The investigation aims to clarify to what extent non-conscious thought has efficacy in e.g. decision making and also examine some aspects of the question whether decisions are caused by free will. This will be conducted through an analysis of new research pertaining to neuroscience, economics, the combination of the two within neuroeconomics; evolutionary theory and especially the new theory of Unconscious thought (Nordgren & Dijksterhuis 2006) which will enjoy special scrutiny due to its recentness in the scientific field. A decision strategy ought to put high-level conscious cognition to use where it's most effective and this is on a different level than the canonized one. Meta decision making is decision making pertaining to which decisions ought to be made consciously. It is the area where the largest amount of freedom can be obtained wherein the largest amount of thought effort ought to be invested. There also seems to be no basis to assume that non-conscious decisions or for that matter emotively based decisions would be less "rational" than conscious ones. The strategy is also analyzed via happiness research to examine how to make decisions render happiness rather than other values. The result stresses that one ought not to use economic or other measures in decision making, rather trust one's visceral intuitions to a larger extent since those are representations of one's wishes. Empirical results established a connection between, decision making, creativity and problem solving pertaining to the evidence showing that also the latter benefits from unconscious thought rather than conscious thought. This new evidence ought to change our view of problem solving  at large. Rather than it being a purely conscious process one would reach better results in relying to a larger extent also to non-conscious processes.

Sjukvården är en komplex organisation där människor och teknik ska samspela för att kunna ge en bra och säker vård. Ibland går något snett som i värsta fall kan leda till att en patient kan komma till skada. När en individ utsätts för en undvikbar skada i vården kallas det för en vårdskada. Patientsäkerhet innebär att aktivt sträva mot en frånvaro av vårdskador. Landstinget i Östergötland (LiÖ) har arbetat med patientsäkerhet ur ett systemperspektiv sedan år 2002 och avvikelsehantering är en del i det arbetet. Med hjälp av ett avvikelserapporteringssystem kan risker och problemområden synliggöras och på så sätt kan åtgärder sättas in. Varje enhet inom LiÖ rapporterar avvikelser och skillnader kan ses i hur frekvent de olika enheterna avvikelserapporterar. Denna uppsats syftar till att hitta faktorer som ligger bakom dessa skillnader och se om det finns ett samband mellan avvikelserapporteringsfrekvens och säkerhetskultur. Intervjuer och observationer genomfördes på tre vårdcentraler med stora skillnader i avvikelserapporteringsfrekvens för att identifiera faktorer som skilde dem åt. Resultatet pekar på att chefen på vårdcentralens inställning till säkerhetsarbete och avvikelserapportering är av stor betydelse. Hur stor kännedom medarbetarna har om LiÖs övergripande säkerhetsarbete är också en viktig faktor. Det går att se ett samband mellan hur väl en enhet har tagit till sig systemperspektivet och hur frekvent de avvikelserapporterar. Däremot är det svårt att säga något om sambandet mellan säkerhetskultur och avvikelserapporteringsfrekvens.

Notre travail de thèse s'est attaché à comprendre les mécanismes mis en jeu par une expérience d'adaptation visuomanuelle inspirée de l'adaptation saccadique, qui a été décrite par [Magescas 2006a]. Le premier chapitre visait à montrer que le paradigme de [Magescas 2006a] induisait peu ou pas d'effets sensoriels. Dans le deuxième chapitre, nous nous sommes intéressés au processus exact de généralisation de l'adaptation au niveau de la seule articulation du coude. Nos résultats nous permettent d'avancer l'idée que le paradigme étudié induisait une modification spécifique du gain moteur pour le groupe de muscles extenseurs du coude. Le troisième chapitre présente le développement de méthodes d'enregistrement de la chaîne articulaire du membre supérieur. Cette méthodologie a permis une comparaison précise entre des hypothèses de généralisation de l'adaptation dans l'espace des tâches et dans l'espace articulaire. Dans un quatrième chapitre, suivant une démarche exploratoire, nous avons imaginé deux protocoles de transposition de l'expérience de [Magescas 2006a], afin d'élargir nos possibilités pour une future étude sur des patients ayant un déficit moteur. A l'issue de ce travail, nous disposons à la fois : de moyens méthodologiques pour l'enregistrement et la modélisation de la chaîne articulaire du membre supérieur ; d'un modèle théorique du fonctionnement de l'adaptation motrice étudiée ; et d'un protocole d'adaptation de la saisie, mieux adapté à la clinique que le protocole d'adaptation du pointage.

L'attention spatiale est une famille de processus cognitifs qui nous permet d'interagir de façon efficace avec notre environnement, en sélectionnant les stimuli importants et en inhibant les distracteurs. La négligence spatiale unilatérale (NSU) est une condition neurologique qui résulte de lésions de l'hémisphère cérébral droit chez l'homme. Le signe principal de cette pathologie est un manque sévère de la distribution de l'attention dans l'hémiespace gauche. Les travaux de cette thèse mettent en évidence à partir de la NSU qu'une distribution équilibrée de l'attention spatiale nécessite la préservation des chemins de connexions reliant le lobe pariétal au lobe frontal. La seconde partie de cette thèse porte sur l'anatomie de ces connexions, sur une réflexion sur la pertinence de l'étude des grandes voies de connexion (approche hodologique) dans les neurosciences cognitives et des conséquences des disconnexions dans les syndromes neurologiques.

Arithmetic cognition research was at one time concerned mostly with the representation and retrieval of arithmetic facts in memory. More recently it was found that memory retrieval does not account for all single digit arithmetic performance. For example, Canadian university students solve up to 40% of basic addition problems using procedural strategies (e.g. 5 + 3 = 5 + 1 + 1 + 1). Given that procedures are less efficient than direct memory retrieval it is important to understand why procedure use is high, even for relatively skilled adults. My dissertation, therefore, sought to expand understanding of strategy choice for adults basic arithmetic. Background on this topic and supporting knowledge germane to the topic are provided in Chapter 1.<p> Chapter 2 focused on a well-known, but unexplained, finding: A written word problem (six + seven) results in much greater reported use of procedures (e.g., counting) than the same problem in digits (6 + 7). I hypothesized that this could be the result of a metacognitive effect whereby the low surface familiarity for word problems discourages retrieval. This was tested by familiarizing participants with a subset of the written word stimuli (e.g. three + four = ?, six + nine= ?) and then testing them on unpractised problems comprised of practiced components (four + six = ?). The result was increased retrieval reported for unpractised problems with practiced components. This indicates that surface familiarity contributes to strategy choice.<p> Chapter 3 focused on another classic phenomenon in the arithmetic cognition literature, the problem size effect: Response time, error, and procedure rates increase as a function of problem size. A previous study reported a reduced problem size effect for auditory multiplication problems compared to digit problems. I hypothesized that if this reduction was due to problem encoding processes rather than an effect on calculation per se, then a similar pattern would be observed for addition. Instead, I found that the size effect for addition was larger. I concluded that the auditory format promotes procedures for addition, but promotes retrieval for multiplication.<p> Chapters 4 and 5 were concerned with a well-known methodological issue in the strategy literature, subjectivity of self-reports: Some claim self-reports are more like opinions than objective measures. Thevenot, Fanget, and Fayol (2007) ostensibly solved this problem by probing problem memory subsequent to participants providing an answer. They reasoned that after a more complex procedure, the memory for the original problem would become degraded. The result would be better memory for problems answered by retrieval instead of by procedure. I hypothesized that their interpretation of their findings was conflated with the effect of switching tasks from arithmetic to number memory. I demonstrated that their new method for measuring strategy choice was contaminated by task switching costs, which compromises its application as a measure of strategy choice (Chapter 4). In a subsequent project (Chapter 5), I tested the sensitivity of this new method to detect the effects of factors known in the literature to affect strategy choice. The results indicated that Thevenot et al.s new method was insensitive to at least one of these factors. Thus, attempts to control for the confounding effects of task switching described in Chapter 4, in order to implement this new measure, are not warranted.<p> The current dissertation expanded understanding of strategy choice in four directions by 1) demonstrating that metacognitive factors cause increases in procedure strategies, 2) by demonstrating that the process of strategy selection is affected differentially by digit and auditory-verbal input, 3) by investigating the validity of an alternative measure of strategy use in experimental paradigms, and 4) by discovering a critical failure in the sensitivity of this new measure to measure the effects of factors known to influence strategy use. General conclusions are discussed in Chapter 6.

La dendritogenèse et la spinogenèse sont des étapes clés du développement neuronal. Elles impliquent de nombreuses protéines jouant un rôle essentiel dans la réorganisation du cytosquelette d'actine via les RhoGTPases. Des défauts dans ces processus peuvent mener à des maladies neurodéveloppementales comme l'autisme ou la schizophrénie. Les récepteurs BAI appartiennent à la famille des RCPG d'Adhésion et ont été identifiés dans des préparations biochimiques de densités postsynaptiques. BAI1 module la RhoGTPase Rac1 via son interaction avec la protéine ELMO1. De plus, les protéines sécrétées C1q-like ont récemment été identifiées comme ligands du récepteur BAI3 in vitro et cette interaction régulerait la synaptogenèse. Nous avons émis l'hypothèse que le récepteur BAI3 pourrait réguler le développement neuronal, en particulier la dendritogenèse et la spinogenèse, en interagissant avec ELMO1. Nos travaux ont montré que BAI3 est localisé dans les dendrites, et chez les neurones matures dans les épines dendritiques. Des études morphométriques nous ont permis de montrer son rôle dans la croissance et la complexification de l'arbre dendritique des neurones in vitro. Nos données in vivo sont en accord avec un rôle du récepteur BAI3 dans la morphogenèse des cellules de Purkinje du cervelet et la mise en place de leur innervation excitatrice. Le rôle de BAI3 dans la morphogenèse dendritique semble dépendre en partie de son interaction avec ELMO1. Par ailleurs, BAI3 module l'étalement cellulaire, suggérant son implication dans la régulation des RhoGTPases. L'ensemble de nos résultats met en lumière un nouveau rôle des récepteurs BAI comme régulateurs de la dendritogenèse et de la formation des synapses, en partie via la voie de signalisation ELMO1/Rac1. Nos résultats identifient les récepteurs BAI comme de nouveaux acteurs de la morphogenèse neuronale et, au vu du lien génétique existant entre BAI3 et certains symptômes de la schizophrénie, offrent de nouvelles perspectives dans l'étude des maladies neurodéveloppementales.

There are a several methods to evaluate usability of systems with graphical user interfaces (GUIS). However, effective methods for evaluating non-GUI interaction devices in the domain of Interactive Television are presently not available. This thesis presents a modified Heuristic Evaluation method for rapid inspection of non-GUI TV-interaction devices such as remote controls. Additionally, to enable the evaluators to more easily think from a user perspective when performing the evaluation, the persona method was also evaluated for use in this domain. The modified Heuristic Evaluation method was evaluated in an actual development project where engineers applied the method on remote control prototypes. The result suggests that the method can be used effectively by engineers and that it identifies usability problems appropriately. The persona approach seemed to provide little support to the engineers in terms of evaluating this type product.

No description available.

Informations- och kommunikationstekniken har utvecklats snabbt det senaste decenniet. Ny teknik förväntas ha positiva effekter på samhället och minska klyftorna mellan olika grupper. Äldre människor har fått uppmärksamhet i IT-debatten eftersom samhället ska vara tillgängligt för alla och alla ska vara delaktiga på lika villkor, även den äldre populationen. Syftet med denna undersökning är att ta reda på om det finns några skillnader i användbarhetsproblem mellan olika åldersgrupper och i så fall vart i dessa skillnader ligger. Åldersgrupperna som jämfördes var ungdomar, medelålders och äldre. Användarna fick lösa uppgifter i ett måltidsplaneringssystem och genom observationer upptäcktes användbarhetsproblem. Denna studie baserades på en tidigare studie som gjorts med äldre användare och måltidsplaneringssystemet, resultaten från den tidigare undersökningen jämfördes med resultaten från den här undersökningen. Studien visar att det finns skillnader i användbarhetsproblem mellan olika åldersgrupper. Gruppen äldre upptäckte betydligt fler användbarhetsproblem av en låg allvarlighetsgrad än gruppen ungdomar och detta kan bero på personernas frekvens av datoranvändning och därmed datorvana. Studien visar också att fler användare än fem behövs vid testning av ett system för att säkerställa att merparten av alla användbarhetsproblem i ett system upptäcks innan driftsättning av systemet. Fler än fem användare behövs också för att säkerställa att de flesta användbarhetsproblem av hög allvarlighetsgrad upptäcks.  Studien visar att det finns skillnader i användbarhetsproblem mellan olika åldergrupper. Detta betyder att hänsyn måste tas till den tänkta målgruppen, dess behov, krav och begränsningar vid design och utformning av ett system eller en produkt.

Arithmetic cognition research was at one time concerned mostly with the representation and retrieval of arithmetic facts in memory. More recently it was found that memory retrieval does not account for all single digit arithmetic performance. For example, Canadian university students solve up to 40% of basic addition problems using procedural strategies (e.g. 5 + 3 = 5 + 1 + 1 + 1). Given that procedures are less efficient than direct memory retrieval it is important to understand why procedure use is high, even for relatively skilled adults. My dissertation, therefore, sought to expand understanding of strategy choice for adults basic arithmetic. Background on this topic and supporting knowledge germane to the topic are provided in Chapter 1.<p> Chapter 2 focused on a well-known, but unexplained, finding: A written word problem (six + seven) results in much greater reported use of procedures (e.g., counting) than the same problem in digits (6 + 7). I hypothesized that this could be the result of a metacognitive effect whereby the low surface familiarity for word problems discourages retrieval. This was tested by familiarizing participants with a subset of the written word stimuli (e.g. three + four = ?, six + nine= ?) and then testing them on unpractised problems comprised of practiced components (four + six = ?). The result was increased retrieval reported for unpractised problems with practiced components. This indicates that surface familiarity contributes to strategy choice.<p> Chapter 3 focused on another classic phenomenon in the arithmetic cognition literature, the problem size effect: Response time, error, and procedure rates increase as a function of problem size. A previous study reported a reduced problem size effect for auditory multiplication problems compared to digit problems. I hypothesized that if this reduction was due to problem encoding processes rather than an effect on calculation per se, then a similar pattern would be observed for addition. Instead, I found that the size effect for addition was larger. I concluded that the auditory format promotes procedures for addition, but promotes retrieval for multiplication.<p> Chapters 4 and 5 were concerned with a well-known methodological issue in the strategy literature, subjectivity of self-reports: Some claim self-reports are more like opinions than objective measures. Thevenot, Fanget, and Fayol (2007) ostensibly solved this problem by probing problem memory subsequent to participants providing an answer. They reasoned that after a more complex procedure, the memory for the original problem would become degraded. The result would be better memory for problems answered by retrieval instead of by procedure. I hypothesized that their interpretation of their findings was conflated with the effect of switching tasks from arithmetic to number memory. I demonstrated that their new method for measuring strategy choice was contaminated by task switching costs, which compromises its application as a measure of strategy choice (Chapter 4). In a subsequent project (Chapter 5), I tested the sensitivity of this new method to detect the effects of factors known in the literature to affect strategy choice. The results indicated that Thevenot et al.s new method was insensitive to at least one of these factors. Thus, attempts to control for the confounding effects of task switching described in Chapter 4, in order to implement this new measure, are not warranted.<p> The current dissertation expanded understanding of strategy choice in four directions by 1) demonstrating that metacognitive factors cause increases in procedure strategies, 2) by demonstrating that the process of strategy selection is affected differentially by digit and auditory-verbal input, 3) by investigating the validity of an alternative measure of strategy use in experimental paradigms, and 4) by discovering a critical failure in the sensitivity of this new measure to measure the effects of factors known to influence strategy use. General conclusions are discussed in Chapter 6.