Dysphagia, a condition commonly associated with older adults suffering from stroke or degenerative diseases, often requires a modified texture food diet. Although commercial pureed foods are available in Canada for treatment of dysphagia, little is known regarding their sensory, nutritional, and textural properties, and whether these foods are liked among consumers. The objectives of this research were to characterize the sensory, nutritional, and textural properties of commercial pureed carrot, turkey, and bread products and to determine their liking in two groups of older adults; non-dysphagic and pureed consumers. It was found that commercial pureed foods differed significantly across brands in these properties and liking differed between the two study populations. Future research should focus on creating standards for commercial companies to follow to ensure that all products are as safe as possible for swallowing. / OMAFRA, CIHR

Despite considerable theoretical interest in the social functions of gossip, to date there has been very little empirical research conducted examining the social consequences of gossip. This study will apply an experimental lab manipulation to explore the conditions under which different types and different frequencies of gossip affect certain attitudes—power and liking—towards gossipers. Within the context of a modified dictator game, confederates communicated three types (prosocial, self-relevant, and neutral) and two frequencies (low and high) of gossip to participants. Results were expected to show that high frequency gossipers would be perceived as more powerful than low-frequency gossipers. Perceptions of power were also predicted to differ across the three types of gossip conveyed. Moreover, I hypothesized that self-relevant and prosocial gossipers would be significantly more likable more than neutral gossipers. Lastly, frequency was expected to have different effects on liking depending on whether the gossip transmitted was neutral or not. Results did not confirm any of the main hypotheses. However, this study has established a strong theoretical foundation for examining how others perceive gossipers by helping clarify key social functions of gossip and shed light on reputational ramifications for those who gossip.

abstract: Few measurement tools provide reliable, valid data on both children's emotional and behavioral engagement in school. The School Liking and Avoidance Questionnaire (SLAQ) is one such self-report measure developed to evaluate a child's degree of engagement in the school setting as it is manifest in a child's school liking and school avoidance. This study evaluated the SLAQ's dimensionality, reliability, and validity. Data were gathered on children from kindergarten through 6th grade (n=396). Participants reported on their school liking and avoidance in the spring of each school year. Scores consistently represented two distinct, yet related subscales (i.e., school liking and school avoidance) that were reliable and stable over time. Validation analyses provided some corroboration of the construct validity of the SLAQ subscales, but evidence of predictive validity was inconsistent with the hypothesized relations (i.e., early report of school liking and school avoidance did not predict later achievement outcomes). In sum, the findings from this study provide some support for the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the SLAQ and suggest that it can be used for the assessment of young children's behavioral and emotional engagement in school. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Family and Human Development 2011

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Terror management theory posits that self-esteem ultimately protects people from death anxiety. Much research has demonstrated that individuals reminded of death tend to self-enhance. However, more recent research suggests that need for closure and self-esteem might moderate these findings, but no research has directly tested this. It was hypothesized that for people high in self-esteem, mortality salience will not affect self-enhancement. However, for individuals low in self-esteem, it will either increase enhancement (if low in closure) or increase verification (if high in closure). These hypotheses were fully supported using Christian's perceptions of God's love as the dependent variable. Implications for terror management theory, self-verification theory, and religious belief are discussed.

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