Indigenous anaerobic bacteria in health and disease

Imperial Users onl

Influences of lateral preference and personality on behaviour towards a manual sorting task

Differences in task behaviour between left- and right-handers and left- and right-eared individuals have been reported (e.g. Jackson, 2008 and Wright et al., 2004) with left-handers taking longer to begin a task and right-eared individuals having a more disinhibited approach. Personality measurements are also important when examining approach behaviour. Jackson (2008) reported that those with higher neuroticism levels and a right-ear preference react faster to tasks. The current study investigated the effects of lateral preference and personality on behaviour towards a manual sorting task. Eighty-five participants completed laterality and personality scales and a card-sorting task. Degree of hand preference was found to influence behaviour towards the task with strong left-handers taking longer to begin. Those with a left congruent lateral preference (left-hand, left-ear) took significantly longer to begin the task than those with a right congruent preference. Neither neuroticism nor extraversion influenced task approach. We concluded that hand preference, and more specifically a strong left-hand preference is a good predictor of a longer initiation time on a manual task. Ear preference on its own does not predict initiation time

Biopsychosocial Factors That Discriminate Between White Collar Offenders and Business Professionals

White collar crime is pervasive with a larger financial impact to society than violent or street crime, yet it has been understudied. Violent and street offender research has moved beyond the examination of motive and opportunity to study personality, demographics, sociological influences, and psychological influences on development and criminal behavior; however, the bulk of white collar offender research has focused on greed as a motivator and organizational opportunity. Legislative efforts have attempted to curtail white collar crime, but incidents of crime continue to rise, resulting in a continued need to understand white collar offenders and the influences on offender behavior. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the multivariate difference between white collar offenders (n = 62) and business professionals (n = 121). Theoretically guided by the biopsychosocial model and prior empirical findings, 36 variables were univariately tested for group differences; 10 were significant and used in discriminant function analysis. White collar offenders tended to be female, have high neuroticism and alcohol abuse scores, and have low scores on narcissism and attribution. Drug use was positively correlated with the white collar offender profile, while income, openness, hostility, and anger were inversely related. The profile and correlates provide a deeper understanding of those who choose to cross legal and ethical lines. Positive social change could be realized through targeted collegiate business training programs to address risk characteristics and promote protective factors of ethics, integrity, and leadership

Moving Beyond the Surface: Ethics Education in Canadian Social Work Bachelor Programs

This thesis is an exploratory analysis of: “How Canadian schools offering bachelor programs attend to social work ethics education in the 21st century?” A concurrent triangulation mixed method research design was chosen to draw upon the strengths of quantitative and qualitative analysis, and minimize the limitations of each method. Deans and Directors at the thirty-two Faculties, Schools and Departments of Social Work with bachelor social work programs in Canada were contacted and requested to identify an expert in social work ethics education to partake in this research. Fifty-three (53%) of the schools had educators either complete the survey and/or engage in an interview. This research, consistent with the historical trend, locates ethics education in Canadian bachelor programs in the curricular margins. Yet, there is hope for social work ethics education and educators in Canada. This research provides an infusion of hope through the “Moving Beyond the Surface” (MBS) vision of ethics education. The MBS vision with its’ process focus suggests “how” to approach ethics education today, and in the future. MBS has three interrelated categories: (a) space creation for ethics dialogues; (b) ethics dialogues; and, (c) student learning ideals. Space creation for ethics dialogues is an essential condition for the two subsequent categories of ethics dialogues and student learning ideals. Space is created by faculty members serving as “ethical advocates.” Educators enhance curricular space for ethics dialogues by working within existing curricular processes to advocate for the inclusion and enhancement of profession ethics and/or mobilizing others to become ethical advocates (i.e. faculty members, field supervisors, students)

Prayer in theological education for ministry: toward a contemplative practical theological pedagogy

Through centuries of Christian theology, prayer has held an important role in theology and the ministerial vocation. However, foundational literature on Protestant theological education for ministry does not offer a clear role for the practice of prayer in the theological classroom. In order to explore the relationship between theology and prayer in the context of theological education, this dissertation first explores the wider conversation around prayer in theology, the ministerial vocation, spirituality studies, and theological education. Second, it analyzes the role of prayer in foundational texts that have influenced and continue to influence the Protestant theological education conversation. Third, in order to gain a deeper understanding of how a practice of prayer functions within a theological framework, this dissertation analyzes three Protestant theologians for the relationship between theology and prayer. Fourth, by placing the analysis of the theological education texts, theologians, and voices from practical theology, spirituality, and contemplative studies into conversation, this dissertation offers a proposal for how prayer can function within a theological classroom. Chapter one draws upon multiple voices across theological traditions within Christianity and argues for the importance of prayer in the work of theology and in the ministerial vocation. It provides an overview of the role of prayer within practical theological methods and theological education, and also explores the split between theology and spirituality. Chapter two analyzes seven foundational texts discussing Protestant graduate ministerial theological education for the role of prayer. Chapters three, four, and five explore the writings of three Protestant theologians--Karl Barth, Eugene Peterson, and Marjorie Suchocki--for how their understanding and practice of prayer functions within their respective theological frameworks, and what their under-standings offer to theological education for ministry. Chapter six places these theologians into conversation with scholars in spirituality studies, practical theology, and scholars from the new field of contemplative studies in order to offer a contemplative pedagogical framework. Using a four-movement dynamic based on lectio divina, the flexible framework balances four modes of attention: first person introspective reflection, second person dialogic prayer, third person objective investigation, and attentive rest

Trauma : survival, repetition, and representation in aftermath Vietnam War literature

This study examines Aftermath Vietnam War literature-- literature where the bulk of the text is set in the United States after the Fall of Saigon (1975). Discussion of the following texts appear in the work: Larry Heinemann\u27s Paco\u27s Story, Bobbie Ann Mason\u27s In Country, and Tim O\u27Brien\u27s The Things They Carried. I consider how survival, repetition and memorial figure as ways to articulate what happens to the individual and community during and after such traumatic confrontations as the Vietnam War. Veterans bring home elements of their battlefield experiences ambiguity, disorientation and being bunkered-in. This creates an alienated existence that spreads to the larger community. In addition to alienation, compulsive repetition becomes a systematic attempt to find meaning and origin-to somehow capture the traumatic moment. Trauma cannot be fully experienced; the void is a necessary part of trauma, and it is that void that both alludes and obliges representation. Therefore, compulsive repetition guides us toward, at a minimum, these purposes: bearing witness to horrors of the war, condemning the immorality of war, implicating the larger community\u27s participation in war, remember the dead, and beginning to repair the damaged psyche. This is clearly why memorial is so important. The way we represent war to the community must not be a false representation. False representations include strict adherence to chronology, linearity, closure, and the myth heroism

Teacher Perceptions About Teaching Students with Executive Function Deficits

The problem that prompted this study was that kindergarten through 5th grade teachers were struggling to find appropriate interventions to support the rising number of students exhibiting executive function deficiencies (EFD). The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of local elementary teachers about students with EFD, about instructional strategies used to help focus EFD students, and about teachers’ professional needs to work effectively with EFD students. Diamond’s core characteristics of EFD served as the conceptual framework guiding this study. The research questions focused on teachers’ experiences and perceptions of strategies used for students with EFD, and of the professional training needs of teachers working with EFD students. A case study design was used to capture the insights of a purposefully selected sample of 12 elementary teachers through semi structured interviews and a focus group interview. Emergent themes were identified through an open coding process, and findings were developed and checked for trustworthiness through triangulation, rich descriptions, and member checking. The findings revealed that teachers perceived that EFD students responded best to active learning and technology-rich lessons delivered within a structured environment. A professional development project was created to provide teachers with instructional and technology strategies and interventions to engage and focus students with EFD. This study has implications for positive social change by offering teachers strategies to improve the performance and engagement of students with EFD