete in the next two weeks, and predicted when it would be finished. To vary visual perspective, participants were instructed either to visualize the project through their own eyes as if it was actually occurring (first person perspective), to picture themselves and their surroundings as an observer …

Combining Dynamic Cartography And Temporal Gis To Visualize Industrial Development In Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Shawn Mueller

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis uses dynamic cartography and temporal geographic information systems (GIS) to explore visualization of the industrial development of Kitchener, Ontario. The discussion centres on the nature of dealing with temporal data in geography. This project addresses this issue by constructing a temporal dataset that accounts for the historical location of industrial/manufacturing businesses in Kitchener. Based on this temporal data, animated visualizations are then constructed that show the cadence and distribution of industrial development in Kitchener. The visualization process used by this project makes use of the inherent temporality of GIS to plan and construct animated visualizations in a way …

French And English Word Reading And Word Decoding Performance In Bilingual Children: How Are Phonological Processing Skills Related?, Catherine Adèle Lafrance

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The French (L1) and English (L2) reading development of bilingual children in French schools was examined using measures of oral language proficiency, letter-name and letter-sound knowledge, phonological processing (phonological awareness, naming speed and working memory), and word decoding over an eight month period. At Time 1 (Senior Kindergarten), a series of multiple regressions indicated that, when controlling for oral language proficiency, letter name knowledge and non-verbal reasoning, L1 phonological awareness was the only consistent and unique predictor of French and English word reading and word decoding performance. At Time 2 (Grade 1), French and English phonological awareness were consistent and …

The Meaning Of Engagement: An Exploration Of Generativity In The Domain Of Politics, Sean Curtis Cameron

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Survey research has raised concerns over recent declines in political participation (Putnam, 2000). However, there has yet to be much research examining reasons for this from a narrative, life history perspective. In the current study, we examined intensive interviews of 94 midlife adults from the MacArthur Foundation Study on Successful Midlife Development, for levels of generative concern using the Loyola Generativity Scale, as well as political behaviours, values and beliefs using measures developed by the authors. This exploratory analysis focused on the accounts that men and women gave of political involvement, as well as predictors of these patterns. Generativity was …

Differential Vulnerability To Debris Flow Hazard In Two High Mountain Communities Of The Karakoram Himalaya, Northern Pakistan, Shauna Flanagan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis presents the findings of a comparative study of vulnerability, coping and risk-averting strategies and social responses to environmental hazards, particularly debris flow and flooding hazards, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Two small village-scale settlements, the prevailing form of community in the region, were selected as case studies and are described in detail. The villages exhibit a comparable subsistence agro-pastoral economy and socio-cultural organization reflecting similarities in environmental opportunities and constraints, historical processes and religious beliefs. However, they differ greatly in their proximity to commercial centres and in the rate at which modernization processes are being introduced and …

Regional Disparities In The Labour Market In East Germany, Gabriela Yvonne Pierow

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In February 2003 the unemployment in Germany reached the third highest peak since unification with more than 4.7 million unemployed persons. The number of unemployed persons in Germany increased from February 2002 to February 2003 by over 410,000 (+9.5%), which accounts for an increase of the unemployment rate from 10.4% in February 2002 to 11.3% in February 2003. The numbers for East Germany are even more alarming. The average unemployment rate in East Germany increased from 18.8% in February 2002 to 19.9% in February 2003. That means that nearly 1.76 million persons were unemployed in East Germany in February 2003 …

Singapore: The Feel Good Factor - A Vital Element In The Meticulous Preparations For Leadership Change, Eugene Kheng Boon Tan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

No abstract provided.

Legal Issues Under Wto Rules On The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (Cepa) Between Mainland China And Hong Kong, Henry S. Gao

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

On 29 June 2003, the Central Government of the People's Republic of China (the Mainland) and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) signed the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). As the first Regional Trade Agreement (RTA) for both sides, the CEPA provides a model for China to use the arrangements allowed under the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to further trade liberalisation and promote economic development. This is a commendable endeavour. However, due to the complexity of the relevant rules of the WTO, caution must be exercised in the formulation and implementation of …

Selected Influences On The Smoking Behavior Among Female And Male College Students Of The University Of Northern Iowa, Evelyn Adom-Boateng

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study primarily, was to investigate and identify the influence of the four focus areas (media, family, peer, and psychological coping technique) on the smoking behavior among female and male college students of the University of Northern Iowa. A description of differences in the influences of the focus areas on the smoking behavior on gender was included in the study. A non-random (convenient) sample of 100 students was drawn from the various Departments and Schools from five colleges in the University (57% males and 43% females).

The Sample responded to a 44-item self-report (survey) questionnaire. Overall means …

Online Avatar Based Interactions, Han Wei Koay

Theses : Honours

The gridWorld project attempts to utilize 3D to develop an online multi-user visual chat system. GridWorld address ideas of how conversations in a virtual environment can be facilitated and enhanced by an abstract visual interface design. The visual interface was developed from research and examination of existing ideas, methodologies and application for development of user-embodiment, chat/virtual space, and interface useability towards the visualization of communication.

Crane Operator Training Delivery : Is The Current System The Way To Go?, Ian Douglas

Theses : Honours

There are over 20,000 people certificated to operate cranes in West Australia and there are currently approximately 2000 construction cranes operating in the state of West Australia. The safe operation of these machines in the workplace is critical to safety on the job. As is often the case when machinery is involved in an accident or event, when something goes wrong there is the possibility of people being injured or for damage to occur to the machine and the surrounding infrastructure. The number of events that have been reported in the media during recent months highlights this fact. To help …

An Exploration Of Psychological Sense Of Community In Western Australian School Children Aged 7-8 Years, Debra K. Roberts

Theses : Honours

The current exploratory study examined Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC) in 16 Western Australian school children, between the ages of seven and eight from two schools in the Perth metropolitan region. The aim was to identify whether young children understand the concept of PSOC, within their school environment. A qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews was employed. Questions were generated based on the Neighbourhood Youth Inventory (NYI) and the Sense of Community Index (SCI), as a measure of children's PSOC in their school environment. A thematic content analysis was performed using a question ordered matrix, to compile common themes and meanings …

Hepatitis C, Quality Of Life And Cognitive Function : An Exploratory Study, John Caithness

Theses : Honours

Active chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a viral infection that affects approximately 150,000 Austra1ians. It has various quality of life impacts and the literature suggests some cognitive ramifications. In this Western Australian exploratory study, 13 healthy students from Edith Cowan University made up a control group. One experimental group consisted of 11 people with CHC and mild liver damage, and a second experimental group consisted of 8 people with CHC and at least moderate liver damage. The participants were assessed with a health-related quality of life questionnaire, the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36); a test of cognitive functioning, the …

The Lived Experience Of Men With A Postnatally Depressed Partner, Colela M. Browning

Theses : Honours

The aim of this study was to examine the experiences and perceptions of men living with a partner who has postnatal depression (PND). Family systems theory was used to provide a framework within which to evaluate men's relationships with immediate and extended family members. A semi-structured interview was used to understand the experiences and perceptions of seven men with partners who had PND. Schweitzer's (1997) phenomenological approach was used to explicate meaning and extract themes from the interview transcripts. Six major themes were identified from the data. These included changes in the division of labour, issues of self, altered family …

The Direction Of Memory For Music For Popular And Novel Songs, Susan Rose Sibma

Theses : Honours

Previous research on memory for music has typically measured participants' reaction times (RTs) and accuracy in tests of recall and recognition of songs presented to them. The current study was interested in what occurs during the time that elapses between stimulus onset and the generation of a response. It has been suggested that people sing or hum to themselves as they search for an answer (Rubin, 1977), but a question that has been overlooked to date is in what direction this occurs. As music unfolds in time, it was proposed that in memory for music, 'forward is best'. In the …

Is The 'Hierarchy Of Effects' View Of Advertising Evident Amongst Perth Advertising Agencies?, Carolyn Boulden

Theses : Honours

Hierarchy of effects models have underpinned the advertising industry for over 100 years. These models are based on an underlying pattern of cognition => affect=> behaviour, in other words: think=> feel=> do, and suggest that consumers process advertising in a linear fashion, in stages. Recently, however, hierarchy of effects models have begun to be questioned by some authors who claim that there is no actual evidence that advertising is processed by consumers according to a hierarchy of effects. If this is the case, the advertising industry will need to seriously rethink the basis upon which many, if not all, campaigns …

What Is Treatment? : Understandings And Responses Of Workers To Child Sex Offenders, Casey Eyden

Theses : Honours

With the field of sex offender treatment is in its infancy, there is a tack of clarity concerning nearly all aspects of offending behaviour, from theoretical frameworks that explain why the offending occurs, to the effectiveness of different treatment techniques. This study sought to gain insight into workers' understandings of the phenomenon of child sexual offending, and how these understandings informed their responses to child sex offender treatment. Locating the 'sense making' of workers within the context of a four dimensional systematic integration model; personal, professional, organisational and social influences and impacts were also explored. Currently practicing with child sex …

The Relationship Between Marital Satisfaction And Caregiver Burden In Parents Who Care For Adult Children With Development Disabilities, Jujuane M. Easter

Theses

This study examines the relationship between marital satisfaction and caregiver burden in parents of individuals with mental disabilities. Eighteen couples (18 women and 18 men) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS), and the Caregiver's Burden Scale (CBS). It was hypothesized that there would be a negative correlation between marital satisfaction and caregiver burden. The correlations between the IMS scale and CBS scale were calculated for men and women separately. Findings indicate that the correlation for the IMS scale with the CBS scale for men was not statistically significant (.246). Also, the correlation for the IMS scale …

How Relevant Is Jury Rationality?, David A. Hoffman

All Faculty Scholarship

This essay reviews Punitive Damages: How Juries Decide by Cass Sunstein, et al. The book provides a good example of a recent trend: the use of behavioralist research to justify surprisingly paternalistic legal reforms. While critics of behavioralism often contend that its theoretical foundations are weak, this approach is unlikely to prove an effective rejoinder in the new debate about what kinds of paternalism are made permissible by human "irrationality". A better approach: (1) notes the lack of a nexus between behavioralism and the supposed emergent necessity of paternalist reforms; and (2) suggests that juror unwillingness to apply cost-benefit formula …

Prävention Von Depression Bei Kindern Und Jugendlichen (Prevention Of Depression In Children And Adolescents)., Patrick Pössel, Martin Hautzinger

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Depressive Störungen in Kindheit und Jugendalter sind unter anderem durch die hohe Prävalenz und Persistenz depressiver Störungen bis ins Erwachsenenleben, bedeutenden Komorbiditäten mit anderen psychischen Störungen und psychosozialen Problemen von hoher individueller und gesellschaftlichen Bedeutung. Aufgrund dieser Erkenntnisse haben verschiedene Autoren weltweit damit begonnen Präventionsprogramme zu entwickeln und zu evaluieren. In diesem Artikel werden die Probleme der Präventionsforschung und die Effektivität von Prävention bei Kindern und Jugendlichen dargestellt. Den Schwerpunkt bildet dabei ein Überblick über derzeit vorliegenden Programme und deren Evaluationen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Programmen, die in deutscher Sprache vorliegen. Abschließend werden mögliche Entwicklungsrichtungen der zukünftigen Präventionsforschung aufgezeigt.

Depressive …

Erste Ergebnisse Eines Programms Zur Schulbasierten Prävention Von Depressiven Symptomen Bei Jugendlichen (First Results Of A School-Based Prevention Program Of Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents)., Patrick Pössel, Andrea B. Horn, Martin Hautzinger

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Depressive Störungen im Jugendalter sind ein weit verbreitetes Problem mit weitreichenden psychosozialen Folgen. Um beidem vorzubeugen wurde ein universales schulbasiertes kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutisches Präventionsprogramm entwickelt, das in Anlehnung an das Multifaktorielle Depressionsmodell aus einem kognitiven und einem sozialen Trainingselement besteht. Im kognitiven Teil werden dysfunktionale Gedanken bearbeitet und im sozialen Programmteil werden selbstsicheres Verhalten und Kontaktfähigkeit trainiert. Es wurde erwartet, dass die Teilnahme am Präventionsprogramm direkt nach Beendigung noch keinen signifikanten Effekt auf die depressiven Symptome zeigt, während geringer ausgeprägte dysfunktionale Gedanken und eine Verbesserung der sozialen Unterstützung erwartet wurden. Die Ergebnisse direkt nach Beendigung des Präventionsprogramms (Trainingsgruppe n = 187; Kontrollgruppe …

Universelle, Schulbasierte Prävention Der Depression Im Jugendalter : Ergebnisse Einer Follow-Up-Studie (Universal, School-Based Prevention Of Depression In Adolescence : Results Of A Follow-Up Study)., Gunter Groen, Patrick Pössel, Susanne Al-Wiswasi, Franz Petermann

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Zahlreiche internationale empirische Befunde belegen heute, dass depressive Symptome und Störungen im Jugendalter ein weit verbreitetes, oftmals folgenreiches und ernst zu nehmendes Gesundheitsproblem darstellen. Depressive Jugendliche zeigen in vielen Fällen erhebliche Alltagsbeeinträchtigungen und verschiedene komorbide psychische Probleme. Sie tragen ein deutliches Risiko, auch in ihrer weiteren Entwicklung – bis in das Erwachsenenalter – unter anhaltenden oder wiederkehrenden depressiven Episoden, anderen psychischen Störungen und psychosozialen Beeinträchtigungen zu leiden (vgl. Groen & Petermann, 2002). Neben der persönlichen Leidensgeschichte der Betroffenen ist davon auszugehen, dass bereits depressive Störungen im Jugendalter mit hohen und längerfristigen öffentlichen Kosten zusammenhängen, die etwa durch notwendige Behandlungsmaßnahmen oder …

Dysthymia And Major Depression : Distinct Conditions Or Different Stages Along A One-Dimensional Continuum?, Patrick Pössel

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Until recently researchers have discussed whether dysthymia and major depression represent distinct conditions or rather different stages along a one-dimensional continuum. This study addresses this question by examining the belief systems of normal, dysthymic, and depressed participants. We explored participants‘ beliefs and differentiated between positive and negative as well as between core and peripheral beliefs. Normal participants showed fewer negative beliefs and negative peripheral beliefs than the dysthymic group, whereas normal participants had more positive beliefs and positive core beliefs as well as fewer negative core beliefs than the depressed group. The hypothesized one-dimensional continuum could not be demonstrated for …

Never Let The Truth Stand In The Way Of A Good Story: A Work For Three Voices, Bronwyn T. Williams

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Describes how the author's habit of fabrications and stories as a 10-year-old became a source for writing fiction. Notes how he pursued journalism as a profession, but was frustrated by its limitations. Considers how as a professional field, composition continues to contemplate and struggle with issues of power and representation in research and writing. Addresses the issues of power and representation and the ethical concerns that such issues entail.