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Whale-watching in NSW: research to integrate the needs of whales, tourists and industryStamation, Kasey Anne, Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, UNSW January 2009 (has links)
This thesis examines the human and animal dimensions of whale-watching and develops a framework for management of the humpback whale-watching industry in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The short-term responses of humpback whales to whale-watching vessels during their southward migration on the south coast of NSW were assessed. The behaviour of pods was recorded from commercial whale-watching vessels during tours and compared to pods in the absence of vessels observed from shore in the same area. Pod sizes and composition were typical of southward migrating whales. Calf pods were more sensitive to the presence of vessels than non-calf pods. Whilst there was a longer dive time and a greater percentage of time spent submerged by whales in the presence of vessels, there were no associated changes in respiration intervals. Some surface behaviours were suppressed in the presence of vessels. Surface-active behaviours were prevalent in this study which indicates that social interactions amongst conspecifics are common during the southern migration. Feeding pods were observed on 24.5% of all whale-watching trips and during 14% of all observations made from shore. South-eastern NSW is probably a significant supplemental feeding ground for migrating whales. Feeding behaviour did not alter in the presence of vessels but the time between feeding lunges increased when vessels were closer than 100 m and when more than one vessel was present. The demographics, expectations, experience and satisfaction of land-based and boat-based whale-watchers in NSW were assessed by a questionnaire to participants. Land-based whale-watchers had high and often unrealistic expectations about their whale-watching experience and were moderately satisfied. Boat-based whale-watchers had high, but often realistic expectations of their experience and were highly satisfied. Satisfaction was a function of the degree to which expectations were met, the proximity of whales, the numbers of whales, their behavioural displays and the level of information available on whales. Whale-watchers showed limited increase in their knowledge and conservation-oriented behaviours over the long term. Current education about whales requires better structure and clearer conservation objectives. This study identifies research, education and vessel management as three fundamental components for the sustainable management of the whale-watching industry, and makes recommendations incorporating these components.
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Thermal adaptation in the lizard Cordylus oelofseni : physiological and behavioural responses to temperature variationBasson, Christine Helene 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As ectotherms, lizards are particularly vulnerable to changes in the thermal landscape and face extinction risk if they lack the capacity to rapidly adapt or behaviourally mitigate increasingly altered thermal environments. Theoretical models that predict lizards‟ response to climate change often fail to take into account the thermal characteristics of the microenvironment, the ability of lizards to behaviourally buffer climate variation in the habitat and the plastic nature of both behaviour and physiology over ecologically relevant time-scales. Here, I address this major knowledge gap using two separate research chapters in an experimental physiology approach. In Chapter 1, I investigated the temperature-dependence and plasticity of resting metabolic rate, water-loss rate and preferred body temperature of Cordylus oelofseni at several temporal scales (within and between seasons) and incorporated field observations to acquire a better understanding of this species‟ adaptive potential to buffer thermal changes in the habitat. Cordylus oelofseni showed plasticity of both behaviour and physiology in response to thermal acclimation, but relied on distinct strategies depending on the time-scale investigated. These results highlighted the complexity of underlying mechanisms used by these organisms to buffer temperature variation. In Chapter 2, I used an experimental approach to examine the energetic costs of thermoregulation in C. oelofseni and test the cost-benefit model of thermoregulation. This model‟s primary prediction states that lizards should thermoregulate carefully only when the associated costs are low. Using four enclosures that simulated different thermal qualities (temporal and spatial distributions of operative temperatures) in the habitat, I found limited support for the cost-benefit model. Lizards in the low-quality heterogeneous enclosures invested the same energetic effort and thermoregulated with similar overall accuracy as lizards in the high-quality heterogeneous enclosure. The costs incurred were not necessarily energetic, but reflected missed opportunities (e.g. less time to forage), something that, along with important interaction effects with body mass, deserves further attention when testing this model. Together, these results illustrate the importance of incorporating ecological reality at various time and spatial scales in order to make relevant predictions regarding the fate of lizards with projected climate change. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As ektotermiese diere, is akkedisse veral sensitief vir veranderinge in die termiese landskap en staar uitsterwingsrisiko in die gesig as hulle nie die vermoë het om vinnig aan te pas of gedragsveranderinge te maak in omgewings wat toenemend verwarm nie. Teoretiese modelle wat akkedisse se reaksie op klimaatsverandering voorspel, neem dikwels nie die termiese eienskappe van die mikro-omgewing, die vermoë van akkedisse om met gedragsveranderinge klimaat variasie in die habitat te buffer en die plastieke aard van beide gedrag en fisiologie oor ekologies relevante tydskale in ag nie. Hier bespreek ek hierdie groot kennisgaping met behulp van twee afsonderlike navorsingshoofstukke in 'n eksperimentele fisiologie benadering. In Hoofstuk 1 het ek ondersoek ingestel na die temperatuur-afhanklikheid en plastisiteit van rustende metaboliese tempo, waterverlies tempo en voorkeur liggaamstemperatuur van Cordylus oelofseni by verskeie tydskale (binne en tussen seisoene) en inkorporeer veld waarnemings om 'n beter begrip te verkry van hierdie spesie se aanpasbare potensiaal om termiese veranderinge in die habitat te buffer. Cordylus oelofseni het plastisiteit van beide gedrag en fisiologie in reaksie op hitte-akklimatisering getoon, maar staatgemaak op verskillende strategieë, afhangende van die tyd-skaal wat ondersoek is. Hierdie resultate beklemtoon die kompleksiteit van die onderliggende meganismes wat gebruik word deur hierdie organisme om temperatuur verandering te buffer. In Hoofstuk 2 het ek 'n eksperimentele benadering gebruik om die energiekoste van termoregulering in C. oelofseni te ondersoek en die kostevoordeel model van termoregulering te toets. Hierdie model se primêre voorspelling verklaar dat akkedisse slegs versigtig moet termoreguleer wanneer die gepaardgaande koste laag is. Deur gebruik te maak van vier afskortings wat verskillende termiese eienskappe gesimuleer het (tyd en ruimtelike verspreiding van operatiewe temperature) in die habitat, het ek beperkte ondersteuning gevind vir die koste-voordeel model. Akkedisse in die lae-gehalte heterogene afskortings het dieselfde energieke moeite belê en getermoreguleer met soortgelyke algehele akkuraatheid as akkedisse in die hoë-gehalte heterogene kamp. Die kostes wat aangegaan is, is nie noodwendig energiek nie, maar weerspieël geleenthede wat gemis is (bv. minder tyd om kos te soek), iets wat, saam met belangrike interaksie effekte met liggaamsmassa, verdere aandag verdien wanneer hierdie model getoets word. Tesame illustreer hierdie resultate die belangrikheid van die integrasie van ekologiese werklikheid op verskillende tyd en ruimtelike skale, om relevante voorspellings oor die lot van akkedisse met geprojekteerde klimaatsverandering te kan maak.
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Variation in the Flexibility of Potential Anti-Predator Behaviours among Larval DamselfliesBrown, Allison 31 January 2013 (has links)
Heterogeneous environments play an important role in the evolution of traits when selection is diversifying between different conditions. One response is the capacity of individuals to beneficially adjust their phenotype to local conditions, such as different predators. In larval Enallagma damselflies, diversifying selection from predatory dragonfly larvae or predatory fish favours opposing traits, respectively high or low levels of activity, and so appears to drive the adaptive divergence of anti-predator specialists. However, little work has addressed: i) if anti-predator generalist species exist; ii) if anti-predator generalist species express adaptive flexible behaviour; iii) if adaptive flexible behaviour is influenced by prior experience with predators. I compared individual larval behaviour in the presence of fish, dragonfly larvae, or no predators, in four Enallagma species groups from ponds with and without fish predators. Ecological distributions suggest variation in degree of anti-predator generalization, and this was associated with increased responsiveness to predator treatment in the most likely ecological generalist. Responses to predators varied across different behaviours and sometimes were shaped by prior predation experience. Thus, a variety of adaptive strategies may have evolved to cope with heterogeneity in predation risk in larval damselflies. / NSERC, OGS
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Human centred design of software agent in social network service against privacy concernsKim, Hojung January 2016 (has links)
The rapid growth and influence of social network services has led many scholars to focus on privacy issues. However, the research described in this thesis was motivated by the small number of design studies that have focused on practical approaches to identifying tacit information from users’ instant non-verbal responses to privacy issues. The research therefore aimed to propose persona models as a design solution for software agent development based on the analysis of users’ emotional and behavioural responses, so as to address privacy issues in social network services. In the definition phase, 21 stakeholders belonging to three key stakeholder groups were recruited for unstandardised semistructured email interviews. Three main considerations for the design of software agents in social network services emerged from the interviews, which were classified into the following categories: comprehensive understanding of users’ perceptions of privacy; user type recognition algorithm for software agent development; and existing software agent enhancement. In the development phase, 50 participants were recruited for the Facebook case study, which included three research strategies: perceptions of privacy questionnaire for user typology; emotional response measurement using Geneva Emotion Wheel; and behavioural response observation using a contextual inquiry method. The participants were classified into four user types by means of cluster analysis: uninformed, trustful, suspicious and neglectful. Each user type’s key emotional responses were identified using Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test, and key behavioural responses using affinity diagrams. This generated persona models of each user type that reflected the correlations between users’ perceptions of privacy, key emotional responses and key behavioural responses. Two fundamental features of the software agent were also proposed based on the persona models: confirmation and guidance. In the validation phase, software agent prototypes were created based on the proposed persona models. A total of 206 participants completed the online survey which included two sections: perceptions of privacy questionnaire for user typology replication, and key emotional responses measurement before and after the intervention of the software agent prototypes. Cluster analysis replication validated the proposed user typology, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test of key emotional responses validated the proposed persona models. By implementing the research outcomes, the software agent described in this thesis would be able to provide users with appropriate services based on their user types, to reduce the number of those who are still unaware of privacy practice and those who neglect their accounts, and to expand the size of a user group pursuing sound relationships.
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Behavioural responses of wolves (Canis lupus) and dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) to the odour of mammalian blood and to a blood odour componentStubbs, Shannon January 2019 (has links)
Domestication is accompanied by marked changes in the phenotype of the domesticated form of a species relative to its wild ancestor. The domestic dog and its wild ancestor, the wolf, are a widely used model system to study the effects of domestication on cognition and behaviour. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the behavioural responses of wolves (Canis lupus) and domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) to different odour stimuli. To this end, wooden logs were impregnated with one of four odours and repeatedly placed into the enclosure of a wolf or dog pack. The dogs (n=10) and wolves (n=9) both performed a significantly higher number of interactions with the wooden logs when these were impregnated with real blood compared to the blood odour component trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, the fruity odour iso-pentyl acetate and the solvent diethyl phthalate. No significant difference in the frequency of interactions per animal was found between the wolves and dogs with any of the four odour stimuli. Sniffing was the most frequent behaviour in both wolves and dogs, followed by licking, biting, toying, and pawing. The only qualitative difference in behaviour was that the dogs, but not the wolves, displayed guarding behaviour when presented with the odorized wooden logs. The results of the present study suggest that domestication had little, if any, effect on olfactory behaviour in domesticated dogs. The results also indicate that odour-impregnated wooden logs are a suitable method of olfactory enrichment for captive wolves and domestic dogs.
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Mining extraction in the ocean depths: a baseline to understand and reduce acoustic impact on biodiversityMauro, Manuela 23 March 2021 (has links)
Tesis por compendio / [ES] A lo largo de la historia, el hombre ha explotado los recursos minerales de la tierra para su supervivencia y desarrollo tecnológico sin un equilibrio con su regeneración. Dado el crecimiento de la población mundial y la reducción de recursos, el hombre comenzó a buscar nuevos depósitos que se encontraron en la década de 1960 en las profundidades de los océanos. Con estos, la humanidad empezò a pensar en extraer los minerales de estos depósitos y esto llevò al nacimiento de Deep Sea Mining (DSM). Las consecuencias de las actividades mineras en las profundidades del mar no se conocen realmente y los efectos pueden ser diferentes: contaminación acústica, contaminación lumínica, contaminación química, destrucción del hábitat, fragmentación del hábitat y pérdida de especies que son la base de muchos sistemas vitales. El impacto acústico de estas actividades puede tener importantes consecuencias en las especies marinas, aunque este es el tema más ignorado. El propósito de este proyecto de doctorado fue proporcionar una comprensión básica de los posibles impactos acústicos del DSM en la biodiversidad antes de que comiencen estas actividades. Para hacer esto, el proyecto de doctorado se organizó en varios pasos. Primero, durante un experimento indoor, se analizaron las respuestas bioquímicas en invertebrados sometidos a estrés acústico, Arbacia lixula y Mytilus galloprovincialis. Los resultados demostraron efectos significativos en la actividad de citotoxicidad, expresión de heat shock protein (HSPs) y actividades enzimáticas (esterasas, fosfatasas alcalinas, peroxidasas) en el líquido celomático de los erizos de mar sometidos a estrés acústico. También se observaron efectos significativos en el nivel de glucosa, la citotoxicidad y las actividades enzimáticas (esterasa, fosfatasa alcalina, peroxidasa) de la glándula digestiva del mejillón. En segundo lugar, se analizaron las respuestas bioquímicas de vertebrados e invertebrados sometidos in-situ a la emisión de watergun: Chromis chromis, Holothuria tubulosa y Arbacia lixula. Se encontraron efectos significativos sobre los niveles de cortisol en peces y las actividades enzimáticas (esterasas, fosfatasas alcalinas, peroxidasas y superoxide dismutasas) en membrana peristomial de erizo de mar. Además, las respuestas bioquímicas enzimáticas analizadas en los fluidos celómicos de los equinodermos fue significativa solo por A. lixula y solo en la activade peroxidasica. Tercero se estudiaron los cambios de comportamiento en las condiciones experimentales en juveniles de Sparus aurata sometidos a 4 frecuencias de emisión acústica diferentes. Este experimento demostró que solo las bajas frecuencias tuvieron efectos en todas las respuestas comportamental: altura de natación, motilidad y dispersión del grupo. Sobre la base de los datos de comportamiento obtenidos in vivo en peces jóvenes, se creó un modelo numérico para predecir los impactos de diferentes frecuencias de emisión acústica. Utilizando los resultados obtenidos y la bibliografía científica, se propuso un primer estándar técnico que es útil para la minería. / [CA] A lo llarc de l'historia, l'home ha explotat els recursos minerals de la terra per a la seua supervivencia i desenroll tecnologic sense un equilibri en la seua regeneracio. Donat el creiximent de la poblacio mundial i la reduccio de recursos, l'home escomençà a buscar nous deposits que se trobaren en la decada de 1960 en les fondaries dels oceans. En estos, l'humanitat empezò a pensar en extraure els minerals d'estos deposits i aço llevò al naiximent de Deep Sea Mining (DSM). Les conseqüencies de les activitats mineres en les fondaries del mar no se coneixen realment i els efectes poden ser diferents: contaminacio acustica, contaminacio lluminica, contaminacio quimica, destruccio de l'habitat, fragmentacio de l'habitat i perdua d'especies que son la base de molts sistemes vitals. L'impacte acustic d'estes activitats pot tindre importants conseqüencies en les especies marines, encara que este es el tema mes ignorat. El proposit d'este proyecte de doctorat fon proporcionar una comprensio basica dels possibles impactes acustics del DSM en la biodiversidad abans de que escomencen estes activitats. Per a fer aço, el proyecte de doctorat s'organisà en varis passos. Primer, durant un experiment indoor, s'analisaren les respostes bioquimiques en invertebrats somesos a estrés acustic, Arbacia lixula i Mytilus galloprovincialis. Els resultats demostraren efectes significatius en l'activitat de citotoxicidad, expressio d'heat shock protein (HSPS) i activitats enzimáticas (esterasa, fosfatasas alcalina, peroxidasas) en el liquit celomático dels capellanets de mar somesos a estrés acustic. Tambe s'observaren efectes significatius en el nivell de glucosa, la citotoxicidad i les activitats enzimáticas (esterasa, fosfatasa alcalina, peroxidasas) de la glandula digestiva de la clochina. En segon lloc, s'analisaren les respostes bioquimiques de vertebrats i invertebrats somesos in-situ a l'emissio de watergun: Chromis chromis, Holothuria tubulosa i Arbacia lixula. se trobaren efectes significatius sobre els nivells de cortisol en peixos i les activitats enzimáticas (esterasas, fosfatasas alcalines, peroxidasas y superoxide dimutases) en peristomes de capellanet de mar. Ademes, les respostes bioquimiques enzimáticas analisades en els decorreguts celómicos dels equinoderms fon significativa nomes per A. lixula i nomes en l'activade peroxidasica. Tercer s'estudiaren els canvis de comportament en les condicions experimentals en jovenils de Sparus aurata somesos a 4 freqüencies d'emissio acustica diferents. Este experiment demostrà que nomes les baixes freqüencies tingueren efectes en totes les respostes comportamental: alçada de natacio, motilidad i escampada del grup. Sobre la base de les senyes de comportament obtinguts in vivo en peixos jovens, se creó un model numeric per a predecir els impactes de diferents freqüencies d'emissio acustica. Utilisant els resultats obtinguts i la bibliografia cientifica, se propongue un primer estandart tecnic que es util per a la mineria. / [EN] Throughout history, man has exploited the earth's mineral resources for its survival and for technological development without regard for their regeneration. Given the growth of the world population and given the fall in resources, man started looking for new deposits, which were found in 1960s in the ocean depths. Humankind then began to consider extracting minerals from these deposits and this gave origin to Deep Sea Mining (DSM). The consequences of mining activities in the deep sea are not entirely known and the effects can be varied: noise pollution, light pollution, chemical pollution, habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and the loss of species which we consider the basis of many life systems. The acoustic impact of these activities could have significant consequences on marine species; nevertheless, this has been the most overlooked issue to date. The aim of this PhD project was to provide baseline knowledge of possible acoustic impacts of DSM on biodiversity before mining begins. In order to do this, the PhD project was organised into 3 different stages. First, during an indoor experiment, the biochemical responses of invertebrates Arbacia lixula and Mytilus galloprovincialis subjected to acoustic stress were analysed. The results showed significant changes in cytotoxicity activity, expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs), and enzyme activities (esterases, alkaline phosphatases, peroxidases) in the coelomic fluid of sea urchins subjected to acoustic stress. Significant effects were also observed in glucose levels, cytotoxicity and enzyme activities (esterase, alkaline phosphatase, peroxidase) in the digestive gland of the mussel. Second, the biochemical responses of vertebrates and invertebrates subjected in-situ to watergun emission were analysed: Chromis chromis, Holothuria tubulosa and Arbacia lixula. Significant effects on fish cortisol levels and on enzyme activities in sea urchin peristomes were found. Furthermore, the enzyme biochemical responses analysed in the coelomic fluids of echinoderms showed significant effects only in A. lixula sea urchin and only in peroxidase activity. Third, behavioural changes in experimental conditions were studied in juveniles of Sparus aurata subjected to 4 different acoustic emission frequencies. This experiment showed that only low frequencies had effects on all the behavioural responses analysed: swimming height, motility and dispersion of the group. Based on behavioural data obtained in vivo on juvenile fish, a numerical model was created to predict the impacts of different acoustic emission frequencies. Using the results obtained and literature, a first technical standard useful for mining activities was drawn up. / The study of the Section 3.3 was supported by grants from MIUR (Ministry
of Education, University and Research), Fondo Finalizzato alla Ricerca di Ateneo
(FFR, 2018-2021) to M.V. and by the CNR research project: IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE SOS CONVENTION - Offshore Platforms & Impacts between MATTM
and CNR-DTA, (Capo Granitola, Campobello di Mazara) Work Package E: Indepth technical and scientific evaluation of the effects on marine ecosystems of
airgun technologies and the effects of a watergun
The study of the Section 3.4 study was conducted in the framework of the
PhD program in Mediterranean Biodiversity XXXII cycle (International) of the
University of Palermo. I. Perez-Arjona, M. Bou-Cabo and V. Espinosa
acknowledge the financial support of the European Comission -project
11.0661/2018794607/SUB/ENV.C2. Risk-based Approaches to Good
Environmental Status (RAGES). The other founding supports come from PhD
Innovative with Industrial Characterization PON 2014-2020 and the projects
CAIMAR Joint Laboratory Italy-Argentina (Laboratori Congiunti Bilaterali
Internazionali of the Italian National Reseach Council, 2017-2019) and BOSS –
Study of bioacoustics and applications for the sustainable exploitation of marine
resources (Projects of major importance in the Scientific and Technological
Collaboration Executive Programmes, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation). / Mauro, M. (2020). Mining extraction in the ocean depths: a baseline to understand and reduce acoustic impact on biodiversity [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/144131 / Compendio
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Health at Work : The Relationship between Organizational Justice, Behavioral Responses, and HealthLiljegren, Mats January 2008 (has links)
Bakgrund: Anställdas hälsa, individuella beteenden i ett organisatoriskt sammanhang och upplevd organisatorisk rättvisa är teoretiskt förenade av social utbytesteori, copingteori och teorier som beskriver konsekvenserna av social ojämlikhet. Empiriskt är förhållandet mer oklart. De få studier som hitintills har granskat relationen mellan organisatoriskt beteende och rättvisa visar på ett samband mellan hög grad av upplevd rättvisa och konstruktiva beteenden och mellan låg grad av upplevd rättvisa och destruktiva beteenden. Flera tidigare studier har visat på ett samband mellan organisatorisk rättvisa och hög hälsa och låg grad av utbrändhet. Relationen mellan organisatoriskt beteende, särskilt rörlighet mellan olika arbetsplatser, och hälsa är överhuvudtaget inte studerat i någon större omfattning och denna relation är i stort sett okänd. Syfte: Det övergripande syftet med föreliggande avhandling är att studera sambandet mellan organisatorisk rättvisa, individuellt organisatorisk beteende och hälsa. Metod: De ingående delstudierna i föreliggande avhandling ingår i en longitudinell panelstudie med tre olika datainsamlingstillfällen. Ett frågeformulär sändes ut till samtliga anställda, även de som hade slutat eller gått i pension under studietiden, i Arbetsmarknadsverket, AMV, i tre mellan svenska län 2001 (N=1010, svarsfrekvens: 78%), 2002 (N=1078, svarsfrekvens 75%) samt 2003 (N=1122, svarsfrekvens 74%). I delstudie I, en tvärsnitts och longitudinell valideringsstudie, användes variansanalys, ”multi-trait/multi-item”, logistisk regressionsanalys samt olika former av faktoranalys för att validera och utvärdera ett instrument (Hagedoorn m fl., 1999) avsett för att skatta individuella beteenden i ett organisatoriskt sammanhang. I delstudie II, en longitudinell panelstudie, användes korrelationsanalys och strukturell ekvationsmodellering, SEM, för att studera den reciproka relationen mellan individuella organisatoriska beteenden och hälsa. I delstudie III, en longitudinell panelstudie, användes faktor-, korrelations- och SEM-analyser för att belysa sambandet mellan upplevd organisatorisk rättvisa, hälsa och utbrändhet. I delstudie IV, en longitudinell panelstudie, användes varians och generell linjär modellering, GLM, ”repeated measures” analyser för att belysa sambandet mellan önskan att byta arbetsplats, faktiskt byte av arbetsplats, hälsa och utbrändhet. I delstudie V, en longitudinell panelstudie, användes varians-, korrelations- och SEM-analyser för att studera det reciproka sambandet mellan hälsa, utbrändhet och byte av arbetsplats. Resultat: Resultatet av delstudie I visade att Hagedoorn m.fl. (1999) instrument kan anses ha godkända psykometriska egenskaper, bortsett från delskalan ”aggressive voice” som uppvisade flera uppenbara svagheter. Delstudie II visade att relationen mellan individuella organisatoriska beteenden och hälsa framförallt är ensidigt: beteendet predicerar hälsan. Typbeteendet ”exit” predicerade sämre hälsa efter två år, medan typbeteendet ”considerate voice” predicerade bättre hälsa efter två år. Slutligen predicerade god fysisk hälsa typbeteendet ”exit” efter två år. Resultatet av Delstudie III visade att upplevd organisatorisk rättvisa är relaterat till god hälsa och låg grad av utbrändhet, både vid en tvärsnitts- och longitudinell jämförelse. De två olika sätten att studera organisatorisk rättvisa, antingen som ett globalt eller tredelat begrepp, bör betraktas som komplementära. I delstudie IV visade sig extern rörlighet, d.v.s. mellan olika arbetsplatser, i jämförelse med icke-rörlighet, har en gynnsam effekt på personlig och arbetsrelaterad utbrändhet. Resultatet visade också att samspelet mellan en önskan att byta arbetsplats och att faktiskt genomföra ett byte snarare är additiv snarare än interaktiv. Slutligen visade resultatet i delstudie V att rörlighet mellan olika arbetsplatser är en mer distinkt prediktor till hälsa och utbrändhet än hälsa och utbrändhet som prediktor till extern rörlighet. Önskan att byta arbetsplats, men inte upplevd organisatorisk rättvisa, visade sig ha effekt på faktiskt byte av arbetsplats. Slutsatser: Föreliggande avhandling har belyst det socialpsykologiska förhållandet mellan organisatorisk rättvisa, beteende och hälsa. Resultatet visar att upplevd organisatorisk rättvisa predicerar hälsa och låg grad av utbrändhet. Resultatet visar också att aktiva individuella organisatoriska beteenden predicerar psykosocial hälsa: ett proorganisatoriskt beteende predicerar psykosocial hälsa medan ett anti-organistoriskt beteende predicerar psykosocial ohälsa. Extern rörlighet har en positiv effekt på utbrändhet och rörlighet är en tydligare prediktor till psykosocial hälsa och utbrändhet än vad hälsa och utbrändhet är till rörlighet. / Introduction: Employee health, individual behaviors in an organizational context and perceived organizational justice are theoretically united. The empirical relationship, especially between behavioral responses and organizational justice and between behavioral responses, and especially job mobility, and health are not previously studied in any apparent extent. Aim: The main aim with the present dissertation was to study the relationship between organizational justice, behavioral responses, and health. Methods: The present study was designed as a longitudinal, three-wave, panel study. A questionnaire was mailed to all employees in three regional organizations of the Swedish National Labour Market Administration (AMV) at 2001 (N=1010, response rate: 78%), 2002 (N=1078, response rate: 75%) and 2003 (N=1122, response rate: 74%). In study I, a cross-sectional and longitudinal validation study, was analyses of variance, multi-trait/multiitem analyses, logistic regression analyses and different forms of factor analyses used to validate and evaluate the Hagedoorn et al. EVLN instrument. In study II, a longitudinal panel study, correlation and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses were used to elucidate the reciprocal relationship between behavioral responses and health. In study III, a longitudinal panel study, factor, correlation and SEM analyses were used to investigate the association between organizational justice, health and burnout. In study IV, a longitudinal panel study, was variance and General Linear Modeling (GLM) repeated measures analyses used to examine the relationship between turnover intentions, job mobility and health and burnout. In study V, a longitudinal panel study, variance, correlation, and SEM analyses were used to shed light upon the reciprocal relationship between health, burnout and job mobility with turnover intentions, organizational justice and age as affecting factors. Results: Study I showed that the Hagedoorn et al. EVLN instrument was a valid instrument with the exception for the aggressive voice subscale that presents some obvious and distinct deficiencies. The results of study II indicate that the relation between behavioural responses versus health is mainly one-sided: behavioural responses predict psychosocial health. The behavioural response ‘exit’ at baseline was associated with worse psychosocial health at the two-year follow-up, while ‘considerate voice’ predicted good psychosocial health at the two-year follow-up. Good baseline physical health predicted a high degree of ‘exit’ behaviour after two years. Study III showed that organizational justice is cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with physical, psychosocial health, and burnout. The two approaches to study organizational justice, as a global or threefold construct, should be regarded as complementary rather than exclusive. The results of study IV showed that external mobility had a positive effect on personal and work-related burnout compared with non-mobility and that the combined effects of turnover intentions and job mobility are additive rather than interactive. Finally, the results of study V showed that job mobility is a more distinct predictor of health and burnout than health and burnout is of job mobility. Turnover intentions, but not organizational justice, proved to have an effect on job mobility. Conclusion: The present dissertation has elucidated the social-psychological relationship between organizational justice, behavioral responses and health. The results show that perceived organizational justice predicted good health and low degree of burnout. The results also show that active behavioural responses predict psychosocial health: pro-organizational behaviour, (considerate voice), was associated with high psychosocial health and a contra-organizational behaviour (exit) was associated with low psychosocial health. External job mobility showed a positive effect on burnout and is a more distinct predictor of health and burnout than health and burnout is of job mobility.
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Behavioural responses of mice to the odour of cat blood and horse bloodPersson, Louise January 2015 (has links)
A variety of prey species are able to detect predators by odours emanating from their urine, feces, fur and anal glands. However, it is unknown whether the odour of a predator’s blood also contains information signalling “predator” to a prey. The aim of the present study was therefore to assess if blood odour from a cat elicits avoidance or anxiety responses in CD-1 mice (Mus musculus). A two-compartment test arena was used to assess place preference, motor activity and fecal excretions when the mice were simultaneously presented with cat blood and a blank control. Additionally, the mice were tested with horse blood and N-pentyl acetate, a fruity odour. The mice did not show avoidance of any of the three odours. Nevertheless, the mice were significantly less active when exposed to cat blood in comparison to horse blood, but did not increase defecation when exposed to cat blood. This suggests that the information mice get by the odour of cat blood did not contain the signal “predator”.
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The development of an integrated model of the relationship among strategic decision-making process, organisational change and employees' EVLN behavioural responsesAravopoulou, Eleni January 2015 (has links)
As organisations operate in a globalised, competitive and ever-changing environment, the process of making strategic decisions, the introduction and implementation of organisational changes, and employees’ responses towards these changes are typical challenges in organisational life. In this content, the recent financial crisis of 2007-2008 had a profound impact on the Greek economy, as the Greek banking sector had undergone a series of profound organisational changes that were met with a mixed response from employees. The aim of this study is to investigate and propose an integrated theoretical model on the relationship among strategic decision-making process (SDMP), organisational change and employees’ responses to change in Greek banks. To achieve this aim, the SDMP by which organisational changes were introduced in Greek banks, and employees’ EVLN behavioural responses towards these changes are examined. Two questionnaire surveys were conducted and data were collected from 11 CEOs and 78 members of top management teams, and 1,259 Greek bank employees. The study adopted the positivistic approach and data were quantitatively analysed by using the statistical software of SPSS version 2.1 and AMOS version 22.0. The findings suggest that top management teams used their Rationality, Intuition and Political behaviour during SDMP, and different contextual factors had a different impact on this process. Moreover, employees’ EVLN behavioural responses varied depending on the type of organisational change and the level of impact of organisational commitment, job satisfaction and psychological contract breach on their responses. Also, significant differences were found on employees’ responses in terms of their age, gender, educational level, length of service at the bank, position at the bank, and the bank they worked for before the changes. The key contribution to knowledge is that this is the first study that develops an integrated theoretical model that examines the relationship among SDMP, organisational change and employees’ EVLN behavioural responses. It also enhances our knowledge and extends the literature on a number of relationships such as the impact of the antecedents of SDMP on SDMP dimensions, the effect of SDMP dimensions on organisational change, and the impact of different types of organisational change on employees’ EVLN responses. Such contribution has significant implications on making strategic decisions and managing change in times of crises.
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Effects of Great Cormorant Predation on Fish Populations and FisheryEngström, Henri January 2001 (has links)
<p>The strong increase in number of Great cormorants <i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i> in Sweden in recent years has led to conflicts - particularly with fishery. This thesis focuses on the possible effects of cormorant predation on fish populations. In total, data from 15 lakes in South Sweden were included in this study while most studies were carried out in Lake Ymsen. The results suggest that the impact of cormorant predation on natural fish populations was small, and I observed no decline in fish mass after cormorants established. Cormorant predation on eel was difficult to evaluate because of several confounding factors.</p><p>Ruffe, roach and perch were the most important prey species to the cormorants and most fish taken were small. Cormorants do not seem to catch species and sizes in proportion to their occurrence in the fish community.</p><p>Total fish removal by cormorants varied considerably among lakes (0.2-15.0 kg/ha) and cormorant population sizes at the different lakes were significantly positively correlated with fishery catches, which in turn was significantly positively correlated with total phosphorous levels. Thus, cormorant densities in lakes, and perhaps elsewhere, seem to be governed chiefly by fish densities. The fact that cormorant predation appears not to reduce fish densities suggest cormorants to be regulated by other means than prey depletion. The mechanism behind population regulation could be a behavioural response of fish, making fish more difficult to catch for the cormorants.</p><p>In recent years, cormorant populations have been subjected to intensive legal and illegal actions with the aim to reduce cormorant numbers. However, the actions currently carried are well below the efforts needed to limit population sizes. To conclude, cormorants appear to compete little with fishery, with regards to free-living fish. The main problem is that cormorants sometimes damage and take away fish in fishing gears.</p>
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