Variable effects of larval size on post-metamorphic performance in the field

Larval quality may be capable of explaining much of the variation in the recruitment and subsequent population dynamics of benthic marine invertebrates. Whilst the effects of larval nutritional condition on adult performance have received the most attention, recent work has shown that larval size may also be an important and ubiquitous source of variation in larval quality. We examined the effects of variation in larval size on the post-metamorphic survival and growth of Watersipora subtorquata in 2 very different habitats - experimental substrata and pier pilings. We found strong effects of larval size on colony performance, although these varied among experiments. For colonies on experimental substrata, larval size positively affected adult survival and, initially, growth. However, after 3 wk in the field, there was no relationship between larval size and colony size, possibly because colonies were completely surrounded by newly settled organisms. Larval size also positively affected post-metamorphic growth of colonies on pier pilings, but, surprisingly, colonies that came from larger larvae had lower survival than colonies from smaller larvae. Overall, variation in larval size will strongly affect the recruitment and subsequent performance of adults in this species, although this may vary among different habitats. This study highlights the importance of examining the effects of larval quality on adult performance in as realistic conditions as possible, because of the strong interaction between larval size effects and the environment.

Race modeling: An effective cognitive strategy for the 100 m sprinter?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a specific cognitive race plan on 100 m sprint performance, Twelve elite sprinters (11 male and 1 female) performed 100 m time trials under normal (control) conditions and then under experimental conditions (use of race cues). In the experimental condition, participants were asked to think about specific thought content in each of three segments of the 100 m. A multiple baseline design was employed. A mean improvement of 0.26 s was found. Eleven of the 12 participants showed improvement using the specific cognitive race plan (p < .005). Participants also produced more consistent sprint performances when using the cues (p < .01). Subjective evaluations made by the participants unanimously supported the use of the race plan for optimizing sprint performance. Environmental conditions, effort, and practice effects were considered as possible influences on the results.

Mood states as an indication of staleness and recovery

Elite athletes repeatedly completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) during a six month training season to determine whether athletes who are stale show different values from those who are intensely trained but not stale. Nineteen elite male and female swimmers were studied at five time points: three times during training (early-, mid-, and late-season), during tapering prior to, and then shortly after, major competition. Of the 14 subjects who completed the entire monitoring program, three were classified as stale based on several criteria including poorer performance and prolonged high level of fatigue. Two of the stale swimmers showed higher scores for several of the POMS measures throughout the season compared with the remainder who were classified as non-stale. However, the third stale swimmer showed similar scores to those of the non-stale swimmers. Several POMS measures were significantly correlated with training intensity but not with training volume. It was concluded that stale athletes may not always demonstrate different mood scores from non-stale athletes but that the total mood disturbance score (TMD) as evaluated by the POMS may be used to indicate those athletes predisposed to the condition long before the symptoms of poor performance and prolonged fatigue are observed. TMD scores were chosen to monitor staleness since they represent a synthesis of the six specific mood states measured by the POMS.

A cross-national comparison of Australian and Canadian supervisors' attributional and evaluative responses to subordinate performance

In a program of laboratory and field research over the last decade, the author has replicated and extended the attribution model of leadership (Green & Mitchell, 1979). This paper reports a cross-national test of the model, in which 172 Australian and 144 Canadian work supervisors' recalled their attributional and evaluative responses to high and low levels of subordinate performance. It was expected that the supervisors' responses would conform to the predictions established in the earlier studies, but that there would be key differences across the cultures. In particular, Australians were expected to endorse more internal attributions for subordinate performance than Canadians, and to focus more on individual characteristics in evaluating performance. Results supported the model's robustness and the hypothesised cross-national differences. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of crosscultural research opportunities, and the need to take account of small but potentially important differences in supervisory styles across cultures.

Goal setting among adolescents: A comparison of delinquent, at risk, and not-at-risk youth

A series of studies was conducted to compare group differences in the goal orientations of delinquent, at-risk, and not-at-risk adolescents. An Importance of Goals Scale was developed by examining the item responses of 230 high school students and validated by administering the revised scale to 80 delinquent, 90 at-risk, and 90 not-at-risk adolescents. Results identified differences in the importance attributed to different goals by the 3 groups. Delinquent and at-risk adolescents attached significantly more importance to goals associated with developing a social image (e.g., delinquency, freedom-autonomy), whereas not-at-risk adolescents were more concerned with goals associated with an academic image (e.g., educational, interpersonal). Results are discussed in terms of their implications for school achievement, peer relations, and future life paths.

Performance on tests sensitive to impaired executive ability in schizophrenia, mania and well controls: acute and subacute phases

Aims: To compare the performance of schizophrenia, mania and well control groups on tests sensitive to impaired executive ability, and to assess the within-group stability of these measures across the acute and subacute phases of psychoses. Method: Recently admitted patients with schizophrenia (n=36), mania (n=18) and a well control group (n=20) were assessed on two occasions separated by 4 weeks. Tests included: the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, the Stroop Test, the Wisconsin Card Sort Test, and the Trail Making Test. Results: The two patient groups were significantly impaired on the Stroop Test at both time points compared to the control group. Significant group differences were also found for the Trail Making Test at Time 1 and for the Wisconsin Card Sort Test at Time 2. When controlled for practice effect, significant improvements over time were found on the Stroop and Trail Making tests in the schizophrenia group and on WCST Categories Achieved in the mania group. Discussion: Compared to controls, the patient groups were impaired on measures related to executive ability. The pattern of improvement on test scores between the acute and subacute phases differed between patients with schizophrenia versus patients with mania. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Out of the shadows: The critical sociology of sport in Australia, 1986 to 1996

The sociology of sport in Australia has reached a key point in its development. A critical tradition in the subdiscipline has been established over the last decade, but its intellectual and institutional progress has been uneven. This article briefly traces the emergence of critical sports sociology in a country outside the major centers in the UK and U.S., its break with functionalist approaches, and its attempts to overcome the neglect of local mainstream sociology. The authors proceed to examine (self-reflexively) the changes of theoretical direction and the new lines of research that are being explored in the field. A recent ''skirmish'' with narrative history over the preferred theories and methods in sports analysis is discussed as illustrative of the difficulties encountered by an energetic but small, dispersed and underorganized scholarly movement in Australia.