title: How motivational states are embodied in a golf putting task

authors: Holt, Gregory

subjects: Motivational states

abstract: Performing with a desirable motivational state can be the difference between winning or losing a tight sporting event. Research in sports psychology has previously outlined the benefits of performing with approach motivation, along with the negative impacts of operating with avoidance motivation. Recent research has also considered relationships between motivational states and asked how athlete behaviours embody approach or avoidance motivation. However,  there is a shortage of research that identifies signs that an athlete is operating in a state of approach or avoidance motivation. The aim of this thesis is to reduce the gap in the existing literature by using a behavioural perspective to identify how motivational states are embodied by experienced golfers in a golf putting task. Two studies were conducted, using a situational and instructional intervention to induce either approach or avoidance motivation in participants. In Study 1, a between subjects design was used to assess how approach and avoidance motivational states were embodied. The results of Study 1 revealed that participants in the avoidance group leaned further backwards following the situational intervention designed to induce avoidance motivation. However, no effect was found for the intervention that was designed to induce approach motivation. Participants in the avoidance group showed better performance and longer preparation time than participants in the approach condition. These findings were driven by differences in the level of expertise between the two groups. Study 2 was therefore designed to rectify this problem by increasing the difficulty of the putting task. However, as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis it was not possible to complete the study. Body postures, such as forward and backward leaning may be influenced by motivational states, but further research is required to gain a better understanding of how motivational states are embodied. Despite a failure to find iii support for forms of embodiment beyond leaning, future research should not discount the merit of other potential avenues such as preparation time and proximity.

text: How motivational states are embodied in a golf putting task Performing with a desirable motivational state can be the difference between winning or losing a tight sporting event. Research in sports psychology has previously outlined the benefits of performing with approach motivation, along with the negative impacts of operating with avoidance motivation. Recent research has also considered relationships between motivational states and asked how athlete behaviours embody approach or avoidance motivation. However,  there is a shortage of research that identifies signs that an athlete is operating in a state of approach or avoidance motivation. The aim of this thesis is to reduce the gap in the existing literature by using a behavioural perspective to identify how motivational states are embodied by experienced golfers in a golf putting task. Two studies were conducted, using a situational and instructional intervention to induce either approach or avoidance motivation in participants. In Study 1, a between subjects design was used to assess how approach and avoidance motivational states were embodied. The results of Study 1 revealed that participants in the avoidance group leaned further backwards following the situational intervention designed to induce avoidance motivation. However, no effect was found for the intervention that was designed to induce approach motivation. Participants in the avoidance group showed better performance and longer preparation time than participants in the approach condition. These findings were driven by differences in the level of expertise between the two groups. Study 2 was therefore designed to rectify this problem by increasing the difficulty of the putting task. However, as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis it was not possible to complete the study. Body postures, such as forward and backward leaning may be influenced by motivational states, but further research is required to gain a better understanding of how motivational states are embodied. Despite a failure to find iii support for forms of embodiment beyond leaning, future research should not discount the merit of other potential avenues such as preparation time and proximity.

year: 2020

title: Sexual network random effects models of migration and spread of HIV and other STIs in South Africa

authors: Zuma, K.

abstract: South Africa is experiencing an explosive epidemic of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)s. Furthermore, South Africa has extraordinarily high rates of migration. The predominant type of migration is the circular migration in which young men migrate to work in urban areas leaving their sexual partners behind, to whom they return periodically. Conditions of migration bring men into sexual contact with prostitutes and other women at high risk of HIV /STIs. In this way, migrant men form sexual networks, which become a critical bridge for transmitting HIV /STIs between rural and urban areas. 
The thesis investigates the determinants of HIV and those of STIs, taking into account the migration status and sexual network clustering effect in the data. The data investigated is from cohorts of migrant men from Hlabisa district working in urban areas, non-migrant partner(s) of migrant men residing in Hlabisa district, non-migrant men and their non-migrant partner(s) residing in Hlabisa district in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Initially, the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is used to estimate parameters of the logistic-mixed model investigating risk factors of STIs. The interval-censored time until HIV infection is investigated using the Cox proportional hazards model which includes sexual network random effects in addition to the fixed effect. The parameters of this model were initially estimated using the EM algorithm. The main parameter estimation was carried out using the Gibbs sampler, a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. 
The results show that migration is a risk factor of HIV /STI. The results further show that age, marital status, age at first sexual intercourse, sexual contact partners, lifetime partners and other biomedical factors are important determinants of HIV /STIs. The study shows that ignoring sexual network random effects in the analysis of HIV /STIs biases the results. The Gibbs sampler is shown to be a plausible alternative to the EM algorithm in the analysis of correlated interval-censored data. It allows full Bayesian inference, which provides a natural framework with which to integrate the uncertainty about parameters and incorporate heterogeneity between sub-groups, without the need to evaluate high-dimensional integrals.

text: Sexual network random effects models of migration and spread of HIV and other STIs in South Africa South Africa is experiencing an explosive epidemic of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)s. Furthermore, South Africa has extraordinarily high rates of migration. The predominant type of migration is the circular migration in which young men migrate to work in urban areas leaving their sexual partners behind, to whom they return periodically. Conditions of migration bring men into sexual contact with prostitutes and other women at high risk of HIV /STIs. In this way, migrant men form sexual networks, which become a critical bridge for transmitting HIV /STIs between rural and urban areas. 
The thesis investigates the determinants of HIV and those of STIs, taking into account the migration status and sexual network clustering effect in the data. The data investigated is from cohorts of migrant men from Hlabisa district working in urban areas, non-migrant partner(s) of migrant men residing in Hlabisa district, non-migrant men and their non-migrant partner(s) residing in Hlabisa district in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Initially, the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is used to estimate parameters of the logistic-mixed model investigating risk factors of STIs. The interval-censored time until HIV infection is investigated using the Cox proportional hazards model which includes sexual network random effects in addition to the fixed effect. The parameters of this model were initially estimated using the EM algorithm. The main parameter estimation was carried out using the Gibbs sampler, a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. 
The results show that migration is a risk factor of HIV /STI. The results further show that age, marital status, age at first sexual intercourse, sexual contact partners, lifetime partners and other biomedical factors are important determinants of HIV /STIs. The study shows that ignoring sexual network random effects in the analysis of HIV /STIs biases the results. The Gibbs sampler is shown to be a plausible alternative to the EM algorithm in the analysis of correlated interval-censored data. It allows full Bayesian inference, which provides a natural framework with which to integrate the uncertainty about parameters and incorporate heterogeneity between sub-groups, without the need to evaluate high-dimensional integrals.

year: 2004

title: Incorporating New Zealand indigenous views into community resilience frameworks for the built environment

authors: Boston, Megan

abstract: Community resilience lacks a standardized definition and methodology to quantify. Many governments and organizations have attempted to construct frameworks for improving community resilience, particularly as related to the built environment. However, few of these frameworks explicitly consider the values and cultural aspects of marginalized communities that are potentially negatively disadvantaged due to colonialization or socio-economic deprivation. To date, little research has worked on integrating Maori cultural views into these resilience frameworks. Using survey results investigating Maori and New Zealand European cultural views on resilience and aspects of the built environment, it has been found that Maori value unity and community cohesion as aspects of resilience more than New Zealand Europeans. Further, communities can increase community cohesion and unity through adapting Maori Marae’s or communal gathering places to increase community resilience following a disaster.

text: Incorporating New Zealand indigenous views into community resilience frameworks for the built environment Community resilience lacks a standardized definition and methodology to quantify. Many governments and organizations have attempted to construct frameworks for improving community resilience, particularly as related to the built environment. However, few of these frameworks explicitly consider the values and cultural aspects of marginalized communities that are potentially negatively disadvantaged due to colonialization or socio-economic deprivation. To date, little research has worked on integrating Maori cultural views into these resilience frameworks. Using survey results investigating Maori and New Zealand European cultural views on resilience and aspects of the built environment, it has been found that Maori value unity and community cohesion as aspects of resilience more than New Zealand Europeans. Further, communities can increase community cohesion and unity through adapting Maori Marae’s or communal gathering places to increase community resilience following a disaster.

year: 2022-07-01