10,835 research outputs found
The use of neurocognitive methods in assessing health communication messages: A systematic review
No full textWe review 20 studies that examined persuasive processing and outcomes of health messages using neurocognitive measures. The results suggest that cognitive processes and neural activity in regions thought to reflect self-related processing may be more prominent in the persuasive process of self-relevant messages. Furthermore, activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), the superior temporal gyrus, and the middle frontal gyrus were identified as predictors of message effectiveness, with the MPFC accounting for additional variance in behaviour change beyond that accounted for by self-report measures. Incorporating neurocognitive measures may provide a more comprehensive understanding of the processing and outcomes of health messages
Using molecular techniques to quantify iron bound nitrogenase in trichodesmium IMS 101 and natural populations:
No full textIron has been widely recognized as a potentially key factor in promoting nitrogen fixation by Trichodesmium. Data from both laboratory and field studies demonstrates that increasing the iron concentrations stimulates growth, photosynthetic rates and nitrogen fixation of both cultured and natural populations. However, quantitative studies that elucidate relationships between cellular iron quotas and physiological mechanisms have been limited. In this study, molecular techniques enabled quantification of the amount of nitrogenase expressed in iron-replete cultures of Trichodesmium IMS 101 over a diel cycle. A standard of the purified iron component of nitrogenase was generated from an expression and protein purification system. Using this standard and known values of intracellular carbon, the amount of nitrogenase per carbon at peak expression was measured, 0.038 mg nitrogenase: mg C. The quantity of iron bound in the nitrogenase structure was then calculated; Fe:C equal to 236.53 [mu]mol: mol. Using estimates of Trichodesmium biomass from the literature, the amount of iron bound in the nitrogenase structure was calculated for various ocean regions, resulting in 2.22 [mu]mol m-3 and 0.05 [mu]mol m-3 of iron bound in nitrogenase in the subtropical North Atlantic and North Pacific, respectively.M.S.Includes bibliographical references (p. 29-32)by Sherrie Whittake
Anne as Pagan, Anne as Queer
No full text‘Anne as Pagan, Anne as Queer’ is a critical and creative answer to the question: How do we construct Anne Shirley, and what does she mean to us? This creative research submission is a work of fanfiction, specifically a mash up based on Anne of the Island, L.M.M. Montgomery’s sequel to Anne of Green Gables. In this short work of fiction (under 4 thousand words) Anne is revealed as a changeling, one of the Faerie Folk, and also a being not strictly male or female; sometimes neither, sometimes both. The mash up is based on the last two chapters of Anne of the Island, the scenes in which Gilbert Blythe is seriously ill and Anne realises she loves him. This realisation causes Anne, in this version, to reveal to Gilbert that she is both non-human and not a girl, and to use Faerie magic to save Gilbert’s life. Anne’s revelation causes Gilbert a great relief, as he has been keeping a secret also - that he too is queer. The piece has an accompanying research statement and reflection, that reflects on the ways the contributor/author interprets Anne, as a being troubled by gender, and not strictly gender conforming. The much-loved scene from Anne of Green Gables in which Anne realises she is not wanted by the Cuthberts because she is not a boy is inserted into the mash up (as a memory) as this scene is the principal cause for the contributor’s identification with Anne as a gender non-conforming figure who resists gender expectations. Overall, this creative and critical work and reflection queers both Anne as a character and the Anne of the Island novel.Book chapter - work of fiction with a critical reflective essa
Young females' attention towards road safety images: An ERP study of the revised reinforcement sensitivity theory
No full text<b>Objective</b>\ud
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This study examined whether reward and punishment sensitivities, as conceptualised by Gray and McNaughton’s revised <i>Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory</i> (RST), influenced young female drivers’ attention towards a series of positive and negative anti-speeding advertisement images. Young females’ increasing crash risk is associated with their engagement in risky behaviours which, in turn, has been associated with a stronger <i>Behavioural Approach System</i> (BAS; sensitive to rewards). It was predicted that individuals with a stronger BAS would elicit larger N100 and N200 mean amplitudes (reflecting greater attention) towards the positive images. Similar associations were predicted in relation to the <i>Fight-Flight-Freeze System</i> (FFFS; sensitive to punishments) for negative images.\ud
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<b>Method</b>\ud
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Twenty-four female drivers (17-25 years; final N = 16) completed Corr-Cooper’s (2013) RST-Personality Questionnaire, prior to undergoing an Event-Related Potential computerised visual task (i.e., oddball paradigm) which comprised positive, negative, and neutral images as targets against checkerboard image distractors.\ud
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<b>Results</b>\ud
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Contrary to expectations, individuals with a stronger BAS (Reward Reactivity and Impulsivity) demonstrated significantly larger N200 mean amplitudes on presentation of the negative images than those with weaker a BAS, at the Cz electrode site. No other significant RST effects were found.\ud
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<b>Conclusions</b>\ud
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These findings provide some preliminary objective support for the use of negative emotion-based road safety advertisements for young females. Further, this study provides support for using psychophysiological measures to enhance understanding of traffic injury persuasion
Individual differences in drivers’ cognitive processing of road safety messages
No full textUsing Gray and McNaughton’s (2000) revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (r-RST), we examined the influence of personality on processing of words presented in gain-framed and loss-framed anti-speeding messages and how the processing biases associated with personality influenced message acceptance. The r-RST predicts that the nervous system regulates personality and that behaviour is dependent upon the activation of the Behavioural Activation System (BAS), activated by reward cues and the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS), activated by punishment cues. According to r-RST, individuals differ in the sensitivities of their BAS and FFFS (i.e., weak to strong), which in turn leads to stable patterns of behaviour in the presence of rewards and punishments, respectively. It was hypothesised that individual differences in personality (i.e., strength of the BAS and the FFFS) would influence the degree of both message processing (as measured by reaction time to previously viewed message words) and message acceptance (measured three ways by perceived message effectiveness, behavioural intentions, and attitudes). Specifically, it was anticipated that, individuals with a stronger BAS would process the words presented in the gain-frame messages faster than those with a weaker BAS and individuals with a stronger FFFS would process the words presented in the loss-frame messages faster than those with a weaker FFFS. Further, it was expected that greater processing (faster reaction times) would be associated with greater acceptance for that message. Driver licence holding students (N = 108) were recruited to view one of four anti-speeding messages (i.e., social gain-frame, social loss-frame, physical gain-frame, and physical loss-frame). A computerised lexical decision task assessed participants’ subsequent reaction times to message words, as an indicator of the extent of processing of the previously viewed message. Self-report measures assessed personality and the three message acceptance measures. As predicted, the degree of initial processing of the content of the social gain-framed message mediated the relationship between the reward sensitive trait and message effectiveness. Initial processing of the physical loss-framed message partially mediated the relationship between the punishment sensitive trait and both message effectiveness and behavioural intention ratings. These results show that reward sensitivity and punishment sensitivity traits influence cognitive processing of gain-framed and loss-framed message content, respectively, and subsequently, message effectiveness and behavioural intention ratings. Specifically, a range of road safety messages (i.e., gain-frame and loss-frame messages) could be designed which align with the processing biases associated with personality and which would target those individuals who are sensitive to rewards and those who are sensitive to punishments
Psychological factors associated with the use of weight management behaviours in young adults
No full textWe modified the Weight Control Behaviours scale to explore unhealthy/healthy behaviours to increase, decrease or maintain weight in young adults (N = 1082) and associations with body mass index, depression and body image. Females reported more use of all strategies except those which increase body size or exercising to exhaustion. Although the sample reported more use of healthy weight management strategies, the use of dangerous ones warrants attention by healthcare professionals. Feelings of fatness was an important predictor of weight management behaviours. Public health campaigns should focus on the harmfulness of unhealthy weight management practices as well as the importance of healthy ones
Behavioural Inhibition System response to conflicting advertisement cues: Road safety messages vs. motor vehicle promotional advertisements
No full textThis study assessed the revised Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS), as conceptualised by Gray and McNaughton’s (2000) revised RST, by exposing participants to a loss-framed road safety message (emphasising the negative consequences of speeding behaviour) and a high performance motor vehicle promotional advertisement. Licensed young drivers (N = 40, aged 17–25 years) were randomly allocated to view either the message or both the message and advertisement. Participants then completed a computerised lexical decision task prior to completing three personality measures: Corr-Cooper RST-PQ, CARROT and Q-Task. It was predicted that those with a stronger BIS would demonstrate greater processing of these mixed message cues compared to weaker BIS individuals, and that this BIS effect would only be observed in the mixed cues condition (due to simultaneous activation of the incentive and punishment systems). Preliminary findings will be discussed in the context of the influence of personality traits on health message processing
Processing biases towards gain-framed messages may lead reward sensitive individuals to adopt safer driving behaviours
No full textUsing Gray and McNaughton’s revised RST, this study investigated the extent to which the Behavioural Approach System (BAS) and the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS) influence the processing of gain-framed and loss-framed road safety messages and subsequent message acceptance. It was predicted that stronger BAS sensitivity and FFFS sensitivity would be associated with greater processing and acceptance of the gain-framed messages and loss-framed messages, respectively. Young drivers (N = 80, aged 17–25 years) viewed one of four road safety messages and completed a lexical decision task to assess message processing. Both self-report (e.g., Corr-Cooper RST-PQ) and behavioural measures (i.e., CARROT and Q-Task) were used to assess BAS and FFFS traits. Message acceptance was measured via self-report ratings of message effectiveness, behavioural intentions, attitudes and subsequent driving behaviour. The results are discussed in the context of the effect that differences in reward and punishment sensitivities may have on message processing and message acceptance
Young drivers' perceptions of road safety messages and a high performance vehicle advertisement : a qualitative exploration
No full textWhile road safety messages that focus on physical threats have shown some effectiveness, messages that include social threats and gains/rewards may be an alternative approach to encourage safer driving behaviours. In addition to message frame and type, motor vehicle advertising exposure may also influence the persuasiveness of road safety messages. Using qualitative methods this preliminary study explored young drivers’ (N = 17, 11 males) perceptions of the persuasiveness of four anti-speeding messages and a fictional high performance vehicle advertisement. The majority of males perceived the social loss/gain-framed messages to be more persuasive (sense of responsibility and personal relevance themes), whereas females tended to perceive the physical loss/ gain-frame messages (social esteem theme) to be more persuasive. Males appeared to be, while females appeared not to be, persuaded by the vehicle advertisement. The findings suggest that a range of road safety messages may be required to reach and influence young drivers
Interview with Anne Russell
No full textInterview with Anne Russell, playwright and author of several books on local history, including Wilmington: A Pictoral History
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