title: The association between mindfulness and driving behaviour in employees

authors: Bird, Diana

subjects: driving behaviour

abstract: This study examined the effect of mindfulness on driving behaviour, and the possible mediating effects of a number of well-being measures. Specifically, the research aimed to determine (1) if higher levels of mindfulness would lead to safer driving practices and (2) if there was a relationship between mindfulness and safe driving, whether this was mediated by well-being measures including self-control, emotion regulation, happiness, life satisfaction, job satisfaction and work engagement. Participants included 216 employees from 16 organizations. They all completed ‘the mindfulness, wellbeing and driving’ questionnaire, which involved measures of mindfulness, intentions to violate traffic rules, self-reported number of traffic incidences in the previous 12 months (fines, near misses and crashes), as well as the well-being measures mentioned above. First, a strong correlation between increased levels of mindfulness and safer driving practices was found, including a decreased likelihood of texting. Further initial correlations also demonstrated relationships between mindfulness and all the well-being measures. As mindfulness increased, levels of all the well-being measures increased, with the exception of happiness. However, when mediation analysis was performed only self-control and happiness were found to mediate the relationship between mindfulness and safer driving, while the effect of emotion regulation, life and job satisfaction and work engagement were not found to be significant mediators. The role of self-control as a mediator in the mindfulness safer driving relationship supported previous research. Increased levels of attention, awareness and emotion regulation are all qualities associated with increased levels of mindfulness, which have also been demonstrated to relate to safer driving practices.
While happiness was found to positively mediate the relationship between mindfulness and safer driving practices, interestingly, the relationship between mindfulness and happiness was opposite to what was expected. As levels of mindfulness increased, levels of happiness decreased. This may have been due to the happiness measure, which contained eudaimonic and hedonic factors. Hedonic factors have been considered less indicative of life satisfaction and overall well-being, and run opposite to the principles underlying mindfulness. Despite this, increased levels of happiness were still found to increase safer driving practices. These findings will hopefully ignite more research efforts to be directed towards examining the effects of mindfulness interventions on driving practices, and overall social and occupational well-being.

text: The association between mindfulness and driving behaviour in employees This study examined the effect of mindfulness on driving behaviour, and the possible mediating effects of a number of well-being measures. Specifically, the research aimed to determine (1) if higher levels of mindfulness would lead to safer driving practices and (2) if there was a relationship between mindfulness and safe driving, whether this was mediated by well-being measures including self-control, emotion regulation, happiness, life satisfaction, job satisfaction and work engagement. Participants included 216 employees from 16 organizations. They all completed ‘the mindfulness, wellbeing and driving’ questionnaire, which involved measures of mindfulness, intentions to violate traffic rules, self-reported number of traffic incidences in the previous 12 months (fines, near misses and crashes), as well as the well-being measures mentioned above. First, a strong correlation between increased levels of mindfulness and safer driving practices was found, including a decreased likelihood of texting. Further initial correlations also demonstrated relationships between mindfulness and all the well-being measures. As mindfulness increased, levels of all the well-being measures increased, with the exception of happiness. However, when mediation analysis was performed only self-control and happiness were found to mediate the relationship between mindfulness and safer driving, while the effect of emotion regulation, life and job satisfaction and work engagement were not found to be significant mediators. The role of self-control as a mediator in the mindfulness safer driving relationship supported previous research. Increased levels of attention, awareness and emotion regulation are all qualities associated with increased levels of mindfulness, which have also been demonstrated to relate to safer driving practices.
While happiness was found to positively mediate the relationship between mindfulness and safer driving practices, interestingly, the relationship between mindfulness and happiness was opposite to what was expected. As levels of mindfulness increased, levels of happiness decreased. This may have been due to the happiness measure, which contained eudaimonic and hedonic factors. Hedonic factors have been considered less indicative of life satisfaction and overall well-being, and run opposite to the principles underlying mindfulness. Despite this, increased levels of happiness were still found to increase safer driving practices. These findings will hopefully ignite more research efforts to be directed towards examining the effects of mindfulness interventions on driving practices, and overall social and occupational well-being.

year: 2018

title: Resilience and recovery of Bratina Island meltwater pond microbial communities to environmental change

authors: Colville, Elizabeth Catherine

abstract: 16S rRNA sequencing of three Bratina Island meltwater ponds has revealed the response of microbial communities within cyanobacterial mats exposed to shading and desiccation as environmental stressors. The resilience of these communities is perhaps not surprising considering the extreme environmental conditions they consistently face in these habitats. It was postulated that cyanobacteria will remain the dominant primary producers across the ponds when exposed to shading and desiccation, because they are known to possess adaptations to these stresses. Similar to research in other studies, it was found that three phyla: Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria make up the majority of the diversity in these communities, but their dominance shifted between shading and desiccation samples. The most obvious changes occurred in desiccation samples, where the abundance of cyanobacteria dropped to less than 10% in some samples. Predicted functional changes in gene sets involved in photosynthesis and methanogenesis were also investigated, and unexpectedly, predicted functional changes in methanogenesis only occurred in one pond.
This thesis describes the microbial ecology of Bratina Island meltwater ponds, and the effect of desiccation and shading as environmental stressors on the diversity. It also addresses potential functional changes within these communities. Although, more extensive research into archaeal and eukaryotic communities alongside changes in physiochemical parameters within each pond is needed to fully understand how shading and desiccation effects the resilience and resistance of microbial communities within meltwater ponds.

text: Resilience and recovery of Bratina Island meltwater pond microbial communities to environmental change 16S rRNA sequencing of three Bratina Island meltwater ponds has revealed the response of microbial communities within cyanobacterial mats exposed to shading and desiccation as environmental stressors. The resilience of these communities is perhaps not surprising considering the extreme environmental conditions they consistently face in these habitats. It was postulated that cyanobacteria will remain the dominant primary producers across the ponds when exposed to shading and desiccation, because they are known to possess adaptations to these stresses. Similar to research in other studies, it was found that three phyla: Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria make up the majority of the diversity in these communities, but their dominance shifted between shading and desiccation samples. The most obvious changes occurred in desiccation samples, where the abundance of cyanobacteria dropped to less than 10% in some samples. Predicted functional changes in gene sets involved in photosynthesis and methanogenesis were also investigated, and unexpectedly, predicted functional changes in methanogenesis only occurred in one pond.
This thesis describes the microbial ecology of Bratina Island meltwater ponds, and the effect of desiccation and shading as environmental stressors on the diversity. It also addresses potential functional changes within these communities. Although, more extensive research into archaeal and eukaryotic communities alongside changes in physiochemical parameters within each pond is needed to fully understand how shading and desiccation effects the resilience and resistance of microbial communities within meltwater ponds.

year: 2020

title: Aroha

authors: Maxwell, Te Kahautu

abstract: Waita Tira. Lyrics composed by Te Kahautu Maxwell, muscial score composed by Raharuha Mitai, Thomas Mitai, Renee Mitai. Performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti (Kapa Haka group) (3mins)

Waiata ā Tira: Aroha
Whakaeke: Pinepine Te Kura
Mōteatea: Tērā te haeata
Waiata ā Ringa: Tiaho Mai
Poi: E ia, e ia
Haka: Ranginui
Whakawātea: Te Tiriti o Waitangi

text: Aroha Waita Tira. Lyrics composed by Te Kahautu Maxwell, muscial score composed by Raharuha Mitai, Thomas Mitai, Renee Mitai. Performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti (Kapa Haka group) (3mins)

Waiata ā Tira: Aroha
Whakaeke: Pinepine Te Kura
Mōteatea: Tērā te haeata
Waiata ā Ringa: Tiaho Mai
Poi: E ia, e ia
Haka: Ranginui
Whakawātea: Te Tiriti o Waitangi

year: 2020-02-06