Investigating the Boundary Conditions of the Fresh Start Effect

The study of motivation and goal pursuit has long been of interest to various academic disciplines. Recent efforts have considered how time affects motivation and aspirational behavior. The Fresh Start Effect describes the phenomenon whereby people naturally feel more motivated to pursue goals following temporal landmarks (e.g., on Mondays). This dissertation examines a potential boundary condition of the Fresh Start Effect: the person who chooses the goal start date. The findings from six studies reveal that when goal start dates are self-chosen, motivation to pursue goals is influenced by temporal landmarks (i.e., motivation is greater on Monday). When goal start dates are chosen by external agents, motivation to achieve goals is not affected by temporal landmarks. These findings suggest that the Fresh Start Effect only holds when goal start dates are self-chosen

Anatomy: The Makings of Me

Anatomy & the Makings of me: (A Chapbook) Back in 2020 quarantine took a mental toll on many, including myself. I was already overwhelmed with academics, personal issues, and an overall pessimistic outlook. For years I\u27ve struggled with my body image, and for the past year or so I\u27ve been trying to improve on my self-love and acceptance. Taking back my body and my feelings towards it by keeping centered on my thoughts, not the thoughts of others. Hence the concept for this chapbook project. Anatomy is a look at all the squishy bits of matter and emotion I’ve been tasked with dealing with throughout my life . I’m an overcomer who faces immense setbacks every day but keeps pushing onwards through all of it. Not only through the support of my friends, but the support deep down inside myself. From head to hand, typing or writing out my poetry, I am persistent. I have my work published in many places, but I want this chapbook to be my adventure into independent published works. Writing is my passion, and authoring has been a dream and goal of mine since I was in preschool. I’m immensely excited to show off the finished project and am happy to have the opportunity to bring it to life. I hope you and the other readers enjoy the finished product. When choosing the cover images I picked two shots taken at one of my favorite places: The Mississippi River. The river is so close to my house, and I often go there for car picnics with my mom and sister. It’s a powerful force, just as I am one as well. I suppose that’s why they call it the “Mighty” Mississippi. The outfit I\u27m wearing was one I felt gorgeous in. Throughout the work, I put photos of myself loving my body and in the piece “I am uncomfortable” put ones of me in specific outfits that I overcame issues to wear. We can’t always be photo perfect and I wanted to showcase that there is beauty in “chaos”/ the moments that life gives us that are less than perfect. On the website article,“Get the Facts by the National Organization for Women.” It told me about how early these issues begin. According to the site,” 40-60% of elementary school girls are concerned about their weight or about becoming “too fat” while 59% of young women in general reported dissatisfaction with their body shape” (now.org). This spurred a lot of emotion in me as body image has been an issue for me since I was probably about 6 or 7. The piece “Breasts” best encompasses the feelings I felt about myself and my growing, developing body at that time. I also included a picture of young me in the piece “Hair” as in the piece I wanted to make sure my readers could see my youth alongside me today. I am still growing and changing but the issues with my body have been with me throughout my lifetime. The goal was to put into perspective just how young these harmful thoughts can begin to occur. The opening piece “I’m Still a Woman” is my war cry. I wanted to start off strong with a piece that encompasses my goals with myself and the project as a whole. Around the time of working on this project, my friend Michelle Quinn wrote this incredible piece about M’s experience as a Black Woman titled: “ANGRY BLACK LADY: A SPOKEN WORD POEM.” where she calls out agressions pushed at M and the stereotype of the “Angry Black Lady”. M speaks about pushing past holding M’s tongue and being unapologeticly m’self . I am a cisgender, white woman. My experiences may be similar to that of Michelle or others but that doesn’t mean they are the same. In researching for Anatomy, I had to seek out other experiences to make sure that I could add my own without speaking over others. My oppression is not to the same extent as many, but that doesn’t invalidate my experiences. In the chapter “The Rise of The Big Black Woman \u27\u27 from the text Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, author Sabrina Strings discusses Juilen- Joseph Virey, who was a French anthropologist and naturalist. He had an interest in bile theories regarding black skin color and corpulence. The theory stated that black skin was caused by a super abundance of black bile beneath the skin, which if overflown could cause stomach disorders and weight gain (Strings 85). Viney continued expressing his belief in this theory in terms of very racist remarks and sterotypes, calling them stupid, that they are gluttionus etc. Women were not spared from Virey’s predetermined opinions as he commented on their supposed big bottoms and pushed out bellies, overtly sexualizing these Hottentot ( Khoikhoi) women (86-87). Virey most likely didn’t even get to see these people up close, but assessed and made derogatory comments in regards to these women, which can be seen today in society with women of any background being sexualized and seen as objects. This particular section makes me think of my poem in my project “More than legs\u27\u27 as it’s about the gross sexualization of my legs and how I am more than just a body part. This text was my primary source for the intersectionality aspect of this project as it made me aware of terrible discrimmination that I wasn’t even aware of how deep it went. Overall this project was a deep dive into not only how I define myself but also how society has defined the ideals of healthy desirable bodies and what the ideal woman should and would be. I hope that my work will get published one day and that I will be able to further learn to empower myself and others. I found a lot of information and sources throughout my research process aside from the several I mentioned. All can be found below along with a summary of what they added to my research. Annotated Bibliography “Get the Facts: National Organization for Women.” National Organization for Women -, 29 Nov. 2014, https://now.org/now-foundation/love-your-body/love-your-body-whats-it-all-about/get-the-facts/. As stated on their about section on their webpage, the National Organization for Women Foundation is an organization devoted to achieving full equality for women through education and action. The page in particular was used for my presentation focused on solutions on body image issues and how to help those who struggle. Which I implemented in my “What can we do” slide, It also included statistics about women\u27s body image and a paragraph in regards to eating disorders. As I found it in search of things to add to my presentation, I see it as a valuable resource for those who want to know more about the global feminist movement and how to be a better support for women’s rights. Ganesan, S., Ravishankar, S. L., & Ramalingam, S. (2018). Are body image issues affecting our adolescents? A cross-sectional study among college going adolescent girls. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 43(5), 42. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_62_18 In this journal article, it focuses on the body image adolescent teenage girl college students have. As I fit the description, I figured this would be a good source to start with. While admittedly a bit short, it provided me with an academic study directly related to the topic of my creative project. The result of the study didn’t shock me much. “The study showed that 947 (77.6%) girls were dissatisfied with their body image (95% CI: 75.2–79.9). Among the 947 participants” (Ganesan). Knowing that every female identifying friend I have has struggled with body image, further encourages me to go forth with the project. I may not be able to represent every voice with my chapbook, but I’ll be contributing mine, which is just as important and valuable in raising awareness on body image struggles. One interesting finding in this particular study for myself was that, according to the text, “Based on the BMI, about half (53.6%) of them were having normal BMI while 26.7% of them were undernourished, 15.7% were overweight, and 3.9% were obese”(Gansan). It’s really disheartening to me seeing girls with healthy weight, still finding fault within themselves. It’s also concerning seeing the percentage of girls who are undernourished/ underweight. There has got to be a way to solve this cycle of hurt for not only girls but everyone. Body issues affect so many and it hurts to see no end in sight. Phares, V., & Steinberg, A. R. (2004). Gender differences in peer and parental influences: Body image disturbance, self-worth, and psychological functioning in preadolescent children. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 33(5), 421–429. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:joyo.0000037634.18749.20 This journal article was a lot more in depth compared to the previous as it didn’t just focus on body image issues for one group (college girls) but more the influences on body image. Being in this case peers and family’s effect on body image. Though gender was again mentioned, with female identifying persons again having more body images issues than male identifying persons do. It further reiterated the idea of a cycle to me, that we are influenced by those around us. Leading us to pick up the habits and mannerisms of the ones we love most. The journal article also tells us that these thoughts aren’t planted overnight and it\u27s not only comments but familital habits that contribute to poor body image and diet culture. If you have a peer or parent who partakes in unhealthy habits and/or struggles with their body image, it’s more likely that you’ll end up doing similar things (423. Phares, Steinberg, Thompson). This source really does reaffirm my topic as being a needed and important one. The fact of its prevalence over many many centuries and ever shifting beauty standards or ideals, is concerning to me and it needs to be examined further, in courses such as ours. Quinn, Michelle. “ANGRY BLACK LADY: A SPOKEN WORD POEM.”Www.hercampus.com, Hercampus, 9 May 2022, https://www.hercampus.com/school/augustana/angry-black-lady-a-spoken-word-poem/. This piece is written by my lovely friend Michelle, who in this powerful piece tells of a recent interaction in regards to M’s race and body image. Having further discussed this topic with M, I have been made aware of microaggressions and other mistreatment students at Augustana have dealt with in regards to race and other factors. Michelle is a graduating senior who I immensely look up to. I hope that this piece will move you if you choose to read it. (Michelle uses M, M, M’s pronouns) Strings, Sabrina. Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, New York University Press, New York, NY, 2019. This entire text focuses on the glorification of whites and the animalistic outlook on Black Women. American women were praised on their danityness, smallness and symmetrical features, or true beauties (138). This again highlights the historic continual oppression of POC, specifically Black Women

A Guide for Early Career Success in Academic Research

Balancing the research, teaching, and service facets is important to achieving success in academia. Doctoral programs should prepare their students to successfully navigate and balance all three of these facets. We focus on the research facet in this study and draw from the experience of a panel of accomplished researchers within the discipline, to compile a set of guidelines for doctoral students and new faculty. Analyzing the qualitative results from the panel interviews, we find that to ensure success within the research facet, one must effectively manage three emergent focal distinctions; a relationship with: oneself, others, and with the work

Sales performance and intuition – the role of gut feelings

This dissertation extends the dual theory of salesperson information processing by examining the relationship between salespersons\u27 emotional intelligence (EI) and their preference for and use of decision-making styles (intuition and/or deliberation) in the selling process. This dissertation contains two studies, Study 1 employs a descriptive research design and Study 2 uses experimental manipulations to investigate the role that intuition and deliberation play within the sales process. Data for both studies come from a sample derived from a national online panel of business to business salespeople. Study 1, using a survey approach, assesses two competing models and one post hoc model that are theoretically differentiated on the bases of cognitive awareness and effort. Findings from Study 1 demonstrate that a salesperson perceived use of intuition and deliberation are unique constructs that each positively influence creative selling and job performance. Also, emotional management relates to intuition and is a positive antecedent to deliberation. This provides supporting evidence for the theory of emotional intelligence. Finally, the post hoc model reveals that creative selling plays an important supporting role in shaping job performance. Study 2 employs a between subjects 2 (intuition versus deliberation decision mode) X 2 (positive versus negative emotional perception) X 2 (positive versus negative message) experimental design. Findings from Study 2 reveal that salesperson deliberation is necessary to perceive accurately emotions in others. This is in line with the theory of emotional intelligence, which holds that EI is an ability. In addition, there is evidence that subjects in the intuition condition retain less information regarding the sales dialogue but have roughly the same pattern of responses for purchase probability, tone of the sales dialogue, and attitude toward the product. This provides evidence that a salesperson\u27s intuition is a valuable input to guide actions during the sales interaction. Finally, there is evidence of the two processing systems, deliberation and intuition, working together and affecting how salespeople process information and make decisions. These findings support the theory of dual processing and provide insight into the decision making process within the context of sales. The work also provides a strong basis for future research

Transform or Transact? Which Leader Gets Better Results? A Meta - Analysis

This study used meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between leadership style and job performance in sales settings. Specifically, the research investigates whether transformational or transactional leadership is more appropriate in creating a high performing sales environment. Results indicate that transformational leadership is positively and significantly related to salesperson’s job performance, whereas the relationship between transactional leadership and job performance is mixed. Also, results suggest that the relationship between transformational leadership and job performance is stronger when subjective, rather than objective, measures of job performance are used

Alcohol and marijuana use while driving-an unexpected crash risk in Pakistani commercial drivers: a cross-sectional survey

Background:A significant proportion of road traffic crashes are attributable to alcohol and marijuana use while driving globally. Sale and use of both substances is illegal in Pakistan and is not considered a threat for road traffic injuries. However literature hints that this may not be the case. We did this study to assess usage of alcohol and marijuana in Pakistani commercial drivers.Methods:A sample of 857 commercial bus and truck drivers was interviewed in October 2008 at the largest commercial vehicle station in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Time location cluster sampling was used to select the subjects and a structured questionnaire was used to assess the basic demographic profile, substance abuse habits of the drivers while on the road, and reasons for usage of illicit substances while driving were recorded. Self reported information was collected after obtaining informed consent. Chi square and fisher exact tests were used to assess differences between groups and logistic regression was used to identify significant associations between driver characteristics and alcohol and marijuana use.Results:Almost 10% of truck drivers use alcohol while driving on Pakistani roads. Marijuana use is almost 30% in some groups. Statistically different patterns of usage are seen between population subgroups based on age, ethnicity, education, and marital status. Regression analysis shows association of alcohol and marijuana use with road rage and error behaviours, and also with an increased risk of being involved in road crashes. The reported reasons for using alcohol or marijuana show a general lack of awareness of the hazardous nature of this practice among the commercial driver population.Conclusion:Alcohol and marijuana use is highly prevalent in Pakistani commercial drivers. The issue needs to be recognized by concerned authorities and methods such as random breath tests and sobriety check points need to be employed for proper law enforcement

Mitigating risk in ecommerce transactions: perceptions of information credibility and the role of user-generated ratings in product quality and purchase intention

Although extremely popular, electronic commerce environments often lack information that has traditionally served to ensure trust among exchange partners. Digital technologies, however, have created new forms of "electronic word-of-mouth," which offer new potential for gathering credible information that guides consumer behaviors. We conducted a nationally representative survey and a focused experiment to assess how individuals perceive the credibility of online commercial information, particularly as compared to information available through more traditional channels, and to evaluate the specific aspects of ratings information that affect people's attitudes toward ecommerce. Survey results show that consumers rely heavily on web-based information as compared to other channels, and that ratings information is critical in the evaluation of the credibility of online commercial information. Experimental results indicate that ratings are positively associated with perceptions of product quality and purchase intention, but that people attend to average product ratings, but not to the number of ratings or to the combination of the average and the number of ratings together. Thus suggests that in spite of valuing the web and ratings as sources of commercial information, people use ratings information suboptimally by potentially privileging small numbers of ratings that could be idiosyncratic. In addition, product quality is shown to mediate the relationship between user ratings and purchase intention. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are considered for ecommerce scholars, consumers, and vendors. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York