Cultural differences in disability attitudes significantly impact perceptions of and interactions with persons with disabilities. This study explored the multidimensional disability attitudes of the international college student’s towards persons with disabilities and their attitudes toward educational accommodations. The researcher also examined the relationship between these variables and the following demographic factors: sex, age, country of origin, religion, college major, and level of college study. The study is a cross-sectional survey design. The effective sample of the study was 211 enrolled undergraduate and graduate international students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. These scales were used for data collection: (a) Multidimensional Attitudes Scale toward Persons with Disabilities (MAS), (b) General Attitudes toward College Educational Accommodation; (c) Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale; and (d) a demographic questionnaire. In this study, descriptive analyses and a multiple regression analysis computed to analyze all test measures and demographic variables. The results of this study provide information about the international student’s general attitude towards disability as well as the extent in which demographic variables may shape attitudes. In the first hypothesis only contact with person with disability was a significant predictor of the attitudes F1, 174 = 22.324, p < .001, R2 = .114. In the second hypothesis contact with person with disability and attitudes predicted general attitudes towards accommodation; F2, 173 = 7.101, p = .006, R2 = .076. All demographic factors dropped out of the models. A series of exploratory analyses was computed uncovered some potential demographic predictors of attitudes towards accommodation. This information may assist faculty and administrators to provide disability education interventions that may increase positive attitudes toward disability and people with disabilities. This may consequently enhance positive interactions of international students with persons with disabilities within and outside the university environment.

Alcohol use during pregnancy is common and its consequences often result in a broad range of negative, lifelong developmental outcomes. This study describes the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and interacting socio-demographic factors on early childhood development. One hundred and twenty one children from the Northern Cape, South Africa, were clinically examined using standard diagnostic procedures and assessed using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS/ER) at 7-12 months (Time 1) and 5 years of age (Time 2). Participants were assigned to either: a Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS/Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (PFAS); a Prenatal Alcohol Exposed (PAE); or a Control group based on the diagnosis at 5 years. Mothers/caregivers were interviewed to ascertain socio-demographic information, including prenatal alcohol exposure. During infancy, the FAS/PFAS group showed significantly lower gross motor and language abilities, with delays in higher-order executive functioning becoming more apparent with age. No significant differences were noted during infancy between the PAE and Control groups over any developmental subscales. However, with age, higher-order executive function delays were reported in the PAE group. Performance on the infant and child versions of the GMDS was not significantly correlated, suggesting that the tests may be measuring different developmental constructs. Lower maternal education, unemployment and later recognition of pregnancy were associated with reduced social adaptive functioning, and language and eye hand coordination abilities, irrespective of amount of prenatal alcohol exposure over both time points. Larger anthropometric birth measurements and longer duration of breastfeeding were significantly related to increased performance on the GMDS at 5 years within the groups exposed to prenatal alcohol. Socio–demographic variables are likely to complicate developmental profiles for all three groups, with prenatal and postnatal nutrition emerging as possible protective factors for positive developmental outcomes at 5 years of age.

Background: Nowadays with the very competitive business environment, it is essential for companies to gain loyal customers. Loyalty programs are one of the tools at the disposition of companies to attract and retain their customers. The relationship between customer loyalty and some socio-demographics factors have been a subject of researches but the specific relationship between socio-demographics factors and customer loyalty programs has not been studied yet. This study is going to try to fulfil this gap. Purpose: To study the influence of socio-demographic factors on customers’ expectations of their loyalty programs and on their loyalty. Research questions: 1. Which socio-demographic factors are influencing customers’ expectations of their loyalty programs? 2. Which socio-demographic factors are influencing program loyalty and company loyalty? Methodology: Quantitative research. Conclusion: It is possible to say that all socio-demographic factors studied have an influence on at least one of the expectations of customers concerning their loyalty programs and on their loyalty too. Those factors are then really important for a company to look at when they start a loyalty program or when they try to improve it.

Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att hitta samband mellan de demografiska faktorerna och en förändring i det privata pensionssparandet år 2015. Teoretisk och empirisk metod: Forskningsstrategin för denna studie har varit av kvantitaiv form, med en hypotetisk deduktiv ansats. En enkätundersökning låg till grund för insamling av empirin i denna forskning. Målgruppen för respondenterna var mellan 20-65 år, då det anses till största del vara dessa som pensionssparar. Enkäten bestod till största del utav frågor med alternativ som respondenterna fick fylla i. Resultat och Slutsats: Resultatet av denna forskning visar hur vissa av demografiska faktorer påverkar personers privata pensionssparande och även hur de agerat efter förändringen av avdragsrätt. De demografiska faktorer som kan påvisas påverka är en persons ålder och inkomst. Det fanns ett positivt samband mellan stigande ålder och summa pensionssparande och stigande inkomst och summa pensionssparande. Åldern och inkomsten sågs även påverka hur individer valde att ändra pensionssparandet efter ändringen i avdragsrätt. / Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to find connections between demographic factors and a changing of the reduced deductibility year 2015. Theoretical och empirical method: The strategy for this empirical study has been in a quantitative shape with a deductive approach. A survey has been formed to collect the empirical material. The target group for this study has been individuals between 20-65 years old, because these are the people that should be saving for their retirement. The questionnaire was for the most part filled with beforehand given answers that the individual chose the answer that they felt represented themselves. Conclusion: The results of this paper shows how some of the demographic factors has an impact on how an individual acts when they are saving for their retirement and that there is some differences on how they have act after the reduced deductibility. The two factors that have an impact is a person’s age and their level of income. Where people in a higher age and with a higher income will save more for their retirement then others. People with a higher income and a higher age will have change their retirement plan after 2015.

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This study explored the current state of alcohol-impaired driving as well as the changes in alcohol-impaired driving over time among Albertans. Based on self-report data from the annual Alberta Surveys 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2009, this study also traced the shift in the impact of standard demographic factors on alcohol-impaired driving in the province. Furthermore, the study examined social influence in alcohol-impaired driving in a representative sample in Alberta. Results indicated that in the past 12 months, 4% of the respondents had driven a vehicle while impaired, and 6.1% of the respondents had been passengers in a vehicle driven by an impaired driver. Chi-square test indicated that male, single, employed, non-religious, and younger respondents were more likely to have driven while impaired. Logistic regression analyses showed that a one-unit increase in social influence was associated with 5.32 times greater odds of engaging in impaired driving (OR = 5.32, 95% CI = 3.069.24, p < .001), controlling for other variables in the model. Findings also showed that self-reported alcohol-impaired driving has decreased substantially over the years (10.6% in 1991, 8.4% in 1992, 7.2% in 1997, and 3.7% in 2009). However, there had been little changes in designated driving. In addition, there had been a shift in age-related impaired driving, i.e., people aged 55-65+ reported impaired driving more in 2009 (4.8%) compared to 1991 (2.0%) and 1992 (2.2%); while individuals aged 18-34 and 35-54 reported impaired driving less in 2009 (4.8% and 2.6%, respectively) compared to 1991 (12.7% and 13.0%, respectively). The policy implications of the findings are discussed.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / Previous studies on motivation of higher education students have predominantly focused on the role of motivation in academic achievement. The aim of this study was to identify what motivates students to attend university and to establish the connection of this motivational orientation to demographic correlates. A correlational research design was employed and data was analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Correlational analysis (Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r)) was used to determine the strength of the association between demographic factors and student motivations for attending university.

Due to the health and relational benefits associated with mindfulness, interest has increased in researching the topic. Typically, samples have been more homogeneous with no attention given to variations in mindfulness levels that may exist based on individuals’ characteristics. Therefore, this study assessed levels of three facets of mindfulness – non-reactivity, awareness, and non-judgement - with 1796 diverse individuals. Results indicate differences in mean level of non-reactivity based on sex, education level, income, and relationship status, with higher levels, on average, for males, individuals without a high school degree, individuals with an annual salary of $75,000+, and married individuals; differences in mean level of awareness based on sex and race, with higher levels, on average, for females and white individuals; and differences in mean level of non-judgement based on income, with higher levels, on average, for low income individuals. Findings highlight the value of considering social address in mindfulness studies.

Community and Regional Planning / In the past two decades, Austin has tremendous population growth, job opportunity in the downtown core and transportation challenges associated with that. Public transit, and particularly rail, often is regarded as a strategy to help reduce urban traffic congestion. The Urban Rail, which combines features of streetcars and light rail, is introduced into Austin as a new transit rail. The City of Austin, Capital Metro and Lone Star Rail are actively studying routing, financial, environmental and community elements associated with a first phase of Urban Rail. This thesis collected 2010 Origin and Destination Rail Transit Survey data from Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The research focuses on the rail transit ridership. Two regression models are applied to analyze the factors influencing Austin rail transit ridership. One model is focusing on the socioeconomic characteristics. One model is focusing on the spatial factors. Our model shows that demographic factors have more significant effect than spatial factors. In addition, this work also tries to analyze the correlations between those factors and make recommendations based on the analysis result. / text

The purpose is to investigate whether there are any significant differences in risk                                                             tolerance in equity investments between the genders. Further, the study intends to                                                        investigate wether independent factors such as age, income, education and                                                                  confidence effects the risk tolerance of an individual.Method: The study has adapted a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. The                                                      primary data has been collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews.                                                           The adopted research approach  is deductive and the study population consists of                                                                men and women in Sweden, which are or have been active equity investors. Theory: Describes the concept of risk tolerance in financial decisions. The theory further                                                             explains an individual’s descisionprocess in relation to risk, with its overvaluation                                                         to a positive probability and its undervaluation to a negative risk. Further, a                                                     several factors are explained and discussed that influence an individual’s risk                                                        tolerance. Conclusion: Differences in risktolerance between the genders has been proved. Furthermore,                                                             the influence of the factors age, income and education are statistically proved.                                                                Finally the impact of self confidence were proven through qualitative data. / Syfte: Syftet är att undersöka om det finns några signifikanta skillnader i riskbenägenhet                                                        vid aktieplacering mellan könen. Vidare ämnar studien undersöka om oberoende                                                           faktorer som ålder, inkomst, utbildning och självförtroende påverkar                                                                        riskbenägenheten hos en individ. Metod: Studien har antagit en kombination av kvalitativ och kvantitativ metod.                                                                         Primärdata har således samlats in via enkätundersökningar samt delvis                                                                           strukturerade intervjuer. Studiens sekundärdata består av tidigare forskning.                                            Forskningsansatsen som antagits är deduktiv och studiens population utgörs av                                                  män och kvinnor i Sverige, vilka är eller någon gång har varit aktiva                                                                         aktieplacerare. Teori: Beskriver begreppet riskbenägenhet vid finansiella beslut. Även teori som                                                                         förklarar en individs beslutsprocess i förhållande till risk, med dess                                                                                   övervärderingar till en positiv sannolikhet och dess undervärdering till en negativ                                                          risk. Vidare förklaras och diskuteras ett flertal faktorer som påverkar en individs                                                           riskbenägenhet. Slutsats: Skillnad i riskbenägenhet mellan könen har påvisats. Vidare har påverkan från                                                                faktorerna ålder, inkomst och utbildning statistiskt bevisats. Avslutningsvis                                             bevisades självförtroendes påverkan genom kvalitativ data.