Em estudos sobre a atenção visuoespacial automática, as regiões de aparecimento dos estímulos são comumente demarcadas na tela. Resultados preliminares de nosso laboratório demonstraram que as demarcações favorecem a manifestação do efeito atencional. O presente estudo estendeu esse achado determinando o modo de atuação destes estímulos. Em um primeiro experimento, confirmamos o achado de que o efeito atencional observado quando as demarcações estão presentes diminui na ausência delas. Em um segundo experimento, investigamos a possibilidade do efeito atencional não se manifestar na ausência das demarcações devido a um desvio muito precoce do foco atencional do local inicialmente atendido, porém o efeito atencional não se manifestou na ausência das demarcações quando se estabilizou o foco atencional por um período maior no local atendido. No terceiro experimento, identificamos a possibilidade do efeito atencional não se manifestar na ausência das demarcações devido a um mascaramento anterógrado de determinado estímulo alvo pelo estímulo precedente mobilizador da atenção / In studies about automatic visuospatial attention, the appearance of the stimulus regions are commonly marked on the screen. Preliminary results from our laboratory demonstrated that the placeholders favors the development of attentional effect. This study extended this finding by determining the mode of action of these stimuli. In a first experiment, we confirmed the finding that the attencional effect observed when placeholders decreases in their absence. In a second experiment, we investigated the possibility of attentional effect do not manifest in the absence of placeholders due to a very early turning from the attentional focus of initially attended site, however, the attentional effect did not manifest in the absence of placeholders when it stabilized the attentional focus by a longer period in the treated site. In the third experiment, we identified the possibility of the attentional effect do not manifest in the absence of placeholders due to an anterograde masking of certain stimulus target by mobilizing previous stimulus of attention

A preferência pela prática de atividades físicas e esportivas é um atributo subjetivo de difícil mensuração e que tem sido um dos critérios fundamentais, na escolha e na decisão para a sua prática, nos dias atuais. Deste modo, a preferência pela prática de atividades físicas e esportivas foi investigada por meio de métodos psicofísicos escalares diretos e indiretos e, conseqüentemente, escalas de razão, escalas intervalares e escalas ordinais foram comparadas. Os objetivos secundários foram verificar se este contínuo subjetivo possui características protéticas ou metatéticas, verificar se os princípios da Lei de Ekman é valida também para este contínuo subjetivo e identificar diferenças no julgamento da preferência de homens e mulheres. Três experimentos foram realizados. No primeiro experimento participaram vinte sujeitos, dez homens e dez mulheres entre 20 e 25 anos de idade, graduandos que não pertencem ao curso superior de Educação Física. Todos os sujeitos foram submetidos a uma avaliação prévia, que constou do julgamento em testes psicofísicos: a) Teste de estimação de magnitudes (com módulo) e b) Teste de estimação em categorias 1-7. No segundo experimento participaram outros vinte sujeitos, sendo respeitada a mesma divisão do primeiro experimento com relação ao gênero, a idade e a não vinculação com o curso de Educação Física. Os testes deste experimento foram: a) Teste de emparelhamento intermodal com as modalidades de comprimento de linhas e b) Teste de estimação de magnitudes (com módulo). No terceiro experimento participaram quarenta sujeitos, sendo vinte homens e vinte mulheres entre 20 e 25 anos de idade Os testes deste experimento foram: a) Teste de comparação aos pares e b) Teste de estimação de magnitudes (com módulo). Os resultados indicaram que a atividade física de Caminhada foi a atividade de maior preferência, seguida pelos esportes coletivos de Voleibol e Futebol, por outro lado, a atividade física de Remo estacionário obteve a menor preferência, seguida pelas atividades físicas de Dardos (na parede) e do esporte Judô. As demais atividades foram escalonadas de modo intermediário pelos sujeitos. Nos julgamentos dos participantes masculinos as atividades de menor preferência foram: Remo Estacionário, Tênis (simples) e Dardos (na parede), já para as participantes femininas foram os esportes Judô, Remo Estacionário e Dardos. Com as atividades de maior preferência, os sujeitos masculinos apontaram o Futebol, a Caminhada e a Inatividade e os sujeitos do sexo feminino indicaram a Caminhada, o Voleibol e a Hidroginástica. As ordenações resultantes dos métodos produzem posições de preferência altamente concordantes. Os participantes mensuraram razões e não apenas diferenças, portanto, o contínuo subjetivo avaliado possui características protéticas. O teste de emparelhamento intermodal apontou uma alta correlação entre as estimativas de comprimentos de linhas com as estimativas numéricas de magnitudes, indicando a validade da escala de razão. A variabilidade das estimativas foi uma função linear das estimativas de magnitudes, confirmando os princípios da Lei de Ekman, também para este contínuo subjetivo. Independente do método psicofísico utilizado, tanto homens quanto mulheres apresentaram consistência nos seus julgamentos. Os resultados fornecem uma escala de preferência, em nível de mensuração de razão, que é válida, estável e consistente. / The preference for practicing physical and sporting activities is a subject attribute that is difficult to be measured and it has been one of the fundamental approaches, in the choice and in the decision for its practice, in the current days. This way, the preference for practicing physical and sporting activities was investigated through psychophysical methods in direct and indirect scales, and consequently, ratio scales, interval scales and ordinal scales were compared. The secondary objectives were to check if this social continuous has prothetic or metathetic characteristics, cheking if the fundaments of Ekman Law has been worth for this social continuous and identify differences in the judgments from men and women?s preferences. Three experiments were accomplished. In the first experiment there were twenty participants, there were ten men and ten women among 20 to 25 years old, graduating students but not from Physical Education. All the participants were submitted to a previous evaluation, that consisted from the judgments in psychophysical tests: a) Test of magnitudes estimation (with module) and b) Test of categories estimation 1-7. In the second experiment there were other twenty participants, respecting the same division from the first experiment in relation to gender, age, and non-link to the Physical Education course. The tests of these experiments were: a) Test of cross-modality matches with the modalities of line?s length and b) Test of magnitude estimation (with module). In the third experiment there were forty participants, twenty men and twenty women among the age of 20 to 25 years. The tests of these experiments were: a) Comparison test in pairs and b) Test of magnitude estimation (with module). The results indicated that the physical activity of Walking was the most preferred, followed by collective sports as Volleyball and Soccer; on other hand, the physical activity of Stationary Row obtained the least preference, followed by the physical activities of Darts (on the wall) and Judo. The other activities were in scaled by the participants in an intermediate way. In men?s judgments the least preferred activities were: Stationary Row, Tennis (simple) and Darts (on the wall). To women?s judgments they were Judo, Stationary Row and Darts. The most preferred that men aimed were Soccer, Walking and the Inactivity. To women were Walking, Volleyball and Water Aerobic. The orderings results from the methods produce preference positions highly related. The participants measured ration and not only differences, so the social continuous appraised has prothetic characteristics. The test of cross-modality matches aimed a high correlation between the lengths estimate of line with the numeric magnitudes estimation, indicating the validity of the ratio scale. The variability of the estimates was a lineal function of the magnitudes estimation, confirming the fundaments of Ekman Law, also for this social continuous. Independent of the psychophysical method used, as men as women presented consistency in their judgments. The results supply a preference scale, in level of ratio measurements, which is valid, stable and consistent.

Tomadas de decisão intertemporais são influenciadas não somente pelo efeito de desconto do valor em diferentes instantes, como também pelo efeito de percepção temporal. Uma das principais dificuldades que afetam experimentos padrões envolvendo estas escolhas é a simultaneidade de ambos os efeitos no processo de desconto. Através da unificação das leis da psicofísica de percepção do atraso e da associação destas às funções de desconto de valor, propusemos uma forma generalizada para o processo de desconto intertemporal envolvendo ambos os domínios. Mostramos também que a propriedade aditiva do grau de inconsistência, grandeza obtida a partir das funções de desconto, permite discriminar a influência de cada efeito no processo de tomada de decisão. De forma similar ao proposto para escolhas intertemporais, estendemos a teoria psicofísica de percepção ao domínio das probabilidades. Adotando a perspectiva de que o atraso médio para recebimento de uma recompensa está relacionado à sua probabilidade de recebimento, obtivemos uma função de desconto probabilística que abrange os efeitos de desconto de valor e de percepção de probabilidades. Em paralelo ao desenvolvimento no domínio experimental, exploramos também os modelos teóricos (axiomáticos) que fundamentam as tomadas de decisão probabilísticas. Propusemos que a forma da função peso de probabilidades, exploradas em modelos como a teoria da utilidade esperada dependente da ordenação e a teoria do prospecto acumulado, seja representada pela função de desconto generalizada que obtivemos a partir dos modelos fenomenológicos. Neste caso, a função peso é amparada por modelos fenomenológicos de decisão e deriva da suposição de que indivíduos se comportam de forma similar frente a probabilidades e atrasos. / Intertemporal decision making are influenced not only by the effect of the reward value discount at different moments, but also by the time perception effect. One of the main difficulties that affects standard experiments involving intertemporal choices is the simultaneity of both effects on the discount. Through the unification of the psychophysical laws of delay perception and their association to the value discounting functions, we proposed a generalized process for the intertemporal discount involving both domains. We also showed that the additive property of the inconsistency degree, quantity obtained from the discount functions, allowed us to distinguish between both effects in decision making. As proposed for intertemporal choices, we extended the psychophysical perception theory to the probabilities domain. Adopting the perspective that the average delay for receiving a reward is related to the probability of receiving it, we obtained a probabilistic discount function covering value discounting and probability perception. Parallel to the experimental development, we also explored theoretical models that underlie probabilistic decision making. We proposed that the shape of the probability weighting function, explored in models such as rank-dependent expected utility theory and cumulative prospect theory, should be described by the generalized probabilistic function that we obtained from the phenomenological models. Therefore, the weighting function is supported by phenomenological models and derives from the assumption that subjects behave similarly in front of probabilities and delays.

Canada’s workforce, as well as many other countries, is continuing to age as the baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) ages and are remaining in the workforce longer. The number of older workers is estimated to double within the next 10 years (Perry 2010). With increased age, there are a number of factors that could influence worker performance and risk of injury. For example, aging is associated with decreased strength and cardiovascular fitness. However, it is unknown whether a worker’s estimates of how much they can safely lift (based on an approach called psychophysics, which is often used in the design of manual materials handling tasks) is lower for older compared to younger workers. The primary goal of this thesis was to test the hypothesis that psychophysical estimates of maximum acceptable forces would be lower for older workers than younger workers during selected lifting tasks. The secondary goal was to measure a host of variables to provide insights into what factors (e.g. kinematic, strength, cardiovascular) might be influencing potential age-related differences. The experimental testing protocol used a psychophysical approach to identify the maximum acceptable mass of an object during several lifting tasks. Participants comprised a total of 24 female workers (12 older (50+ years old) and 12 younger (20-30 years old)). The primary outcome of interest was the maximum acceptable weight of lift (MAWL) for an 8 hour work day that would allow each participant to ‘work as hard as they can without straining themselves, or becoming unusually tired, weakened, overheated, or out of breath’ (Snook and Ciriello 1991). The participants completed four lifting tasks: floor-to-knuckle height (1 lift/9s and 1 lift/2 min) and knuckle-to-shoulder height (1 lift/2 min and 1 lift/8 hr) by adding or removing lead shot to a lifting box. Tasks were 30 minute in duration; participants could adjust the load mass at any time during the trial. The dependent variables collected were the MAWL (the load mass at the end of the trial), maximum sagittal plane joint angles of the shoulder, hip and knee, overall and body part specific ratings of perceived exertion, and heart rate. Older workers selected MAWL values that were significantly lower (by approximately 24%) than their younger counterparts. These age-related differences were more prevalent for tasks which were constrained by strength (i.e. low frequency) compared to those with large cardiovascular requirements (i.e. high frequency). The only significant difference in the sagittal plane joint flexion angle was for the right hip during the 1 lift/2 min from floor-to-knuckle height lifting task, characterized by 34.4 degree decrease hip angle (more flexed) for the older workers. There were also no significant age-related differences in overall ratings of perceived exertion. The only body part-specific rating of perceived exertion with a significant age-related difference was for the knees, with the younger workers reporting the tasks more taxing on this joint than the older workers. Although there were no age-related differences in absolute heart rate values, the older workers were at a significantly higher percentage of their maximum heart rate. The results of this work suggest there is value in continued research probing whether current ergonomic and work design guidelines need to be updated to accommodate the aging working population. According to the results presented in this study, the current approaches often employed during the design of manual materials handling tasks (i.e. incorporating the loads that 75% of females could perform based on the Snook and Ciriello tables (1991) may not be sufficiently protective for older female workers in the workplace.

The statistical evaluation of molecular imaging approaches for detecting, diagnosing, and monitoring molecular response to treatment are required prior to their adoption. The assessment of fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging is particularly challenging since neither instrument nor agent has been established. Small animal imaging does not address the depth of penetration issues adequately and the risk of administering molecular optical imaging agents into patients remains unknown. Herein, we focus upon the development of a framework for OAIQ which includes a lumpy-object model to simulate natural anatomical tissue structure as well as the non-specific distribution of fluorescent contrast agents. This work is required for adoption of fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging in the clinic. Herein, the imaging system is simulated by the diffusion approximation of the time-dependent radiative transfer equation, which describes near infra-red light propagation through clinically relevant volumes. We predict the time-dependent light propagation within a 200 cc breast interrogated with 25 points of excitation illumination and 128 points of fluorescent light collection. We simulate the fluorescence generation from Cardio-Green at tissue target concentrations of 1, 0.5, and 0.25 µM with backgrounds containing 0.01 µM. The fluorescence boundary measurements for 1 cc spherical targets simulated within lumpy backgrounds of (i) endogenous optical properties (absorption and scattering), as well as (ii) exogenous fluorophore crosssection are generated with lump strength varying up to 100% of the average background. The imaging data are then used to validate a PMBF/CONTN tomographic reconstruction algorithm. Our results show that the image recovery is sensitive to the heterogeneous background structures. Further analysis on the imaging data by a Hotelling observer affirms that the detection capability of the imaging system is adversely affected by the presence of heterogeneous background structures. The above issue is also addressed using the human-observer studies wherein multiple cases of randomly located targets superimposed on random heterogeneous backgrounds are used in a “double-blind” situation. The results of this study show consistency with the outcome of above mentioned analyses. Finally, the Hotelling observer’s analysis is used to demonstrate (i) the inverse correlation between detectability and target depth, and (ii) the plateauing of detectability with improved excitation light rejection.

Canada’s workforce, as well as many other countries, is continuing to age as the baby boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) ages and are remaining in the workforce longer. The number of older workers is estimated to double within the next 10 years (Perry 2010). With increased age, there are a number of factors that could influence worker performance and risk of injury. For example, aging is associated with decreased strength and cardiovascular fitness. However, it is unknown whether a worker’s estimates of how much they can safely lift (based on an approach called psychophysics, which is often used in the design of manual materials handling tasks) is lower for older compared to younger workers. The primary goal of this thesis was to test the hypothesis that psychophysical estimates of maximum acceptable forces would be lower for older workers than younger workers during selected lifting tasks. The secondary goal was to measure a host of variables to provide insights into what factors (e.g. kinematic, strength, cardiovascular) might be influencing potential age-related differences. The experimental testing protocol used a psychophysical approach to identify the maximum acceptable mass of an object during several lifting tasks. Participants comprised a total of 24 female workers (12 older (50+ years old) and 12 younger (20-30 years old)). The primary outcome of interest was the maximum acceptable weight of lift (MAWL) for an 8 hour work day that would allow each participant to ‘work as hard as they can without straining themselves, or becoming unusually tired, weakened, overheated, or out of breath’ (Snook and Ciriello 1991). The participants completed four lifting tasks: floor-to-knuckle height (1 lift/9s and 1 lift/2 min) and knuckle-to-shoulder height (1 lift/2 min and 1 lift/8 hr) by adding or removing lead shot to a lifting box. Tasks were 30 minute in duration; participants could adjust the load mass at any time during the trial. The dependent variables collected were the MAWL (the load mass at the end of the trial), maximum sagittal plane joint angles of the shoulder, hip and knee, overall and body part specific ratings of perceived exertion, and heart rate. Older workers selected MAWL values that were significantly lower (by approximately 24%) than their younger counterparts. These age-related differences were more prevalent for tasks which were constrained by strength (i.e. low frequency) compared to those with large cardiovascular requirements (i.e. high frequency). The only significant difference in the sagittal plane joint flexion angle was for the right hip during the 1 lift/2 min from floor-to-knuckle height lifting task, characterized by 34.4 degree decrease hip angle (more flexed) for the older workers. There were also no significant age-related differences in overall ratings of perceived exertion. The only body part-specific rating of perceived exertion with a significant age-related difference was for the knees, with the younger workers reporting the tasks more taxing on this joint than the older workers. Although there were no age-related differences in absolute heart rate values, the older workers were at a significantly higher percentage of their maximum heart rate. The results of this work suggest there is value in continued research probing whether current ergonomic and work design guidelines need to be updated to accommodate the aging working population. According to the results presented in this study, the current approaches often employed during the design of manual materials handling tasks (i.e. incorporating the loads that 75% of females could perform based on the Snook and Ciriello tables (1991) may not be sufficiently protective for older female workers in the workplace.

Tomadas de decisão intertemporais são influenciadas não somente pelo efeito de desconto do valor em diferentes instantes, como também pelo efeito de percepção temporal. Uma das principais dificuldades que afetam experimentos padrões envolvendo estas escolhas é a simultaneidade de ambos os efeitos no processo de desconto. Através da unificação das leis da psicofísica de percepção do atraso e da associação destas às funções de desconto de valor, propusemos uma forma generalizada para o processo de desconto intertemporal envolvendo ambos os domínios. Mostramos também que a propriedade aditiva do grau de inconsistência, grandeza obtida a partir das funções de desconto, permite discriminar a influência de cada efeito no processo de tomada de decisão. De forma similar ao proposto para escolhas intertemporais, estendemos a teoria psicofísica de percepção ao domínio das probabilidades. Adotando a perspectiva de que o atraso médio para recebimento de uma recompensa está relacionado à sua probabilidade de recebimento, obtivemos uma função de desconto probabilística que abrange os efeitos de desconto de valor e de percepção de probabilidades. Em paralelo ao desenvolvimento no domínio experimental, exploramos também os modelos teóricos (axiomáticos) que fundamentam as tomadas de decisão probabilísticas. Propusemos que a forma da função peso de probabilidades, exploradas em modelos como a teoria da utilidade esperada dependente da ordenação e a teoria do prospecto acumulado, seja representada pela função de desconto generalizada que obtivemos a partir dos modelos fenomenológicos. Neste caso, a função peso é amparada por modelos fenomenológicos de decisão e deriva da suposição de que indivíduos se comportam de forma similar frente a probabilidades e atrasos. / Intertemporal decision making are influenced not only by the effect of the reward value discount at different moments, but also by the time perception effect. One of the main difficulties that affects standard experiments involving intertemporal choices is the simultaneity of both effects on the discount. Through the unification of the psychophysical laws of delay perception and their association to the value discounting functions, we proposed a generalized process for the intertemporal discount involving both domains. We also showed that the additive property of the inconsistency degree, quantity obtained from the discount functions, allowed us to distinguish between both effects in decision making. As proposed for intertemporal choices, we extended the psychophysical perception theory to the probabilities domain. Adopting the perspective that the average delay for receiving a reward is related to the probability of receiving it, we obtained a probabilistic discount function covering value discounting and probability perception. Parallel to the experimental development, we also explored theoretical models that underlie probabilistic decision making. We proposed that the shape of the probability weighting function, explored in models such as rank-dependent expected utility theory and cumulative prospect theory, should be described by the generalized probabilistic function that we obtained from the phenomenological models. Therefore, the weighting function is supported by phenomenological models and derives from the assumption that subjects behave similarly in front of probabilities and delays.

Em estudos sobre a atenção visuoespacial automática, as regiões de aparecimento dos estímulos são comumente demarcadas na tela. Resultados preliminares de nosso laboratório demonstraram que as demarcações favorecem a manifestação do efeito atencional. O presente estudo estendeu esse achado determinando o modo de atuação destes estímulos. Em um primeiro experimento, confirmamos o achado de que o efeito atencional observado quando as demarcações estão presentes diminui na ausência delas. Em um segundo experimento, investigamos a possibilidade do efeito atencional não se manifestar na ausência das demarcações devido a um desvio muito precoce do foco atencional do local inicialmente atendido, porém o efeito atencional não se manifestou na ausência das demarcações quando se estabilizou o foco atencional por um período maior no local atendido. No terceiro experimento, identificamos a possibilidade do efeito atencional não se manifestar na ausência das demarcações devido a um mascaramento anterógrado de determinado estímulo alvo pelo estímulo precedente mobilizador da atenção / In studies about automatic visuospatial attention, the appearance of the stimulus regions are commonly marked on the screen. Preliminary results from our laboratory demonstrated that the placeholders favors the development of attentional effect. This study extended this finding by determining the mode of action of these stimuli. In a first experiment, we confirmed the finding that the attencional effect observed when placeholders decreases in their absence. In a second experiment, we investigated the possibility of attentional effect do not manifest in the absence of placeholders due to a very early turning from the attentional focus of initially attended site, however, the attentional effect did not manifest in the absence of placeholders when it stabilized the attentional focus by a longer period in the treated site. In the third experiment, we identified the possibility of the attentional effect do not manifest in the absence of placeholders due to an anterograde masking of certain stimulus target by mobilizing previous stimulus of attention

A preferência pela prática de atividades físicas e esportivas é um atributo subjetivo de difícil mensuração e que tem sido um dos critérios fundamentais, na escolha e na decisão para a sua prática, nos dias atuais. Deste modo, a preferência pela prática de atividades físicas e esportivas foi investigada por meio de métodos psicofísicos escalares diretos e indiretos e, conseqüentemente, escalas de razão, escalas intervalares e escalas ordinais foram comparadas. Os objetivos secundários foram verificar se este contínuo subjetivo possui características protéticas ou metatéticas, verificar se os princípios da Lei de Ekman é valida também para este contínuo subjetivo e identificar diferenças no julgamento da preferência de homens e mulheres. Três experimentos foram realizados. No primeiro experimento participaram vinte sujeitos, dez homens e dez mulheres entre 20 e 25 anos de idade, graduandos que não pertencem ao curso superior de Educação Física. Todos os sujeitos foram submetidos a uma avaliação prévia, que constou do julgamento em testes psicofísicos: a) Teste de estimação de magnitudes (com módulo) e b) Teste de estimação em categorias 1-7. No segundo experimento participaram outros vinte sujeitos, sendo respeitada a mesma divisão do primeiro experimento com relação ao gênero, a idade e a não vinculação com o curso de Educação Física. Os testes deste experimento foram: a) Teste de emparelhamento intermodal com as modalidades de comprimento de linhas e b) Teste de estimação de magnitudes (com módulo). No terceiro experimento participaram quarenta sujeitos, sendo vinte homens e vinte mulheres entre 20 e 25 anos de idade Os testes deste experimento foram: a) Teste de comparação aos pares e b) Teste de estimação de magnitudes (com módulo). Os resultados indicaram que a atividade física de Caminhada foi a atividade de maior preferência, seguida pelos esportes coletivos de Voleibol e Futebol, por outro lado, a atividade física de Remo estacionário obteve a menor preferência, seguida pelas atividades físicas de Dardos (na parede) e do esporte Judô. As demais atividades foram escalonadas de modo intermediário pelos sujeitos. Nos julgamentos dos participantes masculinos as atividades de menor preferência foram: Remo Estacionário, Tênis (simples) e Dardos (na parede), já para as participantes femininas foram os esportes Judô, Remo Estacionário e Dardos. Com as atividades de maior preferência, os sujeitos masculinos apontaram o Futebol, a Caminhada e a Inatividade e os sujeitos do sexo feminino indicaram a Caminhada, o Voleibol e a Hidroginástica. As ordenações resultantes dos métodos produzem posições de preferência altamente concordantes. Os participantes mensuraram razões e não apenas diferenças, portanto, o contínuo subjetivo avaliado possui características protéticas. O teste de emparelhamento intermodal apontou uma alta correlação entre as estimativas de comprimentos de linhas com as estimativas numéricas de magnitudes, indicando a validade da escala de razão. A variabilidade das estimativas foi uma função linear das estimativas de magnitudes, confirmando os princípios da Lei de Ekman, também para este contínuo subjetivo. Independente do método psicofísico utilizado, tanto homens quanto mulheres apresentaram consistência nos seus julgamentos. Os resultados fornecem uma escala de preferência, em nível de mensuração de razão, que é válida, estável e consistente. / The preference for practicing physical and sporting activities is a subject attribute that is difficult to be measured and it has been one of the fundamental approaches, in the choice and in the decision for its practice, in the current days. This way, the preference for practicing physical and sporting activities was investigated through psychophysical methods in direct and indirect scales, and consequently, ratio scales, interval scales and ordinal scales were compared. The secondary objectives were to check if this social continuous has prothetic or metathetic characteristics, cheking if the fundaments of Ekman Law has been worth for this social continuous and identify differences in the judgments from men and women?s preferences. Three experiments were accomplished. In the first experiment there were twenty participants, there were ten men and ten women among 20 to 25 years old, graduating students but not from Physical Education. All the participants were submitted to a previous evaluation, that consisted from the judgments in psychophysical tests: a) Test of magnitudes estimation (with module) and b) Test of categories estimation 1-7. In the second experiment there were other twenty participants, respecting the same division from the first experiment in relation to gender, age, and non-link to the Physical Education course. The tests of these experiments were: a) Test of cross-modality matches with the modalities of line?s length and b) Test of magnitude estimation (with module). In the third experiment there were forty participants, twenty men and twenty women among the age of 20 to 25 years. The tests of these experiments were: a) Comparison test in pairs and b) Test of magnitude estimation (with module). The results indicated that the physical activity of Walking was the most preferred, followed by collective sports as Volleyball and Soccer; on other hand, the physical activity of Stationary Row obtained the least preference, followed by the physical activities of Darts (on the wall) and Judo. The other activities were in scaled by the participants in an intermediate way. In men?s judgments the least preferred activities were: Stationary Row, Tennis (simple) and Darts (on the wall). To women?s judgments they were Judo, Stationary Row and Darts. The most preferred that men aimed were Soccer, Walking and the Inactivity. To women were Walking, Volleyball and Water Aerobic. The orderings results from the methods produce preference positions highly related. The participants measured ration and not only differences, so the social continuous appraised has prothetic characteristics. The test of cross-modality matches aimed a high correlation between the lengths estimate of line with the numeric magnitudes estimation, indicating the validity of the ratio scale. The variability of the estimates was a lineal function of the magnitudes estimation, confirming the fundaments of Ekman Law, also for this social continuous. Independent of the psychophysical method used, as men as women presented consistency in their judgments. The results supply a preference scale, in level of ratio measurements, which is valid, stable and consistent.

This written portion of my thesis documents my process as a director in composing the Performance of Ōto Shōgo’s The Water Station in collaboration with a creative team of designers, dramaturgs, stage managers and performers. I share with the reader my processes toward fostering cohesion and collaboration among a team while composing a theatrical experience that departs from many theatrical conventions. I discuss significant learnings from several areas of dramaturgical and performance research that dovetail within the performance: aesthetics of divestiture, dramaturgy of simultaneity and composition of psychophysical score, and how I used this research to support the communication with my design, performing and managerial collaborators. This thesis includes dramaturgical research, production design process, documentation of the training and rehearsal process, and documentation of audience perception.