New information systems will only improve organisational performance if they are accepted and used to their full capacity. It is therefore important to be able to understand, explain and predict the factors affecting technology acceptance. One model which has been successful at this is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis, 1986). This study tests an extension of the TAM in a mandatory usage environment. The extended TAM proposed here incorporates two new independent measures; past behaviour and perceived behavioural control. Participants were 285 members of an Australian Government Department who had been using a new information system for approximately 4 months. Usage of the system was mandated in organisational policy and there were no alternative systems or processes available to participants to complete their job requirements. Results indicate that when information system usage is mandatory (or nonvolitional) perceived behavioural control significantly increases the ability of the extended TAM to predict system acceptance behaviour. Furthermore, self-reports of system usage were not related to the participants intention to use the system and user satisfaction was the only dependent variable accurately predicted by the model. Past behaviour did not predict either behavioural intention or behaviour in this study. The implications of these findings for technology acceptance in modern organisations and areas for future research are discussed.

This thesis describes a navigational strategy for automatically guided vehicles and a behavioural control implementation using a modified zero order Sugeno fuzzy inference engine. Animals are examined as a model of intelligent behaviour and behavioural control implementations discussed and compared. The features and the requirements of a behavioural control implementation are identified and modifications to Sugeno inferencing are then described which allow these to be met. A successful implementation is then presented. The navigation task is examined, as are various methods of representing space. Special structural features of constrained spaces are identified. A route based navigation system exploiting diese features is then developed. The strategy combines the representation of space with the task description into an easily communicated message. This navigational strategy is then successfully integrated with the behavioural control implementation presented earlier. The influence of spatial structure on the complexity of the navigation task is investigated with a view to the categorisation of space. A definition of maze-spaces is developed from this. Conclusions are then drawn on the themes of the work, and suggestions made for further investigations.

The ability to stop ongoing movements or prevent unwanted movements is fundamental to behavioural control. This thesis addresses the neural processes underlying inhibitory control and how initiation and stop processes interact to control behaviour. We conducted four studies, employing various behavioural tasks that require humans to prepare to initiate a response with the possibility that it may have to be prevented or stopped from being initiated. In the first experiment we sought to determine whether the increase in reaction time (RT) during the performance of traditional stop-signal task was due to a decreased the amount of go-related preparatory activation. We used a startling acoustic stimulus (SAS) to determine whether the go-response could be triggered involuntarily, and investigated whether the latency of SAS responses were delayed when participants were instructed that they might have to stop their response compared to when they knew they would never stop (i.e., simple RT task). We found that the go-response was prepared in advance during the stop-signal task, but to a lesser degree as indicated by the slower SAS response latency, compared to when go trials were completed in the simple RT task. Thus, even the possibility of having to stop a response reduces the level of preparatory go-activation. The second experiment tested the hypothesis that behavioural control during a stop-signal task is determined by an independent race between go- and stop-processes. In this experiment we used a SAS to manipulate initiation and inhibition by probing the go- and stop-response prior to and after the stop-signal respectively in a stop-signal task. We found that the go-response could be triggered by the SAS even 200 ms following the stop-signal suggesting that behavioural control during a stop-signal task is not determined by an independent race between go- and stop-activations, but rather by an interaction between go-activation and stop processes. The third experiment investigated the effect of advance preparation on the ability to proactively and selectively inhibit a single limb in a bimanual response that had been cued to maybe stop. TMS was used to measure the excitability of the limb that was cued to maybe stop in comparison to the limb that was to continue with its response. In addition, a SAS was used to probe the preparatory state of the go-response in each limb. We found that increased preparatory go-activation of responses in both limbs overshadowed the neurophysiological evidence of proactive selective inhibition, while processes related to the selective stopping task appeared to suppress subcortical motor structures and the ability of the SAS to involuntarily trigger the prepared responses. The fourth experiment sought to determine the role of the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) and the pre-supplementary motor area (preSMA) in the inhibition of response initiation during a go/no-go task. We temporarily deactivated rIFG or preSMA using continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) and examined changes in inhibition, voluntary initiation, and the ability of a SAS to involuntary trigger the initiation of the response. We found that stimulation to both cortical sites impaired participant’s ability to withhold movements during no-go trials. Notably, deactivating rIFG and preSMA did not affect voluntary initiation and did not enable the SAS to involuntarily trigger the response. These findings implicate the rIFG and the preSMA in the ability to inhibit responses during a go/no-go task, and suggests that preparation and initiation of the go-response occurs in response to the imperative stimulus, with inhibition only applied once the stimulus is identified as a no-go signal. Taken together, these studies show that i) modulation of preparatory go-activation contributes to the ability to inhibit a motor response, ii) motor response inhibition is achieved by initiation activation being prevented from reaching threshold, iii) preparatory go-activation overshadows proactive inhibition, iv) inhibitory control depends on the integrity and recruitment of top-down inhibitory control to suppress initiation activation once a no-go stimulus is identified. This research speaks to the interaction between initiation and inhibition processes and provides novel insight and evidence in support of an interactive model of inhibitory control.

The aim of the current study is to examine the potential parenting factors and mediating mechanisms that lead to ego-depletion within the framework of Self-Determination Theory. Previous research has suggested that whereas behaviourally controlling and autonomy-supportive parenting contributes to the development of autonomous motivation, psychologically controlling parenting leads to introjected motivation for self-regulation. Moreover, recent studies have shown that as compared to introjected regulation, autonomous regulation depletes less ego-resource. Thus, it was expected that parental psychological control positively, but behavioural control negatively, affects ego-depletion via controlled regulation style. In the first study, university students (N = 179) completed three groups of measures assessing parenting behaviours, motivation type of self-regulation, and state self-control capacity. The results of SEM analysis partially supported the proposed mediational model. Whereas both maternal and paternal psychological control indirectly predicted self-control capacity corresponding higher levels of ego depletion via controlled regulation, parental behavioural control did not have direct or indirect effect on self-control capacity. In the second study, the same hypotheses were tested experimentally on a group of participants (N = 91) from the first study by exposing them either an upsetting or a funny video condition that requires emotional control. Results revelaled that perceived high levels of maternal psychological control and low levels of paternal behavioural control make individuals more vulnerable to ego-depletion under emotional control. Furthermore, those with high introjected motivation for emotion-control were relatively resistant to ego-depletion. Findings were discussed considering the practice effect of self-control, implications of diverging parenting behaviours and cultural factors.

Research indicates that certain family environments can impact negatively on psychosis. Expressed Emotion (EE) in relatives is a reliable measure of the individual’s interpersonal family environment that has been shown to predict relapse. However, the factors contributing to the development of EE in this condition and the mechanisms by which EE leads to relapse are still poorly understood. Relatives’ control attributions and behaviours have been linked to EE, and controlling behaviours have been found to be predictive of relapse. This thesis investigated the role of behavioural control, controllability and self-blame attributions in high- and low-EE relatives of individuals with psychosis, and explored the impact of these cognitions and behavioural responses on patient’s symptom outcomes and on relative’s distress. The first empirical study (Study 1) utilised a cross-sectional design to compare types of behavioural control attempts (direct influencing vs. buffering) in high-EE-critical/hostile and high-EE-overinvolved relatives of patients with recent-onset psychosis; and examined whether behavioural control attempts and controllability attributions differed for the high- and low-EE relatives. The links between relatives’ behavioural control and patient relapse were also explored. Results confirmed that types of behaviours (direct influencing and buffering) were associated with different sets of beliefs (about controllability) and with different types of EE (criticism and EOI). However, EE, controllability attributions, nor behavioural control predicted patient relapse. Study 2 used a cross-sectional design to explore the links between self-blame attributions and distress, and self-blame attributions and behavioural control in recent-onset relatives. Results showed that self-blame attributions predicted relatives’ controlling behaviours towards the patient. Relatives who blame themselves did so for not overseeing their family member’s mental health problems properly or for perceiving themselves generally as poor carers. However, self-blame was not predictive of distress. The final empirical study (Study 3) examined temporal associations between contact with high/low EE relatives, behavioural control, affect and symptom experiences in the daily life of patient-relative dyads experiencing psychosis, using experience sampling methodology. Findings revealed that contact with high/low-EE relatives per se did not impact on patient’s symptom experiences or affect, but behaviourally controlling interactions did, suggesting that the measure of behavioural interactions rather than the EE status of the relative may be more sensitive to momentary fluctuations in patients’ symptoms. Momentary self-reports of relatives’ behavioural responses were also linked with their negative affect. This thesis evidenced that relatives’ controllability and self-blame attributions and behavioural control are associated in significant and meaningful ways with psychosis experiences and can impact both patient and relative outcomes, shedding some light into the EE mechanisms that relate to relapse and to the development of EE responses in relatives. However, more work is needed to further understand how these mechanisms operate, particularly in high-EE-overinvolved or low-EE relatives, in order to increase our knowledge about relapse prevention. The findings highlighted that the concept of behavioural control should be considered in future clinical work with families experiencing psychosis.

“Over the past ten years, ITCs have become an important element in sustaining economic growth and poverty reduction through increasing efficiencies, enabling the delivery of social services, or creating new sources of income and employment” (Fourati, 2009, p. 37) . m-banking is one such technological development that has a potential to increase economic participation by low-income consumers. This research examines the factors influencing the adoption of mobile banking by low-income consumers in South Africa, with a special focus on the banking needs of the poor. The research framework was adapted from Tan and Teo (2000) and assessed the impact of these nine variables on the intention to adopt m-banking: relative advantage, compatibility with values, compatibility with banking needs, compatibility with cell phone use experience, complexity, “trialibility”, risk, self-efficacy and support. Data for this study was collected through a physical hardcopy survey in Soweto, in Gauteng.The research found that low-income consumers will consider adopting m-banking as long as it is offers them an improved way over the current mechanisms of managing their money, it is compatible with their financial services needs and they consider themselves as having the necessary skills to use it. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The primary aim of the investigation was to explore the entrepreneurship intent (EI) of South African TVET students by applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Additional factors (demographics, community valuation, prior exposure to entrepreneurship and COVID-19 perceptions) were included as control variables within the model to assess the utility of the TPB. Student participants (N = 128) completed an online survey administered through two institutions in the Western Cape and made available by a Facebook link. The application of the TPB model scales was strongly supported by the results of the exploratory factor analyses (EFA) conducted as well as reliability analyses. Regression analyses indicated that the Theory of Planned Behaviour explained approximately 80% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention (p < .001). However, only attitudes were a significant determinant of entrepreneurial intention, whereas subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were not significant determinants of EI. Moreover, the control variables (demographic factors, community valuation, prior exposure to entrepreneurship) did not explain significant variance in EI, with the exception of COVID-19 perception, which was a significant determinant (β = .259, t = 3.159, p < .05). Hayes (2018) PROCESS macro was thereby used to investigate the moderation effect of COVID-19 perceptions, which were found to significantly moderate the relationship between perceived behavioural control and entrepreneurial intention. The contributions of the investigation are discussed and recommendations for future research are presented.

This study aimed to investigate the behaviour of lecture attendance amongst undergraduate students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) by applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). A total of 169 respondents completed either a hard copy or online survey whilst meeting the inclusion criteria. The sample consisted of students from a first-year mathematics course (which had compulsory lecture attendance for registered students) and from a first-year organisational psychology course (which had voluntary lecture attendance for registered students). The study aimed to broaden the limited knowledge which exists around the perceptions of students regarding lecture attendance specifically in a South African context. Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis and reliability analyses strongly supported the application of the TPB model scales and role-identity scale. Regression analysis showed that only attitudes help to predict intention towards lecture attendance behaviour where subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and role-identity were not significant predictors. Intentions were also seen to be highly correlated to actual attendance behaviour as well as helping to predict actual attendance behaviour. Actual behavioural control (ABC) was not seen as a moderator between intention and actual lecture attendance. Practical and theoretical implications were discussed. The information generated by this study can be used to further understand the occurrence of, and students’ perceptions of lecture attendance.

Internships provide students with the unique opportunity to experience what working for a particular organisation will entail, while simultaneously giving the organisation a chance to evaluate the students' work capabilities and cultural fit before offering them a full-time employment contract. As a result, internships have necessitated deeper understanding, from researchers and employers alike, of what impacts intern conversion rates within host organisations. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991) this study explored the intention toward conversion into full-time employment within host organisations of the South African intern. The study employed a quantitative design to test the hypotheses that behavioural beliefs (attitudinal beliefs, subjective normative beliefs, and perceived behavioural control beliefs) would influence the intention to convert. A total of 210 respondents completed an online survey. The sample consisted of interns from three South African organisations. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the measurement and structural models found that the hypothesised models fit the data moderately well. Results of the regression analysis showed that both attitudes and subjective norms were significant in determining intention towards converting into full-time employment, however, perceived behavioural control and perceptions of COVID-19 were not significant determinants of conversion behaviour. The study makes three contributions to the literature. First, TPB can be a useful framework to explain interns' intention to convert. Second, the utility of the TPB framework for conversion intentions was established. Third, this study contributes to limited research on the topic and the findings call for longer-term research on intern conversion in the South African context with larger sample groups.

Many psychiatric disorders are characterized by difficulties in working towards long-term goals. Effort-based decision-making (EBDM) provides a useful framework for understanding this phenomenon, particularly for parsing motivation into various components, and exploring the underpinnings of cost-benefit computations. Importantly, large changes in arousal, like those introduced by strong emotions and stress, can significantly influence high-order cognitive processes. However, the mechanistic properties underlying associations between emotions and various components of EBDM remain unclear, particularly at psychological, neurological and endocrinological levels. The following experiments were designed to examine the effect of positive and negative emotions on various components of EBDM across psychiatric conditions characterized by motivational and impulse-related deficits. In the first experiment, comparing emotional versus behavioural inhibitory systems in binge eating disorder, inverse relationships between disgust sensitivity, inhibitory control and binge-eating behaviours were found, suggesting unique maintenance functions of cognitive-affective links with emotion regulation on eating attitudes. In the second experiment examining neural correlates of effort- and reward-processing in a cannabis using population, findings indicate fronto-striatal but also posterior cortical processing alterations during prospective signaling of effort and reward signals and during effort-reward information integration. In the final experiment assessing the effects of childhood trauma on acute stress responses and gambling urges in a population of problem gamblers, increased reports of childhood trauma were noted relative to a healthy control group. Childhood trauma subsequently predicted subjective and physiological stress responses, and emotional and physical neglect in childhood was further linked to increased gambling urges. Taken as a whole, these studies suggest that emotions plays a crucial role in moderating various components of EBDM, underscoring the significant impact of emotional states on higher-order cognitive functioning. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)