Thesis (DLitt)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2005. / Title from title page screen, viewed September 26, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Phyllis A. McCluskey-Titus (chair), Patricia H. Klass, Carlyle J. Kalianov, Edward R. Hines. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-121) and abstract. Also available in print.

Modern vehicles are very dependent on sensors and especially cameras to analyze different objects and conditions. Single camera systems are frequently used for lane detection and identifying objects in the distance. These systems depend on good conditions to work properly and are easily disrupted by environmental interferences. This project is targeted in developing an image processing algorithm that can detect disturbances applied upon the camera lens. Several focus measure operators are evaluated and compared by expected outcome while still maintaining a satisfying computational time, low resource usage and accuracy with an ERR between 0% - 1%.

This study investigated the effects of music choice on the ratings of attentional focus, affective valence, perceived exertion, and enjoyment during and after self-paced treadmill exercise of varied intensities. Thirty-four college-aged, healthy, active males and females volunteered to participate in the study. Participants completed 6 visits to the laboratory: the first visit was a medical screening to ensure safety of the participants. For the second visit, participants completed a maximal treadmill exercise test. On the third visit, participants completed the Brunel Music Rating Inventory-2 to determine their preferred and non-preferred music genres, and to self-select the low, moderate and high intensity exercise speeds that would be used in the experimental trials. During the last three visits, participants completed each of the three (preferred, non-preferred, no music) randomized and counterbalanced experimental trials. The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale and the Feeling Scale were used to measure baseline and post-exercise ratings of enjoyment and affective valence. During exercise, the single-item Attentional Focus Scale, Feeling Scale, Borg 6-20, and Exercise Enjoyment Scale were used to measure attentional focus, affective valence, perceived exertion, and enjoyment, respectively. Results revealed a main effect for condition for affective valence and enjoyment (p < 0.001 for both interactions). A main effect was also found for intensity for attentional focus (p = 0.002) and perceived exertion (p < 0.001). Lastly, there was a main effect for activity revealed for affective valence (p = 0.047) and enjoyment (p = 0.012). Moreover, tests of between and within subjects factors revealed an interaction effect for condition by intensity for affective valence (p = 0.019) and for condition by intensity by activity for perceived exertion (p = 0.005). There was a general trend for thoughts to be more associative as intensity increased in both groups. In addition, there was a general trend for thoughts to be more dissociative during the preferred music condition compared to the non-preferred and no music trial. However, these differences were only found to be significant in the active group. Furthermore, there was a general trend in the active group for affective valence to be more positive regardless of exercise intensity or music condition when compared to the inactive group. Both groups showed the highest ratings of affective valence during the preferred music condition, followed by the non-preferred and no music condition. In-task enjoyment ratings were highest during the preferred music condition when compared to the non-preferred and no music condition regardless of exercise intensity or activity status. The results did not reveal significant differences for ratings of exertion across music conditions, which does not support previous findings. In conclusion, the perceptual responses in this study, which represent affective valence, attentional focus, and enjoyment, were generally more favorable during the preferred music condition and in the active participants. These results support previous findings to suggest exercising while listening to preferred music may lead to an increase in physical activity adherence.

DREXLER, Denis. Consumer behaviour at point of purchase. Brno, 2014. 159 p. Master thesis. Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics. Thesis supervisor Ing. Martin Souček, Ph.D. This thesis deals with consumer behaviour and their decision making process at point of purchase. Consumer behaviour is researched within the process of buying confectionery. Methods of questionnaire, focus groups, eye-tracking and in-depth interviews have been used in the practical part. Based on results in the practical part, a model of consumer behaviour has been created. The thesis also suggests marketing recommendations which could be practically used.

Neuberger, P., Consumer behaviour of young consumers between 15-29 years on fast food market in South Moravia region. Master Thesis. Brno: Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics, 2015. This master thesis is focused on consumer behaviour of young consumers between 15-29 years at fast food market in South Moravia region. The main aim of this thesis is to identify factors which influence consumer during buying process at this particular group of consumers and on this principle formulate general valid marketing recommendation. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used for research. Focus groups method and questionnaire method were used in research exactly. The result of these methods were used for cluster analysis. The result of cluster analysis are cluster with similar properties and members of these clusters are influenced by same factors. On this base general valid marketing recommendations are made for each cluster. These recommendations can be used in South Moravia region.

Utilization of an external focus of attention has been proved to be beneficial in the motor learning literature. When people focus on the effects of the movement (i.e., external focus of attention), the motor skill is enhanced compared to directing attention to the body movements (i.e., internal focus of attention). Previous studies that have examined the effect of focus of attention on learning a motor skill often used visible or imagined objects to elicit an external focus of attention. However, the effects of these different types of external focus instruction have not been investigated thoroughly. It was unclear prior to this thesis how the focus of attention effect is influenced by the use of imagery. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the difference between directing attention to a visible object and an imagined object when performing and learning the standing long jump. It was hypothesized the group of participants who practiced with an imagery instruction would perform similarly in the post-test with or without an object that was used to elicit an external focus of attention. It was also hypothesized the group of participants who practiced with a visible object would perform similarly during the post-test with the same visible object; but the performance would decline in the post-test with no object. The results indicated there was no difference in the effect of the two different types of instructions. That is, performance during the practice and post-test were similar for the participants who imagined an object during the practice phase compared to the participants who practiced with an object. The post-test with and without an object were also similar within the same group as well as between the two groups. The results of the study provided additional evidence vision does not influence the focus of attention effect. Participants that practiced the standing long jump with a visible cone did not change the performance on the transfer test when the cone was removed. Also, participants that were instructed to direct their attention toward an imaginary cone performed just as well as participants that focused their attention on a visible cone on both the retention and transfer test. Therefore, the primary finding of the present experiment is that the focus of attention effect can be induced through the use of imagery.

Degree Not Listed / Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health / Martin Talavera / Using consumer-friendly terminology is important in order to design and conduct consumer research that is relevant and impactful. As an example, today’s marketing is starting to evolve more towards catering to emotional responses, and focus groups are an effective way to gather emotional and attitudinal information in ways that surveys and questionnaires cannot. The objective of this study was to use focus groups as a tool to generate rich information related to emotions, attitudes and other aspects associated with beauty care products in order to provide terminology that is more simple, relevant and impactful. This terminology can then be used to design studies that will better help during product development and product marketing. Women in the Kansas City area were recruited for three focus groups in one of three age groups: 18-35, 36-50, and 51+ (7 women in each group). They were asked questions regarding their thoughts and emotions behind their purchasing habits and use of beauty care products, both positive and negative. Their opinions on ingredients used were also obtained. The focus groups were very useful to obtain consumer generated terminology on emotions, benefits and ingredients. For example, women reported that when not using certain beauty care products, they felt tired, dirty and self-conscious, whereas when they did use certain beauty care products, they reported feeling confident, clean, and beautiful. They also mentioned the importance of ingredients. Women overwhelmingly wanted products to have a more natural ingredient base and to be created “cruelty-free” (tested without having ever been tested on animals). These qualitative techniques will help provide terms that are more relevant and meaningful to consumers, and with this, help marketers and researchers better understand the consumer, in this case, understand women’s feelings and emotions related to the use of beauty care products so companies can better communicate with their target users.

A marcha humana, ou locomoção bípede, pode ser definida como sendo umprocesso contínuo de perda e recuperação o equilíbrio a partir da mudança de posição. Durante a marcha normal, a ativação da musculatura da coluna vertebral e acelerações do tronco resultam em ciclos de cargas aplicadas à coluna. O aumento da velocidade de caminhada aumenta a amplitude de movimento da coluna lombar e os níveis de ativação da musculatura ao redor do tronco. A coordenação postural automática alterada associada com lombalgia pode ser resultado de uma variedade de fatores que vão desde a estratégia de movimento escolhida até a diminuição da força exercida sobre a superfície de apoio, passando por mudanças nos níveis de contração muscular por medo do movimento e/ou dor. O foco atencional do indivíduo, quando dirigido a algum fator externo pode alterar a sua percepção da dor e diminuir as alterações em seus padrões de movimento na marcha. Estudos anteriores mostram que a força de reação do solo apresentou alterações significativas entre grupos de pessoas com e sem dor lombar crônica. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a possível influência do foco atencional no equilíbrio dinâmico de pessoas com dor lombar crônica bem como buscar, na marcha de pessoas com dor lombar crônica clinicamente comprovada, diferentes padrões de movimentos sob diferentes focos atencionais. Além disso, pretendeu-se descrever os efeitos dos diferentes focos atencionais sobre o comportamento das variáveis analisadas na marcha em sujeitos com e sem dor lombar crônica. Fizeram parte do grupo analisado 22 sujeitos que foram orientados, primeiramente, a executar três caminhadas que consistam em, ao menos, três ciclos completos da marcha na velocidade preferida, em linha reta, ao longo da pista de caminhada. Diferentes situações de condução do foco atencional foram utilizadas ao longo das caminhadas que se seguiram. A obtenção dos parâmetros cinemáticos angulares tridimensionais da marcha foi executada através de um sistema de análise de movimentos (Vicon Motion Systems) e os dados cinéticos foram obtidos utilizando-se duas plataformas de força modelo OR6-2000, (Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc.,Watertown, MA, EUA). Todos os dados foram tabulados em planilhas eletrônicas do Microsoft Excel 2003 (Microsoft Corp., EUA). A análise estatística foi realizada no software SPSS 13.0, por meio de Análises de Variância entre as diferentes situações de condução do foco atencional e as variáveis analisadas, com nível de significância de 5%. A ANOVA entre as diferentes situações de condução do foco atencional e as variáveis analisadas não mostrou diferenças significativas entre cada tarefa executada simultaneamente à marcha dos indivíduos (p> 0,9). Conclui-se, a partir dos resultados encontrados, que as diferentes situações de condução do foco atencional utilizadas nesse estudo, apesar de referendadas pela bibliografia utilizada como base teórica, não podem ser usadas de maneira consistente como forma de diminuir os efeitos da dor lombar crônica sobre o comportamento das variáveis analisadas na marcha dos indivíduos avaliados nesse estudo. / The human gait, or bipedal locomotion, can be defined as the continuous process of losing and regaining balance from the change of a geographic location to another. During normal operation, the activation of the muscles of the spine and trunk accelerations result in load cycles applied to the column and increased walking speed increases the range of motion of the lumbar spine and the activation levels of the muscles around the trunk. Changes in the automatic postural coordination associated with low back pain may result from a variety of factors ranging from the motion strategy chosen to decrease the force exerted on the support surface , through changes in levels of muscular contraction for fear of movement and or pain. The attentional focus of the individual, when directed at some external factor, can change your perception of pain and decrease the changes in their patterns of gait movement. Previous studies show that the ground reaction force significantly changed between groups of people with and without chronic low back pain. The present study aimed to analyze the possible influence of attentional focus on dynamic balance of people with chronic low back pain and seek, in the gait of people with chronic low back pain clinically proven, different movement patterns under different attentional foci. In addition, we intend to describe the effects of different attentional focus on the behavior of the variables in gait in subjects with and without chronic low back pain. Formed the group examined 22 subjects who were asked, first, to run three walks consisting of at least three complete cycles of motion in preferred speed, straight along the hiking trail. Different leading situations of attentional focus were used along the walks that followed. The attainment of the three-dimensional angular kinematic parameters of gait was performed using a motion analysis system ( Vicon Motion Systems) and kinetic data were obtained using two force platforms model OR6 - 2000 ( Advanced Mechanical Technology , Inc. Watertown , MA , USA ) . All data were tabulated in spreadsheets Microsoft Excel 2003 ( Microsoft Corp . , USA ) . Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 13.0, using analysis of variance between the different leading situations of the attentional focus and the other variables, with a significance level of 5 %. The ANOVA between different leading situations of the attentional focus and the other variables showed no significant differences between each task performed simultaneously with the motion of individuals (p > 0.9). It is concluded from the results that the different leading situations of the focus used in this study, although ratified by the bibliography used as a theoretical basis, can’t be used consistently in order to diminish the effects of chronic low back pain about the behavior of the variables in the gait of the subjects in this study.

The aim of the thesis is to describe and evaluate the use and accuracy of the individual geodetic methods and their development focus for the spatial division of small structures, such as monuments, fountains, statues and other objects. Describes the aforementioned methods and necessary equipment for geodetic measurements from eklimetru at table methods to modern laser scanners. Are described in detail methods of photogrammetry and laser scanning. In the laser scanning is very interesting its rapid development. We already have the possibility to use very advanced technology, so we can obtain three-dimensional images useful mainly for documentation of monuments and other buildings.