The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative effectiveness of positive interdependence and group processing on student achievement, interaction, and attitude in online cooperative learning. All of the participants, 144 college students enrolled in one of three different courses, received initial general instruction about teamwork skills and cooperative learning at the start of the study. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: positive interdependence, group processing, and no structure. The ?positive interdependence? groups received subsequent positive interdependence skills training which were then utilized in their instructional activities. The ?group processing? groups received subsequent group processing skills training for use in their instructional activities. The ?no structure? groups received no additional instructional treatment beyond the initial basic teamwork and cooperative learning training. Results indicated that there were significant differences among students in the ?positive interdependence,? ?group processing,? and ?no structure? groups with respect to their achievement scores and interactions. Participants in the ?positive interdependence? groups had significantly higher achievement than participants in either the ?group processing? groups or the ?no structure? groups. In addition, participants in the ?positive interdependence? groups and the ?group processing? groups interacted with each other to a greater extent than those in the ?no structure? groups. This study also examined the relative effectiveness of positive interdependence and group processing on types of student interaction. The results indicated that ?positive interdependence? strategies were relatively more effective than ?group processing? strategies on ?sharing and comparing of information? interactions, whereas ?group processing? strategies were relatively more effective than ?positive interdependence? strategies on ?negotiation of meaning and co-construction of knowledge? interactions. Regarding student attitude towards the experiences of cooperative learning: participation, communication resources, and online activities, there was no significant difference among any of the three groups. The overall results of this study suggest that instructors would be advised to incorporate positive interdependence strategies in their online courses to help students perceive that they should actively contribute to their online group activities. In addition, instructors are recommended to inform groups of the individual progress of each member?s activities periodically by employing group processing strategies.

Can a robot understand a human's social behavior? Moreover, how should a robot act in response to a human's behavior? If the goals of artificial intelligence are to understand, imitate, and interact with human level intelligence then researchers must also explore the social underpinnings of this intellect. Our endeavor is buttressed by work in biology, neuroscience, social psychology and sociology. Initially developed by Kelley and Thibaut, social psychology's interdependence theory serves as a conceptual skeleton for the study of social situations, a computational process of social deliberation, and relationships (Kelley&Thibaut, 1978). We extend and expand their original work to explore the challenge of interaction with an embodied, situated robot. This dissertation investigates the use of outcome matrices as a means for computationally representing a robot's interactions. We develop algorithms that allow a robot to create these outcome matrices from perceptual information and then to use them to reason about the characteristics of their interactive partner. This work goes on to introduce algorithms that afford a means for reasoning about a robot's relationships and the trustworthiness of a robot's partners. Overall, this dissertation embodies a general, principled approach to human-robot interaction which results in a novel and scientifically meaningful approach to topics such as trust and relationships.

Questo lavoro di ricerca ha un duplice obiettivo: valutare l’interdipendenza delle relazioni intime, valutando in particolare come la relazione romantica sia connessa a quella con i genitori, e indagare il legame tra l’individuazione e la qualità delle relazioni con il padre e con la madre in età giovane adulta. Poiché la letteratura ha messo in luce come vi siano diverse traiettorie all’età adulta, questi obiettivi sono stati esaminati confrontando tre diverse nazioni, l’Italia, la Germania e la Svezia, che rappresentano un diverso percorso di transizione, per vedere se i legami tra i costrutti possano essere considerati universali. Inoltre, per meglio comprendere come si esplica l’interdipendenza tra le relazioni, sono stati utilizzati i metodi misti. I risultati mostrano che vi è, in effetti, un’interdipendenza tra tutte le relazioni considerate e che, creando diverse tipologie di individuazione, la qualità della relazione con i genitori differisce nelle diverse tipologie. Il legame tra i diversi costrutti considerati è stato trovato sia in Italia che in Germania, benché con delle specificità culturali, mentre la Svezia è la nazione in cui l’interdipendenza risulta essere più debole. / The aims of this research are to assess the interdependence of intimate relationships, studying how young adults’ romantic relationship is connected to their parent-child relationship, and to investigate the association between their individuation and the relationship with their mother and father. The literature has show different paths to adulthood, so these aims have been examined by comparing three different countries: Italy, Germany and Sweden, where the transition to adulthood presents different trajectories, in order to test whether the links between the examined constructs can be considered universal. Moreover, in order to better understand how the interdependence of relationships unfolds mixed methods have been used. Findings showed that all relationships considered are indeed interdependent and that the quality of the parent-child relationship differs depending on the different types of individuation investigated. The link among the constructs studied was found both in Italy and in Germany, though with some cultural specificities, while in Sweden interdependence appears to be weaker.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

La presente ricerca si è proposta di indagare le dinamiche relazionali all’interno di piccoli gruppi, individuando nel metodo osservativo, e in particolare nella video-osservazione, la via d’accesso per lo studio del processo interattivo. L’interazione costituisce, infatti, il focus privilegiato per studiare il gruppo e l’interdipendenza che lo caratterizza. La tesi, fondandosi sull’analisi della teoria dei piccoli gruppi che ha fatto emergere gli elementi che li contraddistinguono, si articola in tre studi che ripercorrono la riflessione metodologica messa in campo per una lettura “gruppale” del processo interattivo attraverso i costrutti di coordinazione e influenza che, nel loro intreccio, danno forma all’interazione tra i membri di un gruppo. Nello specifico, il presente lavoro prende avvio dalla review sistematica (studio 1) degli articoli di ricerca pubblicati sui piccoli gruppi negli ultimi 5 anni (2008-2012), e fotografa il “che cosa” e il “come” dello studio dei piccoli gruppi, con particolare attenzione agli aspetti metodologici. Il secondo studio descrive i processi interattivi dei piccoli gruppi attraverso i costrutti di coordinazione e influenza, mettendo a punto una griglia di codifica osservativa che ne ha permesso la lettura a livello gruppale. Il terzo studio confronta tipologie di piccoli gruppi caratterizzati da composizione e struttura relazionale diversa al fine di coglierne somiglianze e differenze nel loro processo interattivo. / The aim of this research is to investigate the relational dynamics within small groups, through the observational method, in particular video-observation as the key to access the study of interactive process. Interaction is the main focus that allows to grasp the group and the interdependence that characterizes it. The present dissertation is based on the theoretical perspective about small groups that reveals the main elements of them and it is articulated in three studies that follow the methodological reflection in order to propose a “group” reading of the interactive process through the constructs of coordination and influence that in their interweaving shape the interaction among members of a group. Specifically, in order to take a picture about “what” and “how” of the study of small groups, the first study presents a systematic review of the research articles on small groups, published in the last five years (2008-2012). The aim of the second study is to describe the interactive processes of small groups through coordination and influence, developing an observational coding scheme that has allowed to read the groups at a “group” level. In the third study small groups with different composition and relational structure are compared in order to identify their similarities and differences in their interactive process.

隨著社會與環境的快速變遷，政府傳統的單一權力控制模式已經無法有效解決公共問題與滿足民眾需求，因此世界各國政府改造趨勢多以治理取代過去由上而下的統治與管理思維，並且尋求政府體制以外的非政府夥伴加入公共事務管理與公共服務產出的行列，而公私協力治理模式之運作更是廣受學界與實務工作者的關注與重視。 本研究試以臺北捷運聯合開發制度檢視我國公私協力之運作執行，透過文獻分析與深度訪談，萃取相關學者與實務工作者的參與經驗，探討我國公私部門在捷運聯合開發之協力過程中所產生之限制與問題。 研究發現我國捷運聯合開發過程中的公私夥伴關係僅建立在制式化的契約基礎上，並無法有效回應開發作業所呈現的複雜動態變化，同時合作雙方也缺乏具體的協商機制與行為共識，因此本研究建議我國政府在政策規劃與設計階段必須將各行動者的參與動機和參與目的納入考量，同時在政策執行過程中，雙方亦須透過協商互動來確保彼此的合作意願，透過資源共用和權力互賴而完善我國捷運聯合開發之公私協力治理模式。 / With the social and environment rapid change, the traditional authority has been not solved the public problem. Hence, every country toward the governance to replace the top-down and seek for non-governments to be public administrators. Therefore, the Public-Private Partnerships is popular for scholar and practice workers. This study aims to review the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit(MRT) System with the respect of Public-Private Partnerships. We will discuss the Public-Private Partnerships’ limits and problem in MRT joint developments through the references and deep interview, gaining the experience from the scholars and practices workers. This study finds out that the Public-Private Partnerships in MRT joint development process are basic on the contracts. It could not respond efficiency the complex dynamic and both sides lack negotiation systems and arrangement at the same time. Consequence, the study suggests that the country have to consider the motivation and purpose from actors in the process of policy formulation. At the same time, both side have to ensure cooperation willing through the negotiation and to achieve the perfect Public-Private Partnerships through the resource dependence and interdependence of power in the MRT joint development.

Esta tese aborda o tema do impacto político e intelectual da Guerra do Vietnã nos Estados Unidos a partir da história da fundação e dos primeiros anos de existência do periódico Foreign Policy (1970-1977). A intervenção no Vietnã desencadeou uma intensa contestação na sociedade norte-americana em relação às doutrinas e práticas de Guerra Fria que, até então, eram amplamente aceitas. A crise foi tão profunda que as principais organizações de política externa, o sistema político, os consagrados membros do establishment e as bases ideacionais e intelectuais que sustentavam as práticas intervencionistas se tornaram todos alvos de profundos questionamentos e, muitas vezes, violentos ataques. A história da Foreign Policy reconstrói este processo a partir de um ponto de vista privilegiado, uma vez que foi esta crise que motivou a fundação de um novo periódico com a intenção de revisar a política externa norte-americana e reformular os paradigmas analíticos em relações internacionais. Além disso, diversos membros da Foreign Policy participaram de decisões da intervenção no Vietnã, quando ainda eram mais jovens, e assumiram ao longo da década de 1970 posição de destaque na elaboração de uma política externa menos intervencionista e militarista (o que desencadeia na participação deles no governo Carter) ou na constituição de novos paradigmas intelectuais em política internacional que transcendiam o tema da Guerra Fria, abordando a crescente interdependência e as novas questões sociais globais. Esta tese retoma desde a Guerra do Vietnã até as propostas de governo do presidente Carter e os novos paradigmas analíticos em relações internacionais a partir da trajetória de membros da Foreign Policy (Samuel Huntington, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Richard Holbrooke, James C. Thomson, Joseph Nye, entre outros). A história deste periódico ajuda a compreender melhor uma conjuntura política decisiva nos Estados Unidos em que foram concebidos os germes da polarização política, da crise do establishment e de uma preocupação política com as consequências domésticas de uma economia cada vez mais interdependente e globalizada. / This dissertation focuses on the political and intellectual impact of the Vietnam War in the United States, based on the founding and first years of the existence of Foreign Policy Magazine (1970-1977). Intervention in Vietnam set off an intense dispute in American society regarding the Cold War doctrines and practices, which had been widely accepted until then. The crisis was so deep that the major foreign policy organizations, the political system, respected members of the establishment, and the ideological and intellectual bases that had sustained the interventionist practices all became targets of profound questioning and, frequently violent attacks. The history of Foreign Policy reconstructs this process based on a privileged vantage point, since it was this crisis that motivated the rise of a new periodical with the intention of reviewing American foreign policy and reformulating the analytical paradigms regarding international relations. Moreover, various members of Foreign Policy had taken part in the decisions to intervene in Vietnam, when they were younger, and during the 1970s assumed a position of importance in developing a less interventionist and militaristic foreign policy (which led to their participation in the Carter government), or in the creation of new intellectual paradigms in international politics that transcend the theme of the Cold War, focusing on increasing interdependence and the new global social issues. This dissertation reexamines the period from the Vietnam War to the Carter president proposals and the new analytical paradigms with respect to international relations based on the trajectory of the Foreign Policy associates (Samuel Huntington, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Richard Holbrooke, James C. Thomson, Joseph Nye, and others). The history of this journal helps to better understand one decisive political juncture of the United States, wherein were conceived the seeds of political polarization, the crisis of the establishment, and of a political concern with the domestic consequences of an increasingly interdependent and globalized economy.

Text in English / This thesis is an attempt to investigate how local churches (re)define their international orientation in response to the shockwaves of globalisation and their interpretation of the signs of the times. The analysis is guided by the key dimensions of interdependence, responsibility, and partnership. The local church is expected to have reached an increasing awareness of interdependence in her international relationships by the emergence of the postmodern systemic paradigm as never before in the history of the ecumenical movement. Consequently, this results in a sense of responsibility developing directly from a prophetic reading and an interpretation of the signs of the times as well as in a receptivity to be fertilised by international impulses. The local church is perceived by both individual Christians and pastors as direct platform for international responsibility. The wounds of the world, the needy and the suffering are suggested as inviting primary responses of local churches in the North. International church partnerships are investigated as practical attempts to live out interdependent relationships, to translate the sense of responsibility into action, and to receive fertilisation from the partner churches. Qualitative case studies from Reformed, United (Lutheran/Reformed) and Free churches present a status analysis of churches regarding the points under discussion. The tendency is observed that pastors inc~easingly look for ways alternative to the old ecumenical structures, which are characterised by rich/poor and donor/recipient relationships, thus operating their churches with free initiative and association. Studies regularly narrow down topics to interdependence, postmodernism, development, development politics, church development services, international partnerships, ecumenical learning, etc. Often recommendations for action are made based on the one single area of research presented. In this study, however, it is argued that pastors and churches do not derive their decisions and programmes from considerations of one single area, but they consider all these areas together. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The dissertation underlines an approach towards mission, where the epistemology, hermeneutical key and methodology centre around relationship. This, by tracing trends in the pastoral context, verified through research and an analysis of congregational surveys. The results were then analysed in terms of biblical revelation (the creation narratives, God's covenental relationship with Israel, Christ as the New Israel, Christ's missiological methodology and an understanding of the Holy Trinity). The resulis were then also brought into conversation with recent developments in science, recognising the interdependence of all things, and also exploring recent definitions of mission. The study then grapples with a new way of engaging in theology. This new model simultaneously promotes the symbiotic nature of theologies, while placing them within the framework of relational objectives; using dialogue as medium, Holland and Henriot's Social Analysis and quantifiable relationship goals to engender a theological process accessible to people from all contexts and backgrounds. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Esta tese é composta de três ensaios empíricos sobre finanças corporativas e macrofinanças, todos eles aplicados ao Brasil. O primeiro mostra como uma mudanças tributárias no nível do acionista podem afetar as decisões financeiras das empresas investidas, através da estrutura de propriedade. Os resultados sugerem que as empresas ajustam suas políticas financeiras para minimizar os gastos tributários totais (nível do acionista mais nível da firma). No segundo artigo, analisa-se a relação entre o investimento estrangeiro em carteira (EFPI) e o investimento agregado brasileiro. Os resultados mostram que o EFPI tem um impacto marginal positivo na formação bruta de capital fixo, mas que essa relação é condicionada a fatores institucionais, tal como o grau de intervenção do governo no mercado de crédito. Finalmente, no terceiro ensaio, mostro que um aumento exógeno dos preços dos ativos colateralizáveis imobiliários pode ter consequências positivas no financiamento e investimento das empresas. As firmas aparentemente mais beneficiadas pelo ciclo expansionista de crédito observado no Brasil durante os anos 2000 foram justamente aquelas com menor grau de tangibilidade, potencialmente fora do mercado de crédito no período anterior. / In this thesis, I present three empirical essays on corporate finance and macro-finance applied to Brazil. In the first one, I show that an exogenous tax change at the investor level can have real effects on the invested firms’ behavior. My evidence suggests that treated firms adjust their financial policies considering substitute financial instruments and seeking to minimize overall tax spending. In the second paper, I analyze the role of equity foreign portfolio investment (EFPI) on affecting aggregate investment. The results show that EFPI has a marginal positive impact on the gross capital formation, but this relation seems to be contingent on institutional factors such as government intervention in credit markets. Finally, in the third essay, I show that an exogenous increase in collateral prices can have positive consequences on firms’ financing and investment decisions. The credit expansion registered in Brazil in the middle of the 2000’s seem to have alleviated financial constraints most for smaller, less tangible firms, which probably were (at least partially) out of the credit market before the boom.