Pollination and fruit set of four species of native New Zealand flowering plant species were examined through two field seasons. Bird exclusion, pollinator exclusion, natural and supplemental pollination treatments were initiated on individuals of Cordyline australis (Cabbage tree), Phormium tenax (Flax), Kunzea ericoides (Kanuka), and Pseudopanax arboreus (Five-finger). The species differed in the self-compatibility as well as in their floral syndrome. No species showed any evidence of pollen limitation, and two species. K. ericoides and P. arboreus set fruit from more than 70% of their flowers. The response of fruit set to treatment in C. australis varied from season to season, with birds appearing important to pollination in the first but not the second field season, while birds were important in pollination across both seasons for P. tenax. K. ericoides was resilient to treatment, setting high fruit set in every treatment, compared to P. arboreus which set high fruit set when pollinators had access, but low when all pollinators were excluded. No trends relating to fruit set or PLI and self-compatibility or floral syndrome were found. That there was no evidence of pollen limitation for any species, despite variation in fruit set from some treatments, indicates that these species are performing well and not at risk of decreased population size due to pollen limitation.

The current study examined divergences among impulsivity and sensation seeking items from the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire Impulsive Sensation Seeking scale in terms of their relations to other personality models, deviance, and laboratory task outcomes. A sample of 654 undergraduates was gathered across two studies and given a Five Factor Model of personality measure (e.g. NEO Five Factor Inventory, NEO Five Factor Report Form), deviance measures (e.g. Antisocial Behavior Inventory, Explicit Attitudes Towards Marijuana Questionnaire), and three laboratory tasks (e.g. Balloon Analogue Risk Task, Newmans Card-Playing Task). Results demonstrated the hypothesized divergences among impulsivity and sensation seeking items on measures of personality and deviance as well as laboratory tasks. We conclude that Impulsive Sensation Seeking is multidimensional and would be more useful if employed as two independent constructs: (Lack of) Premeditation and Sensation Seeking.

The thesis focuses on the Five Star Movement, a political movement in Italy based on an Internet blog, which was founded by the Italian comedian Beppe Grillo and which in just four years from its birth received the greatest number of votes in that country’s 2014 European election. The thesis focuses on the rise of 5SM, which was established in a critical political and economic context that provided a fertile environment for its founder’s antiestablishment platform and rhetoric. The structure, ideology and actions of the 5SM movement are examined as are the political and economic contexts in which it arose and now operates. The 5SM is analyzed as a product of an Italian political culture where populist leaders have dominated the political scene for many years. The thesis asks whether this movement can be defined as populist, using as a framework for analysis the work of Mény and Surel “Democracies and the Populist Challenge” (2002), by comparing the 5SM to other European anti-establishment political parties and movements.

Bakgrund: Brand personality beskrivs i litteraturen som den uppsättning avpersonliga egenskaper som beskriver ett varumärke, genom att försevarumärken med mänskliga drag kan konsumenten lättare relatera ochknyta an till sina egna preferenser utifrån sin egen karaktär (Aaker 1997).Det var år 1997 som forskaren Jennifer Aaker (1997) kom med denförsta definitionen om brand personality, som följde "the set of humancharacteristics associated with a brand" (Aaker 1997, p 347). Syfte: Syftet är att förklara hur Aaker’s (1997) modell brand personality “thebig five” kan revideras för att passa till den Svenska kontexten. Forskningsfråga: Vilka dimensioner i modellen brand personality “the big five” (Aaker,1997) behöver revideras för att appliceras i en Svensk kontext?Vilka personlighetsdrag och dimensioner är unika för den svenskakontexten och behöver därmed adderas till brand personality modellen? Metod: Denna studie har antagit en abduktivt angreppssätt, där tidigareforskning om brand personality har varit utgångspunkt. Författarna toggrund i befintlig teori med avsikt att testa modellen ”the big five” skapadav Aaker (1997) empiriskt i en ny kontext. Till studien tillämpadesfokusgrupp (förstudie) och enkät. Resultat och slutsats: Genom studien var det möjligt att fastslå att Aakers (1997) ursprungligamodell brand personality, inte var funktionell i den kontext som studienämnar. En revidering var nödvändig för att uppnå en effektiv brandpersonality i den svenska kontexten. Resultatet genererade 41personlighetsdrag fördelade i 15 fasetter och fem dimensioner. Unikt förden svenska kontexten är åtta nya personlighetsdrag och tvådimensioner. Dimensionerna sophistication och ruggedness (Aaker1997) förkastades och ersattes av dynamisk och elementär. Det påvisadesatt vissa personlighetsdrag hade en annan innebörd i den svenskakontexten och var därmed bättre lämpade till en annan dimension.

Previous research shows that small workplaces more often discriminate immigrants during the process of hiring new employees than larger workplaces, and usually explains this result by referring to structural factors. At the same time, previous research also shows that self-employees tend to have different personality traits than other people. Could it be the case that the higher discrimination among small workplaces can be explained at an individual level? I examined the hypothesis through OLS-regressions using a survey called Employment, Material Resources, and Political Preferences. The results showed that people working at small workplaces tend to have more negative attitudes towards immigrants than people working at larger workplaces. In addition, by using a Big-Five model combined with background factors at an individual level, I found that people employed by small organizations tend to have other personality traits than those employed by larger organizations. But the Big-Five model cannot explain why small workplaces are more inclined to discriminate immigrants. In contrast, background factors such as education and gender have strong correlative effects on why people employed by small organizations have more negative attitudes towards immigrants. That is, small workplaces are more likely to employ men and people with relatively low education compared to larger workplaces, which is interesting in this context because men are on average found to be more negative towards immigrants than women, and lower educated people are more negative than those with higher education.

A stable and healthy personality is a requirement to deal effectively with the different stressors and demands that are part and parcel of a profession in education. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that prospective teachers present well balanced personality profiles, which will enable them to become good teachers. Against the abovementioned background, this research study had the aim to: • by means of a literature study, determine the criteria that are generally used in the selection process of prospective education students nationally and internationally, and to determine the role and function of a personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students; • by means of a literature study, determine the characteristics of the desired personality profile of a teacher by applying the Five Factor Model of personality; • empirically determine the characteristics of the personality profiles of full-time registered education students at a higher education institution; • empirically determine whether there are differences between the personality profiles of 1) male and female education students; 2) education students in the different education phases; 3) education students with different home languages; 4) education students at different academic levels; and 5) education students who indicated education as first choice of study, and those who did not; and • to determine what the application possibility of the NEO-FFI is in the selection of prospective education students. The literature study produced the following results: • Academic criteria are mostly used in selecting education students, nationally and internationally and personality assessment does not play a role in the selection of education students in South Africa. • The desired personality profile of teachers, according to the Five Factor Model of personality, renders low scores on Neuroticism and high scores on Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The empirical study produced the following results: • The group of education students generally presented the characteristics of the theoretical preferred personality profile with regard to Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, but they presented relatively low mean raw scores for Openness to Experience. • No meaningful differences were found between the personality profiles of education students with regard to the education phase, home language, academic year and education as study choice, however, there were meaningful differences between male and female education students pertaining Agreeableness, where female education students presented higher mean raw scores than their male counterparts. Stanines were calculated to develop norms which can be used for personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students. Gender-specific norms were developed for this purpose. On grounds of the results of the investigation, it is recommended that personality assessment form an integral part of the selection process of prospective education students and that the NEO-FFI appears to be fruitful in this regard. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

A stable and healthy personality is a requirement to deal effectively with the different stressors and demands that are part and parcel of a profession in education. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that prospective teachers present well balanced personality profiles, which will enable them to become good teachers. Against the abovementioned background, this research study had the aim to: • by means of a literature study, determine the criteria that are generally used in the selection process of prospective education students nationally and internationally, and to determine the role and function of a personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students; • by means of a literature study, determine the characteristics of the desired personality profile of a teacher by applying the Five Factor Model of personality; • empirically determine the characteristics of the personality profiles of full-time registered education students at a higher education institution; • empirically determine whether there are differences between the personality profiles of 1) male and female education students; 2) education students in the different education phases; 3) education students with different home languages; 4) education students at different academic levels; and 5) education students who indicated education as first choice of study, and those who did not; and • to determine what the application possibility of the NEO-FFI is in the selection of prospective education students. The literature study produced the following results: • Academic criteria are mostly used in selecting education students, nationally and internationally and personality assessment does not play a role in the selection of education students in South Africa. • The desired personality profile of teachers, according to the Five Factor Model of personality, renders low scores on Neuroticism and high scores on Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. The empirical study produced the following results: • The group of education students generally presented the characteristics of the theoretical preferred personality profile with regard to Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, but they presented relatively low mean raw scores for Openness to Experience. • No meaningful differences were found between the personality profiles of education students with regard to the education phase, home language, academic year and education as study choice, however, there were meaningful differences between male and female education students pertaining Agreeableness, where female education students presented higher mean raw scores than their male counterparts. Stanines were calculated to develop norms which can be used for personality assessment in the selection of prospective education students. Gender-specific norms were developed for this purpose. On grounds of the results of the investigation, it is recommended that personality assessment form an integral part of the selection process of prospective education students and that the NEO-FFI appears to be fruitful in this regard. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Personality tests are widely used in South Africa. The application of personality assessment techniques for clinical and personnel decisions has been a major activity for psychologists. All main personality models have ken developed in a Western context: the question therefore arises whether these models are adequate and sufficient for South Africa. There is a need to develop personality tests that are based on South African cultures. In South Africa the continuous use of Western-based personality tests raise a challenge. The challenge also lies with the current legislation with regard to the use of psychological tests. The challenge is to construct an inventory suited to the local needs while retaining the standards of validity and reliability expected of established assessment instruments. Our socially diverse society and its wide implications for the cultural dynamics of personality evaluations that we find in South Africa warrant further research. A qualitative research design was used in this study, including interviewing as a data gathering method. A total of 120 Tshivenda speaking people from the Thohoyandou district in Limpopo province and Pretoria in Gauteng province were interviewed. A total of 4 722 personality descriptors with a view to Tshivenda speaking people were obtained from the participants, and then translated into English. Content analysis was used to analyse, interpret and reduce these descriptors to a total of 150 personality characteristics which are the most important perspectives of personality for the Tshivenda speaking individuals. The personality characteristics were divided into eight categories, namely interpersonal relatedness, sociability, conscientiousness, emotionality, meanness, intellect, dominance and a category for other traits. The interpersonal relatedness factor in the Vhavenda personality characteristics could be regarded as a cultural factor. The Tshivenda speaking people are also sociable with a preference for companionship, social skills and numerous friendships. They also have a strong sense of purpose and high inspiration levels. The Tshivenda speaking people also experience emotions and feelings related to situations that they face. Intellect characteristics could also be extrapolated from the personality characteristics of the Vhavenda people. The findings of this study were compared to the five factor model, and evidence was found for extraversion and conscientiousness in particular. Very few characteristics of openness on the five factor model correspond to that of the Tshivenda speaking people, except in the cases of a few personality characteristics that were labelled under the category of intellect. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

ABSTRACT Background: The launch of the Millennium Development Goal4, in 2000 and the national and international mobilization it spurs results to a decline of child under age five mortality rate from 90 per 1000 living birth in 1990 to 40 per thousands in 2012. That decline however is not evenly distributed across the globe and the majority of countries in the Sub-Saharan African region continue to experience a higher rate of under age five mortality than expected in 2013. Within country disparities in child mortality and it determinants was suggested to account for the lagging of those countries to reduce their under age five mortality rate. Objective: the study examined the variation in child mortality across statistical regions in Cote d’Ivoire and the community level factors that can explain those variations after controlling child, the mothers and the household characteristics. Method: The study used data obtained from the 2011-2012 Cote d’Ivoire’ Demography Health Survey. The study population consisted of 7511 children born within the 5 years preceding the survey. Frequency tables were created to show the distribution of the selected child mortality determinants across regions in Cote d’ivoire and three Logistic models were run to measure the association between the under age five mortality and the selected determinants. Results: The proportion of under age five mortality in the study population was 8.52%. There was a statistically significant variation in child mortality across regions. At the community level, the proportion of mothers with a least a secondary education was associated with under-age five mortality risk (OR=0.99, CI=0.98-0.99). There was no significant association between child mortality and the other selected community factors included in the study. Conclusion: This study reveals a significant variation of under age five mortality rate across region in Cote d’Ivoire, even after controlling or child, mother and household level factors. The findings of this study suggest a need for further exploration of the factors that can explain those differences.

Tidigare forskning visar att personlighet har betydelse för individens stressupplevelse. Särskilt individer högt i Fem-Faktor modellens personlighesdimension neuroticism tenderar att upplevd högre stressnivåer än övriga fyra personlighetsdimensioner extraversion, samvetsgrannhet, öppenhet och sympatiskhet. Denna studie undersökte relationen mellan samtliga personlighetsdimensioner, samt en del övriga variabler, och stress. Detta skedde utifrån fyra frågeställning med fyra tillhörande hypoteser. 152 högskolestudenter deltog genom att besvara en enkät som bestod av översatta versioner av Shafer’s Five-Factor Personality Scale samt Cohen, Kamarck och Mermelsteins Perceived Stress Scale. Samt nio övriga bakgrundsvariabler. Insamlad data undersöktes med korrelationer, regressionsanalys, t-test och variansanalys. Resultatet visade, i linje med tidigare studier, att personlighet har betydelse för upplevd stress. Högt neurotiska individer upplever mest stress. I denna studie kunde 36 % av variationen i stressupplevelse förklaras av personlighet.