The current program of research investigated factors that influence students’ perceptions of everyday moral violations, as well as their own inclinations to engage in immoral behaviours. In Experiment 1, I demonstrated that participants’ evaluations of a hypothetical student who contemplated plagiarizing an assignment depended on both the choice that was ultimately made and the length of time spent deliberating about it (cf., Tetlock et al., 2000). Specifically, when participants were informed that the student ultimately elected to refrain from cheating, the length of time that this individual spent considering the decision had no impact on their subsequent behavioural or character evaluations. However, when participants were informed that the student had succumbed to the temptation to cheat, they evaluated the individual more harshly if the decision to cheat had been made after a period of deliberation than if the decision had been made blithely, without any forethought. Experiment 2 extended this program of research by showing that stable and transient variations in construal level interact to influence participants’ perceptions of students who engage in acts of plagiarism. Specifically, participants with low levels of personal agency evaluated a hypothetical student who had plagiarized an assignment relatively charitably, regardless of how they were prompted to construe the situation. Furthermore, these participants felt a greater affinity for the student after being induced to construe the student’s actions in low-level terms. On the other hand, participants with high levels of personal agency who were induced to construe the student’s actions in high-level terms were less positive in their evaluations, and also felt less of an affinity for the student. Experiment 3 assessed the extent to which stable and transient variations in construal level interact to predict actual cheating behaviour during an evaluative task. The results of this investigation revealed that priming participants with low levels of personal agency to adopt high-level construals lessened the incidence of cheating among members of this group. In sum, the results associated with the current program of research suggest that transient shifts in construal level interact with stable levels of personal agency to influence students’ perceptions of peers who engage in academic dishonesty. Furthermore, they provide evidence that these two factors play a role in the extent to which students behave dishonestly in evaluative settings themselves. Potential applications that could be derived from the current findings and possible avenues for future research are discussed. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2010-01-12 12:56:11.965

The trend towards family care of children with developmental disabilities has lead us to examine ways to support families. One source of help primary caregivers have available to them is informal social support. Ninety mothers of children with severe developmental disabilities, residing in four Michigan counties (two urban and two rural) were interviewed face-to-face to determine the nature and extent of their informal social support systems. The types of support investigated were perceived, instrumental, emotional, informational and network. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate techniques. The findings indicate that mothers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day care of their children. However, the help they do receive is important to them. Assistance proffered to mothers comes mostly from immediate family members. Although married and working women perceive greater support from some family members, when help with daily tasks was measured, these women did not actually receive any greater assistance. Multivariate analysis revealed that perceived informal social support was associated with better ability to cope and lower levels of stress. The influence of informal social support on life satisfaction was less certain. Ability to cope was significantly correlated with decreased stress and increased life satisfaction. None of the various types of informal support explained coping, stress or life satisfaction. However, emotional support turned out to be a proxy for emotional problems, and so it was associated with higher stress, and lower coping and life satisfaction. None of the other independent variables included in the model (severity of handicap, formal support or life stress) explained the variance in the dependent variables. When actual regression coefficients were examined, it was concluded that increasing the amount of social support to mothers is not a very efficacious approach to helping them reduce their stress and improve their copin

This study aims to show how teachers talk about their teaching with regards to gender in relation to literature.We have interviewed four teachers of Swedish for upper secondary school to discover how they feel about, and understand, the fact that gender is a factor in the teaching of literature and that they should present to the students literature written by both male and female authors. To analyze the interviews we use Sannersted's (1991) theory about teachers as street-level-bureaucrats ("närbyråkrater"). He states that teachers are persons who have to follow what politicians have decided but they are fairly free to choose how they do it, but to be able to follow a decision as closely as possible three qualifications have to be met. The teachers have to understand the decision, be able to follow it and want to follow it. We find that the teachers that we have interviewed are aware that they discuss gender issues with their students and they all claim that they present a variation of authors to their students. However, they all express concern that there might be some problems with regards to the material availble, it being very dominated by male authors.

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It is recognised that atmospheric CO(_2) concentrations are increasing, with concerns raised as to the global impact continued rises may have. Plant stomatal parameters have been suggested as a means of monitoring changing CO(_2) levels. In order to assess their suitability for use, a thorough examination of leaf characteristics within a variety of surroundings was undertaken. Environments examined included both natural variations in CO(_2), which incorporated a variety of environmental influences and artificially enhanced ones where it was possible to monitor specific responses to variable CO(_2) levels. A short term study of Ranunculus ficaria, Sambucus nigra and Hedera helix revealed considerable variation in stomatal parameters, with inconsistent responses observed between and within species. These variations could not be attributed to CO(_2) changes and were assigned to a combination of other factors. R. ficaria grown in an artificial environment at ambient and elevated CO(_2) produced significant and consistent changes in stomatal parameters. Stomatal density and index were found to be reduced at elevated CO(_2) concentrations, with a decrease in guard cell dimensions. Salix herbacea, growing along a naturally reduced CO(_2) partial pressure gradient further highlighted the extent of variation in stomatal parameters in extant material within a species. No consistent stomatal trends associated with changing CO(_2) levels were observed. This inherent variation must be considered before any conclusions can be made regarding stomatal parameters obtained from fossil material. The novel application of molecular biology techniques to identify S. herbacea leaves was partially successful. However, identification of leaf macrofossils was not possible, due to the inferior preservation of DNA. However, the technique will provide a useful tool for identification if suitably preserved macrofossil fragments were available. S. herbacea leaf macrofossils revealed no consistent correlation to past changes in CO(_2) levels. The use of as an additional tool with which to monitor environmental change once again showed variation, and was not associated closely with changes in CO(_2) levels or stomatal parameters. In light of this work it would appear that the use of stomatal parameters is of limited value as a model to monitor environmental change, in the absence of information concerning other variables, and as such must be treated with caution.

In today’s society, companies strive to become diverse. Some organizations want to make us believe, that they like new thinking and want to integrate diversity into their organization. By using diversity management as a tool of analysis it is possible for organizations to work with diversity. Diversity is viewed as something positive by the public and therefore, is it possible to use it as an advantage. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand how organizations think about diversity and to give an idea of how organizations understand the term diversity. The aim is to explore how organizations understand diversity and what it will provide for the organizations. The outcome of this research will give a better overview of diversity in organizations. A qualitative research was made and respondents from three different companies were used, to understand how companies define diversity. Furthermore, this dissertation provides an idea of what type of characteristics that organizations think are important for diversity and what effects that may have.

In today’s society, companies strive to become diverse. Some organizations want to make us believe, that they like new thinking and want to integrate diversity into their organization. By using diversity management as a tool of analysis it is possible for organizations to work with diversity. Diversity is viewed as something positive by the public and therefore, is it possible to use it as an advantage. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand how organizations think about diversity and to give an idea of how organizations understand the term diversity. The aim is to explore how organizations understand diversity and what it will provide for the organizations. The outcome of this research will give a better overview of diversity in organizations. A qualitative research was made and respondents from three different companies were used, to understand how companies define diversity. Furthermore, this dissertation provides an idea of what type of characteristics that organizations think are important for diversity and what effects that may have.

The purpose of the study was to supply materials for answers to questions regarding a description of the group of individuals receiving College-Level Examination Program credit including an assessment of the academic progress of the group.Approaching these questions through an examination of related literature revealed common features of other attempts to describe and measure policies and practices of the College-Level Examination Program and similar programs. In the study, consideration was given to the basic values and assumptions that underlie both credit by examination in general and the College-Level Examination Program in particular.The final study population consisted of 246 individuals whose permanent record cards were available at the time the study was made. 284 individuals took College-Level Examination Program General Examinations between December 18, 1969, and January 23,1973.From questions raised by Ball State University Administrators, nine hypotheses were derived.By means of simple manipulation of raw numbers, percentages and extraction of means, and by means of analysis of variance and analysis of covariance techniques, the hypotheses were tested.

Individual Sewers in Nordmalings Municipality – Evaluation of Factors when Prioritizing Inventory Areas and Demands of Individual Sewers The purpose of this study was to examine what to consider when prioritising inventory areas for individual sewers, as well as how an inventory should be initiated in Nordmalings municipality. The information was gathered by studying legislation, documents by government agencies, maps and by conducting a questionnaire survey. The study showed that the demands on individual sewers must be separately determined in every individual case. Sewer system shall have further wastewater treatment than only septic tanks, for example an infiltration plant. The demands should be determined by the protection level of the Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines (NFS 2006:7) for small sewage systems for domestic wastewater. The areas demanding a high level of protection are sensitive to emissions from individual sewers. Such areas can for example be Natura 2000, bathing places and water that is sensitive to eutrophication. The questionnaire was sent to 85 property owners and 64 of them responded. The majority of the ones with permanent housing had septic tanks (90.5 %) and an infiltration plant (60.0 %). The questionnaire indicated that the majority of the individual sewers were acceptable but that a significant part may have serious flaws. Prioritisation of inventory areas can be based on the areas that need high level of protection. Based on these results, coastal areas in Nordmalings municipality should be prioritised for an inventory of individual sewers.

Purpose: The purpose of this research program was three-fold. First it aimed to determine the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions in increasing cessation rates in smokers with cerebrovascular disease and whether smoking cessation reduces stroke recurrence. Second it aimed to determine the prognostic influence of smoking and its association with stroke severity, disability, length of stay in hospital and mortality. Third it aimed to identify multi-level correlates of smoking cessation in Canadians who reported stroke symptoms in a large population based survey. Methods: Two systematic reviews and meta-analyses were performed to achieve the first objective. For the second objective, a retrospective cohort study was undertaken using variables from the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network. Finally, the third objective was achieved by analyzing respondents from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Results: There is a paucity of intervention studies examining the effectiveness of smoking cessation in smokers with cerebrovascular disease. Most intervention studies that were found, failed to employ evidence-based approaches to smoking cessation. No evidence was found in regards to the effect of smoking cessation on stroke recurrence. We found smokers had strokes at a younger age compared to non-smokers. We found that in transient ischemic attacks and intracerbral haemorrhage, smoking was a significant predictor of stroke severity, disability, length of stay in hospital and 1 year mortality. Correlates of smoking cessation among Canadians who have experienced symptoms of a stroke included: higher education and income, implementation of household and vehicle smoking restrictions, access to a general practitioner and the use of smoking cessation pharmacotherapies and counselling support. Co-morbidities such as depression and alcohol consumption reduced the likelihood of successful cessation. Conclusions: This three-phase research program elucidated the gaps in intervention research for this population along with co-morbidities that hinder success in cessation. Smoking negatively impacted outcomes such as disability, hospital length of stay and mortality in patients with transient ischemic attacks and intracerebral haemorrhage strokes. Future interventions should take into account modifiable smoking cessation correlates in order to increase cessation rates in smokers with cerebrovascular disease.