Many current media images of women have underlying messages that affect our psyche in a negative way, whether or not we are aware. These images convey an unrealistic, distorted view of ideals and perfection, which create an unattainable model to live up to. As women, we should be cherishing our uniqueness, but, rather than celebrating and accepting ourselves, we are taught to judge and conceal. This project seeks to address inner beauty as a reflection of our energy, vitality, wisdom and the mental, as well as emotional, engagement in our lives. The terms perfection and imperfection will be redefined and applied to inward rather than outward appearance. Through a photographic study, this project will emphasize the value and beauty in aging. In the end, I would like to encourage my audience to not only recognize but also understand and accept the difference between media images and their own self-images.

In the literature of information technology acceptance, much empirical evidence exists that is inconsistent with Technology Acceptance (TA) Models. The purpose of this study is to find out why the extant TA models fail to predict in reality as they purport to in theory. This research argues that the extant literature has not been able to explain how individuals actually form their perceptions about using an information technology. Since past research attempting to do this has been unsuccessful or empirically refuted, this research uses an interpretive case study to investigate the experiences of professionals’ adoption and use of an information technology. In particular, this study focuses on the adoption of an Electronic Medical Records System in a healthcare setting. The results of this interpretive investigation show that the interpretive understanding by the traditional TA models researchers is based on the faulty presumption that the people in the organizations are “monolithic users” or “rational decision makers”. This research provides a new interpretive understanding on the adoption and use of an information technology. The adoption and use of an information technology is an emergent phenomenon resulting from the interaction between the technology and the social actors’ different roles. Based on the interpretive understanding, a new positivist understanding is suggested.

Manufacturing organisations have placed significant attention to the potential of industrial human-robot collaboration (HRC) as a means for enhancing productivity and product quality. This concept has predominantly been seen from an engineering and safety aspect, while the human related issues tend to be disregarded. As the key human factors relevant to industrial HRC have not yet been fully investigated, the research presented in this thesis sought to develop a human factors tool to enable the successful implementation of industrial HRC. First, a theoretical framework was developed which collected the key organisational and individual level human factors by reviewing comparable contexts to HRC. The human factors at each level were investigated separately. To identify whether the organisational human factors outlined in the theoretical framework were enablers or barriers, an industrial exploratory case study was conducted where traditional manual work was being automated. The implications provided an initial roadmap of the key organisational human factors that need to be considered as well as the critical inter-relations between them. From the list of individual level human factors identified in the theoretical framework, the focus was given on exploring the development of trust between human workers and industrial robots. A psychometric scale that measures trust specifically in industrial HRC was developed. The scale offers the opportunity to system designers to identify the key system aspects that can be manipulated to optimise trust in industrial HRC. Finally, the results were gathered together to address the overall aim of the research. A human factors guidance tool was developed which provides practitioners propositions to enable successful implementation of industrial HRC.

The thesis presents results of a qualitative research conducted in The Giant Mountains National Park (Czech Republic). The research objective was to assess effects of various behaviour modification strategies on rule acceptance among Park visitors. Using a particular group of visitors (i.e. skialpinists) as an example, the conflict relationship between Park authorities and the public is described, as well as its sources and consequences for conservation efforts. Moreover, effectivity of six psychological strategies (participation, modelling, feedback providing, information providing, social norms highlighting and prompts) aimed at enhancing rule acceptance is discussed, based on focus group, as well as "real life test" data.

This diploma thesis deals with the silence between the psychotherapist and the client in individual psychotherapy. The study is mainly concerned with the importance of the silence during the process of psychotherapy, especially with the content and the benefit of the silence. In the first part of this thesis the main theoretic recourses which are necessary for understanding the second part of this study are discussed. Particularly this part is engaged in the silence, the psychotherapy, the interpersonal relationship and therapeutic relationship. In this part there is also specified the silence in the interpersonal relationship and the silence between the psychotherapist and the client. The second part of this thesis at first introduces the results of the qualitative research. This research approaches the occurrence and the characteristic of the silence in individual psychotherapy and its relation to the therapeutic relationship by processing of semistructured dialogues with the psychotherapists. This second part also contains the results of the participation of the responsibility for the quality of the silence, the influence of the silence on the result of the psychotherapy and also brings the manual of the successful work with the silence in psychotherapy.

L’objet de cette recherche est d’étudier les antécédents de l’intention du consommateur de MMO/MMORPG en nous appuyant sur la définition de Bell (2008), qui propose un consensus quant à la définition des mondes virtuels. Par cette définition, tous les mondes virtuels possèdent trois concepts qui leur sont inhérents : la présence d’interactions sociales, la persistance et l’avatar. Nous avons adapté le modèle de l’acceptation technologique en représentant ces trois concepts par l’identité sociale pour laquelle nous distinguons la communauté du MMO et la communauté de la guilde, la perception du flow et l’avatar. Notre travail suit une démarche hypothético-déductive, qui s’est formalisée par l’élaboration d’une analyse qualitative et d’une analyse quantitative, en utilisant les équations structurelles.Les résultats ont montré que les facteurs motivationnels (Yee 2007) d’accomplissement et d’immersion influencent significativement et positivement la personnalisation des déterminants de l’avatar (le physique, l’habillement et les attitudes), a contrario du facteur de sociabilité qui l’influence négativement. Les trois concepts inhérents aux mondes virtuels ont une influence positive sur l’attitude qui, elle-même, influence positivement l’intention. Notre adaptation du modèle de l’acceptation technologique, en intégrant conjointement les trois concepts des MMO/MMORPG que sont l’identité sociale, la perception du flow et la personnalisation des critères de l’avatar, explique à 27,4 % l’intention du consommateur de mondes virtuels. / The object of this research is to study the antecedents of the consumer’s intention of MMO/MMORPG by supporting the definition of Bell (2008), which is offering a consensus on the definition of the virtual worlds. By this definition, all the virtual worlds have three concepts which are inherent to them: the presence of social interactions, persistence and avatar. We adapted the model of technological acceptance by representing these three concepts by social identity at which we distinguished the MMO community and the Guild community, perception of the flow and avatar. Our work follows a hypothetico-deductive method, which was formalized by the development of a qualitative and a quantitative analysis, using structural equations method. The results showed that the motivational factors (Yee 2007) of achievement and immersion influence significantly and positively the personalization of the determinants of the avatar (physique, clothing and attitudes), a contrario of the factor of sociability which influences it negatively. The three concepts which are inherent to virtual worlds have a positive influence on the attitude which, itself, influences positively the intention. Our adaptation of the model of technological acceptance, by jointly integrating the three concepts of the MMO/MMORPG which are social identity, perception of the flow and personalization of the criteria of the avatar, explains to 27,4% the consumer’s intention of virtual worlds.

Several models have been developed for understanding and predicting innovation adoption in organizations and literature has identified several factors that impact the adoption and implementation of Information Technology (IT). This research examines the process of adoption of IT innovations in organizations. The study explores the processes involved in the adoption of IT and verifies the key factors that influence IT innovation adoption in organizations. Using a systematic literature review, the study developed a conceptual model of IT innovation adoption in organizations. The model is a theoretical combination of Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory, Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and a framework which contains characteristics of innovation, organization, environment, chief executive officer (CEO) and user acceptance. The model represents IT innovation adoption as a stage-based process, progressing from initiation to adoption-decision to implementation. The study aggregated findings of past research on IT adoption to identify key factors that influences IT adoption in organizations. The study performed a meta-analysis of innovation, organization, environment, CEOs and user acceptance determinants to assess the magnitude and the strength of these factors on IT innovation adoption. Results confirmed that relative advantage, compatibility, cost, observability and trialability are strong determinants of IT innovation adoption. In terms of organizational context, IS department size, top management support, organizational size, IT expertise, product champion, IS infrastructure, information intensity, resources and specialization was found influential in the adoption of IT. As for environmental characteristics, the meta-analysis verified the significance of external pressure, government support and competitive pressure. Meta-analysis results verified that CEO‟s innovativeness, attitude and IT knowledge as key determinants. The findings confirmed the importance of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norm and facilitating conditions for the user acceptance of IT in organizations.

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Glynn Tonsor / Recent predictions estimate that the global population will reach more than 9 billion by the year 2050 (Kochhar, 2014). Coupled with this challenge, environmental issues and climate change influence agricultural production over the globe (Jacobsen et al., 2013). Changes in the food chain have been in response to consumers becoming interested in how their food is produced as it relates to food safety. Some of these changes have come in the form of labeling of production methods and the increasing volume of organic products in the marketplace. In the livestock sector, production methods include administration of antibiotics and hormones to prevent disease, increase gains and increase the health of animals (Allen et al., 2013; Thornton, 2010). A potential solution of decreasing the amount of antibiotics and hormones in the future is the use of ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi). RNA interference is a method of silencing a targeted gene and suppressing expression (Bradford et al., 2016). The focus of this research is to explore the determinants of acceptance and willingness to pay for beef products utilizing RNAi technology in the food system. Through the means of a national survey, consumers were asked their demographic, food purchasing habits, and food safety concerns to identify potential acceptors of the technology. Respondents received information treatments and external articles regarding RNAi technology as well as information about governmental labeling regulations of the beef steaks. Choice experiment questions, and a dichotomous choice sequence were utilized to determine willingness to pay estimates of beef steak attributes by consumers. Results showed that respondents likely require a discount for beef steaks produced with RNAi technology. In some instances, some consumers would be willing to pay a premium for beef steaks with RNAi in certain label settings. These results of this study could be used in the realm of animal science to help with the introduction of this technology in the food system. The survey results could assist with future promotion and framing of the technology to a wide variety of consumers.

Master of Science / Food Science Institute / Kadri Koppel / Pomegranate fruits have grown in popularity due to their known beneficial health properties. The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine if flavor differences existed among and within fruits, 2) understand appropriate numbers of replications needed for products that are naturally variable, and 3) compare individual and consensus scores for descriptive sensory analysis over 10 replications of the same product to determine whether differences are found between the methods. Three different sections of the pomegranate fruit were individually evaluated (top, middle and bottom) to determine if flavor differences existed among the fruit sections. Furthermore, the number of repetitions needed in order to obtain small differences in a descriptive panel was calculated. Results showed that pomegranate fruits have natural variation of flavor in the different sections, as well as differences among fruits of the same cultivar. The number of repetitions increased as the differences that wanted to be detected became smaller, and they decreased, as these differences increased. After each sections of fruit were individually evaluated, the panel discussed results and set consensus scores for each attribute. Analysis on mean individual scores and consensus data, along with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that both, individual and consensus methods, provided the same reliable and reproducible information. However, this was evaluated using highly trained panelists. Besides pomegranate juice (PJ), green tea (GT) is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, and has the highest polyphenol content of all teas. Six PJ and GT blends were prepared at different ratios: 90-10, 80-20, 70-30, 60-40, 50-50, 40-60 vol/vol. Lipton GT and Wonderful pomegranates were used to prepare the samples. The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine sensory differences in the samples, 2) consumer acceptance before and after antioxidant information of the samples was provided, and 3) determine their total phenolic content (TPC). Results showed that samples with lower PJ were higher in attributes intensities for Green, and Tea like flavor, while attributes like Berry, Cranberry, Cherry and Sweetness were lower. Consumers liked samples higher in PJ, and sample 40-60 was the least liked. However, overall liking of all samples increased when antioxidant information was given. TPC results showed that pure PJ had the highest content, and as it was mixed with GT, TPC was the sum of the individual percentages of each component. Addition of claims in beverage labels might be a good strategy for consumers to purchase these type of products high in antioxidant content.

HIPAA security compliance in academic medical centers is a central concern of researchers, academicians, and practitioners. Increased numbers of data security breaches and information technology implementations have caused concern over the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic personal health information. The federal government has implemented stringent HIPAA security compliance reviews and significantly extended the scope and enforcement of the HIPAA Security Rule. However, academic medical centers have shown limited compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the factors that may affect HIPAA security compliance in academic medical centers. Based on a review of the literature of technology acceptance and security effectiveness, this study proposed a theoretical model that uses management support, security awareness, security culture, and computer self-efficacy to predict security behavior and security effectiveness and thus HIPAA security compliance in academic medical centers. To empirically assess the effect of the above-noted variables on HIPAA security compliance in academic medical centers, a Web-based survey was developed. The survey instrument was designed as a multi-line measure that used Likert-type scales. Previous validated scales were adapted and used in the survey. The sample for this investigation was health care information technology professionals who are members of the Group on Information Resources within the Association of American Medical Colleges. Two statistical methods were used to derive and validate predictive models: multiple linear regression and correlation analysis. The results of the investigation demonstrated that security awareness, management support, and security culture were significant predictors of both security effectiveness and security behavior. Security awareness was the most significant predictor of security effectiveness and security behavior. Due to the presence of collinearity, Pearson correlation analysis was used to develop a composite factor, consisting of management support and security culture, for the final multiple linear regression model. By enhancing the understanding of HIPAA security compliance in academic medical centers, the outcomes of this study will contribute to the body of knowledge of security compliance. The empirical results of this research also will provide guidance for individuals and organizations involved with HIPAA security compliance initiatives in health care.