In our environment we do two things with objects: identify them, and act on them. Perhaps not coincidentally, research has shown that the brain appears to have two distinct visual streams, one that is engaged during the identification of objects, and one that is associated with action. Although these visual streams are distinct, there has been increasing interest in how the action and identification systems interact during grasping and identification tasks. In particular, the current research explored the role that previous motor experience with familiar manipulable objects might have on the time it takes healthy participants to identify these objects (relative to non-manipulable objects). Furthermore, previous research has shown that there are multiple, computationally and neuro-anatomically different, action systems. The current research was particularly interested in the action systems involved in 1) grasping, and 2) functionally using an object. Work began by developed a new stimulus set of black & white photographs of manipulable and non-manipulable objects, and collecting ‘graspability’ and ‘functional usage’ ratings (chapter 2). This stimulus set was then used to show that high manipulability was related to faster naming but slower categorization (chapter 3). In chapter 4, the nature of these effects was explored by extending a computational model by Yoon, Heinke and Humphreys (2002). Results from chapter 5 indicated independent roles of graspability and functional usage during tasks that required identification of objects presented either with or without a concurrent mask. Specifically, graspaility effects were larger for items that were not masked; and functional use effects were larger for items that were masked. Finally, chapter 6 indicated that action effects during identification tasks are partly based on how realistic the depictions of the objects are. That is, results from chapter 6 indicated the manipulability effects are larger for photographs than they are for line-drawings of the same objects. These results have direct implications for the design of future identification tasks, but, more broadly, they speak to the interactive nature of the human mind: Action representations can be invoked and measured during simple identification tasks, even where acting on the object is not required. / Manuscript-based dissertation. One introductory chapter, one concluding chapter, and five manuscripts (seven chapters in total).

Mi’kmaq women in Nova Scotia are reported to have lower rates of Papanicolaou (Pap) smear screening and have higher rates of cervical cancer compared to non-Aboriginal women. Much of the cervical cancer literature reflects mainstream values and tends to essentialize Aboriginal women as one at-risk homogenous group lacking knowledge about cervical cancer prevention. The primary purpose of this qualitative participatory study was to explore Mi’kmaq women’s and primary healthcare providers’ experiences with Pap smear screening and to consider the broader historical, economic, and socio-political contexts that shape those healthcare experiences. Mi’kmaq women’s experiences accessing Pap screening services, their encounters with healthcare providers and the health care system, and women’s past experiences with Pap smear screening were also explored. This inquiry was grounded in postcolonial feminist perspectives and Indigenous principles in a two-eyed seeing approach. Community facilitators were identified to assist with recruitment and the research process. Women participated in talking circles to learn about and shape the study. Sixteen Mi’kmaq women and five healthcare providers participated in two semi-structured interviews. Five themes were identified from the women: a) Finding Our Way, b) Our Understanding and Perceptions about Pap Smear Screening, c) The Impact of History on Our Health and Healthcare Experiences, d) Healthcare Providers’ Encounters: “Making a Difference in Our Path to Paps,” and e) “The Healthcare System is Complicating Our Going for Paps.” Two themes were identified from healthcare providers: a) Understanding the Realities of Aboriginal Women’s Lives and b) Fostering Aboriginal Women’s Access to Pap Smear Screening. This research contributes to an understanding of the continued impact of wider historical, political, and socioeconomic conditions that have resulted from colonialism, residential schools, and assimilation on Pap smear screening. It reinforces the importance of not essentializing women’s views or experiences and recognizing that some are accessing Pap smear screening regularly in spite of challenging circumstances. Mi’kmaq women have been underrepresented in the previous Pap smear screening literature. It is critical that healthcare providers understand how they can improve access to Pap smear screening and the screening process itself.

Sport in Canada is struggling to demonstrate that it is accountable, value-based, and socially responsible. Simultaneously, there is a growing consciousness among elite athletes to use the power and appeal of sport to affect meaningful social change. Through in-depth interviews, I sought to understand which values and experiences motivated 15 elite Canadian athletes to become involved in social and political activities. I employed a grounded theory approach to analyze interview data and to develop the Athlete Social Responsibility (ASR) framework. My results show that ASR is grounded in identity and existential development. The research participants indicated that, early in their careers, sport provided discipline, direction, and purpose, but through the maturation process, they indicated that becoming socially and politically active was instrumental to their personal development, performance, and continued participation in elite sport. They voiced frustration that the current sport system does little to encourage such engagement and offered a number of innovative ways in which the current system could adopt an ASR perspective. These ideas included: developing a resource to help athletes find their cause and link with related organizations, companies, or charities; helping athletes find ways to connect to their local communities; and restructuring the Canadian Athlete Assistance Program to include both performance and ASR criteria.

Processing information in the nervous system is energetically expensive, constraining the ability of the system to survive disturbances caused by stress. While some organisms compensate for extreme changes in the abiotic features of their environment, the mechanisms underlying this are poorly understood. We used the locust Descending Contralateral Movement Detector (DCMD) neuron to study how the propagation characteristics of action potentials (APs) change following an acute energy stress in control and heat shock (HS) pre-treated animals. We also attempted to determine if Ca2+ is involved in the DCMD AP and the possible changes indicated above. Conduction velocity decreased over an hour of recording in all groups, except those with minimal dissections, and we observed an increase in AP half-width and a decrease in the slope of the rising phase of the AP over time. After HS pre-treatment the response to a standard looming stimulus was delayed, showed significantly fewer APs and a lower peak frequency compared to controls. Brief application of sodium azide (NaN3) as an acute metabolic inhibitor did not subsequently affect DCMD’s conduction velocity or ability to fire at high frequencies during the recording period. There were no significant differences from control animals with extracellular Ca2+ manipulations; however we cannot conclude that Ca2+ does not contribute to DCMD’s AP because Na+ could have flowed through Ca2+ channels in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Furthermore, examination of possible performance impairments with decreased Ca2+ currents, to indicate if Ca2+ current manipulation may account for the performance impairment, could not be conducted because no differences in AP characteristics were observed with Ca2+ manipulations. We suggest that the slowing of propagation in all groups represents a response to energetic stress and that HS modifies neuronal properties in ways that can be interpreted as saving energy in case of future stressors. / Thesis (Master, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2009-08-11 08:36:26.571

Few research studies have examined female sexual offending. Furthermore, most of what we know about sexual offending is based on male perpetrators. Our conceptions of female criminals who act outside their designated sexual scripts are formed by prevailing stereotypes of femininity. This research expands the available literature in the field of sexual offending, while examining how women are constituted when it comes to female child sexual offending. I conduct a critical discourse analysis of court transcripts and electronic news articles of cases involving women as child sexual perpetrators. Three criminal cases are examined from Wisconsin, U.S. The goal is to examine whether, and through what processes, traditional sexual scripts are discursively reproduced in court proceedings and media reporting of female sexual offending. Two cases reveal that women who adhere to their expected sexual scripts despite having committed a sexual offense receive sympathetic responses from legal officials and news journalists. The legal and media responses also ensure these women are able to continue their expected roles as women during and following sentencing. On the other hand, one case reveals that women who overtly contravene their expected gender scripts are legally and morally condemned. The call for strict punishment centred upon removing the female offender’s ability to participate in motherhood, because of the offender’s contravention of expected gender scripts by sexually offending against her own children. Furthermore, the male co-offender in this latter case was not deemed to have contravened his sexual scripts, resulting in less social condemnation. Overall, this thesis demonstrates discursive maneuvering that occurs in female sexual offender cases, in which legal officials and news journalists justify offenses based on prevailing notions of femininity. / Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2009-08-18 15:35:49.686

Family members are in an optimal position to identify changes in behaviour of loved ones suffering from delirium. To date there are no known studies on educational interventions specifically targeting families of the elderly related to delirium outside of the hospital setting. Using the Knowledge to Action Process, families became involved in the development of a knowledge translation product related to delirium. It was found from two focus groups that participants’ knowledge of delirium was limited. Also, it was determined that participants were most interested in receiving an educational session in a group setting. The education session was developed using feedback from the focus groups as well as evidence based resources. The focus for the education session was on prevention and identification of delirium. There were a total of seven education sessions held and 16 eligible participants. In each session a pre and post-test for delirium knowledge was given to the participants. There was a significant increase in scores on the post-test following the session. Participants were also given a post session questionnaire to evaluate the education session. Overall the session was well received; participants were often interested in learning more about delirium. Half of the participants felt they would be able to identify delirium in someone close to them. The majority of participants thought that it is important for other families of the elderly to receive a similar session on delirium. Four to six weeks following the education session, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with five participants from the second phase in order to receive further feedback on the intervention. Most participants were able to recall information related to risk factors and signs of delirium. Three participants stated that the education sessions should be longer in order to provide more time for discussion. Participants still thought they would be able to recognize delirium as long as they were close to the person experiencing it. Since the education session none of the participants had witnessed anyone who was delirious. / Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-03 12:50:12.792

This thesis undertakes a review of the Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) for the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern (AOC). As directed by Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, RAPs are to take a systematic and comprehensive ecosystem approach to restoration, and ensure that the public is consulted about restoration activities. Through triangulation of three different research methods: twelve semi-structured interviews, observational research, and document analysis, this research explores how these two principles were incorporated into the St. Lawrence River AOC. This research draws from environmental management and governance literature in order to describe the implementation and decision-making frameworks of the RAP program. In theory an ecosystem approach is to be holistic and comprehensive in scope and application. In terms of the St. Lawrence River AOC, the holistic nature of the restoration process was hindered by the jurisdictional complexity of the region; Not only was there two federal governments, Canada and the United States, but the province of Ontario, state of New York, and the Mohawks of Akwesasne Nation. These jurisdictional divisions led to the eventual decision to separate the AOC into two RAPs at Massena, NY and Cornwall, ON. This division led to a divergence in impairment indicator identification and resultant restoration practices, timelines for RAP progress reports, availability of financial resources, and collective organization of restoration duties. The goal of each RAP is to eventually delist as an AOC. Through a review of the collective organization of the Cornwall RAP, it is best described as participatory and inclusive in terms of governance. There was representation and membership from government, industry, First Nations, and the public making the Cornwall RAP an example of solidarity in action. Because there has been a unification of visions through the RAP process, which is to have a clean and health St. Lawrence River, momentum has been generated to expand the ideals of the RAP to a broader St. Lawrence River collective. Lessons learned from this restoration process are constructive for cross-jurisdictional, multi-media restoration projects and serve to inform approaches to ecosystem restoration, planning, and management, especially that of the St. Lawrence River. / Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-30 15:39:18.132

Project work has gained a prominent place in research for its significant educational potential (Blumenfeld et al., 1991; Fallik et al., 2008). Teachers, however, have not been providing project work with a prominent place in the elementary classroom (Blumenfeld et al., 1991; Fallik et al., 2008; Rogers et al., 2010; Tse, Lam, Lam, & Loh, 2005). To encourage and support teachers in practicing Project-Based Learning (PBL), we need to understand what motivates teachers to enact PBL, the challenges they face in doing so, and ways to support teachers in overcoming these challenges. To examine teachers’ lived experiences in enacting student-centered project work, the current study used the method of participatory action research (PAR). This method included the active participation of a teacher (Megan) and me (the principal researcher) in the design, enactment, and reflection upon a constructivist, whole-class project in an eastern Ontario Grade 5 classroom. The study was structured around two research questions: (1) what did we perceive as challenges and benefits of organizing and enacting a student-centered project, and (2) how did we perceive that our collaboration in organizing, enacting, and reflecting upon this project impacted our thinking and practices with regard to project work? Megan’s and my reflections were collected over the course of the project through two semi-structured interviews, diary writings, a pre-structured planning journal, and three semi-structured discussions. Megan and I perceived project work as beneficial to students’ engagement and learning. Enacting the project was challenging, as we lacked the management and organizational skills to enact project work efficiently, and we possessed a strong desire to control the direction of the project. Megan and I were further challenged by students’ lack of skills and comfort with the project’s demands and the lack of school support and time we needed for the project. Collaboratively experiencing and reflecting upon the project demonstrated how essential these challenges were in increasing Megan’s and my comfort, appreciation, understanding, and skills in enacting project work. Based on these findings, the study encourages teachers to collaboratively design, experience, and reflect upon project work in the context of their classrooms. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2012-04-09 16:30:00.451

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