Looking for Age Differences in Self-Driving Vehicles: Examining the Effects of Automation Reliability, Driving Risk, and Physical Impairment on Trust

PurposeSelf-driving cars are an extremely high level of autonomous technology and represent a promising technology that may help older adults safely maintain independence. However, human behavior with automation is complex and not straightforward (Parasuraman and Riley, 1997; Parasuraman, 2000; Rovira et al., 2007; Parasuraman and Wickens, 2008; Parasuraman and Manzey, 2010; Parasuraman et al., 2012). In addition, because no fully self-driving vehicles are yet available to the public, most research has been limited to subjective survey-based assessments that depend on the respondents’ limited knowledge based on second-hand reports and do not reflect the complex situational and dispositional factors known to affect trust and technology adoption.MethodsTo address these issues, the current study examined the specific factors that affect younger and older adults’ trust in self-driving vehicles.ResultsThe results showed that trust in self-driving vehicles depended on multiple interacting variables, such as the age of the respondent, risk during travel, impairment level of the hypothesized driver, and whether the self-driving car was reliable.ConclusionThe primary contribution of this work is that, contrary to existing opinion surveys which suggest broad distrust in self-driving cars, the ratings of trust in self-driving cars varied with situational characteristics (reliability, driver impairment, risk level). Specifically, individuals reported less trust in the self-driving car when there was a failure with the car technology; and more trust in the technology in a low risk driving situation with an unimpaired driver when the automation was unreliable

HIV Antibody Testing: Performance and Counseling Issues

This article assesses the performance of currently used tests for exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the infectious agent associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); suggests, in view of that information, guidelines for counseling people seeking HIV antibody testing; and evaluates the claim that because antibody test results will effect behavior change in those who are infected, all members of high-risk groups should be tested. HIV testing is likely to yield a high proportion of false-positive results in low-risk populations and infants born to infected mothers. A negative result may not establish freedom from infection in high-risk groups or the offspring of infected mothers. Counseling should relate these generalizations to a client \u27s motivation for and expectations from testing. In evaluating a client\u27s risk of exposure, past and present, counseling should provide both information about and reinforcement for behavioral risk reduction. The assertion that members of high-risk groups ought to learn their antibody status is questioned in view of concerns about test performance and even more serious questions about the psychological impact of test results — both short- and long-term — on people\u27s adaptation to protective sex and modification of drug use patterns

The determinants of retirement planning behavior: a comparative study of public and private sector workers in Nigeria

Recent development in behavioral studies coupled with an increase in life expectancy, ageing population and a shift of retirement responsibilities onto the workers by many governments necessitate the urgent need for this study. In accordance with the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the study investigates the determinants of retirement planning behavior (RPB) between the private and public sectors workers in Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to enable data collection from a sample of 307 Nigerian workers selected across the six geopolitical zones. PLS-SEM and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were employed to examine the determinants and differences of RPB among the workers. Empirical evidences support six of the tested hypotheses that suggested that attitude and norms have a significant positive impact on RPB of the workers. Personality has a significant positive impact on attitude and control while knowledge impacted positively on attitude and norms. In contrast, three of the tested hypotheses are not supported. They are control to RPB, personality to norms and knowledge to control. The results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test support six hypotheses suggesting significant differences between the workers in the two sectors. These are attitude and control to RPB, personality to attitude and control, and knowledge to attitude and norms. However, three hypotheses are not supported signifying no differences between the workers in the different sectors. They are norms to RPB, personality to norms, and knowledge to control. Theoretically, the study shows the usefulness of extended TPB by providing a more robust correlation between the variables leading to the prediction of RPB. Practically, the study highlights the use of TPB variables in influencing individual decision and could serve as a guide to pension managers in understanding the programs needed to motivate RPB. Finally, the study recommends for the design of intervention plans that are capable of encouraging RPB among the workers

Faculty Impact Statements, 2009

Each issue [in the Research Series] has a distinctive titl

Emerg Infect Dis

PMC4550154611

Faculty Impact Statements, 2009

Each issue [in the Research Series] has a distinctive titl

Honey Bee Health

Over the past decade, the worldwide decline in honey bee populations has been an important issue due to its implications for beekeeping and honey production. Honey bee pathologies are continuously studied by researchers, in order to investigate the host–parasite relationship and its effect on honey bee colonies. For these reasons, the interest of the veterinary community towards this issue has increased recently, and honey bee health has also become a subject of public interest. Bacteria, such as Melissococcus plutonius and Paenibacillus larvae, microsporidia, such as Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, fungi, such as Ascosphaera apis, mites, such as Varroa destructor, predatory wasps, including Vespa velutina, and invasive beetles, such as Aethina tumida, are “old” and “new” subjects of important veterinary interest. Recently, the role of host–pathogen interactions in bee health has been included in a multifactorial approach to the study of these insects’ health, which involves a dynamic balance among a range of threats and resources interacting at multiple levels. The aim of this Special Issue is to explore honey bee health through a series of research articles that are focused on different aspects of honey bee health at different levels, including molecular health, microbial health, population genetic health, and the interaction between invasive species that live in strict contact with honey bee populations

The role of the environment in transmission of healthcare associated infection

Infectious diseases are the current leading cause of human death and within this category nosocomial infections remain the most frequent complication of hospitalization. A range of infection prevention and control activities are employed to combat the selection and spread of these organisms. The principle components of which are: early identification of carriage/infection, patient isolation, improved hand hygiene, environmental control and good antimicrobial stewardship. In order to properly focus these interventions, it is essential to know how and when cross transmission has occurred. There is an ongoing debate about the role of the environment in the spread of healthcare associated infections and to what extent if any it acts as a potential vector for transmission. Within the healthcare setting patients spend a substantial amount of time surrounded by equipment and environmental surfaces that may be contaminated with microorganisms. In order to establish what role the environment could play, tracking the spread of organisms by molecular typing is key. The current methods used to do this are complex and often are only available at reference laboratories. This means that turnaround times are slow and only provide retrospective confirmation of cross-transmission events. Infection control interventions that can be used prior to receiving results play an important role. The selection and effectiveness of these interventions are often poorly supported by research studies, leading to problems with the introduction of evidence based practice and thus difficulty in selecting the most appropriate response to suspected cross transmission. This thesis aims to explore the role of the environment in cross transmission of infection by developing sampling methodologies to permit environmental surveillance, validating and developing typing techniques in order to establish epidemiological links between patients and environmental contamination and to evaluate infection control interventions to aid in prevention of cross transmission events