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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
1

An Analysis of the Value-altering Effect of Motivating Operations

Devine, Bailey 08 1900 (has links)
Motivating operations (MOs) may affect behavior in two ways; A) an MO momentarily alters the frequency of behavior for which a particular consequence has served as reinforcement (evocative-effect) and B) an MO momentarily alters the behavioral effects of the relevant consequence (value-altering effect). Many studies have empirically demonstrated the evocative function of MOs, however, few if any studies have attempted to systematically manipulate and measure the value-altering effect. The focus of this study was to investigate the value-altering effect by measuring choice and response allocation across two alternative tasks. Participants were two female girls diagnosed with autism. During conditioning sessions, experimenters created a history for the children in which clicking on a moving square on a computer monitor produced a small piece of edible. Prior to some conditions, the participants were allowed 5 min of free-access to the edibles, and in other sessions, access to edibles prior to session was restricted. During these sessions, the square was either red or blue depending on the condition type (pre-access or restricted-access). During probe sessions, both colored squares were concurrently available and participants were allowed to allocate their responding to whichever square they chose. One participant preferred the square associated with restricted-access, which may support the notion of the value-altering effect. Difficulties during conditioning sessions interfered with the ability to run sufficient probes with the other participant to evaluate a value-altering effect. Results suggest that the use of these procedures may be useful to differentiate evocative and function-altering effects of MOs.
2

Interface : altering architecture : transforming existing mono-functional buildings in the Pretoria CBD to adapt to changing social spatial conditions. The notion of ‘altering architecture’ aims to manipulate existing boundaries into INTERFACES to affect interior spaces and building skins as well extend into the urban context

Reynders, Nadia 03 December 2010 (has links)
In a globalised world, influenced by social flux brought about by various factors¹, cities’ perimeters are subject to continuous change. More often than not, a city’s perimeter expands in the form of urban sprawl. Energy drains from the centre, leaving in its wake numerous vacant, degraded and underutilised structures. Radical interventions on an urban scale are often proposed to counter this degradation and transformation of such urban areas. These interventions² entail densification of the urban fabric, the insertion of additional structures and the creation of new precincts; a process which occurs over many years. By comparison, well-considered alterations to existing built fabric can be implemented quickly with smaller financial and ecological implications. Such alterations also include the adaptation of interior space to support a change in programme, and the possible improvement of a buildings interface with the street. The aim is to improve local social environments within the urban fabric and stimulate social influx. INTERFACE is about interventions to existing structures within the CBD of Pretoria. These interventions are limited to low-rise buildings (between two and five stories) designed specifically for mono-function. Over time, the programme and user profile of those buildings has changed, while the built fabric stagnated, with no active response to its context. Currently, such buildings do not participate in the creation of a living city – a city where interior spaces are supplemented by well designed outdoor spaces, thereby creating places that support and encourage social interaction. Buildings which have simply been taken over and used ad hoc, have not truly been adapted to their new programmes and as such, full exploitation of the space is not possible. Interior spaces can therefore play a determining role in the social motion³ of the city, but only if they address the transition between interior and exterior space, and the extension of such transition into the subsequent urban fabric. These interior and exterior spaces should be adaptable to current social needs of city dwellers and users in order to be deemed successful. Living cities require buildings to adapt and change in response to ever shifting social conditions in order to satisfy basic human desires and needs. It can thus be deduced that a building programme will more than likely change regularly. INTERFACE therefore focus on the creation of responsive interior space and works from the premise that structure and interior are implicitly linked. This thesis explores ‘permanent’ changes to existing structures; changes that will assist in creating responsive interior environments. Such environments should also accommodate both semi-permanent and temporary alterations, with minimal impact⁴ resulting from the implementation of each new programme. 1 Factors: Include change in political, social and economical circumstances. 2 Interventions: In Pretoria CBD, large interventions are proposed over long periods of time. They include strategies such as the Tshwane City Strategy (twenty year),Tshwane Inner City Development and Regeneration Strategy 2005 (ten year program) and City of Tshwane Integrated Development Plan 2009/2010 (five year). 3 Social motion: Interaction and attraction of civilians in a space 4 Impact: Refer to alterations to the permanent responsive structure as well as financial and ecological implications. / Dissertation (MInt(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Architecture / unrestricted
3

Economic feasibility of using weather-altering technology on apple orchards in Virginia

Greaser, George Landis 23 June 2010 (has links)
Apple producers in Virginia are affected by adverse weather factors which cause poor or lower than normal yields. These weather factors such as freeze kill of bloom and lack of rainfall cause decreases in production and, therefore, decreases in revenues received by apple producers. These weather factors, although they can not be completely controlled, can be altered by wind machines and overhead sprinkler systems. Therefore, the major purpose of the study was to determine if these types of weather-altering technologies could be economically feasible for use in Virginia. The first step in determining the economic feasibility of the two systems was to determine which weather factors are effected by the adaptable technology stated above. This information was received from studies completed in Utah, Georgia, Florida, California, and Washington State. The second step was to gather production data and weather data in the same general geographical location in Virginia to be used to develop a yield response equation and determine the weather variables which affect production. This information was then transferred to. a simulation model, which determined the values of the economic criteria used when making investment decisions. The major findings of the study were: (1) that the overhead sprinkler system is the investment with the best economic criteria values and should be the investment used in situations where an orchard is of dwarf and semi-dwarf type rootstock and where there is an adequate supply of water, and (2) wind machines are also shown to be economically feasible to use in orchard situations and can be implemented in orchards with older seedling type trees and in orchards where there is an inadequate supply of water to operate an overhead sprinkler system. / Ph. D.
4

Yn's Travels : A re-examination of the misguided viewpoints and societal benefits of Video Games

Kazlauskaite, Milda January 2021 (has links)
This project is about storytelling, community building & management, and altering preconceived negative notions surrounding video games as a whole. Originally starting off as an idea of creating a game alongside people coming from both gaming and non-gaming backgrounds, the focus was then shifted towards creating with the former to be then exposed to the latter. More specifically, non-gaming individuals exhibiting doubt and criticism on video games and their legitimacy as a creative/entertainment medium, by showcasing the benefits and debunking instigated stereotypes with the games’ story-rich narrative.
5

Práce s rodinou v procesu léčby závislosti v terapeutické komunitě / Working with a family in the process of addiction treatment within therapeutic community

Bucharová, Lenka January 2016 (has links)
Use of mind-altering substances may result in an array of adverse, especially health and social, consequences for drug users as well as for their close persons. Help to solve mentioned problems provide various types of drug services. The vast majority of drug services in past did not take into account the fact that relatives might suffer due to drug use of their family member too and thus they also might need specific professional help. The aim of this work is to capture and describe the process of therapy with regard to the perception and experience of the close persons of clients of therapeutic community. In order to adequately understand the situations, we must first determine what elements constitute them. The work is based on a qualitative approach and research group consists of close persons of clients of the therapeutic community WHITE LIGHT I. The results show that it is possible, based on the analysis of data, to define each stage of the therapeutic process from the perspective of family members and name them according to chronology and important characteristic. The inclusion of persons close to drug users into treatment process contributes significantly to improvement of their lives and relationships quality. Findings bring into practise the ideas for therapeutic teams and help to improve...
6

Les infractions consommées par le mensonge / The infractions proved (done) through lie

Comert, Alev 14 December 2015 (has links)
Le mensonge est un fait omniprésent dans notre vie. La religion et les règles morales condamne tout mensonge parce qu’il est le signe de trahison des valeurs morales universelles communes à toutes les sociétés. Tous les jugements et les droits doivent nécessairement reposer sur la vérité. Les règles juridiques, inspiré de règles religieuses et morales, répriment également le mensonge. Toutefois, en application des principes régissant la matière, le droit pénal ne réprime que les mensonges concrètement nuisibles à la société et aux individus. La sanction du mensonge nécessite que l’usage du mensonge permette de parvenir à une fin prohibée par la loi pénale. L’intervention du législateur est justifiée et légitimée par des impératifs d’ordre public imposant la protection des valeurs sociales nécessaires au fonctionnement de la société. La recherche entreprise porte sur les infractions consommées par le mensonge en droit pénal. Le droit pénal conçoit le mensonge comme une déviation par rapport à la vérité réalisée sous des multiples formes, sans apporter une définition précise. La matière pénale ne s’intéresse pas à une inexactitude en tant que telle, mais au mensonge, qui par définition, ne peut être qu’intentionnel, fait de mauvaise foi dans le but de tromper. Cette étude a pour but de d’identifier les critères retenus lors de la répression du mensonge dans toutes les infractions consommées par une altération frauduleuse de la vérité. A la lecture du Code pénal, on peut constater que de nombreuses infractions sont construites sur le mensonge. Conformément aux principes régissant le droit pénal, la répression du mensonge doit se faire qu'en fonction de critères objectifs et déterminés. Les réformes et les évolutions substantielles génèrent des incertitudes sur les frontières traditionnellement admises du mensonge punissable et génèrent une problématique renouvelée. Les composantes des infractions sont affectées par des transformations majeures et rendent la ligne de démarcation de la répression mouvante. La jurisprudence confirme cette tendance et témoignent de la souplesse observée lors de la caractérisation du mensonge. / Lying is a fact of life. Both religion and morality condemn lying as a sign of treason against the universal moral rules common to all societies. All judgements and all laws must rely on truth. Legal rules, inspired by religious and moral rules, repress the use of lies. Applying the principles of this subject, however, criminal law only represses lies that specifically harm society or individuals. Lies are only punished if their use facilitates actions prohibited by penal law. The intervention of the legislator is justified and legitimate to ensure public order and protect the social values essential for the functioning of society. The following research aims to show the (proven) violations committed by the act of lying. Penal law considers lies a deviation from the truth that manifests itself in a number of ways and does not have a precise definition. In criminal matters, inaccuracy is not the most crucial aspect –lies are by definition necessarily instances of intentional deception. This study aims to identify the criteria applied for the punishment of lying in cases of violations of the law that resort to an alteration of the truth with fraudulent intent. Reading the criminal code, we see that a large number of violations are based on lies. According to the penal law principles, the punishment of lying must be based on specific and objective criteria only. Reforms and substantial transformations throw uncertainties upon the traditionally accepted demarcations of punishable lies, which perpetuates the problem. The components of these violations are affected by major transformations, which leads to unclear determination of punishment. Juriceprudence confirms this tendency and shows certain flexibility during the characterisation of what constitutes a lie.
7

Funções comportamentais e efeitos de regras que especificam prazos e consequências sobre o comportamento de crianças da pré-escola / Behavioral functions and the effects on children s behavior of rules specifying deadlines and consequences

Abdelnur, Aline de Carvalho 13 November 2013 (has links)
Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T13:17:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Aline de Carvalho Abdelnur.pdf: 1525676 bytes, checksum: 7ac17f7946c4f9d21776abe2bdcead58 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-13 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Skinner (1969/1980) described rules as contingency specifying stimuli with discriminative stimulus function. Based on this assumption, behavior analysts led much experimental research on rule-governed behavior and other possible behavioral functions of rules have not been investigated. Nevertheless a conceptual debate has started within Behavior Analysis about other functions of rules. This work is an experimental investigation on the function-altering effects of rules proposed in this conceptual debate. Another objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the statement of deadlines and consequences, alone or combined, on the behavior of Kindergarten children, when the opportunity to respond was immediate or delayed. Twenty children, aged from 4 to 5 years, were assigned into two experimental groups, following baseline. The study had two Parts. In Part I, rules with either a deadline OR a consequence for the specified response (or compliance) were studied. Group I was exposed to a sequence of experimental conditions that always started with immediate opportunity to respond. Group II was exposed to the same conditions, but always starting with delayed opportunity to respond. In Part II, attended 12 children, and rules specified both deadlines and consequences, always with immediate opportunity for the Group I and delayed opportunity for the Group II. The results demonstrate the function-altering function exerted by rules that specify deadlines and consequences, as well as extend other researchers data quantity and generality. Significant results were also obtained in terms of compliance with rules, under conditions of deadlines and / or consequences not previously investigated / Regras foram descritas por Skinner (1969/1980) como estímulos especificadores de contingências com função de estímulo discriminativo. A partir desta formulação, os analistas do comportamento conduziram muitas pesquisas experimentais sobre comportamento governado por regras, mas outras possíveis funções comportamentais de regras não foram investigadas. No entanto, foi iniciado um debate conceitual acerca de outras funções que as regras poderiam exercer. Este estudo caracteriza-se como uma investigação experimental dos efeitos alteradores de função de outros estímulos que as regras podem exercer. Outro objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os efeitos da declaração de prazos e consequências, isolados ou em combinação, sobre o comportamento de crianças da pré-escola, quando a oportunidade para seguir a regra era imediata ou atrasada. Participaram 20 crianças com idade entre 4 e 5 anos, que foram divididas em dois grupos experimentais, após a fase de linha-de-base. O estudo teve duas partes. Na Parte I, eram declaradas regras que especificavam apenas um prazo ou apenas uma consequência para a emissão da resposta especificada. O Grupo I foi exposto a uma sequência de condições experimentais que se iniciava sempre com oportunidade imediata para responder. O Grupo II foi exposto às mesmas condições, mas sempre iniciando com oportunidade atrasada para responder. Na Parte II, da qual participaram 12 crianças, eram declaradas regras que especificavam tanto um prazo como uma consequência, sempre com oportunidade imediata para responder para o Grupo I e oportunidade atrasada para o Grupo II. Os resultados obtidos atestam a função alteradora de função exercida por regras que especificam prazos e consequências, assim como permitem ampliar a quantidade e a generalidade de dados obtidos por outros pesquisadores. Resultados significativos em termos de seguimento, em condições de prazo e /ou consequência não investigadas anteriormente também foram obtidos
8

A re-communication conceptual framework: perceived influence of reality-altering events on organisational interaction behaviour

Koonin, Marla 12 1900 (has links)
ABSTRACT The researcher set out to gain an in-depth understanding of the possible influence of a reality-altering event on interaction behaviour (communication). The alteration in interaction behaviour referred to within the context of this study, is the communication phenomenon identified, explained and labelled as part of the study, which the researcher termed “re-communication”. This study partly aims at developing a re-communication conceptual framework that explains the re-communication phenomenon. In order to explain this unexplored communication phenomenon and develop a re-communication conceptual framework for it, the study focuses on how either strategic or spontaneous communication could be utilised in any reality-altering event to disclose information that would alter the co-constructed social reality between people. This information could be communicated either by the individual, who experienced a reality-altering event, or by persons or forms of communication external to the individual. Within the context of this study, the disclosure becomes the reality-altering event. Therefore, the proposed re-communication conceptual framework firstly addresses the elements that influence disclosure or non-disclosure. Secondly, it focusses on self-preservation communication strategies used to avoid disclosing or concealing the reality-altering event. Thirdly, the framework focuses on the actual reality-altering event, which, in this case, occurs when a gay individual’s sexual identity is disclosed to colleagues. Lastly, the framework looks at re-communication, which involves a perceived alteration in communication post-disclosure due to the altered reality. It is argued that the co-constructed social reality between a gay individual and a colleague is altered from a position of being unaware of the individual being gay to becoming aware. It is further argued that, because heterosexuality is regarded as the norm and the language and meaning ascribed to dominant symbols in society support heteronormativity, people often assume that a colleague is heterosexual and construct their reality based on this notion. Going into an interaction, both the gay individuals and their colleagues have their own social reality, which they have constructed through their experiences, as well as the co-constructed social reality they share with each colleague with whom they interact. This study was conducted within an interpretivist research paradigm and from the position of the theoretical foundation of symbolic interactionism, social constructionism and constructivism. A qualitative, exploratory research design was selected to collect the data by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews and narratives. Based on the insights provided by the participants, re-communication as a communication phenomenon was identified, explained and labelled and the resultant re-communication framework was developed. The re-communication conceptual framework was synergised by means of a thematic textual analysis and was guided by a number of assumptions and postulations arising from a strong theoretical foundation and a comprehensive literature review, which were supported by the findings. In this study, it was found that a reality-altering event is complex and multiple elements influence the way in which gay individuals’ sexual identity are disclosed or not disclosed within the organisational context. However, it has been discovered that communication is the vehicle for self-preservation and for disclosing information that will lead to a reality-altering event. Regardless of how small the influence or how limited the time, post the reality-altering event, the disclosure influences interaction behaviour (communication) and alters the co-constructed social reality between gay individuals and their colleagues. The colleagues go from a position of not knowing an individual was gay to knowing. It is noted that disclosure of a sexual identity and/or any other reality-altering event is not a once off reality-altering event, but rather a continuous process for gay individuals, because each time a new colleague enters the organisational contexts of gay individuals, they need to consider if – and if so, how – they want to disclose. In some cases, disclosure take places by others and the gay individual needs to decide how to deal with colleagues now knowing s/he is gay. The most significant contribution of the study is the identification, explanation and labelling of a previously unexplored communication phenomenon – that of re-communication – and the development of a re-communication conceptual framework that could contribute to the organisational reality in a two-fold manner. Firstly, such a framework will provide insights into and possible sense making of the disclosure experiences of gay individuals in the organisational context. Secondly, the outcome illustrates the importance of inclusive and positive organisational climates and/or cultures and the concomitant impact of positive engagements on organisational practices such as inclusive climates and cultures for sharing, employee loyalty, better team cooperation, trust among employees, increased employee wellbeing and more effective communication processes within organisations. / Communication Science / D. Phil. (Communication)
9

The Social Construction of Economic Man: The Genesis, Spread, Impact and Institutionalisation of Economic Ideas

Mackinnon, Lauchlan A. K. Unknown Date (has links)
The present thesis is concerned with the genesis, diffusion, impact and institutionalisation of economic ideas. Despite Keynes's oft-cited comments to the effect that 'the ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood'(Keynes 1936: 383), and the highly visible impact of economic ideas (for example Keynesian economics, Monetarism, or economic ideas regarding deregulation and antitrust issues) on the economic system, economists have done little to systematically explore the spread and impact of economic ideas. In fact, with only a few notable exceptions, the majority of scholarly work concerning the spread and impact of economic ideas has been developed outside of the economics literature, for example in the political institutionalist literature in the social sciences. The present thesis addresses the current lack of attention to the spread and impact of economic ideas by economists by drawing on the political institutionalist, sociological, and psychology of creativity literatures to develop a framework in which the genesis, spread, impact and institutionalisation of economic ideas may be understood. To articulate the dissemination and impact of economic ideas within economics, I consider as a case study the evolution of economists' conception of the economic agent - "homo oeconomicus." I argue that the intellectual milieu or paradigm of economics is 'socially constructed' in a specific sense, namely: (i) economic ideas are created or modified by particular individuals; (ii) economic ideas are disseminated (iii) certain economic ideas are accepted by economists and (iv) economic ideas become institutionalised into the paradigm or milieu of economics. Economic ideas are, of course, disseminated not only within economics to fellow economists, but are also disseminated externally to economic policy makers and business leaders who can - and often do - take economic ideas into account when formulating policy and building economic institutions. Important economic institutions are thereby socially constructed, in the general sense proposed by Berger and Luckmann (1966). But how exactly do economic ideas enter into this process of social construction of economic institutions? Drawing from and building on structure/agency theory (e.g. Berger and Luckmann 1966; Bourdieu 1977; Bhaskar 1979/1998, 1989; Bourdieu 1990; Lawson 1997, 2003) in the wider social sciences, I provide a framework for understanding how economic ideas enter into the process of social construction of economic institutions. Finally, I take up a methodological question: if economic ideas are disseminated, and if economic ideas have a real and constitutive impact on the economic system being modelled, does 'economic science' then accurately and objectively model an independently existing economic reality, unchanged by economic theory, or does economic theory have an interdependent and 'reflexive' relationship with economic reality, as economic reality co-exists with, is shaped by, and also shapes economic theory? I argue the latter, and consider the implications for evaluating in what sense economic science is, in fact, a science in the classical sense. The thesis makes original contributions to understanding the genesis of economic ideas in the psychological creative work processes of economists; understanding the ontological location of economic ideas in the economic system; articulating the social construction of economic ideas; and highlighting the importance of the spread of economic ideas to economic practice and economic methodology.

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