Theory-based design for promoting positive behaviours in an urban blue space: Pre-and-post observations of a community co-created intervention in Plymouth, United Kingdom

Behaviour observation and mapping are useful planning tools to generate evidence to create people-friendly public spaces. Small-scale interventions are gaining popularity as cost-effective and quick solutions to regenerate degraded urban outdoor environments. Onsite behaviour observation mapping with GIS underpins evidence gathering, analysis, and planning and design decision-making. Using the BlueHealth Behaviour Assessment Tool (BBAT) developed within the EU-funded Horizon 2020 Project “Blue Health”, we carried out pre- and post- intervention observations of visits, activities and visitors' characteristics in a site at Teats Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom. Pre-post comparison of visits and activities in three target areas the entire site before and the within-site intervention area (a small open-air theatre) and the rest of the site afterwards were examined to analyse the impact of the intervention on socialising and relaxing activities. Behaviour observation data was both spatially and statistically analysed. Key outcomes were sitting, standing, walking, activity with a dog, viewing, using a phone and socialising. Both a logistic regression model and spatial analysis using density maps and hot spot analysis confirmed an increased use of the open-air theatre and its positive impact on the use of the rest of the park (the non-intervention area). Our logit models showed that the intervention promoted positive behaviour for health (i.e. blue space activities, socialisation, and relaxing activities), greater inclusivity and diversity of visitors. We conclude that an evidence-based design approach can increase blue space accessibility, improve place affordances and promote positive behaviour and psychological well-being benefitting local communities

A TCP/IP Network Emulator

In this paper a Linux based framework of a TCP/IP emulator is introduced. Several advantages can be noted. Firstly, the maintenance of large numbers of processors is unnecessary. Secondly, compared with simulators constructed with conceptual codes, our emulator framework makes it possible to test the interaction and behaviour of TCP/IP in real Linux network environments. Thirdly, the wired network is fully controlled by a single processor enabling us to separate TCP/IP behaviour over the wireless network, which helps distinguish performance functions that occur due to noisy wireless links. The framework was tested on two Linux processors over an IEEE802.11b wireless link. The simulations show that the complex topology of the heterogeneous network was "realistically" constructed

Altering an extended phenotype reduces intraspecific male aggression and can maintain diversity in cichlid fish

Reduced male aggression towards different phenotypes generating negative frequency-dependent intrasexual selection has been suggested as a mechanism to facilitate the invasion and maintenance of novel phenotypes in a population. To date, the best empirical evidence for the phenomenon has been provided by laboratory studies on cichlid fish with different colour polymorphisms. Here we experimentally tested the hypothesis in a natural population of Lake Malawi cichlid fish, in which males build sand-castles (bowers) to attract females during seasonal leks. We predicted that if bower shape plays an important role in male aggressive interactions, aggression among conspecific males should decrease when their bower shape is altered. Accordingly, we allocated randomly chosen bowers in a Nyassachromis cf. microcephalus lek into three treatments: control, manipulated to a different shape, and simulated manipulation. We then measured male behaviours and bower shape before and after these treatments. We found that once bower shape was altered, males were involved in significantly fewer aggressive interactions with conspecific males than before manipulation. Mating success was not affected. Our results support the idea that an extended phenotype, such as bower shape, can be important in maintaining polymorphic populations. Specifically, reduced male conspecific aggression towards males with different extended phenotypes (here, bower shapes) may cause negative frequency-dependent selection, allowing the invasion and establishment of a new phenotype (bower builder). This could help our understanding of mechanisms of diversification within populations, and in particular, the overall diversification of bower shapes within Lake Malawi cichlids

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children : a comparative study on current assessment, diagnosis and treatment practices in Malaysia and New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University

Appendices include Malay languageDiagnosis and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-one of the most common neurobehavioural disorders of childhood and the most chronic childhood disorder-remain controversial because of concern about inappropriate practices among mental health practitioners. The purpose of this study was to examine the current diagnostic assessment procedures and treatment interventions applied in diagnosing and treating ADHD children in Malaysia. The study also addressed the issues of ethnic diversity and age differences among these children that may affect the implementation of such procedures and interventions. This study, then, represents the first effort to compare and contrast the diagnosis and treatment practices for the disorder in Malaysia and in New Zealand. As a replication of a previous study by Kingi (2000) in New Zealand, the study was conducted in 2 phases. First, a random sample of 40 children with ADHD, aged from 3 to 16 years, was surveyed in 2 areas in Malaysia. Then 4 practitioners who provided data for 5 children in the first phase were screened. Each parent completed Kingi's Parent/Guardian Survey and each practitioner completed Kingi's Treating Practitioner Survey. Responses indicated that the majority of Malaysian children were assessed and treated for ADHD with inconsistent application of current scientific recommendations. Ethnic diversity and age differences influenced the use of some types of assessment procedures and treatment interventions for these affected children. The results of a comparison with Kingi's findings indicated that there were significant differences in the utilisation of diagnostic procedures for Malaysian and New Zealand children. However, no differences were detected in the application of treatment interventions in these 2 countries. The diagnosis-country association and treatment-country associations were moderated by the age of the children. Some types of diagnosis and treatment procedures used for ADHD children, varied considerably across Malaysia and New Zealand and age differences also affected the use of some types of procedures in these 2 countries. Overall, these findings add to a growing literature supporting the notion that many ADHD children are inappropriately diagnosed and therefore inaccurately treated

The influence of introversion/extraversion bias on leadership assessment with behaviour observation

‘Survival of the fittest’ aptly describes the work environment. Employees and the organisations for which they work are therefore required to have various skills sets to afford them a competitive advantage in the job market. This is one of the many reasons why private and public organisations make use of the assessment center, and specifically the behaviour observation exercise to evaluate and select future personnel. Although the behaviour observation exercise provides the rater with rich information regarding a candidate’s skills, rater errors that are often inadvertent can result from a rater’s inherent subjectivity. One such error, central to this study, is Introversion/Extraversion bias. This type of bias plays out when raters rate candidates with personality types similar to their own more favorably than other candidates when the candidate’s degree of introversion or extraversion should not be considered relevant to the selection criteria. This study aims to explore the effect of Introversion/Extraversion bias on the scores of behaviour observation exercises performed during a leadership assessment center in a security environment. The sample consists of 103 participants (14 raters and 89 candidates) all belonging to the same security organisation. The researcher conducts a cross-sectional, non-experimental field study. Candidate as well as rater Introversion/Extraversion preferences are measured by the Jung Personality Questionnaire (JPQ). The scores of two behaviour observation exercises are used to explore the interaction effect between rater Introversion/Extraversion and candidate Introversion/Extraversion. Point-biserial correlations, independent t-tests as well as a one-way ANOVA are used to test the hypotheses. No interaction effect is identified between rater Introversion/Extraversion and candidate Introversion/Extraversion, indicating that raters did not score candidates with similar personality types to their own more favorably. However, the results indicate that extraverted candidates were rated higher by both introverted and extraverted raters and are consequently perceived to have performed better in both behaviour observation exercises. The study postulates that the nature of the exercises, which require high levels of engagement with fellow team members (a typical strength of extraverts), is one of the main contributors to the perception that extraverted individuals are better performers. The results of this study not only contribute to the lacuna in research on the topic, but also to the development of an unbiased behaviour observation exercise within this security organisation. Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: De Beer, E 2011, The influence of introversion/extraversion bias on leadership assessment with behaviour observation, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd C12/4/136/gmDissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011.Human Resource Managementunrestricte