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The action research methodology and several of its methods have previously been highlighted and described by the authors as a fitting and rigorous framework approach for complex waste management systems.  This was in response to criticism of the ex ante selection of traditional empiric systems analysis tools to provide decision support and ‘sustainable improvement’ in such complex systems which often involve strong human and political factors.   Several of the action research methods described have recently been utilized in a case study around mineral (aggregate) construction and demolition waste in the Stockholm region.  These methods were integrated through a series of workshops and work areas undergone together with project members from several private and public sectors.  Leaving the problem fuzzy (loosely defined) in the beginning; utilizing convergent interviewing, rich pictures and focus groups allowed the researchers and partner stakeholders to identify not one but several problem areas within the system of focus.  Indicator creation and a dialectic processes were then used to identify qualitative and quantitative aspects of salience around these problem areas.  These resulting indicators were strengthened through a process of verification.  Each indicator was then analyzed by what was deemed to be appropriate and transparent means.  It is argued that this approach may create better communication, transparency, and understanding by the stakeholders.  These factors in turn allowing stronger stakeholder ownership of the process and assisting in more informed decisions and help to provide stability for desired change. However the process was not without its drawbacks such as intense communication and time requirements. / QC 20120110 / Project BRA

Många studier har påvisat en skillnad mellan förmågan att benämna verb respektive substantiv hos patienter med hjärnskada samt hos kontrollgrupper (Caramazza & Hills, 1991; Mätzig, Druks, Masterson &Vigliocco, 2009; Szekely et al., 2005). Samtidigt bedöms aktivitetsord utifrån vissa studier vara mer krävande att tolka, vilket kan vara en bidragande orsak till skillnader i benämningsförmåga (Liljeström et al., 2008; Mätzig et al., 2009). Action Naming Test (ANT) är ett verbbenämningstest utformat av Obler och Albert 1979 (Barth Ramsay, Nicholas, Au, Obler & Albert, 1999), vilket översattes till svenska och normerades av Lindahl och Oskarsson inom ramen för ett magisterarbete i logopedi (2011). I normeringen genererade vissa ord många felsvar och sågs som problematiska, och en reanalys av det insamlade materialet efterfrågades. Syftet med föreliggande studie är att genomföra en förnyad analys av insamlade data och ta fram en ny normering för ANT i en population svenska vuxna, efter exkludering av problematiska ord. I syfte att undersöka vilka ord som gav upphov till många felsvar och orsaker till detta, gjordes en ny genomgång av 120 tidigare insamlade testprotokoll, samt en felsvarsanalys baserad på Barth Ramsays och medarbetares utvecklade modell (1999). Efter genomgång av angivna svar, analys av felsvar och ordens användningsfrekvenser i svenska språket, exkluderades tolv ord.  Jämförelse av resultat mellan tre åldersgrupper (20-30år, 31-65år, 66-83år), två utbildningsnivåer (≤12 år, ≥13 år) och kön gjordes både före och efter borttagning av de tolvorden. I båda fallen återfanns signifikanta skillnader mellan den äldsta åldersgruppen och de två yngre grupperna. Likaså kvarstod en signifikant skillnad mellan de två utbildningsnivåerna. Ingen signifikant skillnad mellan könen fanns. Felsvarsanalysen tyder på att många av felsvaren berodde på feltolkning av bild, eller att de översatta orden hade mycket låg användningsfrekvens i det svenska språket. Även ord som efter översättning motsvarades av verbfraser i svenskan, istället för ett självständigt verb, gav upphov till svårigheter. Flera studier har dessutom visat på att verbbenämning förenklas vid filmklipp som stimuli (den Ouden, Fix, Parrish & Thompson, 2009; d’Honincthun&Pillon, 2005), eftersom tid och rörelse då ej går förlorade. Att översätta test är komplicerat, varför utformning av ett nytt svenskt verbbenämningstest, där val av stimuli beaktas, är att föredra. / Several studies have demonstrated a difference between the ability to name verbs and nouns in patients with brain injury and among control groups (Caramazza& Hills, 1991; Mätzig, Druks, Masterson &Vigliocco, 2009; Szekely et al., 2005). On the other hand,words explaining an activity are in some studies considered to be more demanding to interpret, which may be a contributing factor to the differences in the naming ability. (Liljeström et al., 2008; Mätzig et al., 2009). Action Naming Test (ANT) is a verb naming test designed by Obler and Albert 1979 (Barth Ramsay, Nicholas, Au, Obler & Albert, 1999), which was translated into Swedish andestablished to normative data by Lindahl and Oskarsson as part of a master’s thesis in Speech and Language Pathology (2011). In this study, some words generated severalincorrect responses and were considered as problematic;therefore, a re-analysis of the collected material was requested. The purpose of the present study was to make a new analysis of the collected data and develop new normative valuesfor ANT in a Swedish population of adults, without the problematic words. In order to investigate which wordsresulted in many incorrect responses and the reasons behind, a new review based on the model developed by Barth Ramsay and colleagues (1999)was madeof the 120 collected test protocols, as well as an analysis of the incorrect responses.Afterthisreview and analysis of the incorrect responses and the word’s frequency in Swedishwere made, twelve words were excluded. Comparison of results between three age groups (20-30 years, 31-65 years and 66-83 years), two levels of education (≤ 12 years and ≥ 13 years) and genders were made both before and after the removal of the twelve words. In both cases, significant differences were foundbetween the oldest age group and the two younger groups. Likewise,a significant difference between the two levels of educationremained. No significantgender differenceswere found. Throughthe analysis of incorrect responses,it appeared that many of them were due either to misinterpretation of the image, or to the very low frequency of use of the translated words. Words that were translated into verb phrases instead of independent verbs also resulted in difficulties. Several studies have shown that using a video instead of picture as stimuli simplifies verb naming (den Ouden, Fix, Parrish & Thompson, 2009; d’Honincthun & Pillon, 2005) because, then, the aspects of time and movement will not be lost. Since translating testsfrom other languages is complicated, designing a whole new Swedish verb naming test, where choice of stimuli is considered, is preferable.

Past research has demonstrated that there are numerous medical and psychological consequences when a woman with an eating disorder becomes pregnant. There has been a paucity of research, however, examining the attitudes towards pregnancy of women with body image issues/eating disorders and how these attitudes subsequently affect intentions to become pregnant. The present study examines intentions to become pregnant among a sample of women ranging in level of body image concerns using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) as a framework (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). Two hundred and forty-two females from an introductory psychology class completed a questionnaire, including the Eating Disorder Inventory (Garner, 1991) and specific scales targeting the components of the TRA developed for the present study. As expected, all TRA precursors to intentions were positively correlated with intentions to become pregnant, while contrary to predictions, body image was not correlated with intentions. In partial support of the TRA, a multiple regression analysis revealed that, for all participants, the subjective norm of pregnancy and perceived benefits of pregnancy were predictive of intentions to become pregnant. Perceived costs of pregnancy, however, evidenced no ability to predict intentions to become pregnant. Although results failed to support the prediction that those with high body image concerns would indicate a lower intention to become pregnant, significant differences among those with high versus low body image concerns did emerge. Specifically, participants with high body image concerns reported greater perceived costs of pregnancy as well as a greater likelihood of engaging in weight control behaviours during pregnancy. Implications, as well as practical applications of these findings are discussed.

In a seminal work, Ungerleider and Mishkin (1982) offered substantial evidence that two separate visual pathways coding what/where-- exist within the primate brain. Recently, human evidence has resulted in the what/where pathways being reconsidered in terms of ventral stream (vision for perception) and dorsal stream (vision for action; Goodale & Milner, 1992). Consistently, many studies have demonstrated that there is an overrepresentation of magnocellular (luminance) information within the dorsal stream; parvocellular input (colour, shape, consistancy) represents the primary source of information for the ventral stream. Although luminance contrast is important in perceiving moving objects, colour discrepancies help the visual system to identify the detailed characteristics of the environment and, subsequently, to prepare the motor system for action. This thesis endeavors to determine the role played by colour, in contrast with luminance, in influencing the programming and control movement production. Using a grasping paradigm and two different luminance conditions (iso-luminance vs. heteroluminance) within two separate experiments (experiment 1 programming; experiment 2 online control), we show that chromatic information can be successfully be used by motor circuits to complete the grasping task faultlessly. Although significant temporal delays in terms of reaction time and movement time between colour and luminance processing are identified, the human visual system seems able to fully integrate colour features for action with no significant spatial error cost.

When the general public discusses Affirmative Action, they are more likely to make an assumption that the person is not qualified without seeking their actual qualifications. Some may hesitate to provide any reasonable explanation for their opposition because the policy is a controversial topic. The goal of this journal was to search for the possibilities that may actually inspire their opposition and relate it to the stigma theory, which might explain some of these reasoning. By focusing on black recipients in the workforce research on the policy and reactions to Affirmative Action, some researchers appeared to study according to what they think Affirmative Action is supposed to accomplish. There are not enough scholars, with a specialization in human resource, to provide objective facts about the actual intent of the policy. It appears that some managers are not knowledgeable on how to manage the program legal. When certain individuals, who are supposed to have expertise on this policy, are not knowledgeable, then the public cannot be expected to be knowledgeable about the policy. The purpose is to look at Affirmative Action from an objective point of view to differentiate the actual purpose of the policy from the stereotypical purpose of the policy. Recommendations are provided to determine how Affirmative Action can prove to the critics that it is necessary when the program is operated properly.

Since uncertainty and irreversibility are inherent, environmental policy involves the problems of timing of implementation. Environmental policy based on cost-benefit analysis using certainty equivalent presents values can be misleading under the combined effect of irreversibility and uncertainty. Using real options method, the thesis analyzes the timing of early action investment in Canada's Kyoto commitment. Early action investment in emission reductions is irreversible. The thesis uses a simple two-period model, and then lays out a corresponding continuous-time model to show that under technological uncertainty, early action investment should be delayed until more information - the results of R&D - is revealed. In particular, the more uncertain the outcome of research, the more the firm should delay early action investment. The thesis argues that Canada's Kyoto commitment is well intentioned but not wisely implemented: early action investment on emission reductions may not be efficient. The results suggest that a more gradual Kyoto program would be favourable.

Research continues to suggest that young women experience body image concerns; nevertheless, the majority of this body image research has focused on white women, and the experiences of young Aboriginal women have typically been overlooked. When research has included Aboriginal women, it has generally been quantitative in nature (e.g., Gittelsohn et al., 1996; Marchessault, 2004; Story et al., 1995) and has highlighted body dissatisfaction that is equal to and even greater than that experienced by white women. Despite the alarming statistics suggesting that body image concerns are common among Aboriginal women, few researchers have engaged young Aboriginal women in qualitative research projects that seek to highlight their unique experiences. My previous research with young Aboriginal women (i.e., Fleming et al., 2006; McHugh & Kowalski, in press) are some of the first Canadian studies to have an exclusive focus on Aboriginal womens body image experiences. This research suggested that young Aboriginal womens body image experiences may not be as negative as previous quantitative research has suggested, but highlighted the need to work with young women to develop strategies for positively managing body image experiences. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to engage in a collaborative, school-based participatory action research (PAR) project in partnership with a local high school to provide young women, primarily young Aboriginal women, with an opportunity to manage their body image experiences in an effective manner.<p> Students, teachers, and staff of Nutana Collegiate participated in this project, which took place over a 10-month period from September 2006 to June 2007. All Nutana school members were welcomed to participate and many took part in the various action initiatives that were developed. A group of seven young Aboriginal women formed a core group of participants who were primarily responsible for the development and implementation of most action initiatives. A five phase PAR model, which was based on the work of Stringer and Genat (2004), was proposed as the methodological framework for this project. However, given the emergent and dynamic nature of PAR processes, and the unique features of the school community, the manner in which the project actually unfolded was quite different from the original plan. This project ultimately had two phases, the Relationship Building Phase and the Action Phase.<p> In an effort to develop relationships with school community members, during the Relationship Building phase I engaged in the three general processes of: familiarization, making connections, and giving back to the school. My commitment to these processes supported my initial goal to develop trusting relationships with community members, which subsequently formed a strong foundation for the development of effective and successful action initiatives. Eight action initiatives, which were represented by three themes, were developed and implemented as part of the Action phase. The three themes were: (1) Promoting Positive Body Image Experiences, (2) Self-Expression, and (3) Creating Awareness.<p> The development and implementation of action at various levels (i.e., individual, school, provincial, and national) was the most significant outcome of this research. The success and relevance of the various action initiatives was demonstrated by the words of the participants, the overall support of various school members, and the commitment of the core group to the goals of this PAR project. Although there were methodological challenges and considerations that needed to be navigated throughout this PAR project, findings from this research suggest that universities and local high schools can and should work together to develop school-based body image programs for young Aboriginal women. As well, and maybe most importantly, this research highlights the strength of using PAR methodologies when engaging young Aboriginal women in body image research.

Since uncertainty and irreversibility are inherent, environmental policy involves the problems of timing of implementation. Environmental policy based on cost-benefit analysis using certainty equivalent presents values can be misleading under the combined effect of irreversibility and uncertainty. Using real options method, the thesis analyzes the timing of early action investment in Canada's Kyoto commitment. Early action investment in emission reductions is irreversible. The thesis uses a simple two-period model, and then lays out a corresponding continuous-time model to show that under technological uncertainty, early action investment should be delayed until more information - the results of R&D - is revealed. In particular, the more uncertain the outcome of research, the more the firm should delay early action investment. The thesis argues that Canada's Kyoto commitment is well intentioned but not wisely implemented: early action investment on emission reductions may not be efficient. The results suggest that a more gradual Kyoto program would be favourable.

The purpose of this action research study was to examine strategies that lead to effective and efficient band rehearsals at the junior high level. Participants in the study were 28 grade 8 band students, 11 males and 17 females, as well as one music teacher researcher. Of 35 grade 8 band students, 28 or 80% chose to participate in the study. The school is located in a relatively high social-economic suburban junior high school. The research questions addressed were: 1. What proportion of instructional time do I spend on: teaching musical concepts and skills; conducting active music making; classroom management; waiting or wasting time? 2. How can I change my rehearsal practice to spend more time engaging students in active musical learning, and less time on non-musical tasks, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of my middle years band rehearsals? 3. How do students perceive and respond to their band rehearsals? During a 10-week block, from January to March, 2006, specific teaching innovations, drawn from the research and pedagogical literatures, were implemented with an aim to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the band class. Music classes were video taped and later analyzed using rehearsal frames. Students responded to the instructional innovations by completing exit slips daily and attitudinal surveys at the beginning and completion of the research project. The teacher tracked her perceptions through daily journal entries and reflecting on the classes videotaped. Qualitative data were unitized and then sorted by thematic codes while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pre- and Post-survey mean scores were calculated and compared using T-tests. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) The majority of class time was spent in active music making followed by “waiting” and “instruction” time; 2) The innovations introduced were effective and improved the efficiency of the band classes; 3) Students strongly agreed that they were involved during band rehearsals conducted throughout the project; and 4) The overwhelming majority of students responded positively to all survey items related to band rehearsals. / October 2006