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In this autoethnographic personal narrative, I share my multifaceted journey of developing ecological embodied cognition in the context of climate change, specifically in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. Through spending time alone with the other-than-human world and using a deliberate practice of mindfulness to develop a participatory postmodern worldview, I seek to integrate multiple ways of knowing to complement my existing strengths of scientific, positivist understanding of the world. I suggest that expanding my (our) metaphoric construct of self to include ecological self, is vital to deepening sustainable relationships with nature and with other humans. I depict and evoke for readers my personal experience as a potential model of adaptation and worldview change. As environmental educator and education leader in the public school system, I will bring these new skills and ways of knowing and being to the classroom, to more meaningfully promote sustainability initiatives and behaviors.

Background and Research Goals. This study aims to see the association between worldviews and HPV vaccine risk perceptions in a sample of Canadian undergraduate students enrolled in Health Sciences and Business programs at the University of Ottawa. It is a follow-up to the Kahan et al. (2010) research in the U.S. that showed the association to be present in a nationally representative U.S. sample. In addition to searching for this association in the Canadian context, this study examines whether worldviews differ between (a) men and women; and (b) students with health sciences and with business degrees. Furthermore, this study tests a set of candidate questions for supplementing the worldview questionnaire of Kahan et al. (2010). Design and Analysis. The data for the study was collected using an Internet-based questionnaire and the study was conducted in two phases. During the first phase, a customized worldview questionnaire was administered. During the second phase, questions related to HPV and Canadian healthcare system were presented. In order to analyze the data, regression models, correlation matrices, and MANOVAs were employed. Results. The findings of this study are that worldviews are related to HPV vaccine risk perceptions. However, though hierarchism was a better predictor then individualism in the Kahan et al. (2010) study, our present research indicates that individualism is a better predictor. Also, our findings, contrary to those of Kahan et al. (2010), suggest that the more individualistic a person is, the more likely he or she is to perceive the vaccine as being safe. With respect to gender, men were more hierarchical. Also, when females in health sciences were compared to women in business, the latter were also more hierarchical. Finally, three healthcare items were identified as possibly benefiting from refinement and inclusion in a worldview instrument more suited for the Canadian context.

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a description of the emerging state of the public relations field in Albania under the framework and influence of four main public relations worldviews including persuasive/marketing, relationship management, community building, and personal influence. This study seeks to give insights into how an emerging country in the field of public relations approaches the development of the field; whether it adapts, adopts or creates new practices. The research design proposed by the author aims to shed some light on possible theoretical meanings and themes that could be developing in countries where the field of public relations is emerging. Based on the findings and the underdeveloped nature of public relations as identified in this study, the author proposes a training program for public relations practitioners and professors that would help to advance the development of the field in Albania.

This thesis explores whether a viable theistic program of psychological research is possible. The importance of this exploration has to do with naturalism's monopoly on psychological science, inasmuch as naturalism prevents other worldviews from competing fairly in psychology's scientific marketplace by controlling the criteria of psychological science. Because theism is naturalism's most complete rival, considering theism's scientific potential in psychology is crucial to dismantling naturalism's monopoly. Contrary to conventional wisdom, theism encompasses a unique set of understandings about the natural events that constitute the discipline of psychology. Therefore, a robust scientific conception of theism would change how psychological researchers understand and utilize existing research methods and psychological topics. Not only are quantitative and qualitative methods capable of theistic deployment; traditionally theistic topics and radically secular topics within psychology can also be reconceptualized and investigated theistically. Indeed, theistic reconceptualizations of psychological theories and topics lead to new and different research questions, hypotheses, and predictions as well as original studies and prospective programs of research, suggesting that theism is heuristic for the discipline of psychology in its current constitution. A viable theistic program of psychological research is not only possible, but also necessary for psychological science.

Worldviews can shape the way in which we perceive the world. They can also shape the way in which we identify with our ingroup. Conceptualizing national identification as national attachment and glorification, four studies (total N = 1795) tested the association between endorsement of a harmonious or a dangerous worldview and national identification. Study 1 established the harmonious worldview and refined the dangerous worldview scale. Study 2 examined these relationships correlationally, and highlighted the prejudicial ideologies of right wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) as mediators to this association. Study 3 examined this relationship longitudinally, across the span of two months. Study 4 successfully manipulated dangerous but not harmonious worldviews, partially establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between worldviews and national identification. A dangerous worldview predicted increased attachment and glorification via increased RWA and SDO. Contrary to our expectation, a harmonious worldview predicted decreased attachment and glorification via increased RWA and SDO. These effects remained significant two months later, and when controlling for other key worldviews such as belief in a competitive world. Crucially, for liberals, but not moderates or conservatives, a harmonious worldview predicted increased attachment as well as decreased glorification.

The focus of this practicum project is to provide a culturally relevant, as well as mentally, emotionally, and spiritually supportive, funeral home for the Indigenous community in Saskatoon and surrounding area. The current Westwood Funeral Home at 1402 20th St. West in Treaty 6 Territory and owned by the Saskatoon Funeral Home, was updated in order to improve the services offered to their Indigenous patrons. Drawing on key principles of Indigenous worldviews regarding the natural environment and experience, the proposed design is a result of the investigation of three main theoretical frameworks: traditional Indigenous worldviews, nature centred design, and sensory perception involving multisensory design. / February 2017

The discussion of worldviews is today dominated by two worldviews, Theism and Naturalism, each with its own advantages and problems. Theism has the advantage of accommodating the individual with existential answers whilst having problems with integrating more recent scientific understandings of the universe. Naturalism on the other hand does well by our developments of science, the problem being instead that this understanding meets difficulty in answering some of the essentials of our existence: questions of mentality and morality. These two views differ fundamentally in stances of ontology and epistemology, and seem not in any foreseeable future to be reconcilable. To deal with this issue, Panpsychism is presented here as the worldview that can accommodate for both existential issues and scientific understanding.

The Australian landcare movement is considered to be a major success, with an extensive community landcare network developed, raised levels and depth of awareness, and a range of demonstration projects undertaken. It has inspired people across Australia and has been emulated overseas. However, negative trends in environmental conditions continue unabated. If the approach of the Australian landcare movement to date has not addressed the current unsustainable farming practices, what approach will? This Australian study explores the history of the ‘mechanistic’ worldview, its influence on the attitudes to and treatment of landscapes and indigenous knowledge from colonisation, and the ongoing impacts on current social and natural rural landscapes. Increasing tension between the mechanistic worldview and the growing landcare ethic based on relationships is apparent. Through the focus project, Watershed Torbay, a different way of seeing and treating the world is explored by praxis. A worldview based on relationships and connection as the end purpose is proffered. Strengthening connection with one’s own moral framework, and relationships with people and place in community, are seen as the path to achieving sustainability based on ecological and values rationality. It is recognised that there are multiple ways of seeing and experiencing the world, and it is important to give voice to all players with a connection to decision making. This also means that there are different forms of knowledge; these can be grouped under the typology of epistemic or scientific knowledge, techne or technical/practical capability, and the central form of knowledge about values and interests. I have worked with the focus project as a reflective practitioner undertaking action research; this is evident in the movement between theory and practice through the thesis. The thesis concludes in praxis taking the learning from the focus project, and exploration of theory, to answer the question posed at the outset by outlining how the relational worldview can be applied to the regional bodies now delivering major landcare programs.

Within the field of development cooperation policy coherence has received increasing attention. Definitions of policy coherence are elusive; from describing consistency between intention and outcome to describing synergies between and within different policy areas. Potential incoherence has been ascribed not only to potentially incongruent goals but also different frames, discourses and underlying values. This thesis uses the concept of worldviews to understand how coherence or incoherence can be discerned between and among the United Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and Swedish development cooperation policies from Sida, Swedfund and SEK. The conclusion indicates that there is potential dialectic tension between normative worldviews of corporatism and development framing of egalitarian elements. Coherence is found in the technocentric, prevailing worldview. Results indicate that coherence and subsequent policy implementation can be affected by underlying aspects and mechanisms beyond trade-offs and goal-conflicts.