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Factors Driving Consumers' Continuous Usage of Online Grocery Shopping Platforms in the Post-Pandemic Era
Get PDFThe purpose of our research is to explore several factors that influence consumers' intention to continue using online grocery services or platforms after the Covid-19 pandemic. We conducted a field survey of 314 Canadian consumers who use online grocery services. Our study draws from the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Expectation-Confirmation Theory, and we incorporated the constructs of Perceived Risk and Trust into the proposed theoretical framework to deepen understanding in the area. Based on these frameworks, we formulated fifteen hypotheses. This study investigates factors that influence consumers' continued use of online grocery services. The study highlights the significant influence of perceived usefulness, trust, attitude, and perceived risk in the model. The results also show that perceived risk plays a crucial role in participants' decisions to continue to use online grocery services. We explored the effects of demographic variables such as age (Generation), gender, employment, and income level on the relationship between intention and continued intention. Additionally, the results show that consumers' intention to use online grocery services differ before Covid-19, during, and after the pandemic. Finally, our findings can help retailers tailor their marketing strategies to enhance online grocery service adoption
Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge & Clifton Suspension Bridge collection, 1847-1861, n.d.
Get PDFIn 1846, the governments of Upper Canada and the State of New York initiated the creation of two companies that would be authorized to build a bridge over the Niagara River. The bridge was to be owned by both companies, respectively known as the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company (Canadian) and the International Bridge Company (American). Engineer Charles Ellet was hired to construct the bridge and completed a temporary suspension bridge that opened in 1848. A financial dispute with the Bridge Companies led to Ellet’s departure and American civil engineer John A. Roebling was hired in 1851. He was to build a suspension bridge that would carry railways and carriages. In 1854 a lower deck was completed and opened to carriages and pedestrians. The following year the upper deck was opened which carried railway cars. It became the first working suspension railway bridge in history and remained in operation until 1897.
The success of the railway suspension bridge brought calls for another bridge to be built closer to the Falls. The bridge was to connect Niagara Falls, New York and Clifton, Ontario, and was known as the Clifton Suspension Bridge or Falls View Bridge. A Canadian charter was granted to the Clifton Suspension Bridge Company in 1867 and the bridge officially opened in 1869.The collection contains items relating to the early history of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge and Clifton Suspension Bridge including receipts, company shares, a circular, private bill, ambrotype, small photo album, and guidebook
Moral evaluations of children's truths and lies in prosocial contexts: The role of reputation
Get PDFMoral evaluations of truths and lies have been found to vary based on the intention of the speaker (to help or to harm). One factor that may influence the perceived intention of the speaker is their reputation. Given that honesty is a key factor for building and maintaining relationships, it is important to understand whether a child’s reputation influences how other children and parents perceive their truth- and lie-telling behaviours. The current investigation examined the influence of a child’s reputation on 7- to 12-year-olds’ (Study 1; N = 146) and parents’ (Study 2; N = 198) moral evaluations of the child’s blunt truths (i.e., truths told despite possible hurt feelings) and prosocial lies (i.e., lies told to protect another’s feelings). Children were read aloud a series of vignettes in which a child protagonist described as smart, kind, or clean (control) either told the blunt truth or a prosocial lie to their friend. Parents read the same vignettes in text format with the addition of a troublemaker reputation condition. The reputation of the child protagonist significantly influenced both children’s and parents’ moral evaluations. Children rated the kind child’s lies more positively than those of the smart and control children, and parents rated the smart child’s truths and lies less positively than those of the kind and control children in certain contexts. Moreover, developmental differences in the evaluation of truths and lies were found such that older children rated both statements more positively than younger children, suggesting that with age, children begin to understand that telling both truths and lies to benefit others has positive value. Children showed increasingly adult-like complexity in their inferences about a truth- or lie-teller’s intentions as well as their anticipatory reactions towards truths and lies in the present study, demonstrating that children have a nuanced understanding of blunt truth- and prosocial lie-telling that further improves with age
Letter by G.H. Morton to Peter P. Dox, December 8, 1812
Get PDFMyndert M. Dox (1790-1830) was born in Albany, N.Y. He served as a Captain in the Thirteenth Regiment of Infantry and was later appointed Collector of the Port of Buffalo.
Alexander Smyth (1765-1830) was an American soldier and Congressman. In 1812 he was given command of a brigade of regulars stationed in Niagara with the intent to invade Canada. After Stephen Van Rensselaer’s failed attack at Queenston in October 1812, Smyth took over command of his forces. Shortly after he issued a confident proclamation declaring that he would quickly conquer Canada. On November 25 he ordered troops at Black Rock, near Buffalo, to prepare to cross the river to Canada. However, he soon realized that only a fraction of the men available would be able to cross on the boats from the navy yard and decided to abandon the attack. A subsequent attempt also proved unsuccessful and Smyth realized that the untrained and ill- equipped army had little chance of success. He was harshly criticized for his failure after his confident proclamation. The U.S. government took him out of the army and he subsequently served in the House of Delegates representing Virginia as well as Congress.A letter written by G.H. Morton to Peter P. Dox, Albany, dated at Geneva, December 8, 1812. Morton is writing to Dox about the events related to Capt. Alexander Smyth’s invasion of Canada from Black Rock in November 1812, and the condition of Dox’s brother Captain Myndert M. Dox who was injured during the action. The letter includes a detailed description of General Smyth’s actions and his attack from Black Rock
Discourses of Social Inclusion in Sport and Recreation in Rural Ontario
Get PDFThe benefits and challenges of participating in sport and recreation as a new Canadian are well documented in the existing literature, however, they are typically considered in an urban context. More specifically, a gap exists regarding how sport and recreation practitioners and managers understand social inclusion work in sport and recreation and the impact these understandings may have on newcomer populations who are living in rural and other non-metropolitan communities. The purpose of this study was to gain a more in-depth understanding of how social inclusion is understood in both sport and recreation practice and policy. Further, I sought to critically examine discourses of Whiteness in programming and policy in rural settings. Therefore, in this research, I explored two questions: 1) How do sport and recreation practitioners and managers understand social inclusion in and through sport and recreation in their rural communities? and 2) How do discourses of community and inclusion impact the way sport and recreation practitioners and managers define and understand social inclusion? An instrumental case study methodology was used to explore these questions in a region of Northern Ontario (including Nipissing and Sudbury Districts) and both semi-structured interviews and document analysis were conducted to collect data. A critical discourse analysis (CDA) was used for this research which helped to highlight how discourse functions to construct and transmit knowledge, and the ways this organizes and maintains social institutions (Fairclough 2001; Mogashoa, 2014). I drew from Critical Whiteness theory (CWT) to better understand how discourses of Whiteness are produced and maintained in sport and recreation. The analysis identified three discourses related to social inclusion in sport and recreation: We’re all in this together; ‘They’ aren’t from here; and Whose responsibility is it?. This research highlights how discourses of colourblindness, “othering” of diverse populations, and ambiguity of responsibility for social inclusion work may inform practice and underpin systems of Whiteness in sport and recreation. Additionally, it is important to consider how policies, practices, and understandings of social inclusion work in sport and recreation settings are translated throughout and between organizations.
Hansler/Stirtzinger Family fonds, 1790-2018, n.d.
Get PDFThe Hansler family (originally Hansel) came to Canada from New Jersey around 1780. George Hansler settled with his wife and young daughter on Twelve Mile Creek in Thorold Township. The first year proved to be difficult and George’s wife decided to return to New Jersey with their daughter. She feared that they would starve if they remained. Without a reliable postal service, George and his wife lost touch. After some time, it was assumed that George’s wife had died and the marriage was dissolved. George then married Rosanna Slough and had four children with her: Julia, Barbara, Hannah and Andrew. By now George was settled in Pelham Township on land that he received through a grant. He planted a five-acre apple orchard in Pelham. The Hansler family became well-known in both Thorold and Pelham Townships as subsequent generations remained in these communities.
John Felix Stirtzinger was born in Germany. He came to the United States with his mother and siblings in 1828 or 1829 and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sometime between 1829 and 1835 he came to Canada, eventually settling in Pelham Township. Here he met Julia Ann Slough and the two were married in 1836. They remained in Pelham Township and had 16 children.Fonds contains material related to the Hansler and Stirtzinger families. Most of the material concerns the Hansler family, with a few files on the Stirtzinger family. Information about other local families is also contained in the fonds, including the Metler, Slough, Strawn, and Brown families. Some general material about the history of Pelham is also included
Gender matters: Exploring the mental health of youth experiencing homelessness, a qualitative study
Get PDFIt is well known that gender shapes mental health experiences broadly. Gender adds an additional layer
to the already complex experience of being a male, female, or transgender young person who is experiencing homelessness. Yet, research in this area is limited. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive description study was to understand how gender shapes the mental health of youth who are experiencing homelessness in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. Eleven young people between the ages of 16 and 24 were recruited from a youth shelter and participated in a semi-structured interview. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed so that data could be analyzed using thematic analysis and Gender Based Analysis Plus. Findings revealed four contextual factors that appear to influence a young person’s mental health while homeless, but that are experienced differently depending on one’s gender identity. These factors include (1) housing acquisition is challenging, (2) appearances are meaningful, (3) cleanliness and hygiene are expected, and (4) utilizing mental health resources is complicated. Additionally, the many strengths that the youth identified and demonstrated in navigating their circumstances are highlighted in our results. These strengths include (1) exhibiting resilience, (2) expressing the ability to survive, (3) imagining a world that is better, (4) articulating their needs, and (5) drawing on their social connections. The gendered lens that guides this study provides a challenge to the homogenous way that young people experiencing homelessness are often portrayed within the literature. The experiences of young people who live with homelessness cannot simply be addressed within the siloed categories of gender, homelessness, and age. Ensuring that interventions are tailored to meet young people’s specific gendered needs is both a matter of human rights and health equity. Practical implications for service providers are discussed
Examination of physical activity, barriers, and wellbeing in mothers within one year of giving birth
Get PDFMany new moms express a desire to be physically active but encounter a variety of barriers, such as lack of perceived social support. Different types of support might be needed for new mothers to be active (e.g., for exercise- or postpartum-related barriers). While social support (SS) has been shown to improve physical activity and well-being, there is a need to understand moderators of these relationships. Exercise-related cognitive errors (ECEs) bias how accurately individuals view their physical activity and might impact the support-activity relationship. It was hypothesized that ECEs and social support would interact to predict physical activity, barrier self-efficacy, and psychological well-being in the first year after giving birth. New moms (N= 268, Mage=29.96 years ± 6.12) completed a self-reported survey using the ECE questionnaire (ECE-Q), Social Support for Exercise scale (SSES; 2 subscales family and friends), a modified Postpartum Support questionnaire (PSSQ; 2 subscales: family and friends), Psychological Well-being scale (PWBS), barrier self-efficacy, and the short form International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). SSES friends individually predicted physical activity bouts (B = .270, p < .001; R2 =.06, p < .001) beyond covariates. SSES family (B = .219, p < .001) and the ECE-Q (B = .141, p = .025) predicted physical activity bouts (R2 = .04, p < .001) beyond covariates. SSES from friends (B = .261, p <.001) and the ECE-Q (B = -.180, p = .002) predicted barrier-efficacy (R2 = .03, p < .001) beyond covariates. SSES from family (B = .274, p < .001) and the ECE-Q (B = -.145, p = .014) predicted barrier-efficacy (R2 = .02, p < .001) beyond covariates. SSES (B = -.288, p <.001) PSSQ (B = .490, p <.001) from friends and ECEs (B = -.121, p = .027) were predictors for PWBS (R2 = .01, p < .001) beyond the covariates. PSSQ from family (B = .433, p < .001), and the ECE-Q (B = -.150, p = .007; predicted PWBS (R2 = .02, p < .001) beyond covariates. None of the interactions were significant. While previous research has observed an interaction between SSES and ECEs in predicting physical activity bouts during pregnancy, the current findings did not support this interaction after birth for new mothers. Findings underscore possible predictors of how new mothers view and overcome their physical activity barriers and of their wellbeing
Does physical activity mediate the relationship between loneliness and mental health in Canadian adolescents?
Get PDFObjectives: Loneliness in adolescents has been consistently increasing over the previous two decades, a trend further exacerbated during to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly concerning considering the links between loneliness and poor mental health. This thesis investigated prospective bidirectional relationships between loneliness and mental health outcomes (anxiety and psychological wellbeing), and additionally, aimed to assess the mediating role of physical activity (PA) within these relationships over a one-year period.
Methods: This study used linked student-level survey data of 20,532 Canadian adolescents from the 9th (2020-2021) and 10th (2021-2022) years of the COMPASS study. Cross-lagged panel
mediation models were used to test bidirectional associations between loneliness, anxiety symptoms, psychological wellbeing, and PA. Bootstrapping was used to detect mediation effects
of PA in the relationships. Models were stratified by gender, and controlled for student grade, family affluence, province, ethnicity, and school-level clustering.
Results: Gender-diverse/other adolescents reported higher loneliness frequency and anxiety scores, and lower psychological wellbeing, compared to cis-gender adolescents. Bidirectional
relationships between loneliness and anxiety, and loneliness and psychological wellbeing were established in the full sample, with associations varying when stratified by gender. PA did not
significantly mediate the relationships between loneliness and the mental health outcomes.
Conclusions: Loneliness, anxiety, and psychological wellbeing prospectively and bidirectionally predicted each other, which reinforces current literature that supports loneliness as a risk factor for poor mental health outcomes among adolescents. PA did not mediate these relationships, thus future research should explore novel mediators to help explain the underlying mechanisms in the relationship between loneliness and mental health
Young People’s Well-Being and their Relationships with their Dogs: Exploring the Role of Perceived Human-Dog Personality Matching and Attachment
Get PDFStudies focused on emerging adulthood during stressful periods such as the Covid-19 pandemic can shed light on potential stressors and protective factors involved in shaping young people’s physical and psychological well-being. For instance, in the context of dog ownership, it is important to understand if and how undesired behaviours in dogs are associated with young people’s emotions and quality of life. This analysis is relevant because if can offer a more holistic perspective of dog ownership. This type of analysis helps to understand potential issues associated with dog ownership. My dissertation research examines the impact of dog ownership during the Covid-19 pandemic on young people’s well-being and aspects of the dog-owner relationship.
In Study 1, I used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine associations among dog personality, personality matching between dogs and young people, canine attachment and young people’s well-being. The study involved 401 participants. The findings indicated associations between canine attachment and young people’s well-being, but not between personality matching and young people’s well-being.
In study 2, I examined two aspects related to dog ownership. This study involved 131 participants. To begin, I used an experimental design to examine associations among canine attachment, perceptions of personality matching between young people and their dogs, and young people’s momentary emotions. Additionally, I used linear regressions to assess the relationship between undesired behaviours in dogs and young people’s perceived quality of life in the context of dog ownership. Importantly, the findings did not support the hypothesis that personality matching or canine attachment would moderate young people’s momentary emotions.
In study 3, I qualitatively explored how young people manage their companion dog’s undesired behaviours. The study involved seven participants and employed semi-structured interviews as a key method of data collection The following salient themes were identified through the analysis of the data: 1. Attachment Patterns, supported by the codes connection, kinship, and behaviours; 2. Synchrony/lack of Synchrony, supported by the codes reaction, and communication, and 3. Response to Challenging Situations, supported by the codes emotional reactions, coping styles and what they hope to change when responding to these stressful situations. Collectively, the results of these three studies will meaningfully inform the design of programs aimed at promoting positive relationships between young people and their dogs and the well-being of both young people and the dogs with whom they share their lives