This research explores the efficacy of word cards as a deliberate vocabulary learning technique and investigates the effects of testing on motivation for deliberate vocabulary study. While word cards are a widely supported method of deliberately studying target foreign language vocabulary, there is a surprising lack of research-based evidence supporting them, and very few researchers have asked students how they feel about word card learning. In addition, it is well known that testing can increase extrinsic motivation, but the motivational effects of regular vocabulary testing has so far been largely overlooked. The first two experiments in this study investigated the learning outcomes associated with making and studying from word cards. Experiment 1 is unique in that it is the first known study to isolate the learning outcomes of making word cards. The results indicated that the process of making word cards results in significant initial vocabulary learning, but a substantial amount of this new knowledge is lost in a relatively short period of time if no further study is carried out. The second experiment compared the use of self-made word cards with premade cards. The results indicated that although both methods are effective in the short and long-term, learners might be better studying from premade cards. However, the results of the third experiment led to the conclusion that premade cards are best suited to motivated learners. Qualitative data analysis revealed that learners generally have positive views of word card learning and understand the benefits it offers over other methods such as learning from lists or notebooks. The final experiment in this study examined the motivational effects of regular student-generated vocabulary testing and investigated whether learners can act as reliable raters of their peers’ vocabulary development. Results indicated that peer-to-peer vocabulary testing increases motivation for deliberate vocabulary learning even if test scores do not affect the students’ grades. Surprisingly, the student-generated and administered tests were more intrinsically motivating than extrinsically so. Taken together, the results of the various experiments offer support for the use of word cards for foreign language vocabulary learning and indicate that motivation for such types of learning can be increased by through peer testing. / Teaching & Learning

My thesis is an attempt to examine and study the in-between spaces between buildings.With my design as a vehicle, taking an entire block of Blacksburg, I have tried to explore the idea by which one could offer a transitional moment between buildings. The in-between spaces provide an opportunity to intervene and choreograph a space which re-engages the dweller through repetitive distractions. The design combines residential spaces with commercial establishments creating a mixed use condition in a city block which in its density, constantly alternates between the public and private realms. The resultant spaces between the buildings are spaces which are a combination of the planned and the improvised, in a constant state of flux forming the "passing place". The spaces could create subtle interconnections which can be exploited and temporal experiences could be defined through architectural interpretation of transitional spaces.Mixing uses is one approach in architecture that assists in making lively thresholds. I project the idea of a deliberate hetrogeneity in architecture, where opposing objects are placed together as a part of a strategy to create complex and compelling buildings and their in-between spaces. / Master of Architecture

Any form of self harm can be triggering and hard for most people to be confronted with. Sexually risky behaviour and sex as self-injury among young people is no exception. This study aims to explore and analyse how social workers in the field of psychiatric care for young people in Sweden work with this group. For this study four interviews were conducted and analysed with systems theory.  To further deepen the studies result, a variation of literature has been included. The result of the study showed how dedicated social workers worked in interprofessional teams as well as with the youths families, in ordr to provide the youth with care suitable for their needs. The results from both the interviews as well as the literature reviewshow that although there is currently a need for more structured and evidence-based guidelines and work methods, it is a field where forward-looking research and great development are constantly present.

This study sought to hear the narratives of individuals that have recovered from self-harming, with the intention of bearing witness to both the narratives and remaining scars in order to better understand and inform clinical practice. A purposive sample of seven individuals was recruited. Participants were asked to photograph their scars and bring them to an interview. Narratives were generated and explored through a relatively unstructured individual interview. Both the images and narratives were analysed using a narrative approach exploring content, performance and structural aspects, emphasising researcher reflexivity throughout. Findings were understood through psychoanalytic theory and highlighted a theme of validation and ‘being seen’, evidenced in stories of past invalidation that had been internalised into the self-structure and defended against by presenting a ‘defended’ self. Self-harm enabled this ‘unseen self’ to be expressed, validated and contained. Recovery was storied in terms of internalising experiences of validation, which enabled integration of the invalidated parts of the self. Many of the participants highlighted how their scars told a story of discovery; of becoming, coping and surviving. In the healing of scars this recovery is evident, but they may also continue to convey the unseen and unspoken experiences of pain, incoherence and invalidation. Self-harm and remaining scars may be understood as connecting, containing and re-embodying the internalised invalidation and ‘unseen’ aspects of the self. These findings are discussed with reference to the clinical implications, strengths and limitations of the methodology and directions for future research.

L’entraînement délibéré joue un rôle essentiel dans le développement de l’excellence sportive. Cette pratique est décrite comme étant une activité menée dans un but d’amélioration exigeant un niveau élevé d’effort et de concentration et n’étant pas nécessairement plaisante. Bien que les aspects quantitatifs de la pratique délibérée aient grandement été explorés, peu d’études se sont attardées à qualifier ce processus de façon précise. Ainsi, l’objectif de la présente étude est de définir précisément ce qu’est un entraînement de qualité ainsi que le processus psychologique s’y rattachant. Pour ce faire, des entrevues semi-structurées ont été menées auprès de douze patineurs élites québécois. L’analyse des données, par théorisation ancrée, démontre qu’un entraînement de haute qualité est le résultat d’une interaction dynamique de plusieurs facteurs liés à l’athlète, à son environnement, au contenu de son entraînement et à son état psychologique. Plus précisément, la confiance, la motivation, la concentration et l’attitude positive sont les habiletés psychologiques qui peuvent affecter l’entraînement. En fait, l’analyse démontre qu’un processus psychologique important s’opère lors de l’entraînement délibéré. Tout d’abord, des stratégies cognitives et comportementales comme l’imagerie mentale, la fixation d’objectifs et la routine sont utilisées par les athlètes pour se préparer à l’entraînement. Puis, lorsque son état psychologique est affecté négativement, l’athlète a recours à différentes stratégies afin d’optimiser cet état. Si ces stratégies s’avèrent efficaces, la qualité de l’entraînement est maintenue et l’athlète en ressort avec l’impression d’avoir progressé autant sur le plan technique, mental qu’émotionnel. / Deliberate practice plays an important role in the development of sport excellence. This practice is described as being aimed at the improvement of performance and requires a high level of effort and concentration and is not inherently enjoyable. The quantitative aspect of deliberate practice has been explored in several studies, but very few studies have examined the qualitative side of this process. Thus, the goal of the present study is to describe precisely what deliberate training is and the psychological process underlying it. To reach those goals, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve elite Quebec figure skaters . Data analyse, using grounded theory, demonstrate that high quality training is the result of a dynamic interaction among many factors related to the athletes, their environment, the content of their training and their psychological state. Specifically, confidence, focus, motivation and positive attitude are psychological skills that can affect performance. In fact, the results show that an important process occurred during deliberate training. First, cognitive and behavioral strategies such as mental imagery, goal setting and routine are used by athletes to prepare themselves to train. Then, when the athletes' psychological state is negatively affected, they use different strategies to try to optimize this state. If these strategies are efficient, they help maintain the quality of training and the athletes experience the perception of having progressed technically, mentally, and emotionally.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Leandro Lopes Peguini.pdf: 871714 bytes, checksum: 0b8e7fc7aa5a5115b124c481e851b8c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-01 / Strategic alliances have been currently studied by many researchers for allowing partners to exchange knowledge and access to complementary assets. The main objective of this research was to understand the perception of managers on the deliberate variations and their relation to the strategic alliance coordination routines in the Brazilian industry, human health segment. The methodology involved studies of cases of contractual strategic alliances from three pharmaceutical organizations, two of them being large laboratories, and one biotechnology microenterprise, all from the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo Brazil. The data was individually analyzed and then cross-analyzed, generating non-definitive propositions about the relation between deliberate variations and activities of interorganizational management of contractual strategic alliances routines. It was concluded that the tactics for generating deliberate variations are used in the interorganizational management aimed to reduce the uncertainty of the alliance transactions, fulfillment of regulatory requirements, generation of intellectual capital through learning, motivation of the participants, and viability of alliances. The main tactics of deliberate variations used in the interorganizational management are: formal programs of experimentation, indirect motivations and tolerance by the manager to variations without focus and play. The theoretical contribution of this research is the explicitation of the tactics of deliberate variations used in interorganizational management of contractual strategic alliance. The contribution to the administrative practice is to show that interorganizational management of alliances occurs dynamically, involving several motivational and controlling tactics, and that executives responsible for their management must expect that the execution of such tactics occurs preemptively and not linearly, from motivations along the alliance that demand actions and monitoring. / Alianças estratégicas atualmente são estudadas por muitos pesquisadores por permitirem aos parceiros troca de conhecimentos e o acesso a ativos complementares. O objetivo geral desta pesquisa foi compreender a percepção dos gestores sobre as variações deliberadas e sua relação com as rotinas de coordenação de alianças estratégicas na indústria brasileira, segmento saúde humana. A metodologia envolveu estudos de casos de alianças estratégicas contratuais de três organizações farmacêuticas, sendo dois laboratórios de grande porte, e uma microemprensa de biotecnologia, todos da cidade de Ribeirão Preto SP. Os dados foram analisados via análise de conteúdo temática categorial com categorias definidas a priori. Os casos foram analisados individualmente e a seguir de forma cruzada, gerando-se proposições não definitivas sobre a relação entre as variações deliberadas e as atividades da rotina de coordenação interorganizacional de alianças estratégicas contratuais. Concluiu-se que as táticas para geração de variações deliberadas são utilizadas para a coordenação interorganizacional com o objetivo de redução da incerteza das transações da aliança, atendimento de exigências regulatórias, geração de capital intelectual via aprendizagem, incentivo dos participantes, e viabilização das alianças. As principais táticas de variações deliberadas utilizadas na coordenação interorganizacional são: programas formais de experimentação, incentivos indiretos e tolerância por parte do gestor para variações sem foco e brincadeiras. A contribuição teórica dessa pesquisa está na explicitação das táticas de variações deliberadas utilizadas para coordenação interorganizacional de alianças estratégicas contratuais. A contribuição para a prática administrativa é mostrar que a coordenação interorganizacional de alianças ocorre de forma dinâmica, envolvendo diversas táticas de incentivo e controle, e que os executivos responsáveis pela sua gestão devem esperar que a execução dessas táticas ocorre de forma preemptiva e não linear, a partir de estímulos ao longo da aliança que exigem ações e acompanhamentos.

Two conceptual approaches which offer promise for improved understanding of biological invasions are conceptualizing the invasion process as a series of distinct stages and explicitly incorporating human actions into analyses. This study explores the utility of these approaches for understanding the invasion of Trifolium (true clover) species in New Zealand. From the published literature, I collected a range of Trifolium species attributes, including aspects of global transport and use by humans, opportunistic association with humans in New Zealand, native range attributes, habitat characteristics, and biological traits. I also searched historical records to estimate the extent to which each species had been planted in New Zealand, a search facilitated by the enormous importance of Trifolium in New Zealand’s pastoral agriculture system. Regression analysis and structural equation modelling were then used to relate these variables to success at each invasion stage. Fifty-four of the 228 species in the genus Trifolium were intentionally introduced to New Zealand. Species introduced for commercial agriculture were characterised by a large number of economic uses and presence in Britain, while species introduced for horticulture or experimental agriculture were characterised by a large native range area. Nine of these 54 intentionally introduced species subsequently naturalised in New Zealand. The species that successfully naturalised were those that had been planted extensively by humans and that were well-matched to the New Zealand climate. A further 16 species (from the pool of 174 species that were never intentionally introduced) arrived and naturalised in New Zealand without any recorded intentional aid of humans. Several attributes appeared to assist species in unintentional introduction-naturalisation, including a good match to the New Zealand climate, a large native range area, presence in human-influenced habitats, a widespread distribution in Britain, and self-pollination capability. The 25 total naturalised species varied greatly in their current distributions and in the rates at which they had spread to achieve those distributions. Species that had spread quickly and are currently more widespread had been frequent contaminants in the pasture seed supply and have a long flowering period in New Zealand. Other biological traits and native range attributes played supporting roles in the spread process. Attributes facilitating success clearly varied among invasion stages. Humans played a dominant role at all stages of this invasion, although biological traits had increasing importance as a species moved through the invasion sequence. My findings suggest that incorporation of human actions and the stage-based framework provide valuable insight into the invasion process. I discuss potential avenues by which these approaches might be integrated into predictive invasion models.

Despite a well-documented gender pattern of adolescent mental health, public health research investigating possible influencing factors from a gender-theoretical approach is scarce. This study aimed to explore what factors and circumstances are related to adolescent mental health and to apply a gender analysis to the findings in order to improve the understanding of the relationships between life circumstances and the gendered patterning of mental health among young people.   The study population was 16-19-year-old Swedish students and data was collected by means of focus groups (N=29) and self-administered questionnaires (N=1,663, 78.3% response rate) in school settings. Mental health problems were defined in a broad sense including the adolescents’ own understandings, perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The mental health problems of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm were twice as common among girls as boys. The findings suggest that adolescent mental health is associated with the life circumstances of social relationships, demands and responsibility taking and experiences of violence and harassment.  Supportive relationships with friends, family and teachers were found to be of importance to positive mental health, whereas poor social relationships, loneliness and lack of influence were associated with mental health problems.  Perceived demands and responsibility taking regarding school work, relationships, future plans, appearance and financial issues were strongly related to mental health problems, particularly among girls regardless of social class. The results indicate that physical violence, sexual assault, bullying and sexual harassment are severe risk factors for mental health problems in young people. Boys and girls experienced different types of violence, and the victim-perpetrator relationships of physical violence differed. These diverging experiences appeared to influence the associations with mental health problems in boys and girls.   A gender analysis provides the tools to gain knowledge about the ways that boys’ and girls’ lives are shaped by gender relations and constructions at different levels in society and how these life circumstances represent risk- or protective factors for mental health. For example, unequal power structures and the ways girls are expected to ‘do’ femininity likely influence their life circumstances in ways that place them at greater risk of mental health problems. Hegemonic constructions of masculinity and advantaged positions likely contribute to life circumstances that are positive for mental health but are also implying risk factors for poor mental health among boys, e.g., violence. It is also important to recognise how the intertwined cultural and structural aspects of gender and social class influence the lives and mental health of boys and girls. In conclusion, gendered and class-related mechanisms at the different levels in society influence the distribution of risk factors unevenly among boys and girls, which could be a possible explanation for the gender differences in reports of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The likelihood of gender and socioeconomic differences in mental health problems should be taken into account in prevention and health promotion strategies at all levels in society. A greater awareness about gender relations and the gendered social circumstances under which young people live is required. The school environment is an important arena with respect to prevention and health promotion. There is also a need for a joint action against violence and harassment at all levels in society. Implications do not only concern young people; social policy and legislation should focus on reducing gender and class inequalities in general. / Sammanfattning Svensk titel: Livsvillkor och ungdomars psykiska hälsa: uppfattningar, associationer och en genusanalys.   Trots ett väldokumenterat genusmönster i ungdomars psykiska hälsa finns det en kunskapslucka i den folkhälsovetenskapliga forskningen avseende genusteoretiska analyser av sambanden mellan ungas livsvillkor och psykisk hälsa. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka vilka faktorer och omständigheter som är relaterade till psykiska problem, samt att analysera fynden ur ett genusperspektiv för att fördjupa förståelsen av relationerna mellan ungas livsvillkor och genusmönster i psykiska hälsa.   Studiepopulationen var gymnasielever i åldern 16-19 år. Studien genomfördes i skolmiljö och data insamlades genom fokusgrupper (N=29) och en enkätstudie (N=1,663, 78.3% svarsfrekvens). En bred definition av psykisk ohälsa tillämpades vilken representerades av ungdomarnas egen förståelse, samt de psykiska problemen upplevd stress, psykiska besvär samt självskadebeteende.   Resultaten visade att stress, psykiska besvär och självskadebeteende var dubbelt så vanligt bland flickor som bland pojkar. Psykiska problem var relaterade till livsvillkoren sociala relationer, krav och ansvarstagande samt utsatthet för våld och trakasserier. Stödjande relationer med vänner, familj och lärare var av stor betydelse för psykisk hälsa medan dåliga relationer, ensamhet och brist på inflytande var relaterat till psykiska problem. Psykiska problem var starkt kopplade till erfarenheter av höga krav och ansvarstagande avseende skolarbete, relationer, framtidsplaner, utseende och ekonomi, i synnerhet bland flickor oavsett socioekonomisk bakgrund. Resultaten indikerar att olika former av våld och trakasserier är allvarliga riskfaktorer för psykiska problem och att flickors och pojkars skiljda erfarenheter av olika former av våld samt relationen till förövaren, kan vara relaterade till skillnader i psykiska problem.   Genusanalysen av resultaten föreslår att flickors livsvillkor påverkas av ojämlika maktstrukturer och konstruktioner av femininitet och att dessa livsvillkor bidrar till en ökad risk för psykisk ohälsa bland flickor. Livsvillkor kopplade till manlig överordning och hegemoniska konstruktioner av maskulinitet influerar sannolikt pojkars psykiska hälsa positivt. Dessa villkor kan dock också innebära risk faktorer för psykiska problem, t.ex. i fråga om våld. Studien uppmärksammar även hur kulturella och strukturella aspekter av både genus och social klass kan påverka livsvillkor och psykisk hälsa för pojkar och flickor. Studiens slutsats är att genusifierade och klassrelaterade mekanismer på olika nivåer i samhället bidrar till en skev fördelning av riskfaktorer för psykiska problem vilket kan vara en möjlig förklaring till skillnaderna mellan pojkar och flickor i fråga om upplevd stress, psykiska besvär och självskadebeteende.   Genus- och socioekonomiska skillnader i psykiska problem bör tas i beaktande i preventivt och hälsofrämjande arbete på alla nivåer i samhället. Detsamma gäller för en ökad medvetenhet om hur ungas livsvillkor är relaterade till psykisk hälsa och hur dessa villkor är genus- och klassrelaterade. Studien uppmärksammar skolan som en viktig arena för preventivt och hälsofrämjande arbete samt att gemensamma insatser krävs på olika arenor för att motverka våld och trakasserier. Implikationer av studien omfattar även generella samhällspolitiska insatser för minskad ojämlikhet. Nyckelord: Stress; psykiska besvär; självskadebeteende; gymnasieelever; maskulinitet; femininitet; sociala determinanter; sociala relationer; krav; ansvarstagande; våld och trakasserier; skola. / Forskarutbildningsämne: Hälsovetenskap.

The aim of this study is to shed light on the phenomenon of destructive sexual behavior among youth from the perspective of professionals working at nonprofit organizations. To examine this, we used a qualitative method; we interviewed professionals working at nonprofit organizations. To analyze our results we used gender theory and empowerment theory. Our main results are that the professionals view this behavior as deliberate self-harm, such as cutting, as they do it to achieve relief from anxiety. Also, the professionals think that gender norms affect young people with destructive sexual behavior in that it imposes guilt and shame, which inflicts their already low self-esteem and makes them feel inferior. The profes- sionals view this as the common denominator for this group of young people. Therefore it is very important for professionals to help these young people build self-esteem by using empowerment. Hopefully, this study can provide additional knowledge to the field of social work, due to the focus on a relatively new perspective on the phenomenon of deliberate self-harm. It is therefore important for agents in social work to have knowledge and comprehension about how to approach the phenomena and how to view and work with this group of young people.

Author: Madeleine Ahlström and Hanna Puonti Title: To meet the invisible population - A qualitative study of men with deliberate self-injury [Att möta de osynliga - En kvalitativ studie om killar med självskadebeteende] Supervisor: Anders Östnäs Assessor: Jan Petersson   This study aims to provide a picture of the underlying causes why men deliberately hurt themselves. It also aims to provide a picture revolving how men self-harm and what the direct effects are from their self-harm. The study describes their behaviour and how the behaviour has evolved over time. There is also a focus in the study to illustrate how society´s operative approach towards men makes their self-harm invisible, and make them an invisible population that neither the scientists nor the general population chooses to see. Self-injury is strongly associated with girls and their way of harming themselves. Men have been excluded from studies of self-injury, also have there been very few scientists that found them of interest to study.   This is a study with a qualitative approach wich executed eight semi-structured interviews with men who have had a behavior of self-injury. The study takes on a hermeneutic approach to knowledge, to have the possibility to interpret in the analysis of the empirics. To analyse the data we have used a qualitative content analysis according to Graneheim and Lundman (2004). The results has been analysed by Antonovsky´s (2005) KASAM theory. The study has found that men have a self-injury that is multifaceted. The men in the study use different behaviours to manage various emotional factors that affect them. Deliberate self-injurious behaviours become a coping strategy for the men when they didn’t have other strategies to cope with when their faced difficulties.