Passive dynamic walking is a gait developed, partially or in whole, by the energy provided by gravity. Research on passive dynamic bipedal walking helps develop an understanding of bipedal walking mechanics. Moreover, experimental passive dynamic research provides a base to compare and validate simulation results. An improved kneed bipedal walking mechanism and an improved measurement system are used to study the passive gait patterns. Gait measurements are conducted on the treadmill to evaluate the effects of the treadmill angle of inclination, mass distribution of the biped, treadmill belt speed, length of flat feet and thigh-shank length on the gait patterns. Most of these dynamic and geometric parameters have significant effects on step length, step period and robustness of the passive gait. Difficulties have been faced with the study of the flat feet and the leg length variation. Suggestions have been provided for future work. Experimental results are compared with previous work based on both the experimental and the computer simulation.

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the study investigated the influence of nonsmokers' argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness levels on their compliance-gaining message selection. Second, the study examined compliance-gaining usage on the basis of two additional independent variables -- agent and target gender. One hundred fifty-four participants completed instrumentation consisting of seven pages. The instrumentation included the Modified Argumentativeness Scale, the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale, the Nonsmoking Compliance-Gaining Scale, demographic and smoking questions.A median split was used to dichotomize both argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness into the two categories of high and low. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the first three hypotheses which made predictions about compliance-gaining strategy use on the basis of the agent's argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness levels. None of the ANOVAs produced significance between high and low argumentativeness. However, there was significance between high and low verbal aggressives. Specifically, high verbal aggressives reported greater use of a variety of compliance-gaining strategies than did low verbal aggressives.The second set of hypotheses made predictions about compliance-gaining strategy use on the basis of the agent's and target's gender. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and univariate analyses were used to test these hypotheses. Males reported greater use of the explanation, direct request, and threat strategies when the target was of the same sex than did females. When the target was of the opposite sex, males reported more use of the threat strategy than did females. An interaction was found with threat. Both men and women reported using the threat strategy more when the target was male.Some of these findings were contradictory to previous research. Sprowl (1984) did not find a distinction between compliance-gaining strategies on the basis of target gender. Further research should examine the effects of agent and target gender on compliance-gaining usage. Additionally, high verbal aggressives reported using positive strategies. Infante and Rancer (1982) described verbal aggressiveness as a negative phenomena. Hence, future research needs to explore the potential positive traits of verbally aggressive individuals. / Department of Speech Communication

Passive dynamic walking is a gait developed, partially or in whole, by the energy provided by gravity. Research on passive dynamic bipedal walking helps develop an understanding of bipedal walking mechanics. Moreover, experimental passive dynamic research provides a base to compare and validate simulation results. An improved kneed bipedal walking mechanism and an improved measurement system are used to study the passive gait patterns. Gait measurements are conducted on the treadmill to evaluate the effects of the treadmill angle of inclination, mass distribution of the biped, treadmill belt speed, length of flat feet and thigh-shank length on the gait patterns. Most of these dynamic and geometric parameters have significant effects on step length, step period and robustness of the passive gait. Difficulties have been faced with the study of the flat feet and the leg length variation. Suggestions have been provided for future work. Experimental results are compared with previous work based on both the experimental and the computer simulation.

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Amongst the multiple and diverse meanings and functions passive constructions hold, this study considers that the primary function of passives in Japanese is to portray an event from the point of view of an affected entity. The thesis identifies three types of affectedness in Japanese passive constructions: emotive affectedness, direct / physical affectedness, and objective affectedness. Emotive affectedness, often referred to as �adversative� meaning, has drawn attention from many researchers. It has been strongly associated in the past with the syntactic category called the �indirect passive�, but is actually also observed in many instances of the �direct passive�. Direct / physical affectedness is detected mainly in the construction here referred to as the �direct sentient passive�. This meaning is common in passives in many other languages, including English. The last type � objective affectedness � is primarily associated with �non-sentient passives�, more specifically with what is here called the �plain passive�. Many previous researchers have claimed a complete and apparently transparent correlation between syntactic and semantic distinctions of the Japanese passive. The present study rejects these direct correlations. In analysing authentic data, it becomes evident that the correlation is much more subtle than has generally been recognised, and that is a matter of degree or continuum, rather than a discrete, black and white issue. To reflect this view, this study proposes separate sets of categories for syntactic and semantic distinctions. The ultimate aim of this study is to reveal how Japanese passives are actually used in real contexts. In order to achieve this aim, detailed examination of authentic written and spoken data is conducted. Some findings of the data analysis in the present study contradict previous claims, such as the finding of a large proportion of passives with a non-sentient subject and very low frequency of occurrence of indirect passives. This research also finds that, although more than half of the propositional meanings in the passive data examined are �negative�, a considerable number of passives still appear in a proposition with a neutral or positive meaning. Another prominent finding regarding propositional meaning is that it seems to be related to the degree of centrality of the passive subject to the event. With regard to the syntactic classification of passive, in particular, it is observed that the lower the degree of the centrality of the subject of the passive to the event, the greater the likelihood that the passive clause involves a negative proposition.

Thesis (M.Nurs.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-127)

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1915. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 251-259).

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-96).