Women in non-traditional versus traditional occupations : social comparison, job satisfaction and career success

This research investigated the relationships between reference group choice and job satisfaction, and explored women’s definitions of career success. Women working in traditional and non-traditional occupations (N = 52) in a mid-sized university in Western Canada participated in personal interviews. The results revealed that significantly more women compared themselves to others when assessing their job satisfaction than those who did not. No significant differences emerged when comparing levels of satisfaction of women in non-traditional occupations with male reference groups and women in traditional occupations with female reference groups. Similarly, no significant differences in levels of satisfaction emerged between women in non-traditional occupations with female reference groups and women in traditional occupations with female reference groups. However, low power may have accounted for the non-significant findings. Other factors, such as job characteristics, that may be influencing levels of job satisfaction are discussed. Content analysis of women’s definitions of career success suggested that women in each type of occupations used similar subjective criteria when defining career success, with the two most frequent coded criteria being “happy with work” and “achieving their goals”. Organizational implications of the findings are discussed, including possible factors influencing women’s levels of satisfaction, and the development of reward systems reflective of the interests of all employees. Future directions for research are proposed, such as continued investigation of the concept of “similar” comparison others for women, and women’s perceptions of the importance of social comparisons in assessing levels of job satisfaction

Women's acculturation to Canada : uncertainty's role

This thesis investigated the relationship between subjective uncertainty, threat, and psychological and behavioural acculturation from the perspective of well-educated Canadian women who emigrated from Asia. In the first study, 153 women completed a questionnaire. These women lived in Canada for an average of 17 years, and were proficient in English. In the second study, in-depth qualitative interviews with three women who scored high and three women who scored low on the cultural uncertainty scale in the first study illustrated how women describe uncertainty in their lives. Subjective uncertainty reduction theory (SURT) posits that higher uncertainty leads to stronger group identification. However, Study 1 and Study 2 contradicted SURT, in that higher certainty was related to stronger cultural and Canadian identities. Women in this research identified strongly with their cultural group and as Canadians, they reported low levels of uncertainty, and they did not feel very threatened. Women’s stories from Study 2 illustrate these findings. Moreover, threat and uncertainty were not related, suggesting that they are two conceptually different constructs. In Study 1, uncertainty and threat significantly contributed to the prediction of women’s strength of social identifications after controlling for background variables, providing support for social identity theory. As well, Study 1 and Study 2 found support for the bidimensional approach to acculturation, remooring of cultural identity, and the compatibility of women’s cultural and Canadian identities. These findings are consistent with past research, and suggest that women had very secure cultural and Canadian identities. The six interviews demonstrated the breadth and idiosyncratic nature of women’s experiences. However, several themes revealed that social identifications served three functions for women: enhanced self-esteem, ingroup cooperation and cohesion, and social interactions. Whether these motives are derivatives of subjective uncertainty needs further investigation. Taken together, these results suggest that SURT may be more applicable as a theory of adaptation, in that the initial adjustment period may induce high uncertainty and insecure social identifications. More broadly, the findings suggest continued application of theory to real-life settings is critical to the investigation of the motivational dynamics of identity choice and maintenance

Reference gene selection and RNA preservation protocol in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, for gene expression studies

This work was supported by a Knowledge Transfer Network BBSRC Industrial Case (#414 BB/L502467/1) studentship in association Zoetis Inc.Peer reviewedPostprin

Complexity, safety and challenges: Emergency responders’ experience of people affected by methamphetamines

Providing care to methamphetamine‐related callout events in the prehospital environment is often complex and resource‐intensive, requiring staff to manage agitation and violence‐related side effects of methamphetamines. In Australia, emergency responders are increasingly required to attend events related to methamphetamines, even though reports suggest methamphetamine use across Australia has declined. The aim of the study was to explore Australian police and paramedic experiences attending methamphetamine‐related events. A qualitative descriptive phenomenology design was employed using semi‐structured interviews with employed police (10) and paramedics (8) from Australia. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants described the complexities associated with providing prehospital care to people affected by methamphetamines. Participants described associated domestic/family violence, increased levels of violence, challenges with communication, and responder emotional and psychological distress and physical injury. Violence associated with methamphetamine use is a critical factor in prehospital care. Workplace violence and family/domestic violence are important issues that require further research to ensure families and staff are well supported and have the services they need to continue responding to people affected by methamphetamine use

Continuous quality improvement processes in child protection: a systematic literature review

Purpose: Protecting children from mistreatment is a global concern and further research and evaluation in child protection services is required. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) has demonstrated potential but to date there is no systematic review of studies that evaluate the application of CQI in child protection. Method: This systematic literature review examined the application of CQI in child protection services. The review identified published, English language evaluations of CQI in child protection from 2000-2016 and critique the characteristics, methodological quality, and reported benefits of the included studies. Results: A search of social science electronic databases identified eight peer-reviewed studies, including six quantitative studies, one mixed methods study and one qualitative study. Discussion: The review highlighted that many studies on this topic lack specific validating data but there is evidence that CQI models have some potential to improve processes for working with children and families by promoting implementation fidelity

Potential challenges of using narrative inquiry with at-risk young people

Aim: To present an overview of several challenges that arose when conducting narrative research with at-risk young people. Background: Being identified as 'at-risk' places an individual in danger of future negative outcomes. Conducting qualitative research such as narrative inquiry with 'at-risk' individuals has the potential for challenges to arise for participants and/or researchers. Discussion: Five main challenges identified and discussed were trauma disclosure, pre-existing relationships, insider/outsider perspective, power relationships and researcher and participant emotional safety. Conclusions: It is imperative that potential challenges be identified prior to the commencement of studies and plans made to address the challenges. Implication for practice: Difficulties can arise with any type of research involving vulnerable participants; hence as researchers we must always plan to ensure these challenges are managed appropriately

Making intelligent systems team players: Case studies and design issues. Volume 1: Human-computer interaction design

Initial results are reported from a multi-year, interdisciplinary effort to provide guidance and assistance for designers of intelligent systems and their user interfaces. The objective is to achieve more effective human-computer interaction (HCI) for systems with real time fault management capabilities. Intelligent fault management systems within the NASA were evaluated for insight into the design of systems with complex HCI. Preliminary results include: (1) a description of real time fault management in aerospace domains; (2) recommendations and examples for improving intelligent systems design and user interface design; (3) identification of issues requiring further research; and (4) recommendations for a development methodology integrating HCI design into intelligent system design

Substitution and primary dependence studies in animals

The mixed agonist-antagonist analgesics buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, pentazocine and picenadol were compared to the prototype mu and kappa agonists morphine and Mr 2033, respectively, in the following tests in rhesus monkeys: overt behavioral effects upon acute administration in drug-naive animals; discriminative stimulus properties in monkeys trained to respond to either etorphine or ethylketazocine; self-administration of the test agent relative to codeine; single dose suppression and precipitation in withdrawn and non-withdrawn morphine-dependent monkeys, respectively; and primary addiction studies in drug-naive animals. Whereas both buprenorphine and nalbuphine precipitate withdrawal in morphine-dependent monkeys, withdrawal following chronic administration of buprenorphine resulted in no observable signs of abstinence, while nalbuphine withdrawal was similar to that seen in morphine-dependent monkeys. Butorphanol, pentazocine and picenadol all produced mild dependence of the kappa-type; that is, natural withdrawal behavior similar to that seen following chronic Mr 2033 administration.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/25766/1/0000327.pd

Kappa receptor mediated opioid dependence in rhesus monkeys

The kappa receptor-selective agonist U-50, 488 was administered chronically to rhesus monkeys. Tolerance developed to the overt behavioral effects of U-50, 488 without cross-tolerance to morphine. Withdrawal behaviors produced by deprivation, naloxone or quadazocine administration in U-50, 488-dependent monkeys consisted of hyperactivity, excessive grooming, and yawning. The syndrome was suppressed in a dose-related manner by a kappa agonist, ethylketazocine, but not by doses of morphine that suppressed its own withdrawal. The mu-selective antagonist, beta-funaltrexamine, at doses which are active in morphine-dependent monkeys, did not precipitate withdrawal in U50, 488-dependent monkeys. Dependence, which is the result of activity at the kappa receptor, was distinct from morphine dependence.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/26046/1/0000119.pd