Group coordination is a universal feature of social life. Animals form social groups for a variety of reasons, including predator evasion and more efficient foraging, and individuals living in social groups must coordinate their activities in order for groups to function. Consequently, the factors that facilitate or impede group coordination are of great interest in understanding the lives of social animals. Familiarity between individuals has well-documented effects on group coordination, with familiar groups outperforming unfamiliar ones in predator evasion, foraging, and cohesion. Individuals also generally prefer to coordinate with familiar conspecifics over unfamiliar ones. Despite these advantages, the mechanisms through which familiarity might aid group coordination are poorly understood. Similarly, the individual personalities of group members have well-documented effects on group performance: bold individuals are more likely to be 'leaders' and determine the direction of group movements, and groups comprised of individuals of differing personalities outperform groups of all bold or all shy individuals. While the effect of individual personalities on group behaviour has been recorded extensively, the ways in which individuals affect each other's behaviour are still poorly documented. In particular, active interactions where one individual can directly affect the behaviour of others have received limited attention, as it is difficult to distinguish such actions from passive effects. I used two systems to investigate how individual behaviours can lead to group coordination. In three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), well-established boldness assays allowed me to assess the effects of personality and familiarity on 1) coordination between pairs of fish; I found that individuals in unfamiliar pairs exhibited coordination patterns consistent with their individual personalities, with bold individuals more likely to leave cover independently, while in familiar pairs, individuals behaved in ways seemingly unrelated to their boldness scores. I also investigated how personality and familiarity affect 2) group coordination and individual performance in a problem-solving paradigm. I found that familiarity, relative individual personality, and group mean personality interact to affect individual foraging success, and that group cohesion was affected by the interaction of group familiarity and group mean personality. These results suggest that individual characteristics can impact the behaviour of groups, and that the characteristics of an individual's group can in turn affect an individual's behaviour and success. In the Bronze Cory catfish (Corydoras aeneus), I described a novel tactile interaction style termed 'nudging' that individuals use during group coordination. I investigated 3) the effect of familiarity on nudging and coordination in pairs and triplets. These results show that nudging can be used to overcome the disadvantages of familiarity, which has important implications for how communication can underlie group coordination in the absence of familiarity. I then investigated how 4) nudging affects group coordination following a flight response to a potential threat. I demonstrated that nudging leads to a higher likelihood of group cohesion and longer group flight times. This shows how active interactions can mediate group responses and affect the ecologically relevant scenario of predator evasion. Finally, I investigated 5) the development of this nudging behaviour. My results show that Bronze Cory catfish larvae develop toleration for tactile stimulation with age alongside their propensity to nudge conspecifics. This suggests that Bronze Cory catfish larvae require social feedback to develop appropriate responses to nudges from conspecifics and supports the important role of nudging in Bronze Cory catfish sociality. The presence of active interactions in the Bronze Cory catfish` modifies the way that social behaviour manifests in this species and has great potential for further questions about social behaviour and group functioning.

In the cultural context of low achievement in Arab Israeli schools, this work-based study describes and evaluates a successful counselling intervention in one Israeli Arab elementary school. The intervention took place over six months and involved twenty activities. A mixed methods approach was adopted to evaluate the intervention. The use of both qualitative and quantitative methods provided an informative evaluation of the perceptions of students, teachers and parents about the effectiveness of the intervention. Students, parents and teachers reported that from their point of view, student behaviour, student/teacher/parent relationships and learning improved during the intervention. This positive analysis of perceptions was qualified by the possibility that other factors that were not analysed might be influential. The lessons learned from the intervention, such as the need for creating a teacher – parent strategic alliance, renouncing the use of aversive control and the adaptation of teaching styles to student learning styles, may prove to be a transformative approach to the education of Arab Israeli students.

This thesis explores parental health behaviours in order to develop a questionnaire which will measure the health behaviours of parents. It does so in a triangulated study by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The aims of the qualitative study were to explore parents’ concepts of health and the health behaviours they initiate for their preschool aged children and examine the relationship between parents’ health concepts and the health behaviours they undertake for their children. The aims of the quantitative study were that the health concepts of wellness, health promotion and illness prevention, identified by these parents, were measured. In line with the major research aims of the second quantitative study the emerging theory from the inductive exploration of parents’ health and their health behaviour and the health literature formed the basis for the construction of a questionnaire which contained health domains of wellness, health promotion and illness prevention and their clusters / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This thesis focuses on what I have called truth management. First it traces how modernist and postmodern theorists play their versions of what counts as true. A key critique I stage of modernist theorising is that it privileges decontextualised ways of knowing and silences agency. Drawn from postmodern concerns and my critique of 'normal science', two maps of 'thinking tools' (Bourdieu 1992) are proposed as the basis of my theorising of how truth is managed in organisations. The first map aims to position contextualism within the empirical gaze. It is made up of three contingencies - discourses, time and space. The second map of thinking tools aims to bring agency back into view. It is made up of four contingencies - identity, capital, practices and power. Each of the seven contingencies is used to frame the story of an inter-organisational partnership between an Australian university and a financial institution in part two of the thesis. The story traces their engagement in a negotiated postgraduate degree program - the Work-Based Learning (WBL) program from 1996-2003. In this way, I aim to demonstrate the power of everyday decision making in determining what counts as true. The management of truth is seen to be dynamic, multiple and contingent rather than causal, singular and able to be plotted on a linear trajectory.

The term `quality' is regularly used by those who produce, promote and consume wine. However, the nature and features of wine quality are rarely explained. This study was designed to explore what drinkers consider to be the nature of wine quality and what they believe its features to be. Focus groups and individual and small group interviews were used to explore the conceptualisation and dimensions of wine quality, how that quality is assessed, and what its relevance may be. There were 105 informants, sourced from three states across Australia primarily by utilising friends and acquaintances of the researcher. Informants included consumers with a wide background of consumption practices and involvement levels, and also producers and those involved generally in the marketing, selling and promotion of wine. The study viewed wine as an aesthetic or quasi-aesthetic object and therefore also investigated drinkers' more general perceptions of the links between wine and other aesthetic products, placing the understanding of quality within that context.

Sexual arousal is a complex and dynamic element of women’s sexuality. Accounts vary, however most multidimensional models highlight the cognitive, affective and physiological components of the female sexual arousal response. While literature examining the peripheral physiological changes that occur during female sexual arousal abounds, there has been a dearth of literature pertaining to the cognitive and affective components. Thus, while many authors have included cognitive and emotions as independent components of the female sexual arousal response, there has been little empirical research to validate this approach. The aim of the current thesis was to examine the cognitive and affective components of female sexual arousal in more depth, investigating the nature of the relationship between these components under various experimental conditions. In order to do so, two integrated studies were conducted, each highlighting the effects of either external or internal variables on women’s subjective sexual arousal, absorption, positive affect and negative affect. Study One was designed to evaluate women’s emotional and cognitive processing of two elements of erotic film – foreplay and erotic context. 60 women were asked to report their subjective sexual arousal, absorption, positive affect and negative affect in response to one of four erotic film excerpts. The erotic excerpts varied in accordance with the degree of foreplay (low vs. high) depicted and the context in which the sexual activities took place (novel vs. habitual context). Women in the study responded more favourably to the high foreplay erotic film excerpt, subsequently reporting higher degrees of subjective sexual arousal, absorption and positive affect. Women also responded favourably to the erotic excerpt filmed in a novel context, reporting greater subjective sexual arousal as a result. The environment in which the sexual encounters were filmed failed to have an effect however, on women’s absorption or their positive or negative affect. The results of Study One suggest that stimulus specific variables, such as the degree of foreplay depicted, have a significant influence on female cognitive and emotional processing of erotic film. The results also suggest that a relationship exists between absorption, subjective sexual arousal and positive affect, albeit a correlational one. Specifically, there was evidence of parallel processing during sexual arousal, as participant reported sexual arousal, absorption and positive affect all increased and decreased in unison. Based on the results it was suggested that future research attempt to experimentally manipulate one of these variables, to examine its direct effect on the remaining variable. Thus, Study Two aimed to examine the effects of absorption on women’s cognitive and emotional processing of erotica. Study Two manipulated absorption at two levels (high vs. low), examining the impact of these states on participants’ subsequent absorption, subjective sexual arousal and positive and negative affect. 62 women were asked to read one of two sets of test session instructions. The first, participant-oriented instruction set, instructed participants to immerse themselves in the erotic film excerpt, as if they were active participants in the sexual exchange. The second, spectator-oriented instruction set, directed participants to observe and evaluate the erotic film. These instructions were designed to elicit high and low degrees of absorption, respectively. The utility of this approach when manipulating female absorption, was demonstrated by self reported ratings of absorption, given at the conclusion of the film presentation. Participants were also asked to report their subjective sexual arousal and positive and negative affect at the conclusion of the erotic film presentation. The findings of this study suggest that the adoption of a participant-oriented (high absorption) perspective elicits more favourable responses from participants than a spectator-oriented (low absorption) perspective, with participants in the former experimental group reporting greater degrees of subjective sexual arousal and positive affect. Negative affect was equivalent across experimental conditions, with the participants reporting that they experienced little to no aversive feelings during either of the experimental conditions. The results suggest that the degree to which a women immerses and absorbs herself in a sexual stimulus has a significant impact in her subsequent cognitive and affective processing of that stimulus. More specifically, it appears that women respond more favourably when they are highly absorbed and immersed in a stimulus, reporting greater subjective sexual arousal and positive affect. Overall, the results of Studies One and Two highlight the dynamic and complex nature of female sexual arousal. It appears that women have definite cognitive and affective responses to sexual stimuli. The magnitude of these responses may be mediated by a number of factors however, including the intrinsic qualities of the stimulus and the degree to which the woman attends to the stimulus. Both these variables act to either enhance or inhibit the sexual arousal response. There results have important implications for current sexuality literature. While women’s cognitions and emotions in response to erotic film were generally highly correlated, in some instances they differed, warranting their inclusion as separate elements in models of female sexual arousal. Furthermore, it might be suggested that the inclusion of an additional variable – absorption – into current models of female sexual arousal would prove beneficial, aiding researchers to better understand and predict the arousal process. As such, recommendations are made for a revised model of female sexual arousal. In terms of future directions, the results of the present thesis have implications for the treatment of sexual dysfunctions, suggesting that clinicians need to understand the internal and external variables that might contribute to the aetiology and maintenance of their presenting problems.

This thesis examines silence as attributed to and performed by Japanese students in Australian university classrooms. It aims to elucidate processes in which silence can be used and created in intercultural communication in the classroom. The phenomenon of silence is approached from multiple perspectives. The data include interviews, a questionnaire and survey data, classroom observation and video-recorded classroom interactions. The data was collected in Australia and Japan. The Japanese data was included as part of sociocultural contexts where the Japanese students studying in Australia bring with them. The analysis draws on the frameworks of the ethnography of communication and conversation analysis. Micro- and macro- perspectives are combined to investigate how perceptions and performances interact to construct silence in the cross-cultural encounters in these classrooms. The thesis consists of four parts. The first part, Chapters 1-3, sets the theoretical background to the research. Chapter 1 describes how the research was conceived, and states the aims of the research. Chapter 2 reviews literature on silence, with specific attention to silence in Japanese communication and in classroom contexts. In Chapter 3 the methodological framework and design of this research is described. The second part, Chapter 4, examines how Japanese students� silence is perceived, both by themselves and their Australian teachers. The chapter is based on interviews with Japanese students in Australia, as well as findings from a questionnaire distributed to their lecturers. Japanese classroom practices as an aspect of the sociocultural background of Japanese students are also described. Finally, the third part, Chapters 5, 6, 7, compares actual silence and performance in the classroom with perceived silence. There are three case studies which make up a substantial part of the thesis and provide detailed analyses of classroom interactions, based on video-recordings, observations, and follow-up interviews with key participants. Chapter 8 synthesises the findings discussed in Chapters 4-7, and concludes with implications for teaching and learning in the multicultural university classroom.

Hygienic behaviour in the honeybee (Apis mellifera) has been shown to be an effective control mechanism against brood diseases such as chalkbrood and AFB. Chalkbrood has proven to be problematic for the Australian honey industry since it was identified here in 1993. Hygienic behaviour is a much studied trait. Rothenbuhler investigated the genetic basis of hygienic behaviour, proposing a two-gene model to explain the uncapping and removal of dead brood. His elegant experiment remains the textbook example of a behavioural genetic study. Although this model has been challenged, it is still generally agreed that a small number of unlinked genes produce a large effect on hygienic behaviour, that hygienic alleles are recessive and are inherited in a Mendelian manner. Experimental backcross colonies were produced from an inbred hygienic line and an inbred non-hygienic line, both provided by Dr. Marla Spivak, University of Minnesota. These backcross colonies were assessed for hygienic behaviour using a standard assay. Statistical analyses of the field data indicated that the genetic basis of the trait was more complex than either the simple Mendelian and widely accepted two-gene or three-gene models that have been proposed previously. Molecular techniques, linkage mapping and QTL analysis then were employed to determine how many loci directly influence hygienic behaviour and the relative level of influence and location of each locus within the genome of A. mellifera. Full multipoint linkage analysis by Mapmaker v3.0 software produced a new genetic map of the honeybee comprised of 358 marker loci ordered over 25 linkage groups spanning a total distance of 3406.2 cM. The average distance between each marker was 9.5 cM. QTL analysis of the experimental data identified seven putative genetic markers associated with hygienic behaviour. QTLs located on linkage groups 2, 4, 6 and 22 were detected for both overall hygienic behaviour and uncapping behaviour only. Individually, each QTL is of relatively small effect with each explaining only 9% � 15% of the variance in hygienic levels observed. Collectively, the putative QTLs identified here explain 79.4% of the observed variance in the expression of hygienic behaviour. These results indicate that there are many genes of low to moderate effect rather than few genes of large effect involved in this complex behavioural trait. This is typical of inherited quantitative traits which do not exhibit Mendelian phenotypic ratios. DNA extracted from the brood samples taken during testing of commercial stock, and from individual bees identified as either highly hygienic or non-hygienic in a reciprocal backcross experiment, were screened with the candidate markers associated with putative QTLs to test their diagnostic power. Unfortunately, none have produced reliably diagnostic DNA profiles. As we have now shown that hygienic behaviour is a polygenic, quantitative trait, simple diagnostic markers for Rothenbuhler's 'uncapping' and 'removal' genes are unlikely to be achieved. Our results show that the most likely way to improve disease resistance in Australian stock is via traditional methods of recurrent selection. The project was responsible for the importation of new genetic material into Australia from the United States. This hygienic stock has been well received by industry, has been widely disseminated, and incorporated into local breeding programs. We hope that it has lead to a general improvement in the level of disease resistance in Australian commercial bees.

<p>The main aim of this essay was to find out what kind of advantages and/or disadvantages giving marks in pupils order and behaviour can cause for their development of knowledge and emotional and social skills. We let teachers answer a questionnaire about giving marks in pupils order and behaviour. We have also interviewed one person that was involved to prepare the latest curriculum in 1994, Lpo 94, and they decided that Swedish teachers do not have the right competence to judge ones order or behaviour. We have also looked at different theories about: mark as motivation, mark as information, mark as control, self-fulfilling prophecy, emotional disorders and gender, with whom we analyse the fact to give marks in order and behaviour.</p><p>What we can establish is that giving marks in pupils order and behaviour seems to bring more disadvantages than advantages. Boys mature later than girls and have there for, in general, not as good behaviour as the girls have in the classroom. Also there is a problem with the fact that every fourth to sixth pupil is having one or another emotional disorder, that means that they have less basic conditions, than "normal" kids, to get a good mark in order and behaviour. Never the less this type of marks could motivate some pupils to behave better, which could effect the climate in classrooms in a positive way for learning and the pupils social and emotional prosperous. But then again, this concerns mainly the pupils that already are motivated and are behaving well. One of the reasons that there is problem children in the Swedish schools, are because they are having problems at home, and start giving marks in there order and behaviour, won’t change that. There is also a risk, because of the theory selffulfilling prophecy, that pupils who gets bad marks in order and behaviour, will also continue to behave bad.</p>

The main aim of this essay was to find out what kind of advantages and/or disadvantages giving marks in pupils order and behaviour can cause for their development of knowledge and emotional and social skills. We let teachers answer a questionnaire about giving marks in pupils order and behaviour. We have also interviewed one person that was involved to prepare the latest curriculum in 1994, Lpo 94, and they decided that Swedish teachers do not have the right competence to judge ones order or behaviour. We have also looked at different theories about: mark as motivation, mark as information, mark as control, self-fulfilling prophecy, emotional disorders and gender, with whom we analyse the fact to give marks in order and behaviour. What we can establish is that giving marks in pupils order and behaviour seems to bring more disadvantages than advantages. Boys mature later than girls and have there for, in general, not as good behaviour as the girls have in the classroom. Also there is a problem with the fact that every fourth to sixth pupil is having one or another emotional disorder, that means that they have less basic conditions, than "normal" kids, to get a good mark in order and behaviour. Never the less this type of marks could motivate some pupils to behave better, which could effect the climate in classrooms in a positive way for learning and the pupils social and emotional prosperous. But then again, this concerns mainly the pupils that already are motivated and are behaving well. One of the reasons that there is problem children in the Swedish schools, are because they are having problems at home, and start giving marks in there order and behaviour, won’t change that. There is also a risk, because of the theory selffulfilling prophecy, that pupils who gets bad marks in order and behaviour, will also continue to behave bad.