A Stable Isotope Analysis Of Faunal Remains From Special Deposits On Ontario Iroquoian Tradition Sites, Laura Booth

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The deliberate interment of bears, deer, and dogs on Ontario Iroquoian Tradition sites (900-1650 AD) suggests these animals had social and ideological meaning. This thesis uses stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis from bone collagen of faunal remains from both special and refuse contexts on eight sites in Southern Ontario to investigate the possible relationship between an animal’s burial context, diet, and value. Results indicate that most animals consumed a diet typical for their species regardless of context, suggesting the ideological value of specially deposited animals was augmented through human-animal interactions other than dietary manipulation. Bears from the Dorchester site …

Effect Of Reverberation Context On Spatial Hearing Performance Of Normally Hearing Listeners, Renita E. Sudirga

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Previous studies provide evidence that listening experience in a particular reverberant environment improves speech intelligibility and localization performance in that environment. Such studies, however, are few, and there is little knowledge of the underlying mechanisms. The experiments presented in this thesis explored the effect of reverberation context, in particular, the similarity in interaural coherence within a context, on listeners' performance in sound localization, speech perception in a spatially separated noise, spatial release from speech-on-speech masking, and target location identification in a multi-talker configuration.

All experiments were conducted in simulated reverberant environments created with a loudspeaker array in an anechoic chamber. …

The Production Of Unequal Vulnerability To Flood Hazards In Metro Vancouver, Canada, Greg S. Oulahen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Flood risk is a growing concern in Canada’s cities. Residents of these cities have differential risk according to their unique vulnerability and exposure to flood hazards. Factors related to societal structural forces, human agency, and place interact to produce vulnerability to hazards. Analysis of the factors that influence vulnerability will lead to a better understanding of how unequal vulnerability to hazards is produced among residents of a city. This dissertation investigates the factors that influence vulnerability to flood hazards in a Canadian coastal urban region, Metro Vancouver. It develops and applies a conceptual framework for looking across scales and across …

A Comparison Of Clinical Trial And Model-Based Cost Estimates In Glaucoma – The Case Of Repeat Laser Trabeculoplasty In Ontario, Omar Akhtar

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background and objective: For cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) of glaucoma interventions to be of use they require valid and accurate cost and effectiveness data. Costs remain understudied relative to effectiveness. The impact of cost estimation methods on resultant estimates is unknown in glaucoma. Direct measurement of costs is labour-intensive and expensive. Decision-analytic modelling of costs using literature sources, expert opinion, institutional experience and assumptions provides a quicker, less laborious alternative to empirical costing. A lack of long-term effectiveness data in chronic diseases like glaucoma means that modelling is widespread and inevitable, both for CEAs and budget impact projections. The same problem …

The “Other” Athletes: Representations Of Disability In Canadian Print Media During The London 2012 Paralympic Games, Melinda A. Maika

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In our highly mediated society, media culture plays a critical role in socialization and offers a conduit for the naturalization of ideas. By this reasoning, stories told by the media about Paralympic athletes have the potential to influence our understanding of disability. This study reveals the representation of Paralympic athletes in Canada’s two national newspapers The National Post and The Globe & Mail surrounding the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Eighty-eight articles were collected over a 40-day period from August 15, 2012 – September 23, 2012. A critical disability studies lens guided methods of media frames analysis. Results demonstrated that coverage …

An Examination Of Psychological Variables Influencing Perceptions Of The Self Among A Sample Of Female Exercise Initiates, Lisa Cooke

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The general purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationship among and within cognitive variables associated with exercise initiation and maintenance in a sample of female exercise initiates.

Manuscript 1 was structured to explore the changes to exercise identity among a population of female exercise initiates (N = 78) grouped into an imagery or control condition. Previous research has found that a strong exercise identity is associated with more frequent exercise (Strachan et al., 2009) and increases over time as a person continues to exercise (Cardinal & Cardinal, 1997). Participants were assessed multiple times (weeks 0, 5, 9, …

Land Use Interactions Drive Southwestern Ontario Stream Nutrient Concentrations, Renee L. Lazor

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Human activities have transformed the landscape and altered natural habitats through intensive land uses including agriculture and urbanization. Identifying land use drivers of tributary nutrient concentrations and describing the magnitude and direction of their relationship are critical activities to improvement management of water quality in basins draining into the Great Lakes. The overarching goal of my thesis was to quantify the cumulative influence of spatial patterns in land use and land cover on variation of nutrient concentrations in tributaries of the Great Lakes. Biweekly water chemistry samples were collected in 29 streams located in southern Ontario between May and November, …

The Effects Of Alcohol On Different Classes Of Motion Perception, Steven J. Matson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

We used a psychophysical approach to investigate how alcohol affected visual sensitivity to perceive different classes of motion. Visual sensitivities were measured in both a non-alcohol and an alcohol condition for three classes of motion: Minimum Motion, Simple Motion, and Complex Motion. Perceptual thresholds, taken as the degree of motion at which an observer responded correctly with an accuracy of 75%, or Weber fractions were compared between the non-alcohol and the alcohol conditions. For Simple and Complex motion, similar comparisons were made as a function of speed (e.g., 2°s^-1, 6°s^-1, and 12°s^-1). Perceptual thresholds …

Dirty Modernism: Ecological Objects In American Poetry, Michael D. Sloane

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation examines how early-to-mid twentieth century American poetry is preoccupied with objects that unsettle the divide between nature and culture. Given the entanglement of these two domains, I argue that American modernism is “dirty.” This designation leads me to sketch what I call “dirty modernism,” which includes the registers of waste, energy, animality, raciality, and the sensual. Reading these registers, I turn to what I call “ecological objects,” or representations of how nature and culture come together, which includes trash, natural resources, inanimals, and tools. Through an ecocritical mode of analysis, I introduce dirty modernism with the Baroness Elsa …

Environmental Health Effects Of Multiple Exposures: Systemic Risks And The Detroit River International Crossing Study, Tor H. Oiamo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis examines cumulative exposures to traffic noise and outdoor air pollution on environmental and health related quality of life in Windsor, Ontario, and provides a critical analysis of the environmental assessment process for the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) Study. The research utilizes a systemic risk framework to understand environmental health and stress effects of cumulative exposures. The significance of this research is based on a relative absence of literature on the systemic health risks of cumulative exposures and the need to elucidate environmental annoyance as a health outcome for risk assessment. The objectives of the research were to …

Beyond The Sports Page: Baseball, The Cuban Revolution, And Rochester, New York Newspapers, 1954-1960, Evan K. Nagel

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In the 1950s, the Caribbean island of Cuba underwent a series of emphatic and revolutionary changes, culminating in Fidel Castro's regime coming to power in early 1959. A year later, relations between the Cuban government and their American counterpart had deteriorated rapidly to the point of rhetoric, economic sanctions, and covert military actions. Yet, both nations laid claim to the same national pastime: the sport of baseball. Since the 1860s, America's game of choice had been played passionately by Cubans, helping facilitate their social assimilation into the U.S. economic sphere. There was arguably a cultural sporting bridge between the two …

Canadian Post-Secondary Students, Stress, And Academic Performance – A Socio-Ecological Approach, L. Nicole Versaevel

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this integrated-article dissertation was to examine stress and health in Canadian post-secondary students. Data from the spring 2013 National College Health Assessment (NCHA) was utilized in study one and two. This dataset is comprised of 34,039 students from 34 self-selected Canadian postsecondary institutions who took part in the NCHA survey. Study one examined the impact of stress, identified stressors and predicted which students were more likely to experience stress. Stress was the most commonly identified impediment to academic performance and 57.6% of students reported more than average stress. Most frequently reported stressors include; academics, finances, and sleep …

Enhancing Transparency Of The Research Process To Increase Accuracy Of Findings: A Guide For Relationship Researchers, Lorne Campbell, Timothy J. Loving, Etienne P. Lebel

Psychology Publications

The purpose of this paper is to extend to the field of relationship science, recent discussions and suggested changes in open research practises. We demonstrate different ways that greater transparency of the research process in our field will accelerate scientific progress by increasing accuracy of reported research findings. Importantly, we make concrete recommendations for how relationship researchers can transition to greater disclosure of research practices in a manner that is sensitive to the unique design features of methodologies employed by relationship scientists. We discuss how to implement these recommendations for four different research designs regularly used in relationship research and …

A Positive Latitude - Georeferencing And Archives, Tom Belton

Western Libraries Presentations

A presentation regarding a proposed research agenda to determine the advantages and feasibility of using georeferencing and maps to provide access to, or visualize, resources in archival institutions and databases.

Multivariate Spatial Visualization Using Geoicons And Image Charts, Bo Shan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Spatial databases are growing in size and complexity, yet current visual data mining methods are challenged when it comes to multivariate spatial data. The specific research question addressed in this thesis is: how can spatial multivariate data be effectively visualized using an icon based non-fused co-visualization approach? The thesis presents a Python based design and implementation of a visualization program termed GeoIcon Viewer. The program incorporates two different visualization methods: GeoIcon Image Map and Region-of-Interest Image Layers Chart. The GeoIcon Image Map technique uses an icon to co-visualize up to nine attributes at a single location. The Region-of-Interest Image …

Essays On Labor Market In Indonesia, Xue Dong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis analyzes labor market issues in Indonesia. The first chapter analyzes the insurance role of self-employment during the Asian Financial Crisis. Difference in difference estimation is used to estimate the effect of having self-employed business before the crisis on household consumption and labor supply during the crisis. I find that household with self-employed business before the crisis could increase labor supply by a much lesser amount to maintain the same level of consumption compared with households without self-employed business before the crisis. The second chapter looks at the effect of women's work hours on their intra-household bargaining power. I …

Exploring Relationships Between Resume Fraud And Individual Differences, Kateryna Synyak

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Existing research on resume fraud highlights the commonality and consequences of resume misrepresentations, yet almost no research exists aiming to explain the occurrence of this intentional behaviour. The goal of this study was to explore the relationships between personality traits previously linked to deception (conscientiousness and honesty/humility), resume misrepresentations and acceptance of these misrepresentations. An online survey method of data collection was used during which participants constructed a resume and filled out various measures pertaining to individual difference and resume misrepresentation. The results of this study provide an initial understanding of the existing categories of resume misrepresentations and the extent …

The Preferential Loss Of Small Geographically Isolated Wetlands On Prairie Landscapes, Jacqueline N. Serran

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Reliable estimates of wetland loss require improved wetland inventories and effective monitoring programs. To improve upon current wetland inventories, a novel method for mapping wetlands using an automated object-based approach was developed for a regional watershed located in central Alberta. This approach used digital terrain objects derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for which 130,157 wetlands were identified. Using this LiDAR derived wetland inventory, wetland loss estimates (% number and % area) were obtained by applying a wetland area vs. frequency function to the wetland inventory for the watershed. Using this power law, it was found that historically, …

Attachment Relationships Across Siblings And Their Common Mother: Patterns And Predictors, Kathleen Anne O'Connor

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Traditional attachment theory suggests that because maternal state of mind regarding attachment is generally stable by adulthood, mothers should interact similarly with their children and, consequently, should share a similar quality of attachment with each. Early empirical work, however, suggests that the quality of siblings’ relationships is frequently different. Using varied theoretical and methodological approaches, this dissertation expanded upon the existing literature to further explore the nature and underpinnings of variability in the quality of mother-infant attachment across siblings.

Study 1 comprehensively described patterns of attachment within the family, investigating the extent to which the quality of siblings’ relationships with …

Transition And Thriving In University: A Grounded Theory Of The Transition Experiences And Conceptions Of Thriving Of A Selection Of Undergraduate Students At Western University, Lisa S. Cossy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

The transition from high school to university has been associated with decreases in health and wellbeing for some students. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the transitional needs and experiences of students leaving high school and entering Western University, to explore how students conceptualize thriving, and to develop a substantive theory of transition and thriving for Western University students.

A total of 42 students and 21 staff members from Western University participated in this study. Data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews. Utilizing grounded theory data analysis methods two conceptual models were developed. The …

The Contribution Of Attachment Styles And Reassurance Seeking To Daily Mood And Relationship Quality In Romantic Couples, Lyndsay E. Evraire

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Excessive reassurance seeking (ERS), defined as the stable tendency to excessively and persistently seek assurances from others, has recently emerged as a possible risk factor for interpersonal distress and depression. An important limitation in the ERS literature concerns the mechanism(s) by which individuals engage in ERS. The current daily diary study was among the first to examine the daily relationships among ERS, mood, and relationship quality in romantic couples, and explore how these associations were moderated by individual and partner attachment styles. Method: A sample of 110 heterosexual couples completed measures of attachment, ERS, symptoms of depression, and relationship quality. …

Developmental Differences In The Influence Of Phonological Similarity On Spoken Word Processing In Mandarin Chinese., Jeffrey G Malins, Danqi Gao, Ran Tao, James R Booth, Hua Shu, Marc F Joanisse, Li Liu, Amy S Desroches

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

The developmental trajectory of spoken word recognition has been well established in Indo-European languages, but to date remains poorly characterized in Mandarin Chinese. In this study, typically developing children (N=17; mean age 10; 5) and adults (N=17; mean age 24) performed a picture-word matching task in Mandarin while we recorded ERPs. Mismatches diverged from expectations in different components of the Mandarin syllable; namely, word-initial phonemes, word-final phonemes, and tone. By comparing responses to different mismatch types, we uncovered evidence suggesting that both children and adults process words incrementally. However, we also observed key developmental differences in how subjects treated onset …

Striatum In Stimulus-Response Learning Via Feedback And In Decision Making., Nole M Hiebert, Andrew Vo, Adam Hampshire, Adrian M Owen, Ken N Seergobin, Penny A Macdonald

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Cognitive deficits are recognized in Parkinson's disease. Understanding cognitive functions mediated by the striatum can clarify some of these impairments and inform treatment strategies. The dorsal striatum, a region impaired in Parkinson's disease, has been implicated in stimulus-response learning. However, most investigations combine acquisition of associations between stimuli, responses, or outcomes (i.e., learning) and expression of learning through response selection and decision enactment, confounding these separate processes. Using neuroimaging, we provide evidence that dorsal striatum does not mediate stimulus-response learning from feedback but rather underlies decision making once associations between stimuli and responses are learned. In the experiment, 11 males …

Public, Private, Popular: Pop Performers, Liberalism And The Limits Of Rights, Matt Stahl

FIMS Publications

American popular music discourse and pop performers' political practice frequently give prominence to questions of rights, particularly in relation to musical property and labour. This article examines these two rights issues as they appear in popular media and in lawmaking. The article invokes the liberal division of life into "public" and "private" realms in order to explicate the mechanics of rights claims in media and legislative forums, and to explore their relationship with aspects of liberal common sense. It draws on a political-theoretical framework to problematize liberalism's basic division of life into "public" and "private" realms, and suggests that pop …

How Can We Stop More Attacks?, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

No abstract provided.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Of The Prefrontal Cortex In Awake Nonhuman Primates Evokes A Polysynaptic Neck Muscle Response That Reflects Oculomotor Activity At The Time Of Stimulation., Chao Gu, Brian D Corneil

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has emerged as an important technique in cognitive neuroscience, permitting causal inferences about the contribution of a given brain area to behavior. Despite widespread use, exactly how TMS influences neural activity throughout an interconnected network, and how such influences ultimately change behavior, remain unclear. The oculomotor system of nonhuman primates (NHPs) offers a potential animal model to bridge this gap. Here, based on results suggesting that neck muscle activity provides a sensitive indicator of oculomotor activation, we show that single pulses of TMS over the frontal eye fields (FEFs) in awake NHPs evoked rapid (within ∼25 …

Burning Pain Secondary To Clozapine Use: A Case Report., Bradley Linton, Rachel Fu, Penny A Macdonald, Hooman Ganjavi

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

BACKGROUND: The first of the atypical antipsychotics introduced in the 1970s, clozapine remains the most efficacious neuroleptic to this day. However, serious and potentially fatal side effects have necessitated careful regular monitoring among prescribing clinicians. Some adverse effects (e.g. ischaemic bowel) remain under recognized, while newly identified adverse effects continue to be described in the literature.

CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we describe a healthy 43-year old Caucasian male who experienced onset of a full body deep burning pain several months after the onset of treatment with clozapine. The pain worsened over time, ceased with cessation of treatment, and returned …

The Cost Of Moving Optimally: Kinematic Path Selection., Dinant A Kistemaker, Jeremy D Wong, Paul L Gribble

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

It is currently unclear whether the brain plans movement kinematics explicitly or whether movement paths arise implicitly through optimization of a cost function that takes into account control and/or dynamic variables. Several cost functions are proposed in the literature that are very different in nature (e.g., control effort, torque change, and jerk), yet each can predict common movement characteristics. We set out to disentangle predictions of the different variables using a combination of modeling and empirical studies. Subjects performed goal-directed arm movements in a force field (FF) in combination with visual perturbations of seen hand position. This FF was designed …

Exploring Communication Apprehension And Its Relationship To Communication Attitude And Socio-Communicative Functioning In Children With Velopharyngeal Insufficiency, Agnieszka Dzioba

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Myriad findings on children with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) indicate the potential for this population of children to experience feelings of apprehension specific to communication and the potential for other psychological and social difficulties. The purpose of the present investigation was to explore the construct of communication apprehension (CA) and its potential relationship to social and communicative functioning in a diverse group of children with VPI. Potential linkages between CA and multiple socio-communicative constructs including attitude, speech satisfaction, speech and language skill, social competence, and speech severity were explored in a cohort of children with and without VPI, followed by an …

Mirror Reversal And Visual Rotation Are Learned And Consolidated Via Separate Mechanisms: Recalibrating Or Learning De Novo?, Sebastian Telgen, Darius Parvin, Jörn Diedrichsen

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Motor learning tasks are often classified into adaptation tasks, which involve the recalibration of an existing control policy (the mapping that determines both feedforward and feedback commands), and skill-learning tasks, requiring the acquisition of new control policies. We show here that this distinction also applies to two different visuomotor transformations during reaching in humans: Mirror-reversal (left-right reversal over a mid-sagittal axis) of visual feedback versus rotation of visual feedback around the movement origin. During mirror-reversal learning, correct movement initiation (feedforward commands) and online corrections (feedback responses) were only generated at longer latencies. The earliest responses were directed into a nonmirrored …