Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior in the exercise domain: A study of community college students in an urban multicultural setting

The purpose of this study was to assess the intention to exercise among ethnically and racially diverse community college students using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). In addition to identifying the variables associated with motivation or intention of college students to engage in physical activity, this study tested the model of the Theory of Planned Behavior, asking: Does the TPB model explain intention to exercise among a racially/ethnically diverse group of college students? ^ The relevant variables were the TPB constructs (behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs), which combined to form a measure of intention to exercise. Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the predictive power of the TPB constructs for predicting intention to exercise. Following procedures described by Ajzen (2002), the researcher developed a questionnaire encompassing the external variables of student demographics (age, gender, work status, student status, socio-economic status, access to exercise facilities, and past behavior), major constructs of the TPB, and two questions from the Godin Leisure Time Questionnaire (GLTQ; Godin & Shephard, 1985). Participants were students (N = 255) who enrolled in an on-campus wellness course at an urban community college. ^ The demographic profile of the sample revealed a racially/ethnically diverse study population. The original model that was used to reflect the TPB as developed by Ajzen was not supported by the data analyzed using SEM; however, a revised model that the researcher thought was theoretically a more accurate reflection of the causal relations between the TPB constructs was supported. The GLTQ questions were problematic for some students; those data could not be used in the modeling efforts. The GLTQ measure, however, revealed a significant correlation with intention to exercise (r = .27, p = .001). Post-hoc comparisons revealed significant differences in normative beliefs and attitude toward exercising behavior between Black students and Hispanic students. Compared to Black students, Hispanic students were more likely to (a) perceive “friends” as approving of them being physically active and (b) rate being physically active for 30 minutes per day as “beneficial”. No statistically significant difference was found among groups on overall intention to exercise. ^

A theory of constraints service systems improvement method: Case of the airline turnaround problem

This dissertation develops a process improvement method for service operations based on the Theory of Constraints (TOC), a management philosophy that has been shown to be effective in manufacturing for decreasing WIP and improving throughput. While TOC has enjoyed much attention and success in the manufacturing arena, its application to services in general has been limited. The contribution to industry and knowledge is a method for improving global performance measures based on TOC principles. The method proposed in this dissertation will be tested using discrete event simulation based on the scenario of the service factory of airline turnaround operations. To evaluate the method, a simulation model of aircraft turn operations of a U.S. based carrier was made and validated using actual data from airline operations. The model was then adjusted to reflect an application of the Theory of Constraints for determining how to deploy the scarce resource of ramp workers. The results indicate that, given slight modifications to TOC terminology and the development of a method for constraint identification, the Theory of Constraints can be applied with success to services. Bottlenecks in services must be defined as those processes for which the process rates and amount of work remaining are such that completing the process will not be possible without an increase in the process rate. The bottleneck ratio is used to determine to what degree a process is a constraint. Simulation results also suggest that redefining performance measures to reflect a global business perspective of reducing costs related to specific flights versus the operational local optimum approach of turning all aircraft quickly results in significant savings to the company. Savings to the annual operating costs of the airline were simulated to equal 30% of possible current expenses for misconnecting passengers with a modest increase in utilization of the workers through a more efficient heuristic of deploying them to the highest priority tasks. This dissertation contributes to the literature on service operations by describing a dynamic, adaptive dispatch approach to manage service factory operations similar to airline turnaround operations using the management philosophy of the Theory of Constraints.

The Theory of Planned Behavior and Ethnically Diverse Community College Students and Their Intentions to Exercise: A Preliminary Analysis

Although regular exercise is the key to a healthy lifestyle, college students are insufficiently active to maintain good health. Motivations to exercise may vary among different ethnic groups. The results of a pilot study using the Theory of Planned Behavior (Gordon, 2008) showed that ethnically diverse college students can rate their beliefs (behavioral, social, and cognitive) pertaining to physical activity.

The relationship of immigrant status to perceptions of reading and reading literacy among young Black students: A test of the Cultural -Ecological Theory of School Performance

This study tests Ogbu and Simons' Cultural-Ecological Theory of School Performance using data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study of 2001 (PIRLS), a large-scale international survey and reading assessment involving fourth grade students from 35 countries, including the United States. This theory argues that Black immigrant students outperform their non-immigrant counterparts, academically, and that achievement differences are attributed to stronger educational commitment in Black immigrant families. Four hypotheses are formulated to test this theory: Black immigrant students have (a) more receptive attitudes toward reading; (b) a more positive reading self-concept; and (c) a higher level of reading literacy. Furthermore, (d) the relationship of immigrant status to reading perceptions and literacy persists after including selected predictors. These hypotheses are tested separately for girls and boys, while also examining immigrant students' generational status (i.e., foreign-born or second-generation). ^ PIRLS data from a subset of Black students (N=525) in the larger U.S. sample of 3,763 are analyzed to test the hypotheses, using analysis of variance, correlation and multiple regression techniques. Findings reveal that hypotheses a and b are not confirmed (contradicting the Cultural-Ecological Theory) and c and d are partially supported (lending partial support to the theory). Specifically, immigrant and non-immigrant students did not differ in attitudes toward reading or reading self-concept; second-generation immigrant boys outperformed both non-immigrant and foreign-born immigrant boys in reading literacy, but no differences were found among girls; and, while being second-generation immigrant had a relatively stronger relationship to reading literacy for boys, among girls, selected socio-cultural predictors, number of books in the home and length of U.S. residence, had relatively stronger relationship to reading self-concept than did immigrant status. This study, therefore, indicates that future research employing the Cultural-Ecological Theory should: (a) take gender and generational status into account (b) identify additional socio-cultural predictors of Black children's academic perceptions and performance; and (c) continue to build on this body of evidence-based knowledge to better inform educational policy and school personnel in addressing needs of all children. ^

The theory of moral sentiments; or, an essay towards an analysis of the principles by wich men naturally judge concerning the conduct and character, first of their neighbours, and afterwards of themselves : to which is added a dissertation on the origin of languages

by Adam Smith, LL.D., fellow of the royal societies of London and Edinburgh, one of the commissioners of his majesty's customs in Scotland, and formerly professor of moral philosophy in the University of Glasgow

Topologies on groups related to the theory of shape and generalized coverings

El presente trabajo consiste en dos partes diferenciadas: la principal de ellas (Cap tulos 1 y 2) est a dedicada a introducir estructura adicional en grupos que aparecen de manera natural en el contexto de la teor a de la forma. En la segunda parte (Cap tulo 3), se plantea c omo generalizar la teor a de espacios recubridores y, en particular, se propone una l nea de trabajo relacionada con la teor a de la forma. El punto de partida de esta tesis doctoral son los trabajos [25, 26, 68, 69, 70] en los que los autores introducen y utilizan algunas ultram etricas en el conjunto de los mor smos shape entre dos espacios topol ogicos punteados. En particular, si el dominio es (S1; 1); la construcci on realizada en [68] permite explicitar una ultram etrica en el grupo shape 1(X; x0) de un espacio m etrico compacto X; como ya fue observado en [69] y [80]. Si el espacio no es m etrico compacto, la construcci on nos lleva a utilizar el concepto de ultram etrica generalizada, en el sentido de Priess-Crampe y Ribenboim [78, 79]. En [7], D. K. Biss introduce la idea de topologizar el grupo fundamental de un espacio, de forma que la topolog a en 1(X; x0) sea una topolog a de grupo que permita detectar la (no) existencia de un recubridor universal para X: La forma de proceder sugerida es tomar en 1(X; x0)la toplog a cociente inducida por la topolog a compacto-abierta en el espacio de lazos (X; x0): Sin embargo, hay algunos errores en el art culo mencionado: en concreto, el error relacionado con el presente trabajo fue puesto de mani esto por P. Fabel en [33], mostrando que, en general, la operaci on de grupo en 1(X; x0)con la topolog a cociente no es continua. Utilizando un punto de vista similar, varios autores han tratado de dotar al grupo fundamental con una topolog a, de forma que 1(X; x0) sea un grupo topol ogico y la proyecci on q (X; x0){u100000} 1(X; x0)sea continua...

Notes on the Floridian Theory of Strongly Semantic Information

Other

A critical theory of rhythm and temporality in film : the metamorphosis of memory and history in Tarkovsky's Mirror (1975)

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Syria and Israel in the Middle East : an anatomy of the conflict

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The Market for Apples: A Theory of Identity and Consumption

This paper presents an economic model of the effects of identity and social norms on consumption patterns. By incorporating qualitative studies in psychology and sociology, I propose a utility function that features two components – economic (functional) and identity elements. This setup is extended to analyze a market comprising a continuum of consumers, whose identity distribution along a spectrum of binary identities is described by a Beta distribution. I also introduce the notion of salience in the context of identity and consumption decisions. The key result of the model suggests that fundamental economic parameters, such as price elasticity and market demand, can be altered by identity elements. In addition, it predicts that firms in perfectly competitive markets may associate their products with certain types of identities, in order to reduce product substitutability and attain price-setting power.

Resigning: a classic grounded theory of working within constraints when caring for stroke patients in the acute general care setting

This research aims to explore the challenges nurses face, when caring for stroke patients on a general medical/surgical ward, in the acute care setting and identify how nurses resolve or process this challenge. Healthcare environments continue to face the pressures of constraints such as reduced staffing levels, budgets, resources and less time, which influence care provision. Patient safety is central in care provision where nurses face the challenge of delivering best quality care when working within constraints. The incidence of stroke is increasing worldwide and internationally stroke units are the recognised minimum standard of care. In Ireland with few designated stroke units in operation many stroke patients are cared for in the acute general care setting. A classic grounded theory methodology was utilised for this study. Data was collected and analysed simultaneously through coding, constant comparison, theoretical sampling and memoing. Individual unstructured interviews with thirty two nurses were carried out. Twenty hours of non-participant observations in the acute general care setting were undertaken. The main concern that emerged was working within constraints. This concern is processed by nurses through resigning which consists of three phases; idealistic striving, resourcing and care accommodation. Through the process of resigning nurses engage in an energy maintenance process enabling them to continue working within constraints. The generation of the theory of resigning explains how nurses’ resolve or process working within constraints. This theory adds to the body of knowledge on stroke care provision. This theory has the potential to enhance nursing care, minimise burnout and make better use of resources while advocating for best care of stroke patients.

A critical theory of rhythm and temporality in film : the metamorphosis of memory and history in Tarkovsky's Mirror (1975)

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Syria and Israel in the Middle East : an anatomy of the conflict

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Islam and Christianity: Comparing the Theory of Supersession Concerning Abraham

Supersession is the theory of one idea supplanting the other. In both Christianity and Islam, this idea is commonplace. In Christianity, the message of Jesus creates a New Covenant for both Jews and Gentiles, while in Islam, the revelation of Muhammad restores the original religion that God intended from the beginning. Christianity and Islam both supersede Judaism in very similar ways. In regards to the use of Abraham in particular, each religion inherits him by appealing to Jewish scripture or their oral tradition, using him to prove their truth claims, and claiming that their religion is originally the religion of Abraham.