Konsumtion av animaliska livsmedel är ett område som får allt mer fokus och utrymme i media och samhällsdebatt på grund av dess negativa miljöpåverkan. Med utgångspunkt i marknadsföringens potential att påverka konsumenters dagliga livsmedelsval är uppsatsens syfte att utforska attityder och associationer kring begrepp som vanligen används inom produktkommunikation för växtbaserade produkter. Målsättning är att förändra konsumtionsmönster och öka efterfrågan av växtbaserade produkter. En kvalitativ ansats i form av asynkrona online-fokusgrupper och teoretisk utgångspunkt i Theory of planned behavior visar generellt positiva attityder kring ökat intag av växtbaserad mat grundat i hälso- och miljöfördelar men även en rad upplevda subjektiva och strukturella hinder. Positiva associationer i relation till kost framkom för ordet växtbaserad och delvis negativa, icke-kostrelaterade associationer till ordet vegan. Studiens resultat indikerar att produktkommunikation som förknippas med hälsofördelar är att föredra men mer omfattande forskning kring hur terminologi påverkar beslut om köp och konsumtion rekommenderas. / The consumption of animal food is an area that is gaining more focus and scope in the media and social debate due to its negative environmental impact. Based on the potential of marketing to influence consumers' daily food choices, the thesis aims to explore attitudes and associations in relation to concepts customarily used in product communication for plant-based products. Objective is to change consumption patterns and increase demand for plant-based products. A qualitative approach of online asynchronous focus groups and theoretical starting point in Theory of planned behavior shows generally positive attitudes towards increasing intake of plant-based food based on health and environmental benefits but also a number of perceived subjective and structural barriers. Positive associations in relation to diet were found for the word plant-based and partly negative associations, un-related to diet, to the word vegan. The study's results indicate that product communication associated with health benefits is preferred but more extensive research on how terminology associations affect purchasing and consumption decisions is recommended.

Det finns evidens som bekräftar fördelarna med att barn ägnar sig åt aktiva skoltransporter(AST). Trots detta har andelen barn som ägnar sig åt AST radikalt minskat under de senasteårtiondena. Vårdnadshavare är de som fattar beslut gällande sina barn, vilket skulle kunna spela en viktig roll när det kommer till AST, då deras attityder gentemot detta kan påverka huruvida barnet ägnar sig åt AST eller inte. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka de attityder vårdnadshavare till barn i årskurs 1–6, boende i ett arktiskt klimat har till aktiva skoltransporter. Studien utgick från ett befintligt projekt som ämnade att främja AST i en kommun i norra Sverige och utfördes med en kvalitativ metod och deskriptiv design för att besvara syftet. Datainsamlingen bestod av individuella intervjuer tillsammans med sex deltagare. Intervjuerna utfördes utifrån en förberedd intervjuguide och frågeställningarna utgick ifrån theory of planned behavior. En manifest analys av den insamlade datan gjordes genom fem steg, vilket resulterade i att en huvudkategori växte fram, Rörelse – en gemensam målsättning, samt tre underkategorier; Ett hållbart liv (1), Olika former av trygghet (2), Inre och yttre påverkan (3). Resultatet indikerar att vårdnadshavare anser att en hållbar vardag, hälsa och miljö är viktigt samt att olika former av trygghet värderas högt och kan påverkas av en rad olika faktorer. Resultatet indikerar att vårdnadshavares egna erfarenheter påverkar inställningen till AST samt att uppfattningar av omgivningens värderingar och normer gällande AST på ett omedvetet plan kan ha inflytande på den egna inställningen till skoltransportens genomförande. Hälsopromotiva insatser som ökar andelen barn som ägnar sig åt AST kan vara en del i skapandet av normer som resulterar i att andelen transporter med bil minskar. Vilket utöver att den fysiska aktiviteten ökar också skulle gynna miljön och skapa tryggare skolvägar. / There is evidence to confirm the benefits of children engaging in active school transportation (AST). Despite this, the proportion of children engaged in AST has radically decreased in recent decades. Guardians are the ones who make decisions regarding their children, which could play an important role when it comes to AST, as their attitudes towards AST can affect whether the child engages in AST or not. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes towards active school transportation among guardians of children in grades 1-6, living in an arctic climate. The study was based on an existing project that aimed to promote AST in a municipality in northern Sweden and was performed with a qualitative method and descriptive design to answer the purpose. The data collection consisted of individual interviews together with six participants. The interviews were conducted from a prepared interview guide and the questions were based on the theory of planned behavior. A manifest analysis of the collected data was done through five steps, which resulted in a main category: Movement - a common goal, and three subcategories; A sustainable life (1), Different forms of safety (2), Internal and external influences (3). The results indicate that guardians believe that a sustainable everyday life, health and environment are important and that various forms of safety are highly valued and can be affected by several different factors. The results indicatethat the guardian's own experiences affect their attitude towards AST, and that the perceptions of the environment's values and norms regarding AST on an unconscious level can have an influence on the guardian's own attitude to the implementation of school transport. Health-promoting initiatives that increase the proportion of children who engage in AST can be a part of the establishing of norms that result in a reduction of the proportion of transport by car. Which in addition to increasing physical activity would also benefit the environment and create safer school roads.

Previous research has shown there is a lack of studies made about school counselors and their work with secondary school students, especially in a Swedish context. Although the research is limited, there are a few studies who can show that there is a distancing of students towards school counselors and students seeking help, but there also seems to be a lack of direction that makes school counselors work tasks to appear unclear. Previous research shows that there seem to be a few explanatory factors that may impact this behavior of students such as a lack of trust, a fear that confidentiality will be compromised as well as other people's opinions. The purpose of this study was to describe, analyze and find possible connections between secondary students' knowledge and attitudes towards school counselors and counselors' work tasks, and also secondary students' tendency to seek help. The study was carried out by a quantitative questionnaire study with focus on two different schools in two different municipalities. Empirical material was collected through google forms and participants were asked to fill out the survey online. We visited a few schools who were interested in participating in the questionnaire. The reason for this was because we had an idea of an increasing number of participants by visiting schools and informing them about this study and its purpose, and also to be able to answer any questions they might have. The results were analyzed through a univariate and a bivariate analysis and by using the Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). The results showed that students had a rather positive attitude towards school counselors, but still tend to not seek help if needed, which can be due to a lack of trust to the counselor.

Master of Public Health / Public Health Interdepartmental Program / Tandalayo Kidd / Heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are the leading causes of death in the United States. In addition, the prevalence of obesity has significantly increased since the 1970s. In Kansas, 37% of adults are overweight and 24% are obese. These chronic diseases and conditions tend to be prevented by and/or managed with both adequate physical activity and a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In Kansas 48.5% of adults meet the current recommendations for physical activity set by the American Heart Association, while 20% of adults consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. Public health officials need to work together to encourage Kansas adults to increase their participation in physical activity and consumption of fruits and vegetables to help prevent future health problems or manage current chronic diseases. To help address these health issues in Kansas, Kansas State University Research and Extension developed the 8-week Kansans Move into Health nutrition and physical activity program, building its framework around the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Using TPB, participants address attitudes and perceived norms as well as perform specific behaviors associated with healthy eating and physical activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of condensing the 8-week nutrition and physical activity program into four one-hour classes using a pre- and post-survey. Nineteen participants from the Johnson County community signed up to participate with 63% (n=12) completing the program. Results indicated that participants changed their belief that nutritious foods are more expensive (p≤0.05). Furthermore, participants gained knowledge in how to prepare healthy snacks that are quick and easy. All other measures did not change (n=19; p>0.05). Future research evaluating longer program interventions could better assess attitudes and perceived norms associated with healthy behaviors and determine whether the increase in knowledge leads to behavior change.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate behavioral factors influencing investment intentions.   Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive quantitative study was conducted utilizing an online questionnaire with a total of 121 respondents.   Findings - The results of the study indicated that Subjective Norm, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness are positively related to Intention to Invest. Attitude and Perceived Risk did not reach statistical significance and no conclusions could therefore be drawn regarding the concepts.   Research limitations/implications - The greatest limitation of the study is that it measures intention and not actual behavior which could be of more value, both from a theoretical and managerial perspective. The implication of the study is that it contributes to the Socially Responsible Investment literature from the intentional perspective and that it considers Generation Y, two aspects that have previously been neglected. The study further provides companies operating in SRI industry with a framework to use when acquiring customers within Generation Y.   Originality/value - As recent Socially Responsible Investment research has focused almost exclusively on financial performance this study offers value in that it instead explains behavioral factors influencing the Intention to Invest. It further focuses on Generation Y which is the upcoming generation when it comes to investing that has to a large extent been neglected in the SRI literature.

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Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are chronic and pervasive developmental disorders; children with ASDs require more multidisciplinary services than children with other developmental, behavioral, and emotional disorders (Kogan et al., 2008). Little research has been done on the practices and perspectives of the professionals providing services to children with ASDs. Evidence-based practice (combining use of evidence-based interventions [EBIs], family-centered care [FCC] respecting patient/family values, and clinical expertise) leads to the best outcomes for children with ASDs (APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice, 2006). The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which psychological constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control) within the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) are helpful for understanding the behavior of professionals in regards to two areas of evidence-based practice: recommending and/or providing EBIs and using a FCC approach to care with children with ASDs. Professionals (N=709) providing direct services to children with ASDs were recruited from different disciplines (Education, Medicine/Nursing, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, Speech Language Pathology/Audiology) and were asked to fill out an Internet or paper survey including measures on TPB constructs and EBI and FCC behavior. Participants were recruited from a convenience Internet sample and a stratified random sample of online provider listings (from professional and autism-specific organizations). Professionals’ attitudes and familiarity with EBIs significantly predicted their self-reported recommendation and provision of EBIs in the positive direction. Professionals’ attitudes, perceived-behavioral control, and years in practice significantly predicted self-reported use of an FCC approach with children with ASDs in the positive direction. There was a trend for explicit training on EBI or FCC to predict professionals’ behavior, but these findings did not reach conventional levels of significance. Subjective norms did not significantly predict EBI or FCC behavior. Discipline membership did not moderate the relationship between TPB and EBI and FCC self-reported behavior measures. The TPB is a useful framework for better understanding professionals’ evidence-based practice behavior. This study sheds light on practices and perspectives of professionals working with children with ASDs and highlights areas for future research and training with this population.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the pathways between gender and behavioral intention to engage in sexual HISB through application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). It was found that feminine and masculine gender role stress differentially influence perceived behavioral control and behavioral attitudes, and that intention to engage in HISB was higher among women than men. Attitudes and PBC significantly predicted behavioral intention in this model. Further, women in the sample were more likely to search for sexual health information, with online sources being the most frequently reported resource. Additionally, past HISB was a significant predictor of sexual health literacy, eHealth literacy, and sexual health knowledge. These findings indicate that gender role stress may play a role in the maintenance of attitudes and perceived behavioral control about sexual health information seeking behaviors, and that HISB in general is higher among women.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Geography / Bimal K. Paul / Medical tourism comprises a phenomenon where over five million patients a year are traveling across international borders to obtain various forms of health care. Most of these patients travel from developed countries to developing countries, seeking highly invasive medical treatments to less invasive and recreational medical procedures. By the year 2012, the medical tourism industry generated over $100 billion with over 50 countries making it a priority in trade for their country. With active government promotions, India has become one of the leading destinations for medical tourism. The objective of this research was to answer the questions: 1) how do the attitudes and behaviors of patients towards the concept of medical tourism influence their decision to become a medical tourist; 2) why do medical tourists seek treatment in India; and 3) what are the issues and challenges they face before coming to India as well as while in India. Interviews of thirty-four foreign patients were conducted in six sites spread across the South-Indian cities of Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai which revealed useful information in addressing the research objectives. The three most important reasons that these medical tourists chose India for their treatments were: 1) the high quality of the doctors and medical facilities in India, 2) the affordable cost of treatments, and 3) the availability of specific treatments that might not have been available in their home countries. Patients also researched the topic thoroughly before they came to India. Knowledge was gained primarily from the Internet, print media, television shows and friends. Overall, the patients had very positive attitudes towards medical tourism. Most of them felt that they could get treatment because of their positive opinion on medical tourism, their ability to get treatment if they desired, and support from their families and loved ones.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Ecology-Personal Financial Planning / Kristy L. Pederson-Archuleta / The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the factors associated with students’ intentions to not possess and use a credit card. This dissertation focused on exploring a sample of undergraduate college students who do not possess a credit card. There is little known research on this group of students. The dissertation was directed by the following over-arching research question: The goal of this study was to explore college students’ beliefs about not possessing a credit card using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). The research questions for this dissertation were: (a) How is personality (i.e., individual background factor) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card, (b) How are education level, age, gender, income level, religiosity, marital status, and ethnicity (i.e., social background factors) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card, and (c) How is financial knowledge (i.e., information background factor) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card. This study collected primary data. A pilot study was conducted to set the stage for the data collection of the current study. The data analysis methodology for this study consisted of the following four methods: (a) Factor Analysis, (b) Correlation Analysis, (c) MANOVA, and (d) Discriminant Function Analysis. Factor analysis identified questions were used to develop scales to measure the dependent variables. Strong reliability estimates were obtained, ranging from .84 to .94. The MANOVA test identified seven hypotheses with statistically significant results < .05. Control beliefs were significantly associated with personality. The five personality types, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness, were all found to be significantly associated with either behavioral beliefs, control beliefs, or injunctive normative beliefs. Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were all found to be associated with control beliefs. While agreeableness was also associated with injunctive normative beliefs, openness was found to be associated with behavioral beliefs. Financial knowledge was found to be associated with control beliefs. Discriminant function analysis was performed as a confirmatory test of the results from the MANOVA test, and supported the results of the MANOVA for six of the hypotheses.