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<p dir="ltr">Feedback seeking is an essential process for employees to improve performance and clarify expectations (Renn & Fedor, 2001; Ashford & Tsui, 199). Certain factors such as ego and image defense limit feedback seeking in the workplace due to avoidance of negative outcomes (Ashford & Cummings, 1983), however we know less about whether feedback seeking does lead to actual negative outcomes for the employee (Ashford, De Stobbeleir, & Nujella, 2016). The current study examines the existence of actual costs to the seeker for seeking more frequently and adds to the literature by examining whether supervisor individual differences are related to perceptions of seeking behavior, namely implicit person theory and feedback orientation. With a sample of 275 adult supervisors recruited from Mturk, the current study measured participants on these individual differences and assessed perceptions of a fictional employee who either sought feedback with high or low frequency. The employee was rated on a selection of performance potential outcomes related to promotability, expectations of future performance, willingness to mentor, and candidacy for career development opportunities. Findings suggest there is a cost associated with seeking feedback at a higher frequency which manifests as a decrease in perceptions of confidence in the employee. Additionally, this perception of lower confidence from seeking feedback could contribute to more significant downstream outcomes such as expectations of lower quality performance and lower likelihood of being promoted. By understanding more about individuals’ perceptions of feedback seeking behavior, we may train supervisors how to be more receptive of different feedback seeking behavior. This could assist in fostering a performance improvement environment that ultimately improves organizational performance.</p>

La Crosse virus (LACV) encephalitis is the most common and important endemic mosquito-borne disease of children in the U.S. with an estimated 300,000 annual infections. The disease is maintained in a zoonotic cycle involving the eastern treehole mosquito, Aedes triseriatus and small woodland mammals such as chipmunks and squirrels. The objectives of this study were 1) to conduct surveillance of LACV and other mosquito-borne viruses; 2) to evaluate the effect of virus infection on mosquito host-seeking and neurotransmitter levels, and 3) to determine the effectiveness of barrier sprays to control infected mosquito vectors. Our surveillance study demonstrated the involvement of an invasive species, Aedes japonicus, in the transmission cycle of Cache Valley virus (CVV). CVV is a mosquito-borne virus that is closely related to LACV. Thus, surveillance is a critical step in public health, providing pathogen distribution and frequency data as well as identifying and incriminating new vectors. LACV infection did not affect the host-seeking behavior of Ae. triseriatus females. Using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED), the levels of serotonin and dopamine were measured in infected and uninfected mosquitoes. Serotonin is known to affect blood-feeding and dopamine affects host-seeking. Serotonin levels were significantly lower in LACV-infected mosquitoes but dopamine levels were unaffected by virus. A previous study found that LACV infection caused an alteration in mosquito blood-feeding in a way that could enhance virus transmission. This work showed that LACV infection can reduce the level of serotonin in the mosquito, promoting virus transmission through altered blood-feeding without impairing the vector's ability to locate a host. Standard CDC bottle assays were used to evaluate the efficacy of two pyrethroids and two essential oil sprays on LACV infected and uninfected mosquitoes. LACV-infected Ae. triseriatus females were more susceptible to both pyrethroids than uninfected ones. Infection status did not affect the susceptibility of Ae. albopictus to either pyrethroid. The essential oils were inconsistent in their effects. These results demonstrate that barrier sprays may be a viable part of a mosquito control program, not just to reduce the biting rate but to potentially reduce the virus-infected portion of the vector population. / Ph. D. / La Crosse virus (LACV) encephalitis is the most common and important endemic mosquito-borne disease of children in the U.S. with an estimated 300,000 annual infections. The disease is maintained in a zoonotic cycle involving the eastern treehole mosquito, <i>Aedes triseriatus</i> and small woodland mammals such as chipmunks and squirrels. The objectives of this study were 1) to conduct surveillance of LACV and other mosquito-borne viruses; 2) to evaluate the effect of virus infection on mosquito host-seeking and neurotransmitter levels, and 3) to determine the effectiveness of barrier sprays to control infected mosquito vectors. The surveillance study demonstrated the involvement of an invasive species, <i>Aedes japonicus</i>, in the transmission cycle of Cache Valley virus (CVV). CVV is a mosquito-borne virus that is closely related to LACV. Thus, surveillance is a critical step in public health, providing pathogen distribution and frequency data as well as identifying and incriminating new vectors. Our study of the effects of LACV infection on host-seeking and neurotransmitter levels showed that LACV can manipulate <i>Ae. triseriatus</i> females in a way that could facilitate transmission of the virus. Lastly, we showed that barrier sprays may be a viable part of a mosquito control program, not just to reduce the biting rate but to potentially reduce the virusinfected portion of the vector population.

The purpose of the current study was to confirm or dismiss Saudi students' behavioral intention with regard to using smartphone applications for learning purposes. A quantitative, non-experimental survey research design and descriptive research conducted on the determinants -performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence- that predict Saudi students' intention at University of North Texas to use smartphone applications for learning purposes, based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) as the framework. This study aims at filling gap found in understanding of students' intentions and their behaviors regarding the adoption and use of the Smartphone applications. Data was collected by means of an online questionnaire. The hypothesized model validated empirically using data collected from around 234 Saudi students who enrolled at University of North Texas. The model developed from UTAUT explained 50.1% of the variance of behavioral intention, and behavioral intentions explained 13.6% of the variance of usage behavior. The result of this study support that the determinants of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions were the highest predictors of behavioral intentions in using smartphone applications for learning purposes. The results of this study could encourage students, educators, and the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education to provide educational applications that meet students' needs for information and knowledge.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

有別於傳統新聞學研究探討記者與消息來源的互動關係，因礙於研究對象的預設限制，因而相關研究大多僅探討記者如何與消息來源培養、鞏固、強化及修補關係，對於記者如何尋覓至消息來源卻少有著墨。有鑑於此，本研究試圖跳脫以往僅以政治人物或公關人員作為研究對象，乃以低社會能見度之小人物作為消息來源，試以探究記者在尋找小人物消息來源的過程中，如何運用環境周遭的物質工具及人際關係網絡等中介資源以達成任務。 透過深度訪談及參與觀察方式，本研究發現記者尋找小人物消息來源乃是一種富涵新聞機構性的行為，在尋人初始階段，記者乃會對於尋找何種類型的小人物存有特定假設；然而，假設的形成並非全然由表徵系統進行控制，而是一循環建構的過程；另一方面，在新聞常規的作用之下，本研究發現小人物新聞乃需與其他新聞類型進行版面競爭，此時，在突發新聞不可獨漏的情況下，又需兼顧因時事議題所發展的小人物專題，記者乃會利用傳播或資訊科技工具來縮短一般新聞的處理時間，進而延長小人物新聞資訊素材的蒐集時間；再者，新聞常規亦會造成小人物新聞遺漏的現象產生，而記者亦會適時選擇特定傳播或資訊科技工具以彌補小人物新聞遺漏的缺口。 除此之外，人際關係網絡更是記者尋人不可或缺的資源之一。本研究發現記者在選擇資訊中間人時，乃會依據雙方之間的關係特質，以形成各式不同策略來與資訊中間人應對，藉以獲取尋人線索或相關資訊素材，尤其記者乃會利用與自身擁有弱連結關係的資訊中間人，作為新資訊擷取與流通的橋樑，而利用強連結關係作為與這些弱連結關係資源交換的籌碼。 綜言之，記者尋人行為乃是一種「配置型智能」的展現，將原先大腦所需承擔的認知負荷交由環境中各式中介資源分散處理；另一方面，記者尋人行為更加蘊含「行動中思考」之過程，任何中介資源的使用，乃是端視記者當下所處情境，是否賦予記者視見中介資源之功能性用途。由此可知，記者尋人的知識即是展現在記者審時度勢的功夫上，以適時運用環境周遭的中介資源，協助解決任務、尋覓至小人物消息來源。 / As previous studies have emphasized on journalist-source relationship for a long time, they provide a jumping-off point for this study to divert from them. In terms of traditional research subjects (politicians and public relations), most of those studies mainly focus on how journalists develop, cement, augment and repair mutual relationship with their sources. However, the question of how journalists seek for their sources has been rarely discussed. Therefore, this study attempts to turn to low-status sources (i.e. ordinary people) and examine how journalists manipulate artifacts and social networks to seek for them. This study conducted by in-depth interview and participant observation shows that the institutionalization of newspapers makes big impacts on journalists’ people-seeking behavior. At the first phase, journalists will be cultivated to form specific hypotheses for the type of sources they are seeking for. Second, it may cause ordinary people news necessary to compete with other news genres for news pages. Finally, it may also cause some of ordinary people news stories to be omitted. However, even though journalists’ people-seeking behavior is constricted to the social structure, they are still able to exercise their agency in the use of information and communication technology to extend the time of newsgathering and to ensure all potential ordinary people news will be found. Moreover, those hypotheses for the people they are seeking for are not totally controlled by journalists’ representational systems either but constituted recursively. In addition, social networks are also one of indispensable resources for journalists’ people-seeking behavior. According to research results, the factor that impacts journalists on deciding which intermediary they will ask help for is based on mutual relational characteristics. Journalists will use weak ties to access new information and strong ties as a bargain chip to negotiate with weak ties for resource exchange. In sum, during the process of people-seeking, journalists’ cognitive functions will be distributed and offloaded to the mediated resources in the situation in a cooperative way to ease the cognitive burden imposed on their brains. In addition, the usage of mediated resources also depends on the situation journalists stay in, which enables them to perceive the function of each mediated resource. All in all, journalists’ knowledge of people-seeking behavior rests on how they consider the situation and manipulate mediated resources properly to solve their tasks.

網路盛行與科技創新帶動一條嶄新的教育改革管道，提供多感官、多面向的學習情境，運用網路作為媒介、擷取學習資訊的數位學習模式應運而生。數位學習充分利用現代資訊科技、打造全新溝通機制與豐富資源的學習環境；不僅改變傳統教學中教師的功用和師生間關係，也帶來資訊尋求行為的變遷。而圖書館充分瞭解使用者的資訊需求與資訊尋求行為，將有助於建置更完善的服務體系，落實以使用者為導向的服務理念。而成功的數位學習需要學習環境與資訊資源相結合，圖書館作為學習支援的重要環節，必須重新檢視其角色扮演與定位。 本研究旨在辨識分析數位學習者的資訊需求與資訊尋求行為，探討其對於圖書館的認知與需求；進一步分析數位學習者的學習經驗與特質，作為數位學習資源整合與圖書館規劃資訊服務之參考依據，進一步擘化校方、老師與圖書館之合作途徑。在研究方法上首先採「文獻分析法」進行研究主題相關國內外文獻之蒐集與分析，而後運用質化的「深度訪談法」與量化之「問卷調查法」，以參與政治大學遠距學習課程之學生為研究對象進行研究，瞭解其資訊尋求行為並針對圖書館對於數位學習所能提供的資訊服務進行深入探討與分析。 □ 研究結果發現數位學習者對數位學習模式持正面態度，但面對龐雜之數位資源而擔憂個人資訊素養能力之不足，總結學習者展現下述特質：(1)為高度網路使用族群，資訊科技接受度高，並對電腦與網路能力具備高度信心；(2)善於分配時間，建構自我導向的學習歷程； (3) 樂於分享學習成果、主動參與學習社群；(4)具高度學習理解力、批判性思維能力；(5)善用各式資源。 數位學習帶來資訊尋求行為的變遷，學習者高度仰賴數位化資源，並習慣從網路出發，查找資訊；線上使用圖書館網站的頻率顯著增加，並遠高於實際到館的頻率。在資訊需求與資訊尋求管道上：(1) 數位學習者產生資訊需求之主因是課業活動、互動討論；(2)數位學習者仰賴的學習資源依序為搜尋引擎與網路資源、課程網頁、學習社群資源分享、圖書館；(3)搜尋引擎與分類目錄是數位學習者為建立對一主題背景資料時優先選擇的管道；(4)面對學術上的問題，學習者最常使用與信任的管道為圖書館；(5)課程網頁彙整豐沛的學習資源，是學生尋求資訊的起點；(6)透過互動討論與議題探討，暢通資訊尋求與知識分享的管道。 大學圖書館資源的豐富性、權威性與精確性對於學習者仍至為重要，學習者期望圖書館能提供更多的學習支援：(1)整合數位學習資源，包括數位教材、數位教師指定參考書與網路課程作連結；(2)提供全文資料庫與電子書、數位化多媒體視聽資料；(3)與老師合作發展數位學習課程或製作與課程主題資源導引；(4)提供數位參考服務；(5)協助數位學習者管理個人相關的資訊，存取個人學習歷程以及學習資源；(6)設計不同層次資訊素養教育課程；(7)建置校園學術資源典藏庫與數位圖書館；(8)參與互動討論以協助學習社群的建立與經營。 □ 本研究建議：(1)大學圖書館應重視支援教學服務之必要性，參與數位學習策略之規劃，與相關教學單位建立合作關係；(2) 大學圖書館員需主動出擊，提升對數位學習的認知，培養學科館員，打造專業團隊，與教師合作教學，協助整合教學資源並參與學習社群之推動，設計資訊素養融入專業學科之課程；(3)大學圖書館應持續研究數位學習者資訊尋求行為模式與資訊素養能力，以提升資訊服務品質，暢通行銷管道，；(4)大學校院應積極發展數位學習強化學習品質，提供學習者及教學者數位學習服務，並實施教學與服務評鑑，作為改進數位學習系統之參考，並協助教師建設數位教材資源庫；(5) 大學校院應整合校園資訊服務入口與課程管理系統，進一步提供個人化的服務機制；(6)數位學習教學者應提升資訊素養能力，擬定完善的學習活動設計與教學運用策略，強化課程網頁學習資源的建置與維護，落實學習社群的互動與經營。 / The internet and technological innovation brought a brand-new educational reform, resulting a multi-dimensional learning atmosphere. E-learning apply modern information technology, and builds a learning environment of abundant internet resources. Not only did e-learning change traditional teaching methods and teacher-student relationships, but also brought changes to the information seeking behavior of e-learners. Only when libraries thoroughly understand the users’ information needs and behavior, can they provide a better information services, therefore fulfilling the ideal of user-oriented services. Successful e-learning requires the synergy of the learning environment and information resources. Being the vital link to learning support, library must reexamine its position and role played. The purpose of this study is to analyze the e-learners’ information needs and information seeking behavior, and further analyzing the e-learner’s learning experience and characteristics, providing guidelines for the integrated resources and the library’s information service planning, further promoting collaboration among the university, teachers and the library.Using the in-depth interview and the survey questionnaire for the students participating in distance learning courses at National Chengchi University. The study found e-learners had demonstrated the following characteristics: (1) e-learners are frequent internet user community, with high level of acceptance over information technology and possess great self-confidence concerning their computer and internet skills; (2) apt in time management and build their own self-oriented learning progress; (3) tend to gladly share with others and participate actively in the learning community; (4) possess high level of learning comprehensiveness and abilities for critical thought; (5) make good use of all kinds of resources. E-learning has brought changes to the information seeking behaviors, in which learners rely greatly on digitalized resources, and depend on the internet to start off for information search. The frequency of online usage of library websites has increased remarkably, and it has surpassed the frequency of physical library visits. In regard to the channel of information needs and information seeking: (1) the main reason why e-learners come up with information needs is due to learning activities and course discussions; (2) the learning resources which e-learners most rely on are search engines and internet resources, course website, learning community resource sharing, and the library; (3) search engines and subject directory are the first channels e-learners use to establish background information on a given topic; (4) when encountering academic problems, the library becomes e-learners’ most often used and trusted channel; (5) the course website is organized with abundant learning resources, becoming the starting point for students’ information seeking; (6) course interaction and topic discussion facilitate the information retrieving and knowledge sharing. The abundance of resources, authoritativeness and precision in academic libraries are still very important to the e-learners, who expects the library to provide the following learning supports: (1) Integrating e-learning resources, including digital course materials, instructors’ reserves and links to online courses; (2) providing with the full text of database and e-books, and digitalized multimedia audio information; (3) working with teachers to develop an e-learning course or produce informational guidance to the courses; (4) providing digital reference services; (5) assisting e-learners in managing related information of their own, saving their portfolio and learning resources into the system; (6) designing information literacy courses for different levels; (7) establishing a institutional repository and digital library; (8) participating in interactive discussions to assist in the establishment and operation of a learning community. The suggestions include: (1) academic libraries should stress on the importance of teaching service, participate in the planning of e-learning strategies, establish team work with related education units; (2) academic librarians need to reach ahead and increase e-learning knowledge, train department members, forge a professional team, work with teachers on teaching, help integrate teaching resources and participate in the facilitation of the learning community, design courses for information literacy to fit into professional subjects; (3) academic libraries should constantly research on the e-learners’ information seeking behavior model and information literacy ability to elevate the quality of information service, and effectuate the marketing channel; (4) University should actively develop e-learning to strengthen the learning quality, provide learners and educators with e-learning services, and implement teaching and service evaluation as to improve references for the e-learning system, and help teachers set up a learning objects database; (5) University should combine campus information service access and course management system, further provide personalized service mechanisms; (6) e-learning educators ought to promote the information literacy ability, formulate learning and teaching strategies, strengthen the establishment and preservation of the course websites’ learning resources, facilitate the interaction of the learning community.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work