Participatory Research into Community Psychology within a Local ContextParticipatory Research into Community Psychology within a Local Context

The aim is to present a series of participatory action research studies focused on town development and inhabitants’ needs. The paper discusses how to construct a field investigation that pays attention to people’s narratives, as well as how to elaborate a substantive theory, which is inductively derived from the study of the phenomenon. The assessment of the trustworthiness of the intervention is also examined. For a better understanding of how to conduct an intervention in a local community, this paper deals with methodological questions concerning triangulation of sources and sampling strategies. Research instruments such as narratives, community profiles, and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats ) analysis are discussed as regards their use within grounded theory methodologies and participatory action research

Shallow Seismic-reflection Study of a Salt-dissolution Subsidence Feature in Stafford County, Kansas

Seismic-reflection surveying was successfully used to define subsidence of the Stone Corral anhydrite in Stafford County, Kansas, in response to dissolution of the 85-m (279-ft)-thick Permian-aged Hutchinson Salt at a depth of approximately 340 m (1,116 ft). Gradual formation of a surface depression around the Siefkes "A" No. 6 abandoned oil-field-brine disposal well in Stafford County, Kansas, led to a 12-fold COP seismic survey to define the potential extent and amount of future surface subsidence. Several reflections interpreted on the CDP stacked sections possess dominant frequencies in excess of 100 Hz. Reflections can be interpreted on stacked sections at two-way times from 80 msec (approximate depth of 70 m; 230 ft) to 220 msec (approximate depth of 200 m; 656 ft). The Stone Corral anhydrite reflection is present between 200 and 220 msec on all three seismic lines and possesses a maximum of 20 msec (35 m assuming 1,770 m/sec seismic velocity) of relative subsidence. The March 1990 subsurface dissolution boundary, as defined by the Stone Corral anhydrite, suggested a potential four-fold increase in the surface area of the sinkhole encompassing part of both an east-west and a north-south county road

Adversity and Resiliency: Athlete Experiences within U.S. College Sport

Research regarding the benefits and detriments of the U.S. collegiate sport governance structure are mixed. Guided by Richardson’s Resiliency Theory (2002), former athletes (n = 215) revealed specific themes of adversity experienced during college with the most prevalent including injury, time demands, and coach-athlete tension. Through interview, athletes noted adversity promoted their resiliency, facilitated grit/perseverance, enhanced teamwork and time management skills, and led to other forms of growth. This study extends our understanding of the long-term impacts of competitive sport participation in this context. This understanding is important for administrators seeking to maximize participant experiences and emulate, enhance, or reform the U.S. College Sport governance model

Conducting Participatory Action Research with Canadian Indigenous Communities: A Methodological Reflection

A central challenge with participatory action research (PAR) pertains to discrepancies between principles and practice. What sounds simple in theory (e.g., establishing a respectful collaboration) is often much more complex in real community settings. The challenges, lessons learned, and successes of PAR were examined within the context of a large national research project that involved 8 First Nation communities and academics. To engage in the process of reflective examination, two methodological approaches were utilized: (1) a qualitative interview study with 19 project members about their experiences within the project, and (2) a secondary qualitative analysis of the author’s own experiences and observations (as recorded in research journals). This paper summarizes some of the barriers to conducting PAR with Indigenous communities (i.e., themes of distrust/personal safety concerns, community readiness, waning motivation, financial stress, power differences, and differing norms/expectations) , as well as some of the lessons that were learned about how to overcome these challenges and cultivate strong, healthy research relationships

Depth-dependent diffusion algorithm for simulation of sedimentation in shallow marine depositional systems

An algorithm has been developed to simulate sediment dispersal on shallow marine siliciclastic, carbonate, and mixed siliciclastic-carbonate shelves. The algorithm is based on a diffusion scheme in which the diffusion coefficient decays exponentially with water depth. The rationale for using a varying diffusion coefficient lies in the observation that on marine shelves wave energy and therefore bed shear stress decay exponentially with water depth. Thus sediment flux cannot be modeled by a diffusive process based on a linear dependence on slope alone. This approach is probably most appropriate for wave-dominated shelves. The model simulates deposition in two dimensions. Siliciclastic shelf sedimentation occurs solely by lateral transport in the plane of section by diffusion; carbonate sedimentation occurs by depth-dependent in situ sediment production with subsequent lateral dispersal of sediment by diffusion. The effects of early cementation can be modeled by varying the transport coefficient that governs the efficiency of diffusion

Computer simulation of carbonate platform and basin systems

The carbonate platform depositional system is sensitive to many variables, a number of which are interrelated, making it difficult to clarify how each variable affects the growth pattern of a carbonate platform. A simple computer model that simulates the carbonate platform depositional system provides an efficient means of overcoming this problem. Individual variables, such as rates of sediment production and erosion, subsidence, and eustatic sea-level cycles, are changed progressively, whereas all other variables are held constant. Changes in relative sea level (a combination of oscillatory eustatic changes, tectonic subsidence, and sediment loading) appear to exert the strongest control on the growth of carbonate platforms by determining how much sediment can accumulate on the platform top, which to some degree (along with the rate of sediment removal) influences how much sediment is available for progradation of the platform. This quantitative forward-modeling approach provides a valuable learning tool and facilitates a precise understanding of a complicated system. A forward model, such as the one presented here, can provide a basis for creating an inverse model, which can be used to constrain the variables (sediment production rate, subsidence curve, and sea-level history) that led to the cross-sectional geometry observed in the field or in a seismic section

Hierarchy of stratigraphic forcing: Example from Middle Pennsylvanian shelf carbonates of the Paradox basin

Middle Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) shelf carbonates in the southwestern Paradox basin display three superimposed orders of stratigraphic cyclicity with a systematic vertical succession of facies, cycle, and sequence stacking patterns. Fifth-order cycles [34 cycles in a 645-ft (197-m) section; average 20 ft (6.1 m) thick; mean period 29,000 years] are grouped into fourth-order sequences [average 100 ft (30 m) thick; mean period 257,000 years], which in turn stack vertically to define a third-order sequence [650+ ft (200+ m) thick; 2-3 m.y. duration]. Fifth-order cycles are composed of shallow ing-upward packages of predominantly subtidal shelf carbonates with sharp cycle boundaries (either exposure or flooding surfaces). Fifth-order cycles are packaged into fourth-order sequences bounded by regionally correlative subaerial exposure surfaces. These type 1 sequences contain a downdip, restricted lowstand wedge of evaporites and quartz clastics in topographic lows on the Paradox shelf (intrashelf depressions). The lowstand systems tract is overlain by a regionally correlative transgressive shaly mudstone (condensed section) and a highstand systems tract composed of thinning-upward, aggradational fifth-order cycles. Systematic variation in the thickness of fourth-order sequences (thinning upward followed by thickening upward) and systematic variations in the number of fifth-order cycles and fourth-order sequences (decreasing followed by increasing number) defines a third-order accommodation trend that is also regionally correlative. High-frequency cycles and sequences are interpreted as predominantly aggradational allocycles generated in response to composite fourth- and fifth-order glacio-eustatic sea-level fluctuations. Two different orbital forcing (Milankovitch) scenarios are evaluated to explain the composite stratigraphic cyclicity of the Paradox sequences, each of which is plausible given Desmoinesian age estimates. The cycle, sequence, and facies stacking patterns have been replicated by means of computer modeling by superimposing composite high-frequency glacio-eustasy atop regional subsidence using depth-dependent, sedimentation