Neste trabalho investigamos os efeitos de superfícies de contorno e de confinamento na ordem orientacional de cristais líquidos, onde utilizamos cristais líquidos termotrópicos e liotrópicos. A importância deste estudo deve-se à aspectos tanto de interesse tecnológico (formas de alinhamento) como de pesquisa básica. Com relação aos cristais líquidos termotrópicos, determinamos que cargas eletrostáticas superficiais induzidas por esfregamento influenciam as propriedades orientacionais do cristal líquido, essas cargas foram medidas com a técnica de microscopia de força eletrostática (EFM). Estudamos novas formas de alinhamento ao tratar a superfície com polímeros fotosensíveis, onde foi possível introduzir uma competição entre dois potenciais superficiais de alinhamento (grades de relevo e fotoalinhamento) e geramos padrões microtexturizados com diferentes direções de alinhamento, o que pode ser aplicado na elaboração de dispositivos biestáveis. Em ambos os casos, uma forma de alinhamento local pode ser obtida com o uso de um microscópio óptico de campo próximo (SNOM). Com o uso de um surfactante (OTE) produzimos um perfil periódico de alinhamento homeotrópico e planar para tentar observar estados orientacionais esperados teoricamente, além de propor novos tratamentos superficiais. As análises topográficas foram feitas com medidas de microscopia de força atômica (AFM) e as análises de textura do cristal líquido com um microscópio óptico de luz polarizada. O efeito do confinamento de uma amostra de cristal líquido liotrópico foi investigado através do comportamento dinâmico induzido por campos magnéticos externos, dando evidências de uma transição de fase induzida apenas pelo confinamento da amostra. A ocorrência desta transição de fase foi confirmada através de medidas diretas com o uso de técnicas ópticas não-lineares, como a geração de segundo harmônico e Varredura-Z. / In this work we investigated the boundary surface and confinement effects on the orientational order of liquid crystals, where we used thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals. The importance of these studies refers to technological and fundamental research aspects. Regarding to the thermotropic liquid crystals, we determined that the electrostatic charges induced by rubbing of polymeric surfaces influence the liquid crystal orientational properties, these charges were measured with the electrostatic force microscopy technique (EFM). We studied new liquid crystal aligning forms with photosensitive polymers, where it was possible to impose a competition between two surface aligning potentials (surface relief gratings and photoalingment) and we created microtextured patterns of diferent alignment directions, which favors the use in bistable devices. In both cases, a local treatment can be achieved with a scaning near-field optical microscope (SNOM). With a surfactant (OTE) we produced periodic patterns of homeotropic and planar states to investigate the possibility of new orientational states induced to the liquid crystal, which are expected theoretically. The topographic analysis were done by atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements and the liquid crystal texture was investigated with a polarized microscope. The confinement effect on a lyotropic liquid cristal was investigated according to theoretical approches of the dynamical behavior induced by external magnetic fields, giving evidences of a phase transition induced only due to the sample confinement. This phase transition was confirmed with direct measurements of the transition by using nonlinear optical techniques, as second harmonic generation and Z-scan.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Felipe Bogea Gomes.pdf: 1266868 bytes, checksum: 3f80f28445de246a00a3f3fa54b5db6d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-08-09 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / Among the fields of study of behavioral finance is the identification of how emotions and cognitive errors can influence the decision process of investors. Published works in experimental psychology and behavioral finance indicated the use of heuristics behavio rs and their consequent biases in the decision process of agents participating in the financial market. The current research aims to recognize possible cognitive illusions shown by the Brazilian individual investor in their decision process, and also wishes to obtain more information about these biases, relating the empirical results to the theories of beha vioral finance. With that in mind, this thesis proposes to answer the following questions: is there evidence of the disposition effect and of the biases of anchoring with insufficient adjustment and overconfidence in the decision process of the Brazilian investor? How could these behaviors be related to personal traits of investors? In order to analyze the decision process of investors, a specific research instrument was developed. It is a questionnaire composed of 38 questions, 27 of which relating to biases and 11 to personal traits of investors. The contact with the investors was made possible through a partnership with the National Institute of Investors (INI in the Portuguese acronym). The Institute invited its associates to participate in the research through email and indicated the website where the questionnaire was available. In this way, each investor accessed the website and filled out the questionnaire on line. A non-probabilistic sample was used, made up of investors from different states in Brazil. After the exclusion of non-valid questionnaires, there remained a sample of 512 individuals. The results of this research are evidence of the presence of the disposition effect, of anchoring with insufficient adjustment and of overconfidence, but they do not prove their connection to the personal characteristics of investors. The presence of cognitive illusions has been documented in several countries and situations. However, in Brazil, as far as we know, their presence in a sample made up of investors participating in the Brazilian stock market had not been identified yet. Therefore, the results obtained contribute to confirm evidence from other countries, showing that the Brazilian investor is also subject to such behavior. The failure to verify the relationship of the cognitive errors with the characteristics of investors permits us to suggest the use of other variables in future works since part of the literature finds evidence of these relationships in certain specific characteristics. Although the research instruments lack formal validation, they contribute to the establishment of simple, easily applicable instruments that may identify cognitive illusions detrimental to Brazilian investors. / Uma das vertentes de estudos de finanças comportamentais é a identificação de como as emoções e os erros cognitivos podem influenciar o processo de decisão de investidores. Trabalhos de psicologia experimental e finanças comportamentais evidenciaram o uso de heurísticas e dos vieses decorrentes destas no processo decisório dos agentes participantes do mercado financeiro. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo conhecer e obter maiores informações sobre possíveis falhas cognitivas exibidas pelo investidor individual brasileiro durante seu processo decisório, relacionando seus resultados empíricos às teorias de finanças comportamentais. Assim, este trabalho se propôs a responder as seguintes perguntas: há evidências do efeito disposição e dos vieses da ancoragem com ajustamento insuficiente e do excesso de confiança no processo decisório do investidor brasileiro? De que maneira tais comportamentos poderiam estar relacionados com características pessoais dos investidores? Para a análise do processo decisório dos investidores foi desenvolvido um instrumento de pesquisa específico. O instrumento é um questionário composto por 38 perguntas, sendo 27 relacionadas às falhas cognitivas e 11 às características pessoais dos investidores. O contato com os investidores foi possível através de uma parceria com o Instituto Nacional dos Investidores (INI). O Instituto convidou seus associados, por email, a participar da pesquisa, indicando um sítio da internet. Cada investidor interessado acessou voluntariamente o sítio da internet e preencheu o questionário on-line. Foi utilizada uma amostra não probabilística, composta por investidores localizados em diferentes estados do Brasil. Após a exclusão dos questionários não válidos, obteve-se uma amostra de 512 indivíduos. Os resultados encontrados evidenciaram a ocorrência do efeito disposição e dos vieses da ancoragem com ajustamento insuficiente e do excesso de confiança, mas não constataram associações entre estes e as características pessoais dos investidores. A presença dessas falhas cognitivas em investidores tem sido documentada em diferentes países e situações. Todavia no Brasil, até onde sabemos, ainda não havia sido verificada sua presença em uma amostra composta por investidores atuantes no mercado acionário nacional. Portanto, os resultados obtidos contribuem no sentido de confirmar as evidências encontradas em outros países, mostrando que os investidores brasileiros também estão sujeitos a tais comportamentos. A não verificação das relações entre as falhas cognitivas e as características dos investidores permite sugerir a utilização de outras variáveis em trabalhos futuros, pois uma parte da literatura encontra evidência destas relações para algumas características específicas. Embora o instrumento de pesquisa empregado careça de validação formal, acreditamos que ele contribui na direção de se estabelecer um instrumento simples, de fácil aplicação e capaz de identificar falhas cognitivas possivelmente prejudiciais aos investidores brasileiros.

TITLE: The use of anchoring vignette method: subjective self-assessment of English languge level among pupils at basic schools and multi-year gymnasia AUTHOR: Bc. Vlasta Beranová DEPARTMENT: Department of Education SUPERVISOR: PhDr. RNDr. Hana Voňková, Ph.D. et Ph.D. ABSTRACT: The level of English language is evaluated from the didactic test and self-assessment questions. The problem of the self-assessments is that respondents interpret scale categories differently. Their self-assessments are not comparable. The anchoring vignette method offers a very good solution. Respondents answer a self-assessment question and in the same they have to evaluate hypothetic people (anchoring vignettes). The subjective self-assessment is corrected by differences in their vignette's assessment. This diploma thesis aims at the use of anchoring vignette method: subjective self-assessment of English language level among pupils at basic schools and multi-year gymnasia. In the empirical part the data from a questionnaire survey are presented. In one chapter the anchoring vignettes are described with their development and the way how they were constructed. This thesis proves that students have different usage of the scale and this method is very useful in this field. Also, the corrected self-assessment differs from the original...

The aim of this thesis was to ascertain the self-assessment of university students with various specializations, in their knowledge of information and communication technology (ICT). The theoretical part concerns with self-assessment as concept and methods pertaining to its verification. It also contains a detailed description of the anchoring vignettes method with its application in specific areas. Also discussed is the Overclaiming Technique. An evaluation has been conducted in the empirical part, which elaborates on self-assessment of ICT terms of various groups of students. Anchoring vignettes method is used in order to amend said self-assessment. Aforementioned part of the thesis also contains the use of overclaiming technique in practise, which is demonstrated on a specifically devised questionnaire. In this questionnaire, the students were asked to evaluate their level of understanding both existing and non-existing terms from the ICT area. The results have shown that there are significant differences between the questioned groups of students. The numbers indicate that students of ICT have a greater tendency to exaggerate the level of their knowledge in the area of information and communication technologies. Much more so than students who specialize in different subject.

Titel: Placeringsintresserade privatpersoners finansiella sparande Författare: Robert Bratt & Robin Karlsson Program: Ekonomprogrammet inriktning redovisning & ekonomistyrning Handledare: Thomas Karlsson Examinator: Petter Boye Fakultet: Ekonomihögskolan                                                                                                                                                         Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka, beskriva och förklara på vilket sätt placeringsintresserade privatpersoners sparande i finansiella instrument påverkas av de tre psykologiska faktorerna anchoring, herd behavior och mental accounting samt att undersöka om investerarens belåning och den risk för ökade kostnader som belåning i kombination med höjda räntor innebär kan leda till att placeringsintresserade privatpersoner ökar sitt sparande i finansiella instrument.   Metod: Vi har använt oss av en abduktiv ansats och genomfört en kvalitativ empirisk undersökning där vi har intervjuat personer med ett intresse för finansiella placeringar.   Teori: Vi har i vårt teorikapitel sammanställt teorier uppdelade i kategorierna finansiella placeringar, herd behavior, mental accounting, anchoring och belåning.   Empiri: I vår empiriska undersökning så har vi genomfört sju intervjuer med personer som har ett intresse för finansiella placeringar. Intervjuerna som har genomförts har varit semistrukturerade där vi har ställt frågor baserade på de teorier som har presenterats i teorikapitlet. Utifrån dessa frågor har vi sedan fört diskussioner med respondenterna gällande de olika fält som intervjun berör.   Slutsats: I slutsatserna har vi vägt de teorier som har presenterats i teorikapitlet mot det insamlade empiriska material som har framkommit i samband med vår empiriska undersökning. Utifrån den information som har framkommit i dessa två kapitel har vi formulerat slutsatser inom de områden som studien har undersökt.                                Nyckelord: herd behavior, mental accounting, anchoring, belåning, finansiell beteendepsykologi, finansiella marknader, finansiella instrument   Tack Vi vil tacka vår handledare Thomas Karlsson för stöd och feedback som vi fått under uppsatsens gång.   Vi vill även tacka de uppsatsgrupper som ingått i vår seminariegrupp och som genom opponering längs arbetets gång gett oss feedback vilket har varit till stor nytta.

Ce travail expérimental porte sur l'étude du comportement colloïdale aux interfaces de nématiques. Dans un premier temps, nous détaillons la séquence de phase observée par des billes de silice à ancrage homéotrope fort piégés à l'interface air-nématique. En fonction de leur densité ainsi que l'épaisseur du film, les colloïdes forment différentes structures spontanément. A l'aide des pinces optiques, nous mesurons le potentiel de paire et nous discutons les rôles respectifs des forces capillaires et élastiques. Dans un second temps, nous étudions le comportement des colloïdes sur des interfaces nématiquesplus complexes. En contrôlant la géométrie des interfaces et la densité des particules piégées, à l'aide de la technique de microfluidique, nous étudions le comportement colloïdal à la surface des coques nématiques fines. La compétition entre les conditions d'ancrage aux interfaces, l'élasticité du CL, les défauts et les densités des fluides est à l'origine de la formation de nouvelles configurations topologiques. Dans cette partie, nous discutons le rôle des colloïdes dans la formation de ces structures. / The aim of this experimental work is to study the behavior of colloids at nematicinterfaces. Initially, we examine the behavior of spherical solid particles with stronghomeotropic anchoring at an air-nematic interface and we detail the phase behaviorof beads. Depending on their area density, the nematic thickness and the anchoring,colloids spontanously form various structures. Using optical tweezers, we determine thepair potential and we discuss the different roles of capillary and elastic forces. Second,we report the behavior of silica beads at more complex NLC interfaces. By controllingthe geometry of the interfaces and the colloids density, with microfluidic techniques,we study the colloidal behavior at the surface of a thin nematic shell. The competitionbetween anchoring conditions at interfaces, nematic elsticity, topological defects anddensities of fluids is responsable of the formation of new topological configurations. Inthis part we discuss the role of colloids in the formation of these structures.

In december 2019, the first cases of covid-19 were reported in Wuhan, China. Since then, the virus has spread rapidly around the world. In order to try to stop the spread of the virus, isolation has become actual. Except affecting the public health, the virus has caused deep traces in the global economy. A clear stock market fall on the Swedish stock exchange could be observed in February-March 2020. The financial crisis that has arisen is the first crisis many of the young investors, of the age 18–30 years old have to manage. Due to the economic crisis that has arisen, this study aimed to describe young investors' decision-making in the financial market during the period 1 January 2020 to 5 May 2020. The research question goes as follows: What factors influence young investors' decision-making in the financial market during an economic crisis? The study was conducted on the basis of the Theory of Behavioral Finance. This theory assumes that the individual's decision-making in the financial market is largely influenced by emotions and other psychological factors. Furthermore, the theory is based on a number of different assumptions about human psychological and behavioral phenomena that influence investment decisions. The procedure for conducting the study was to make a descriptive quantitative study. This meant that a questionnaire was passed on to young investors and that the answers were then compiled in diagrams and tables. The results indicated that the factors overconfidence, representativeness bias and anchoring bias seemed most likely to describe young investors' decision-making in the financial market during an economic crisis. At the same time, a reasonable interpretation seemed to be that herding behavior and risk and loss aversion cannot describe the young investors' decision-making to a large extent. The importance of mental accounting could not be determined in this context, as the answers received provided an incomplete basis for deciding this. To be able to draw conclusions about the role of mental accounting in decision-making, several issues that dealt with this would have been useful. One suggestion for continued research is to study other factors that may underlie young investors' decision-making during an economic crisis.

The subject of diploma thesis is design and static assessment of steel structure of multipurpose hall. Construction is located in the city Brno. The floor plan is rectangular with dimensions 60 x 80 m. Headroom of the structure is 12,5 m and total height is 16,5 m. A main frame is created of arch truss supported by column and truss structure on both sides. The main frames are joined by purlins. Final support structure was selected from two preliminary variants. For the selected variant was made static calculation of main bearing elements including joints and anchoring, technical report, drawings and bill of quantities.

Diploma thesis describes the design and assessment of the roof structure that covers the courtyard of office buildings. Structure has a regular floor plan and roof height is 15,0 m. The material if the structure is steel S355, bolts 8.8., steel of the pins is S355. Construction is located in Brno. Two options were produced and designed, evaluated according to the latest standards.

Diploma thesis describes the design and assessment of roof structure that covers entrance of the shopping center. Structure has an irregular floor plan and roof height is 16.5 m. The material of the structure is steel S355. The construction is located in Hradec Kralove. Two options were processed that were designed and evaluated according to applicable standards. The work also includes the design of anchoring and selected joints.