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The application of sport psychology principles and theories have now moved beyond the athletic arena and branched off into non-athletic domains. Gould (2002) noted, "moving beyond the psychology of athletic excellence is an important development in our field" (p.247). Recently the mental strategies of various non-athletic domains such as musicians (Talbot-Honeck & Orlick, 1998), performing artists (Hays, 2002) and business people (Jones, 2002) have been researched and discussed. Research of actors regarding their memorization of lines (Voice, 1991; Noice, 1992; Noice & Noice, 1997), their experience of flow (Martin & Cutler, 2002), and their experience of stage fright (Steptoe et al., 1995) has been conducted, however, no research has explored the mental strategies used by professional stage and film actors. The purpose of this research has been to explore and understand the mental strategies used by professional North American actors. Twelve (n = 12) professional actors from Canada and the United States were interviewed using a semi-structured open-ended interview guide. Inductive analysis revealed that the actors used seven major mental strategies including: character preparation, focus while performing, pre-performance routines, imagery, confidence, optimal energy level, and performance evaluation. Elements of career success were also discussed. These findings shed light on specific strategies and techniques regarding the use of mental strategies by professional actors. It is hoped these findings will open the door to future research in this field and bring an understanding of relevant mental strategies for improving performance in the field of acting.

L'objectif de ce travail consiste a identifier, à l'aide de la technique de modélisation par équations structurelles, un certain nombre de marqueurs psychologiques qui sont sous-jacents aux comportements pathologiques des adolescents et des jeunes adultes envers les jeux de hasard et d'argent. Des marqueurs furent donc identifiés à partir de la littérature; leur choix fût supporté par la théorie générale de l'addiction de Jacobs (1986), la théorie sur le cycle d'une addiction de McCormick (1994) et la théorie conflictuelle de la prise de décisions de Janis et Mann (1977). Ce travail propose donc d'explorer s'il existe une relation entre le jeu pathologique et des marqueurs tels que les émotions de honte et de culpabilité, les processus décisionnels et les stratégies de coping qui sont utilisées par les adolescents et les jeunes adultes. Deux cent quatre-vingt-quinze universitaires composent le premier échantillon de jeunes adultes. Deux cent dix-sept adolescents composent un échantillon dit clinique, en raison des problèmes de consommation et de comportement et de jeu qui affligent ces derniers. Leurs réponses furent comparées à 244 adolescents qui composent le groupe non-clinique. La cueillette de données s'est faite à l'aide de questionnaires auto-rapportés. Les liens entre les différents facteurs furent consacrés par un modèle statistique pour les jeunes adultes, alors que des analyses exploratoires sont venues décortiquer les résultats obtenus auprès de nos adolescents. Ainsi, des comparaisons multi-groupes entre les variables latentes des échantillons d'adolescents furent possible grâce à la technique de modélisation par équations structurelles. Les résultats obtenus viennent supporter certains concepts de la théorie de McCormick (1994). En général, les adolescents et les jeunes adultes ne font pas la distinction entre les émotions de honte et de culpabilité. Il ne semble pas avoir de relation entre le fait de ressentir de la honte et/ou de la culpabilité et le fait d'avoir recours a des stratégies de coping inadequates ou inadaptées chez les adolescents, comme c'est le cas chez les adultes. De plus, toujours chez les adolescents, l'absence de lien entre les processus décisionnels et les stratégies de coping laisse présager la présence d'un facteur intermédiaire jouant un rôle de médiateur entre ces deux entités. Ce résultat viendrait raffiner le modèle conflictuelle de la prise de décision de Janis et Mann (1977). Enfin, les résultats des comparaisons multi-groupes démontrent que les adolescents qui composent le groupe clinique ressentent davantage de honte et/ou de culpabilité que leurs pairs et qu'ils possèdent un répertoire plus limite de stratégies de coping adaptées, et qu'ils les utilisent moins comme facteur de protection contre les problèmes liés au jeu excessif. Des implications pratiques ainsi que des pistes pour des recherches ultérieures sont aussi présentées.

Despite numerous benefits associated with regular physical activity, the majority of North American women remain insufficiently active. Accordingly, researchers have examined a multitude of variables associated with women's physical activity participation. Two theoretical frameworks that may be extended to predict women's physical activity behaviour are the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Self-Determination Theory. This thesis examined physical activity behaviour change in a community based-sample of middle-aged women by integrating concepts from these two conceptual frameworks. Specific objectives were (1) to examine the relative influence of social support, TPB variables, and SDT variables on intentions to increase physical activity; (2) to assess the relative influence of intentions and motivation on physical activity behaviour change over time by testing mediating and moderating models; and (3) to examine relationships among barriers, environmental characteristics, and change in physical activity behavior. To these ends, two empirical investigations were conducted. In the first study, French-speaking women (n=109) completed a questionnaire package assessing the aforementioned variables. In the second study, English-speaking women (n=149) complete similar questionnaire packages at baseline and at six months follow-up. All women were recruited from community-based facilities, including community centres and fitness clubs. Overall, results demonstrated that attitudes, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and autonomous motivation were associated with intentions to increase physical activity. Intentions were also related to reported physical activity behaviour change over time. Among the most commonly reported barriers to physical activity increase were daily activities and fatigue. Inactive women reported higher levels of barriers than women who remained active or increased their physical activity level over time. Environmental characteristics (e.g., enjoyable scenery and the presence of others exercising) were also associated with change in physical activity behaviour. Collectively, results support the utility of integrating concepts from different theoretical frameworks as a means of understanding physical activity behaviour change and physical activity behaviour change intentions. Findings also suggest a number of ways in which physical activity behaviour change could be fostered in middle-aged women.

Barely touched on and resulting in unsettled findings in previous research, the effect of simultaneous deprivation of pollen and nectar on pollen collection in bumblebee colonies is investigated in the present thesis. This investigation is further expanded to include the roles of colony growth and foraging experience in mediating the effect of deprivation on foraging behaviour. In all experiments colonies were presented with one of two treatment conditions: Pollen-deprivation (-P) or pollen-and nectar-deprivation (-P-N). In Study One, the effect of type of deprivation on colony growth was examined. Results showed that colony growth in -P-N did not differ from colony growth in -P. Study Two includes two experiments. Experiment 1 examined the role of prior foraging tasks combined with resource deprivation in pollen collection. Colonies were first assigned to either -P or -P-N treatment conditions and were subsequently tested while deprived of both resources (-P-N). Colonies that had experience in managing both foraging tasks collected more pollen and allocated greater foraging effort than did colonies that only had experience in collecting pollen. Experiment 2 examined the role of colony size combined with resource deprivation in pollen collection. Larger colonies collected more pollen although smaller colonies collected more pollen relative to their colony size. Taken together, these experiments provide a comprehensive understanding of the interrelatedness between colonies' nutritional requirements, foraging experience, colony development and foraging behaviour. Also, they clarify the effect of simultaneous deprivation on pollen collection. Contributions of this thesis are placed within the context of practical implications for greenhouse pollination, as well as research implications for bumblebees' foraging currencies and foraging decisions.

With the aim of shedding light on potential strategies to enhance preparedness for terrorism in Canada, the overarching goal of the present thesis was to develop, test, and refine a social-cognitive model of individual response to terrorism. The specificity of terrorism risk perceptions was explored in a first multi-hazard study, where they were compared with those of other hazards. Analyses performed on data of a national telephone survey on health risk perception (N = 1,503) revealed that Canadians perceive terrorism as posing a relatively low, although uncertain threat. They also perceive themselves as having relatively little control over terrorism, perhaps resulting from the wider social contextual implications of this threat. In order to further clarify the nature of various cognitive dimensions of terrorism risk perceptions, identify potential social contextual factors of interest, and extend the examination to behavioural responses to terrorism, a qualitative analysis was performed on sections of interview transcripts, where individuals from across Canada discussed their concerns and decisions regarding terrorism (N = 73). Six related overarching themes were discussed (Threat, Uncertainty, Control, Context Issues, Psychological Response, and Behavioural Response). Behavioural responses to terrorism were discussed in relation to psychological responses such as concern or worry, and both appeared to be determined by the same factors. From findings, a social-cognitive model was developed specifying cognitive and social contextual (i.e., perceptions of authorities' regulation of terrorism) determinants of psychological and behavioural responses to terrorism. This model was tested on data of a national survey on perceived terrorism threat and preparedness (N = 1,502). As expected, worry and behavioural responses to terrorism were associated with similar cognitive and social contextual factors. Worry also partially mediated relationships of these factors with behavioural responses. Indices reflecting a greater perceived terrorism threat were associated with both favourable and unfavourable responses. By contrast, perceived coping efficacy emerged as the cognitive factor associated with the most favourable responses. Specific findings underscore the dangers of strategies that overemphasize the threat of terrorism in order to promote individual preparedness, and highlight the value of strategies aimed at enhancing individuals' perceived ability to cope with potential emergencies.