Preliminary evidence for relations between motivation and beliefs related to exercise dependence

Individuals engage in physical activity for a variety of reasons which are described by motivational determinants of behaviour. However, very little is known about the motivational antecedents of excessive exercise and exercise dependence. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between various motivating factors and specific beliefs characteristic for exercise dependence. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey in a sample of volunteer recreational athletes (31 males aged 19–23 years and 54 females aged 18–34 years). Participants completed three questionnaires: Estonian 2 × 2 Achievement Goals in Sport Questionnaire was used to measure tendency to emphasize mastery and performance goals; Modified Estonian Exercise Motivation Questionnaire-2 to measure specific exercise motives; and an original Exercise Belief Scale was designed to estimate behavioural and control beliefs characteristic for exercise dependence. Results indicated that motivational orientation was a significant predictor of beliefs related to exercise dependence. Specifically, multiple regression analysis showed that perceived importance of exercise was significantly predicted by mastery approach and performance approach goals. Withdrawal effects, a hallmark for exercise dependence, could be predicted by mastery approach goals and competitive motive. Low control beliefs indicative for exercise tolerance appeared to be related with performance approach goals and competition motive. However, mastery approach also significantly predicted intentional avoidance of overtraining. Results suggest that beliefs related to exercise dependence are strongly related to various motivational aspects. Further investigation is needed to develop psychological assessment instruments to differentiate between normal and healthy exercise motivation and markers of overtraining and exercise dependence potential

Optimal Design of Agricultural Sustainability Standards: Insights from a Delphi Study in Germany

Although there is persistent public attention on sustainability and there are growing markets for sustainable food, broad distribution of agricultural sustainability standards in Germany is missing. There are first sector specific studies regarding the motivation to use this management innovation. Specific research on benefits for farmers and on organizational issues concerning standard design is scarce. The Delphi method was used to identify the major reasons for standard adoption or rejection and to get insights to potential standard users’ perception of sustainability. In the second Delphi round with 16 participants the importance and optimal configuration of 13 standard design elements, such as compliance assessment, technical support, used data basis for sustainability assessment or consulting intensity, was analysed. Linking the gained insights to Rogers’ Model of Five Stages in the Innovation-Decision Process (Rogers, 2003) missing demonstration of the relative advantage, major deficiencies in standards’ compatibility, together with high complexity as well as lacking trialability and observability are identified as main factors impeding further dissemination of sustainability standards as an innovation in farm management

Structural geometry and controlling factors for a rock slope failure area at Hompen/Váráš, Signaldalen, Troms, North Norway

Abstract This thesis uses a multidisciplinary approach to investigate factors affecting the origin and evolution of a rock slope failure (RSF) at Hompen (Varas) in Troms, Northern Norway. These factors include internal existing structures in the bedrock, external factors such as glacial unloading, and changes in fluid pressure affecting the RSF. The study combines bedrock geology, structural geology, geomorphology, and satellite data and dGPS measurements to analyze and classify the area. Detailed field work, analyses of field data, DEM models and aerial photos are employed to interpret the RSF. The area has been divided into two domains based on observed structures. Domain I show classical RSF morpho-structures: a major scarp striking NW-SE, lateral scarps striking NE-SW, counter scarps and transfer structures. Domain II is stable but show clear pre-rock slope failure structures, e.g. major tensile fractures, which potentially may enlarge the main RSF area. Among interpreted movement mechanism, creep occurs at present towards SSW (7-10 mm/year) as indicated by dGPS data. There is also clear evidence of toppling as a failure mechanism, shown by the major graben area filled with toppled rock material. The detachment surface is assumed to be of ramp-flat geometry with several sliding planes, affected by fractures working their way down to a basal detachment. The initiation of the RSF is likely linked to pre-existing fracture systems inherited from Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic regimes, release of stress regimes in the bedrock after de-glaciation. Other factors such as permafrost melting and water drainage may have caused changes in the pore fluid pressure in the area. Today the Hompen RSF can be classified as a complex RSF field and classifies under the deep seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSD)

Tracking and Tracing in Food Networks: The Case of the Feed Industry

This paper discusses an organisational framework for Tracking & Tracing and quality management in the agriculture and food network and thus providing increased transparency therein. The legal and market environments that especially European companies of the compound feeds sector face today is being analyzed with respect to resulting recent and present requirements. A technological solution for companies and supply chains that helps dealing with these requirements is presented with an organisational glance inside the QM-G system.Tracking & Tracing, Feed Industry, Inter-Organizational Information System QM-G, Agribusiness, Industrial Organization,

Motives and motivating leaders in aerobics classes: exercise motivation and instructors' leadership characteristics

The aim of this study was to investigate the motives of aerobics participants in relation to their perceived and preferred leadership behavior of aerobic instructors. Eighty seven aerobics participants (aged between 16–59 y) completed the cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Instruments assessed participantsʼ exercise motivation, and perceived and preferred leadership behaviour of their aerobic instructors.We found that in aerobics participants the appearance- and healthrelated dimensions of exercise motivation are higher ranked than flexibility and social motives. Although aerobics participants show relatively high levels of competitive and social motives compared with general population, the highest ranked incentive for them seems to be physical fitness. Aerobics participants perceive significantly less instructorsʼ democratic decision making, instruction, social support and positive feedback than they prefer, while they perceive significantly higher amount of autocratic decision making compared with their preference

Are Farmers as Risk-averse as They Think They Are?

Studies on the acceptance of innovation often identify risk preference to be a decisive factor for the adoption of sustainable practices. While in finance and management research, lottery tasks are mostly used to measure risk aversion, behavioural studies usually use measures of risk tolerance and risk perception derived from explicit self-assessment questions. We empirically test the influence of three different risk measures on farmers’ acceptance of a sustainability standard and the amount of investment made. The results of our analysis indicate that the results of lottery tasks are consistent with the risk-seeking behaviour of e.g. of investment decisions made, whereas the evaluation questions are more likely to capture other aspects like farmers' expectations of the innovation itself. The results suggest that we need to intensively investigate farmers' expectations of the single innovations in behavioural economic studies to distinguish more precisely between actual risk aversion or tolerance and a negative or positive opinion of the innovation

Klórtartalmú szénvegyületek hidrodeklórozása zeolitokon = Hydrodechlorination of chlorine compounds on zeolites

Pt és Pd tartalmú, Y-FAU-típusú zeolitokat állítottunk elő és a szén-tetraklorid hidrodeklórozásával teszteltük. Összehasonlítva a két fém szemcséit tartalmazó katalizátorok tulajdonságát a legérdekesebb különbség az volt, hogy a Pt-val ellentétben Pd-on nem tapasztaltuk a köztitermék kloroform képződését, és a teljes klórcsere végeredménye, azaz a főtermék nem metán, hanem etán volt. Más klórtartalmú anyagok, a triklóretilén és az 1,1,2-triklóretán hidrodeklórozását is összehasonlítottuk Pt- és Pd-tartalmú zeolit katalizátorainkon. A két reaktáns aktivitásában lévő különbségeket elméleti számításokkal is alátámasztottuk. A hidrogén/triklóretilén arány növelése nagymértékben növelte a reakciósebességet, de nem volt hatással a szelektivitásra. Pt- és Pd-tartalmú ZSM5 zeolit aktivitását is teszteltük szén-tetrakloriddal és vizsgáltuk klórfenolok hidrodeklórozását is. A C-atom experimentálisan megállapított standard képződési entalpiáját hibásnak találtuk. A hiba kicsi, de kummulatív, a szénatomszám növekedésével az atomizációs energiából számított molekuláris képződési hő egyre jobban eltér a valódi értéktől. Korrigált számításainkat szénhidrogénekre publikáltuk, és klórtartalmú szénhidrogénekre is elkészültek. Létrehoztunk egy új ab initio kvantumkémiai programot, mellyel nagy pontosságú számítások végezhetők a Schrödinger-egyenlet teljes variációs megoldásával. Eredmények vannak kisebb halogéntartalmú szénhidrogénekre is. | Pt- and Pd-containing zeolite (Y-FAU) supported catalysts were synthesized and tested in the hydrodechlorination of carbon tetrachloride. Comparing their properties, the main differences were the following: -using Pt/zeolite, methane and hydrogen chloride were the final products and chloroform was detected as intermediate product -over Pd/zeolite, ethane was the final product and no chloroform was detected at all. Catalytic decomposition of other chlorine containing compounds such as trichloroethene and 1,1,2-trichloro-ethane was investigated on the above-mentioned catalysts. Differences in their experimental behaviour were supported with theoretical calculations. Higher ratio of hydrogen and trichloroethene significantly increased the reaction rate of hydrodechlorination, but did not have any influence on the selectivity. The activity of Pt- and Pd-ZSM5 zeolites were also tested in the hydrodechlorination of both carbon tetrachloride and moreover chlorophenols. The formation enthalpy of carbon atom determined experimentally was found to be incorrect. The error is small, but cumulative. Corrected calculations were published for hydrocarbons and finished for chlorinated hydrocarbons, too. A new ab initio quantumchemical program was developed which is suitable for precise calculations for atoms and molecules solving the Schrödinger equation fully variationally. Results are available for small chlorinated hydrocarbons as well