Attractiveness is a phenomenon that is highly prioritised in society and has a variety of implications on the health, mental health, occupational, judicial and economic spheres. The media is known to have an impact on how certain norms, expectations and beliefs in society are formed, including, but not limited to, the creation of beauty ideals. Despite this importance, little research has been done on how men have come to perceive the attractiveness of women as a consequence of daily exposure to the media and photoshopped images of women. This study therefore attempts to address this gap in research by studying the impact that media and the use of photoshopping might have on males' perception of female attractiveness. A mixed-method approach was followed. Accordingly, both qualitative and quantitative data was collected during this study. The quantitative data entailed a comparison of heart rate, breathing rate, heart rate variability and viewing time for 24 participants between non-photoshopped and photoshopped images. The qualitative section comprised eye tracking data and a questionnaire for 25 male participants on the topic of media, photoshopping, features of attractiveness and what impact these three constructs might have on each other. The results indicate that on a physiological level there are limited and sporadic changes in how men view, and respond to, photoshopped images of women. Despite this finding, most participants report that on a psychological level media and photoshopping has an impact on their perceptions of beauty and their experience of interpersonal attraction. / Mini Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

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This study was conducted to explore the college adjustment of first year college students studying at a university in Northern Cyprus. Study I which used longitudinal mixed method design, examined changes in social, academic, and total college adjustment, perceived stress, self-esteem, college adjustment self-efficacy, cultural distance levels of students through three assessments (3 months, 6 months, 9 months) / and investigated college adjustment process and experiences of students through three interviews at three stages (3 months, 6 months, 9 months). Participants were 14 English Preparatory School Turkish students at a university in the Northern Cyprus. Study II, investigated the role of gender, academic achievement, student club membership, perceived stress, self-esteem, college adjustment self-efficacy, and cultural distance, on college adjustment. Participants were 186 English Preparatory School Turkish students at a university in the Northern Cyprus. In Study II, data were collected at the end of the academic year. In Study I, it was found that, students&rsquo / self-controlled persistence of activity dimension of CASES scores increased significantly from 3 to 6 months, and students&rsquo / cultural distance scores increased from 3 to 9 months. However, no significant differences were encountered in other variables&rsquo / scores among three assessments. The qualitative findings indicated that students experienced several challenges and frequently used active coping strategies to deal with them. During this challenging process family and friends were the two prime sources of support for the students. Students also revealed that their first year experience contributed to several positive personal changes and their supportive social network and previous experiences/life style were two important facilitative factors in their adaptation process. In Study II, the results of the three hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that combination of all 5 predictors in three steps explained 34 % of variance in total college adjustment, 31 % of variance in social adjustment, and 34 % of variance in academic adjustment scores of the students. Among all individual predictor variables / self adjustment in human relations dimension of CASES, self-esteem, student club membership were positive predictors of overall college adjustment and social adjustment / academic achievement and self-controlled persistence of activity dimension of CASES were positive predictors of academic adjustment. On the other hand, perceived stress was a negative predictor of overall college adjustment and academic adjustment.

Introduction: Patient participation is important for improving outcomes and respecting selfdetermination and legal aspects in care. Heart failure is a chronic condition that puts high demands on self-care and patient participation. Patients often need advanced care due to deterioration of their heart failure symptoms, and one option is to provide care as home-care. There is limited knowledge of how patients with heart failure and their partners view participation in home-care. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to describe different perspectives of participation in structured heart failure home-care among patients with heart failure and their partners. Methods: All patients in this thesis received structured heart failure home-care, according to a model aiming to facilitate care, where safety, participation, and gaining knowledge about the illness and treatment, are in focus. Study I had a prospective pre-post longitudinal design including 100 patients with heart failure receiving home-care. Data was collected by selfadministered questionnaires. Study II had a descriptive design. Nineteen patients receiving home-care were interviewed, and data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. Study III had a descriptive and explorative design. Data was collected by video-recorded observations of 19 home visits and analysed by qualitative content analysis. Study IV had a parallel convergent mixed-method design including 15 partners of patients receiving structured home-care. Data was collected by interviews and self-administered questionnaires. Datasets were first analysed separately and then together. Results: Better self-care behaviour was significantly associated with all measured aspects of participation. Participation by received information increased significantly during the 12-month follow-up (I). Patients’ descriptions of participation included communication between patients and health care professionals, access to care, active involvement in care, a trustful relation with health care professionals, and options for decision-making(II). Observed care encounters revealed that participation was made possible by; (i) interaction, including exchange of care-related information, care-related reasoning, and collaboration, (ii) an enabling approach, including the patient expresses own wishes and shows an active interest, and the nurse is committed and invites to a dialogue (III). Partners scored fairly positive for their participation in care and they performed different levels of caregiving tasks. Descriptions of participation included; adapting to the caring needs and illness trajectory, mastering caregiving demands, interacting with care providers, and gaining knowledge to comprehend the health situation. The mixed-method results showed both convergent results and expanded knowledge (IV). Conclusions: Structured heart failure home-care facilitated participation both for patients and their partners. Patient participation with regard to received information improved significantly after receiving home-care. Aspects of patient participation were consistently associated with better self-care behaviour. Patients’ and partners’ descriptions revealed many aspects of participation, and observed home visits revealed how interaction and an enabling approach underpinned participation.

It is critical for researchers to be confident of the quality of survey data. Problems with data quality often relate to measurement method design, through choices made by researchers in their creation of standardised measurement instruments. This is known to affect the way respondents interpret and respond to these instruments, and can result in substantial measurement error. Current methods for removing measurement error are post-hoc and have been shown to be problematic. This research proposes that innovations can be made through the creation of measurement methods that take respondents' individual cognitions into consideration, to reduce measurement error in survey data. Specifically, the aim of the study was to develop and test a measurement instrument capable of having respondents individualise their own rating-scales. A mixed methodology was employed. The qualitative phase provided insights that led to the development of the Individualised Rating-Scale Procedure (IRSP). This electronic measurement method was then tested in a large multi-group experimental study, where its measurement properties were compared to those of Likert-Type Rating-Scales (LTRSs). The survey included pre-validated psychometric constructs which provided a baseline for comparing the methods, as well as to explore whether certain individual characteristics are linked to respondent choices. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the survey data. Whilst no strong associations were found between individual characteristics and respondent choices, the results demonstrated that the IRSP is reliable and valid. This study has produced a dynamic measurement instrument that accommodates individual-level differences, not addressed by typical fixed rating-scales.

This research attempted to discover how Additive Manufacturing (AM) can best be used to increase the value of personalised consumer products and how designers can be assisted in finding an effective way to facilitate value addition within personalisable product designs. AM has become an enabler for end-users to become directly involved in product personalisation through the manipulation of three-dimensional (3D) designs of the product using easy-to-use design toolkits. In this way, end-users are able to fabricate their own personalised designs using various types of AM systems. Personalisation activity can contribute to an increment in the value of a product because it delivers a closer fit to user preferences. The research began with a literature review that covered the areas of product personalisation, additive manufacturing, and consumer value in product design. The literature review revealed that the lack of methods and tools to enable designers to exploit AM has become a fundamental challenge in fully realising the advantages of the technology. Consequently, the question remained as to whether industrial designers are able to identify the design characteristics that can potentially add value to a product, particularly when the product is being personalised by end-users using AM-enabled design tools and systems. A new value taxonomy was developed to capture the relevant value attributes of personalised AM products. The value taxonomy comprised two first-level value types: product value and experiential value. It was further expanded into six second-level value components: functional value, personal-expressive value, sensory value, unique value, co-design value, and hedonic value. The research employed a survey to assess end-users value reflection on personalised features; measuring their willingness to pay (WTP) and their intention to purchase a product with personalised features. Thereafter, an experimental study was performed to measure end-users opinions on the value of 3D-printed personalised products based on the two value types: product value and experiential value. Based on the findings, a formal added value identification method was developed to act as a design aid tool to assist designers in preparing a personalisable product design that embodies value-adding personalisation features within the product. The design method was translated into a beta-test version paper-based design workbook known as the V+APP Design Method: Design Workbook. The design aid tool was validated by expert designers. In conclusion, this research has indicated that the added value identification method shows promise as a practical and effective method in aiding expert designers to identify the potential value-adding personalisation features within personalisable AM products, ensuring they are able to fully exploit the unique characteristics and value-adding design characteristics enabled by AM. Finally, the limitations of the research have been explained and recommendations made for future work in this area.

The performance of reinforced concrete (RC) columns during recent earthquakes has clearly demonstrated the possible failures associated with inadequate confining reinforcement. The confinement reinforcement requirements of older codes were less stringent than present standards. Many studies were conducted by applying different retrofitting techniques for RC columns that have inadequate confinement reinforcement. A new retrofitting technique by means of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) was developed and tested in many countries in the last decade. This technique is performed by CFRP wrapping the critical region of columns. The effectiveness of CFRP retrofitting technique was shown in many studies conducted worldwide. In Turkey, the frame members are considerably deficient from the seismic detailing point of view. Therefore, in order to use the CFRP retrofitting technique effectively in Turkey, experimental evidence is needed. This study investigates the performance of CFRP retrofitted RC columns with deficient confining steel and low concrete strength. It was concluded by experimental and analytical results that the CFRP retrofitting method can be implemented to seismically deficient columns. Moreover, two design approaches were proposed for CFRP retrofit design of columns considering safe design regulations.

Réalisée dans le cadre d’un contrat CIFRE, cette thèse étudie la construction, l’appropriation et les effets de la politique d’égalité professionnelle entre les femmes et les hommes chez Orange. Mobilisant la perspective appropriative des dispositifs de gestion enrichie par le concept de logiques institutionnelles, ce travail repose sur un matériau riche et varié : entretiens, données RH, séquences d’observation, documents internes, notamment. Nous montrons que la coexistence de plusieurs conceptions de l’égalité professionnelle au sein de l’entreprise structure fortement l’application de la politique au niveau local, mais également sa construction, qu’il s’agisse de l’accord d’entreprise ou de la politique non négociée. L’analyse conjointe de l’application de la politique et de ses effets, permise par la combinaison de matériaux et de méthodes qualitatifs et quantitatifs, nous donne de plus l’opportunité de comprendre les effets quantifiables (ou l’absence d’effets quantifiables) d’une mesure à l’aune de la manière dont elle est appliquée au niveau local. Nous mettons enfin en exergue les spécificités de la négociation sur l’égalité professionnelle par rapport à d’autres négociations, dues notamment à la transversalité de l’égalité professionnelle à de nombreux processus RH ; et nous soulignons l’importance de la coexistence et de l’articulation de l’accord d’entreprise et de la politique non négociée sur l’égalité professionnelle. / This thesis, written while working under a CIFRE contract, studies the construction, the implementation and the effects of the gender equality policy at Orange. Using the appropriative perspective of management tools enriched by the concept of institutional logics, this work is based on various data, in particular: interviews, HR data, observations, internal documents. We show that the coexistence of various conceptions of gender equality within the company strongly affects the implementation of the gender equality policy within the entities, but also its construction, for both the collective bargaining agreement and the non-negotiated policy. The joint analysis of the implementation and of the effects of the policy, made possible by a mixed-method design, allows us to understand the quantifiable effects (or the absence of quantifiable effects) of a measure according to the way it is implemented within the entities. We underline the specificities of the collective bargaining about gender equality, notably due to the fact that gender equality cuts across various HR processes. Finally, we show the importance of the coexistence and articulation of the collective bargaining agreement and non-negotiated gender equality policy.

Under de senaste åren har antalet ambulansuppdrag samt inflödet av patienter till landets akutmottagningar ökat. Det är en orsak till att arbetssättet inom ambulanssjukvården har utvecklats kring hänvisning av patienter till rätt vårdnivå som exempelvis akutmottagning, direktspår till specialistsjukvård, primärvård eller egenvård i hemmet. Det förändrade arbetssättet har lett till utmaningar i bedömningen av patienter. Syftet med studien var att undersöka bakomliggande orsaker till felaktiga patientbedömningar av ambulanssjuksköterskor vid hänvisning till egenvård. Resultatet kan bidra med ökad patientsäkerhet genom ökad kunskap om begångna felbedömningar. Studien utfördes med en mixed method 3-fas-design. Lex Maria-fall, internutredningar och händelseanalyser gällande hänvisning till egenvård från två regioner i sydöstra Sverige under åren 2015–2020, granskades med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. I analysen framkom tre gemensamma teman; “bedömning av patienten”, “riktlinjer” samt “omgivning och organisation”. Den kvalitativa analysen låg till grund för den kvantitativa analysen av ambulansjournaler. Efter den kvalitativa analysen togs ett granskningsprotokoll fram med 34 variabler som användes för granskning av 240 slumpmässigt utvalda ambulansjournaler under år 2020 där patienter hänvisats till egenvård. Slutligen sammanfördes granskningarna i en syntes. Resultatet visade att de synpunkter som framkommit i Lex Maria-fallen återfanns vid granskningen av ambulansjournaler. Det finns brister i anamnestagningen samt i antalet utförda riktade undersökningar. Checklistan för egenvård samt informationsbladet som ska lämnas till de patienter som hänvisas nyttjas ej. Totalt gick ambulanspersonal utanför gällande riktlinje för hänvisning till egenvård i 34% av de granskade ambulansjournalerna. Åtgärder behövs för att garantera den ökande mängden patienter som hänvisas till egenvård en patientsäker bedömning, framförallt när det kommer till äldre, multisjuka patienter.

It is critical for researchers to be confident of the quality of survey data. Problems with data quality often relate to measurement method design, through choices made by researchers in their creation of standardised measurement instruments. This is known to affect the way respondents interpret and respond to these instruments, and can result in substantial measurement error. Current methods for removing measurement error are post-hoc and have been shown to be problematic. This research proposes that innovations can be made through the creation of measurement methods that take respondents¿ individual cognitions into consideration, to reduce measurement error in survey data. Specifically, the aim of the study was to develop and test a measurement instrument capable of having respondents individualise their own rating-scales. A mixed methodology was employed. The qualitative phase provided insights that led to the development of the Individualised Rating-Scale Procedure (IRSP). This electronic measurement method was then tested in a large multi-group experimental study, where its measurement properties were compared to those of Likert-Type Rating-Scales (LTRSs). The survey included pre-validated psychometric constructs which provided a baseline for comparing the methods, as well as to explore whether certain individual characteristics are linked to respondent choices. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the survey data. Whilst no strong associations were found between individual characteristics and respondent choices, the results demonstrated that the IRSP is reliable and valid. This study has produced a dynamic measurement instrument that accommodates individual-level differences, not addressed by typical fixed rating-scales.