Conducting research on the internet

This article sets out to review the main issues facing IMR today. As well as offering guidelines for good practice (based on my experiences and those of other researchers in conducting psychological studies via the internet), I hope to stimulate research that assesses the validity of IMR procedures. As most psychologists who are considering using the internet to support their research will not want to become expert programmers, I also provide a list of resources available to help implement an internet-mediated study with minimal technical expertise

Psychological evidence for assumptions of path-based inheritance reasoning

The psychological validity of inheritance reasoners is clarified. Elio and Pelletier (1993) presented the first pilot experiment exploring some of these issues. We investigate other foundational assumptions of inheritance reasoning with defaults: transitivity, blocking of transitivity by negative defaults, pre-emption in terms of structurally defined specificity and structurally defined redundancy of information. Responses were in accord with the assumption of at least limited transitivity, however, reasoning with negative information and structurally defined specificity conditions did not support the predictions of the literature. 'Preemptive' links were found to provide additional information leading to indeterminacy, rather than providing completely overriding information as the literature predicts. On the other hand, results support the structural identification of certain links as redundant. Other findings suggest that inheritance proof-theory might be excessively guided by its syntax

Research methods on the Internet

This chapter considers how the various internet communication technologies discussed in Section I can and have been used to support, and arguably transform, social and behavioural research methods. Focus here is on primary research, that is, "the acquisition and analysis of data to produce novel evidence and research findings" (Hewson, Laurent and Vogel, forthcoming). Primary research on the internet has been referred to as internet-mediated research (IMR) (Hewson et al. 2003) and this term will be adopted throughout the present chapter. The chapter will not consider secondary research on the internet, such as conducting a literature review or creating a bibliography; for useful guides on the latter see Hewson et al. (2003); Ó Dochartaigh (2012). The structure of the chapter is as follows: overview and history of IMR; scope and range of IMR methods, with illustrations; key issues and debates in IMR (data quality, sampling, ethics); future possibilities and directions

Empirical evidence regarding the folk psychological concept of belief

This paper presents empirical evidence regarding the nature of our commonsense concept of belief. The findings have significant bearing upon claims made by authors concerned with the Folk Psychology Debate - in particular, they challenge Stephen Stich's (1983) claim that folk psychology is committed to a broad account of belief states. In contrast it is found that folk psychology favours a narrow account of belief. This result is important in refuting Stich's claim that the folk psychological concept of belief has no role to play in a developed cognitive science. The paper also presents evidence regarding the influence of several factors on folk psychological judgements of belief individuation (emphasised similarities/differences between the referents of beliefs, nature of past beliefs, goal of classification), and introduces a methodology by which to investigate further factors. It is argued that the observed conflict between individual speculations about likely folk psychological intuitions within the philosophical literature and actual empirical data regarding subjects' responses highlights the important contribution of experimental psychology in exploring such philosophical issues

Engaging Post-Secondary Students And Older Adults In An Intergenerational Digital Storytelling Course

A five day Digital Storytelling course was offered to Social Work students, integrating a three day workshop with older adult storytellers who shared storied related to the theme stories of home. A course evaluation was conducted exploring the Digital Storytelling experience and learning in an intergenerational setting. Findings from surveys distributed at the end of the course to students and storytellers revealed that students’ knowledge of and interest in Digital Storytelling and its application was enhanced. The intergenerational component was positive for students and older adults. Students identified the intergenerational component as a highlight of the course which improved their awareness of older adult issues and knowledge of working with aging populations. Older adult participants enjoyed working with the students which increased their understanding of younger generations. This innovative course enhanced students’ learning experiences, meriting consideration for the incorporation of intergenerational learning opportunities and Digital Storytelling into future social service and aging related courses to better prepare students for gerontological practice

The impact of continuing bonds following bereavement::A systematic review

Following bereavement, continuing bonds (CBs) include engaging with memories, illusions, sensory and quasi-sensory perceptions, hallucinations, communication, actions, and belief that evoke an inner relationship with the deceased. To date, the literature has been unable to confirm whether retaining, rather than relinquishing, bonds is helpful. A mixed studies systematic literature search explored how CBs affect grief. Studies on the effect or experience of CBs on adjustment following bereavement were eligible for inclusion. Six computerized databases were searched. A total of 79 of 319 screened studies were included. Three themes were derived from the thematic analysis: (1) comfort and distress, (2) ongoing bonds and relational identity, and (3) uncertainty, conceptualizing, and spirituality. Themes describe the role of CBs for the accommodation of the death story, transformation of the relationship, meaning reconstruction, identity processes, and affirmation of spiritual belief. Results shed light on the adaptive potentials for CBs

Effect of pulsed delivery and bouillon base on saltiness and bitterness perceptions of salt delivery profiles partially substituted with KCl

Reducing salt levels in processed food is an important target for a growing numbers of food manufacturers. The effects of pulsed delivery (Dynataste) and bouillon base on saltiness and bitterness perception of partially substituted solutions (KCl) were investigated. Pulsed delivery did not enhance salt perception and resulted in greater Overall Bitterness Scores for the same level of substitution with KCl. The presence of the bouillon base masked to a certain extent the loss of saltiness induced by the substitution and resulted in lower Overall Bitterness Scores of the substituted profiles

Combining remote sensing and tracking data to quantify species' cumulative exposure to anthropogenic change

Identifying when and where organisms are exposed to anthropogenic change is crucial for diagnosing the drivers of biodiversity declines and implementing effective conservation measures. Accurately measuring individual-scale exposure to anthropogenic impacts across the annual cycle as they move across continents requires an approach that is both spatially and temporally explicit—now achievable through recent parallel advances in remote-sensing and individual tracking technologies. We combined 10 years of tracking data for a long-distance migrant, (common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus), with multi-dimensional remote-sensed spatial datasets encompassing thirteen relevant anthropogenic impacts (including infrastructure, hunting, habitat change, and climate change), to quantify mean hourly and total accumulated exposure of tracked individuals to anthropogenic change across each stage of the annual cycle. Although mean hourly exposure to anthropogenic change was greatest in the breeding stage, accumulated exposure to changes associated with direct mortality risks (e.g., built infrastructure) and with climate were greatest during the wintering stage, which comprised 63% of the annual cycle on average for tracked individuals. Exposure to anthropogenic change varied considerably within and between migratory flyways, but there were no clear between-flyway differences in overall exposure during migration stages. However, more easterly autumn migratory routes were significantly associated with lower subsequent exposure to anthropogenic impacts in the winter stage. Cumulative change exposure was not significantly associated with recent local-scale population trends in the breeding range, possibly because cuckoos from shared breeding areas may follow divergent migration routes and therefore encounter very different risk landscapes. Our study highlights the potential for the integration of tracking data and high-resolution remote sensing to generate valuable and detailed new insights into the impacts of environmental change on wild species

Passive immunisation of convalescent human anti-Zika plasma protects against challenge with New World Zika virus in cynomolgus macaques.

Zika virus (ZIKV) causes neurological complications in susceptible individuals, highlighted in the recent South American epidemic. Natural ZIKV infection elicits host responses capable of preventing subsequent re-infection, raising expectations for effective vaccination. Defining protective immune correlates will inform viral intervention strategies, particularly vaccine development. Non-human primate (NHP) species are susceptible to ZIKV and represent models for vaccine development. The protective efficacy of a human anti-ZIKV convalescent plasma pool (16/320-14) developed as a candidate reference material for a WHO International Standard was evaluated in macaques. Convalescent plasma administered to four cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) intra-peritoneally 24 hrs prior to sub-cutaneous challenge with 103 pfu ZIKVPRVABC59 protected against detectable infection, with absence of detectable ZIKV RNA in blood and lymphoid tissues. Passively immunised anti-ZIKV immunoglobulin administered prior to time of challenge remained present only at very low levels 42 days post-challenge. Absence of de novo antibody responses in passively immunised macaques indicate sterilising immunity compared with naïve challenge controls that exhibited active ZIKV-specific IgM and IgG responses post-challenge. Demonstration that the presence of convalescent anti-ZIKV at levels of 400 IU/mL neutralising antibody protects against virus challenge provides a scientific framework for development of anti-ZIKV vaccines and facilitates regulatory approval

High susceptibility, viral dynamics and persistence of South American Zika virus in New World monkey species.

South American Zika virus (ZIKV) recently emerged as a novel human pathogen, linked with neurological disorders. However, comparative ZIKV infectivity studies in New World primates are lacking. Two members of the Callitrichidae family, common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and red-bellied tamarins (Saguinus labiatus), were highly susceptible to sub-cutaneous challenge with the Puerto Rico-origin ZIKVPRVABC59 strain. Both exhibited rapid, high, acute viraemia with early neuroinvasion (3 days) in peripheral and central nervous tissue. ZIKV RNA levels in blood and tissues were significantly higher in New World hosts compared to Old World species (Macaca mulatta, Macaca fascicularis). Tamarins and rhesus macaques exhibited loss of zonal occludens-1 (ZO-1) staining, indicative of a compromised blood-brain barrier 3 days post-ZIKV exposure. Early, widespread dissemination across multiple anatomical sites distant to the inoculation site preceded extensive ZIKV persistence after 100 days in New and Old World lineages, especially lymphoid, neurological and reproductive sites. Prolonged persistence in brain tissue has implications for otherwise resolved human ZIKV infection. High susceptibility of distinct New World species underscores possible establishment of ZIKV sylvatic cycles in primates indigenous to ZIKV endemic regions. Tamarins and marmosets represent viable New World models for ZIKV pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention studies, including vaccines, with contemporary strains