Human Adaptation to Isolated and Confined Environments

A study was conducted over seven months in a winter Antarctic isolated and confined environment (ICE). Physiological and psychological data was collected several times a week. Information was collected on a monthly basis on behavior and the use of physical facilities. Adaptation and information indicated that there was a significant decrease in epinephrine and norepinephrine during the middle trimester of the winter. No vital changes were found for blood pressure. Self reports of hostility and anxiety show a linear increase. There were no significant changes in depression during ICE. The physiological and psychological data do not move in a synchronous fashion over time. The data also suggest that both ambient qualities of an ICE and discrete social environmental events, such as the arrival of the summer crew, have an impact on the outcome measures used. It may be most appropiate to develop a model for ICE's that incorporates not only global chronic stressors common to all ICE's but also the role of discrete environmental effects which can minimize or enhance the influence of more chronic stressors. Behavioral adjustment information highlight the importance of developing schedules which balance work and recreational activities

Behaviour change interventions in breast and cervical cancer screening promotion

To encourage women to participate in breast and cervical state-paid screening programs, an experiment was conducted, during which easy access was provided to the screening and each woman who had not used the state-paid screening opportunity was addressed through direct communication. Screening coverage after the experiment improved up to 288%, demonstrating the importance of a behavioural economics nudge approach and tailored communication in the overall health communication process provided within the socio-ecological model

Enhancing the Resilience of Human-Environment Systems: a Social Ecological Perspective

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Descriptive, but not Injunctive, Normative Appeals Increase Response Rates In Web-based Surveys

Background: In an earlier experiment Misra, Stokols, & Marino (2012) found that participants who received a descriptive normative prompt in the message requesting them to complete an online survey were more likely to comply with the request compared to participants who did not receive any normative prompts. Purpose: Building on that earlier study, the present field experiment compared the separate and additive effects of descriptive and injunctive norm- based persuasive messages on response rates of online surveys. We also investigate the influence of email reminders on response rates. Intervention: Participants in an interdisciplinary conference were assigned to one of four groups. The three experimental groups received one of the following messages asking them to complete an online survey that highlighted: (1) a descriptive social norm indicating typical response rates among attendees of prior similar conferences; (2) an injunctive norm appealing them to join fellow participants in completing the survey; or (3) both social norms. The control group received a generic request to complete the online survey without any norm-based appeals. Research Design: This study used an experimental design which afforded a within subjects replication of participants’ assignment to each of two treatment groups and the control prompts for two successive surveys.Data Collection and Analysis: One hundred and twenty nine conference participants were requested to complete an online questionnaire about their experiences of an interdisciplinary conference in Fall 2011, immediately following the conference (Time 1) and then three months later (Time 2). At both time points, participants were given three weeks to complete the online surveys. For both time points, participants who had not completed the survey one week after they were sent the initial request to complete the survey received an e-mail reminder. One week after the first email reminder, participants who had still not answered the survey were sent a second email reminder. Once the online surveys were closed at both time points, response rates were calculated. To evaluate the differences in response rates among the various treatment and control groups at both time points, we conducted one-tailed z-tests for proportions to ascertain the z-scores. Findings: Participants receiving a message highlighting the descriptive social norm when asked to complete an online survey were more likely to comply with the request compared to all the other groups. Additionally, one and two email reminders were found to be effective in improving response rates of online surveys.Keywords: response rate; online surveys; norm-based persuasive messages; descriptive norm; injunctive norm; research on evaluatio