title: Judgement Bias in Hens

authors: ter Veer-Burke, Stacey

subjects: Judgement bias

abstract: When an animal has learned a discrimination between two stimuli on the same dimension, exposing the animal to intermediate stimuli will produce a generalisation gradient. Events that that shift responding from this baseline are said to bias responding. Shifts in gradient which show more responding to intermediate stimuli are called positive judgement biases; while shifts in gradient showing reduced responding on intermediate stimuli are called negative judgement biases. While initial studies showed that exposure to poor conditions prior to testing produced negative biases, not all of the literature has supported this. This study aimed to clarify inconsistencies in the literature, using a within-subjects design and a short-term aversive event. Chickens were trained under two-component multiple schedules with each component associated with a stimulus location. Phase 1 involved 15 min exposure to white noise at 100dB, followed immediately by judgement bias testing. Phase 2 involved exposure to white noise at the same dB level, but for the duration of the test. Phase 3 involved judgment bias testing, interrupted by 15 min white noise at 100dB, following which the test resumed. According to early studies, chickens would show a negative bias in Phase 1 and in the second half of Phase 3. However, if release from stressful conditions produces a positive judgement bias, then a negative judgement bias would be expected in Phase 2 only. Results showed negative biases for some birds in Phase 1, and for all birds in Phase 2. No statistically significant bias was observed in Phase 3. The author argues that idiosyncratic differences may have influenced the direction of bias observed in Phase 1, and suggests further investigations be conducted.

text: Judgement Bias in Hens When an animal has learned a discrimination between two stimuli on the same dimension, exposing the animal to intermediate stimuli will produce a generalisation gradient. Events that that shift responding from this baseline are said to bias responding. Shifts in gradient which show more responding to intermediate stimuli are called positive judgement biases; while shifts in gradient showing reduced responding on intermediate stimuli are called negative judgement biases. While initial studies showed that exposure to poor conditions prior to testing produced negative biases, not all of the literature has supported this. This study aimed to clarify inconsistencies in the literature, using a within-subjects design and a short-term aversive event. Chickens were trained under two-component multiple schedules with each component associated with a stimulus location. Phase 1 involved 15 min exposure to white noise at 100dB, followed immediately by judgement bias testing. Phase 2 involved exposure to white noise at the same dB level, but for the duration of the test. Phase 3 involved judgment bias testing, interrupted by 15 min white noise at 100dB, following which the test resumed. According to early studies, chickens would show a negative bias in Phase 1 and in the second half of Phase 3. However, if release from stressful conditions produces a positive judgement bias, then a negative judgement bias would be expected in Phase 2 only. Results showed negative biases for some birds in Phase 1, and for all birds in Phase 2. No statistically significant bias was observed in Phase 3. The author argues that idiosyncratic differences may have influenced the direction of bias observed in Phase 1, and suggests further investigations be conducted.

year: 2016

title: The use of upper-body intermittent, sequential pneumatic compression arm-sleeves on recovery from exercise in wheelchair athletes

authors: Oliver, Alison Eilidh

subjects: Wheelchair

abstract: Wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby are two of the most popular sports for athletes with a disability. Despite this, recovery-based research is sparse in the disability sport sector, as most studies have concentrated on the recovery needs of able-bodied athletes. Existing research has investigated several recovery methods, which the first part of this thesis discusses in a literature review. One of the recovery methods included in this review is a relatively new recovery tool known as intermittent sequential pneumatic compression (ISPC). Initially developed for use in medical settings, ISPC is believed to increase blood flow, therefore limiting inflammation/swelling and enhancing the removal of metabolic by-products associated with exercise. The second part of this thesis includes an original study investigating the influence of ISPC on recovery in wheelchair team sport athletes. Eleven wheelchair basketball and rugby players volunteered to participate in this study and were required to take part in two trials (either passive control or ISPC recovery) separated by one week. During ISPC recovery, participants wore the sleeves on both arms for 20 minutes. Grip strength, pressureto-pain threshold (PPT), medicine ball throw, wheelchair sprints, repeated sprints and blood lactate (BLa) were measured pre-exercise, post-exercise, and post-recovery. Subjective muscle soreness and fatigue were also assessed at these time points, as well as 24 hours post-exercise. The exercise session consisted of 20 minutes of high intensity drills, designed to simulate the physiological demands of wheelchair team sport. Analysis revealed ISPC to positively influence subjective measures of muscle soreness and fatigue, with negligible effects on performance recovery and physiological measures when compared to a control trial. The final section of this thesis summarises the overall findings of the thesis, as well as providing practical applications and future research.

text: The use of upper-body intermittent, sequential pneumatic compression arm-sleeves on recovery from exercise in wheelchair athletes Wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby are two of the most popular sports for athletes with a disability. Despite this, recovery-based research is sparse in the disability sport sector, as most studies have concentrated on the recovery needs of able-bodied athletes. Existing research has investigated several recovery methods, which the first part of this thesis discusses in a literature review. One of the recovery methods included in this review is a relatively new recovery tool known as intermittent sequential pneumatic compression (ISPC). Initially developed for use in medical settings, ISPC is believed to increase blood flow, therefore limiting inflammation/swelling and enhancing the removal of metabolic by-products associated with exercise. The second part of this thesis includes an original study investigating the influence of ISPC on recovery in wheelchair team sport athletes. Eleven wheelchair basketball and rugby players volunteered to participate in this study and were required to take part in two trials (either passive control or ISPC recovery) separated by one week. During ISPC recovery, participants wore the sleeves on both arms for 20 minutes. Grip strength, pressureto-pain threshold (PPT), medicine ball throw, wheelchair sprints, repeated sprints and blood lactate (BLa) were measured pre-exercise, post-exercise, and post-recovery. Subjective muscle soreness and fatigue were also assessed at these time points, as well as 24 hours post-exercise. The exercise session consisted of 20 minutes of high intensity drills, designed to simulate the physiological demands of wheelchair team sport. Analysis revealed ISPC to positively influence subjective measures of muscle soreness and fatigue, with negligible effects on performance recovery and physiological measures when compared to a control trial. The final section of this thesis summarises the overall findings of the thesis, as well as providing practical applications and future research.

year: 2020

title: Wearing moko: Maori facial marking in today’s world

authors: Nikora, Linda Waimarie

subjects: moko

abstract: The early voyagers, missionaries, settlers all reacted to the pukanohi, to the marked faces of the Maori people, during the period of first contact, and the century following it. Their accounts are vivid, judgemental, revealing, telling us as much about them as they do about the people they described.
Curiosity and horror are mixed with a genuine
fascination; where sternly evangelizing words
failed, armed confrontation occurred; and we
now live with the results, te ao hou, a new world. In this world, today, wahine mau kauae, tangata mau moko, pukanohi – wearers – are speaking for themselves, about themselves, and commenting on how others view them. Unanimously, they insist that the decision to take the marking is about continuity, affirmation, identity and commitment. It is also about wearing those ancestors, carrying them into the future; as their moko become a companion, a salient being with its own life force, its own integrity and power, beyond the face.

text: Wearing moko: Maori facial marking in today’s world The early voyagers, missionaries, settlers all reacted to the pukanohi, to the marked faces of the Maori people, during the period of first contact, and the century following it. Their accounts are vivid, judgemental, revealing, telling us as much about them as they do about the people they described.
Curiosity and horror are mixed with a genuine
fascination; where sternly evangelizing words
failed, armed confrontation occurred; and we
now live with the results, te ao hou, a new world. In this world, today, wahine mau kauae, tangata mau moko, pukanohi – wearers – are speaking for themselves, about themselves, and commenting on how others view them. Unanimously, they insist that the decision to take the marking is about continuity, affirmation, identity and commitment. It is also about wearing those ancestors, carrying them into the future; as their moko become a companion, a salient being with its own life force, its own integrity and power, beyond the face.

year: 2004-04-04