146 research outputs found

    Investigating the Effects of Threatening Language, Message Framing, and Reactance in Opt-Out Organ Donation Campaigns

    Get PDF
    This study was funded by a PhD studentship awarded to Jordan Miller from the University of Stirling.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

    Alcohol, Abstinence, Efficacy, and Social Normative Expectancies: The Relationship to Alcoholics\u27 Level of Drinking Following Inpatient Treatment

    Get PDF
    It has been argued that individuals receiving traditional alcohol treatment do not necessarily perceive life-long abstinence from alcohol as a favorable treatment outcome, and that negative expectations associated with this abstinence goal may have an adverse effect on treatment outcome. However, abstinence expectancies have never been systematically explored. This study used the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate the relationship between the abstinence outcome expectancies of alcoholics beginning treatment and subsequent alcohol consumption. The independent and combined effects of abstinence outcome expectancies, alcohol outcome expectancies, self-efficacy expectancies (to abstain from alcohol use), and the normative beliefs of individuals beginning inpatient abstinence-oriented alcohol treatment were related to level of drinking during the 90 days following treatment. One hundred ten individuals receiving inpatient alcohol treatment were recruited for the main portion of this study. A questionnaire that included belief-based measures of attitude toward alcohol and abstinence, a belief-based measure of social normative pressure to either use or abstain from alcohol, a belief-based measure of one\u27s perceived behavioral control to abstain from alcohol, and a measure of behavioral intention to use alcohol during the 3 months following treatment was developed for use in this study. The questionnaire was administered to all subjects. During the 90-day Follow-Up period, subjects were sent brief questionnaires and asked to report any alcohol or drug use. Eighty-nine percent of the subjects provided follow-up information for the first 30 days, while 76% provided information for the entire 90 days. An analysis of the data indicated that scores obtained from the belief-based measure of perceived behavioral control and scores from the belief-based measure of attitude toward abstinence were moderately correlated with intention to abstain from alcohol, while alcohol attitude scores and subjective norm scores were uncorrelated. Contrary to expectations, scores obtained from a measure of intention to use alcohol and the measure of perceived behavioral control were minimally predictive of scores from follow-up measures of drinking. However, intention and perceived behavioral control were minimally predictive of scores from follow-up measures of drinking. However, intention and perceived behavioral control scores were somewhat more predictive of drug use for the 90-day Follow-Up period. These results were discussed in light of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the similarities between alcohol expectancies and drug expectancies

    Role of affect and task category-knowledge sharing tools fit on behavioural intention to use KS tools among knowledge workers

    Get PDF
    Knowledge sharing is an essential practice by organizations of the 21st century. To leverage on knowledge sharing activities and cultivate a knowledge based ecosystem, organizations have invested and deployed many types of Knowledge Sharing tools (KS tools). KS tools allow knowledge workers to share and use knowledge in organizations. The low usage of KS tools justify the need to study the usage and also the intention to use these tools in organizations particularly among knowledge workers. In addition, the decline of Knowledge Economy Index (KEI) and Knowledge Index (KI) for Malaysia showed that knowledge sharing and knowledge contribution in education, innovation, and ICT are deteriorating. The need to investigate knowledge workers' intention to use knowledge sharing tools to support knowledge practices seems a reasonable research goal. In this research, the focus is on the behavioral intention of knowledge workers to use KS tools among knowledge workers in Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status organizations. MSC-status organizations play a key role that contributes to the national KEI and KI for Malaysia. The main objective of this study is to identify factors that influence the intention to use KS tools among knowledge workers. In an attempt to provide answers to the research objective, Affective Technology Acceptance Model (A.T.A Model) is developed to examine the antecedents that influence the attitude and behavioral intention of the knowledge workers to use KS tools in their day-to-day tasks. The A.T.A Model integrates Technology Acceptance Model with Task-Technology Fit to examine the acceptance of technology by hypothesize fit between Task Category and KS tools to Behavioral Intention to use KS tools. The proposed research model also includes the role of affect drawing from theories by Russellā€™s Circumplex of Affect and Watson, Clark and Tellegenā€™s Consensual Model of Affect into the propose model. The A.T.A model also considers organizational factors and motivational factors that influence the Behavioral Intention to use KS tools among knowledge workers. Quantitative method using survey approach is adopted to collect data from respondents. The proposed A.T.A model is empirically examined using two hundred ninety five (295) respondents who comprised of knowledge workers from a sampling frame of two thousand five hundred and five (2505) knowledge workers in twenty-three (23) MSC-status organizations that participated in this research. The outcomes of the analysis support the overall structure of the model whereby sixteen (16) of the twenty two (22) hypothesis are supported. The Behavioral Intention to use KS tools is supported and explained by knowledge workers' Attitude, Task-Category and KS tools fit, Positive Affect and Trust. In this research, Attitude has the highest impact on Behavioral Intention, followed by Task Category-KS tools fit, Positive Affect and Trust. On the other hand, Negative Affect influences Behavioral Intention knowledge workers for three (3) different points in time only ("At the Moment", "Past Few Days", and "Past Few Weeks"). However, Extrinsic and Intrinsic Rewards are found to have no influence on Behavioral Intention to use KS tools. The findings highlighted that change in Positive Affect is able to create a positive impact in Behavioral Intention of knowledge workers to use KS tools besides Attitude and TCK fit. The findings highlighted that Positive Affect has an influence on Perceived Usefulness, but Negative Affect has no influence on it. However, both Positive and Negative Affect have an influence on Perceived Ease of Use. The results also found that Task Category KS tools fit influences Behavioral Intention significantly. This is consistent with past research, which claimed that integrating Task Category-KS tools fit to acceptance model is able to provide better explanation on the intention of individuals to use KS tools. On the contrary, this research found Extrinsic and Intrinsic Rewards, and Management Support have no significant relationship with Behavioral Intention to used KS tools in the proposed A.T.A model. Overall, the results of this study contribute to the literature of technology acceptance by shedding light on the behavioral intention to use KS tools among knowledge workers

    The adoption of virtual reality for medical training in the context of South African higher education.

    Get PDF
    Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.Virtual reality (VR) is progressively being acknowledged as a useful tool for medical training. The adoption of VR for medical training in developing countries is at a slow pace compared to developed countries. The paucity of innovative systems such as VR training systems and the lack of exposure to these systems in developing countries tend to widen the gap in competency between medical professionals from developed and developing countries. VR in South Africa is a new concept and, therefore, limited literature exists from a South African educational perspective. This study aimed to fill the gap in literature from a South African perspective by investigating the determinants of the adoption of VR for medical training at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) was used as the guiding framework to investigate the perceived usefulness of using VR, the perceived effort required to use it, and the social factors and facilitating conditions that can influence its adoption for medical training. The study further aimed to determine the challenges associated with the adoption of VR for medical training within the South African higher education context. Findings from interviews with 12 purposively sampled lecturers revealed that most respondents perceived that VR would be easy to use for medical training should the necessary training and support be provided. Some respondents had not previously experienced VR immersive environments and hence felt that using VR for medical training would be difficult. The researcher deduced from the responses that the respondents would be influenced to adopt VR for medical training by other medical professionals who were currently using VR and that the degree of influence would be an important factor in adoption. Although the respondents perceived VR to be useful, they voiced that the adoption of VR for medical training at South African educational institutions could be hampered by challenges associated with the lack of infrastructure, knowledge of VR, finance, resistance to change, userā€™s inability to differentiate simulated environments from the real-world and poor design of the VR system (interface). The respondents suggested a gradual approach to VR adoption, forming partnerships with VR companies and seeking sponsorships or donations from alumni to address the finance-related impediments. Furthermore, to ensure the successful adoption of VR for medical training by South African educational institutions, they mentioned the need for: government to address financial constraints by increasing the budget allocated to South African healthcare; an effective change management process to address resistance to change; a cost-benefit analysis; and, finally, training to surmount the challenges.List of Tables on page ix

    Psychological and cultural determinants of women's intentions to donate oocytes.

    Get PDF
    In oocyte donation, oocytes from one woman can be transferred to another for fertility treatment or used for medical research. However, there is an acute shortage of women from the general population donating their oocytes and this has adverse consequences for infertile patients and medical researchers. The aims of this thesis were to explore the psychological determinants of oocyte donation intentions and to investigate the link between oocyte donation intentions and parenthood using components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) among women from different ethnic backgrounds. In doing so, a triangulation approach was adopted and one systematic review and five empirical investigations consisting of quantitative, qualitative and experimental research methodologies were carried out. Results revealed that oocyte donation is best accounted for by a diverse dimension of factors, which include positive attitudes towards oocyte donation, unconventional perceptions of parenthood and demographic variables. Some theoretical components of the TPB were supported; in particular Structural Equation Modelling found positive attitudes towards oocyte donation and subjective norms demonstrated a direct influence on the decision to donate oocytes. However, the role of perceived behavioural control in intentions to donate remains uncertain. Perceptions of the importance of parenthood and genetic ties between parent and child are key in determining [un]willingness to donate oocytes for fertility treatment. In addition, findings from this thesis suggest that it may be possible to modify intentions towards oocyte donation using the Framing Effect among White women, but not Women from South East Asia. The results of this thesis have some important implications for research and clinical practice, particularly in its potential to tailor clinical service provision regarding the recruitment of oocyte donors

    Determinants of leisure-time physical activity among early adolescents

    Get PDF

    Preferences of nursing and medical students for working with older adults and people with dementia: a systematic review

    Get PDF
    Background: A current issue in workforce planning is ensuring healthcare professionals are both competent and willing to work with older adults with complex needs. This includes dementia care, which is widely recognised as a priority. Yet research suggests that working with older people is unattractive to undergraduate healthcare students. Methods: The aim of this systematic review and narrative synthesis is to explore the factors related to healthcare (medical and nursing) student preferences' for working with older people and people with dementia. Searches were conducted in five databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINHAL, BNI, ERIC. Screening, data extraction and quality appraisal were conducted by two independent reviewers. A narrative, data-based convergent synthesis was conducted. Results: One thousand twenty-four papers were screened (139 full texts) and 62 papers were included for a narrative synthesis. Factors were grouped into seven categories; student characteristics, experiences of students, course characteristics, career characteristics, patient characteristics, work characteristics and the theory of planned behaviour. Conclusion: Health educators should review their role in cultivating student interest in working with older adults, with consideration of student preparation and the perceived value of this work. There is a lack of evidence about the career preferences of students in relation to dementia, and this warrants further research
    • ā€¦
    corecore