To investigate the ability for animals to understand human communication signals and the communication between animals and humans, scientists often investigate the understanding of human gestural cues. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) which have a long history of co-evolution with humans have been shown to make good use of human gestural cues. In the present study I investigated whether dogs in general understand a human pointing gesture and if there are differences between sex, age or breeds. In total 46 dogs of different breeds participated in the study. The study was carried out in a dog center in Linköping, Hundens och djurens beteendecenter. To test if dogs understand human pointing gestures, a two-way object choice test were used, where an experimenter pointed at a baited bowl at a distance of three meter from the dog. The results showed that dogs in general can understand human pointing gestures. However, no significant differences were found for sex, age or breeds. As a conclusion, I found that dogs in general can understand human pointing gestures, but sex, age or breed did not affect the ability.

This research project assesses the role played by political sophistication in terms of itsimpact on the voters’ resort to cognitive shortcuts, with reference both to the consciousand non-conscious components of voting decisions. The investigation scrutinisesempirically the way both sophisticated and unsophisticated individuals make politicaljudgments when prompted with cognitive cues in three different settings. In each ofthem a specific type of cue impinges on the political judgment of individuals at adifferent level and leads to a specific decisional outcome. The overall findings castdoubts on the virtues of heuristic reasoning as effective remedy for voters who have tofind their bearings in the ballot box, but they also downplay the importance of politicalsophistication when visual or subliminal cues are involved in the decision. / Aquest projecte de recerca avalua el paper exercit per la sofisticació política en termesdel seu impacte sobre el recurs dels votants als atalls cognitius, amb referència tant alscomponents conscients i no conscients de les decisions de vot. La investigació examinaempíricament la manera com ambdós individus sofisticats i no sofisticats fan judicispolítics quan si li estimuli amb senyals cognitives de tres tipus diferents. En cada und'ells un tipus específic de atall incideix en el judici polític dels individus en un nivelldiferent i condueix a un resultat específic de presa de decisions. Els resultats generalsposen en dubte les virtuts del raonament heurístic com a remei eficaç per als votants ques’han d'orientar a les urnes, sinó que també minimitzen la importància de la sofisticaciópolítica, quan senyals visuals o subliminals estan involucrats en la decisió.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references.

Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Psychology, 2005. / Title from second page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [2], vi, 276 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-55).

Fire, a natural disturbance, regulates species composition in Fescue Prairie. However, little is known about the contribution of different regeneration strategies in altering species composition after burning in Fescue Prairie. The present study was conducted to determine if and how fire and associated fire cues regulate species composition in Fescue Prairie through their effects on seedling recruitment. The effects of fire and various fire cues, including smoke, ash, and smoke plus ash on seedlings emerging in the field and/or from litter, 0-1 cm, and 1-5 cm layers of the soil seed banks were therefore examined. These studies were complimented by a study of testing effects of smoke originated from different plant materials on seed germination and seedling growth of species from Fescue Prairie. Chemical analyses were also conducted to determine whether different active compounds existed in smoke made from different materials, which in turn affect germination and seedling growth differently. Burning increased densities, richness, and diversity of seedlings emerging in the field. This was possibly attributed to direct fire cues of burning. Seedling densities of native forbs and non-native graminoids emerging from the soil seed bank were increased and decreased by burning, respectively. Ash and smoke plus ash increased density of forbs emerging from the soil seed bank. Species composition of seedlings emerging in the field and from the soil seed bank was altered by burning. Complex responses were observed for the effects of smoke on seedling establishment, which depended on the type and dilution of smoke solutions, as well as germination conditions. Smoke solutions partly substituted light requirement for germination of Artemisia ludoviciana. Germination of Cirsium arvense and Conyza canadensis only responded to smoke solutions at 25/15°C, but not at 10/0 °C. Diluted smoke solutions increased radical length of Artemisia ludoviciana. Karrikinolide (KAR1) was in the smoke made from prairie hay and wheat straw, but not in that made from alfalfa. This is the first report that different active compounds existed in smoke made from different materials. Highly concentrated smoke solutions made from alfalfa increased germination and radical length of Conyza canadensis, while the same concentrated smoke solutions made from prairie hay and wheat straw reduced germination of Conyza canadensis at 25/15 °C in darkness. Priming in KAR1 solutions and active fractions obtained from prairie hay and/or wheat straw increased germination of Artemisia frigida, Artemisia ludoviciana, and Conyza canadensis at certain germination conditions. In summary, fire and direct fire cues, smoke and ash specifically, stimulated recruitment of some species, especially early seral species and native forbs, contributing to potential changes in species composition of the Fescue Prairie. Different compounds existed in smoke solutions made from alfalfa as compared with those from prairie hay and wheat straw, showing different effects on seed germination and seedling growth. KAR1, the most important active compound discovered in smoke, was present in the smoke made from prairie hay and wheat straw, but was not in that made from alfalfa.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:52:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 2833524 bytes, checksum: 22d43cca815c9a91e9aeaf78fc3e7a02 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-14 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This research tested two different applications of the performance cue s memorization model (CHAFFIN et al., 2002) in Robert Schumann s Abegg Variations. The aim of the first model s application was the memorized public performance of the piece with no memory lapses. The second application, otherwise, adopted a different view of the model and its aim was to improve musical interpretation through the utilization of the performance cues as points of attention during performance, and it purposes were: (1) to test expressive performance cues as points of attention during performance, and its influence in the resulting sound, and (2) to investigate the potentiality of timbre and timing as parameters of the expressive performance cues applied in the Abegg Variations s performances. The methodology was supported by two practice diaries and audio recorded tests of the applications in four public performances. In these performances the number of memory lapses was inexistent or almost inexistent. We also realized a comparative analysis of the timbre and timing in two recordings of these public performances, to verify the result of the use of performance cues projected in the sound. The results of this research confirmed the efficacy of the performance cue s memorization model in the Abegg Variations and also revealed the possibility of using the expressive performance cues in the refinement of the musical interpretation, mainly in the second application of the model. / Esta pesquisa testou duas aplicações do modelo de memorização através de guias de execução, proposto por Chaffin et al. (2002), nas Variações Abegg de Schumann. A primeira aplicação do modelo teve como fim a memorização da peça e a execução da mesma em público, visando uma performance sem falhas de memória. A segunda aplicação adotou uma visão diferenciada do modelo e buscou aprimorar a interpretação da peça através da utilização dos guias de execução como focos de atenção durante a performance, tendo como objetivos: (1) testar os guias de execução expressivos como focos de atenção durante a performance e a sua influência na produção do som e (2) investigar a potencialidade do timbre e da manipulação temporal como fonte de guias de execução expressivos nas Variações Abegg, de Schumann. A metodologia contou com o suporte de dois diários de estudo e testes das aplicações em quatro apresentações públicas. Nestas apresentações o número e falhas de memória por parte da intérprete e autora deste trabalho foi praticamente nulo. Realizamos também uma análise comparativa de aspectos de manipulação do tempo e timbre entre duas gravações de performances públicas das Variações Abegg, realizada através do software Sonic Visualiser, com o intuito de verificar o resultado sonoro efetivo da utilização dos guias. Os resultados desta pesquisa, além de comprovar a eficácia do modelo a partir de guias de execução na memorização da peça, revelaram a possibilidade de utilização dos guias expressivos no aprimoramento da interpretação musical, principalmente na segunda aplicação do modelo.

Background Country of origin (COO) has developed over the years and so has the definition, from the manufacturing COO and has now developed more into the COO of the brand. This development has led to a gap in research surrounding COO effects in combination with the decision-making process. Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand and explore which product information cues COO effects, along with how these cues influence the consumer's cognitive decision-making process. Leading to recommendations for companies, of how they can then use these effects in their favour. Method An interpretivism philosophy was used as part of this study, along with an inductive approach. Exploratory research was conducted to analyse the qualitative data during the experimental setting within three focus groups to gather in-depth views and opinions of participants. The research was gathered using convenience sampling, with limitations including the pre-bias participants had surrounding a COO. Findings The three most important information cues were quality, price and brand when it comes to what information consumers need to make a purchase. There is a difference in willingness to pay, perceived brand image and value surrounding COO from the COO experiment conducted between Germany and Poland. Research participants would pay on average 104 Euros more for the same product if it was a German brand over a Polish one. COO effects consumers in both a direct and indirect way, the subliminal use of COO, suggesting that the decision-making process is not completely cognitive. Similarly, consumers do not initially perceive COO as an important factor until it is brought up. However it can be said to be at the back of their minds at all times. It was also suggested that consumers have a ranking of countries within their minds and use it to aid their decision-making process. Consumers want to use the rational (intrinsic) cues (quality, design), however the extrinsic cues (brand, price) were identified as being more important. Conclusion In conclusion it can be said that COO is an important influencing factor on the consumers' decision-making process. COO is a factor effecting and influencing the different information cues which consumers identify as being important to their purchase. COO is seen as an influencing factor continuously effecting information cues, but more specifically price, brand and quality. Brands with 'higher' perceived COO's can thrive under their competitive advantage, whilst brands with a 'lower' perceived COO do not do as well.