title: The ‘frontal lobe’ project: A double-blind, randomized controlled study of the effectiveness of higher level driving skills training to improve frontal lobe (executive) function related driving performance in young drivers

authors: Isler, Robert B.

subjects: psychology

abstract: The current study was undertaken in order to evaluate the effectiveness of higher level skills training on safe driving behaviour of 36 teenage drivers. The participants, who attended the Driver Training Research camp in Taupo (NZ) over a two week period, were 16 to 17 years old and had a valid restricted driver licence. The study focused on four main aims. Firstly, the behavioural characteristics of the sample and their attitudes to risk taking and driving were examined. Results showed that speeding was the most anticipated driving violation, and high levels of confidence were associated with a higher number of crashes and a greater propensity for risk taking. Many, often male participants, also rated their driving skills as superior to others and thought they would be less likely than others to be involved in an accident. Secondly, the relationship between driving performance and executive functioning, general ability and sustained attention was evaluated. Overall, better driving performance and more accurate self-evaluation of driving performance was related to higher levels of executive functions, in particular, working memory, and
cognitive switching. In addition, higher general ability and greater ability to sustain attention were also linked to better performance on the driving related assessments.  The third focus of this study was to compare the effects of both, higher level and vehicle handling skills training on driving performance, confidence levels and
attitudes to risk. While both types of training improved direction control, speed
choice and visual search, along with number of hazards detected and actions in relation to hazards, statistically significant improvement on visual search was seen only after higher level skills training. Vehicle handling skills training significantly improved direction control and speed choice. In addition, confidence levels in their driving skills were significantly lowered and attitudes to speeding, overtaking and
close following had improved significantly in the participants after the higher level
driving skills training. The final aspect to this study was to examine the effects of the
training over the following 6 month period based on self-reported driving behaviour.
The response rate of participants however, was not sufficient to reach any meaningful conclusion on any long-term training effects. A pilot study using GPSbased data trackers to assess post-training driving behaviour revealed some promising results for future driver training evaluation studies. The overall implications of the results are discussed in relation to improving the safety of young 
drivers in New Zealand.

text: The ‘frontal lobe’ project: A double-blind, randomized controlled study of the effectiveness of higher level driving skills training to improve frontal lobe (executive) function related driving performance in young drivers The current study was undertaken in order to evaluate the effectiveness of higher level skills training on safe driving behaviour of 36 teenage drivers. The participants, who attended the Driver Training Research camp in Taupo (NZ) over a two week period, were 16 to 17 years old and had a valid restricted driver licence. The study focused on four main aims. Firstly, the behavioural characteristics of the sample and their attitudes to risk taking and driving were examined. Results showed that speeding was the most anticipated driving violation, and high levels of confidence were associated with a higher number of crashes and a greater propensity for risk taking. Many, often male participants, also rated their driving skills as superior to others and thought they would be less likely than others to be involved in an accident. Secondly, the relationship between driving performance and executive functioning, general ability and sustained attention was evaluated. Overall, better driving performance and more accurate self-evaluation of driving performance was related to higher levels of executive functions, in particular, working memory, and
cognitive switching. In addition, higher general ability and greater ability to sustain attention were also linked to better performance on the driving related assessments.  The third focus of this study was to compare the effects of both, higher level and vehicle handling skills training on driving performance, confidence levels and
attitudes to risk. While both types of training improved direction control, speed
choice and visual search, along with number of hazards detected and actions in relation to hazards, statistically significant improvement on visual search was seen only after higher level skills training. Vehicle handling skills training significantly improved direction control and speed choice. In addition, confidence levels in their driving skills were significantly lowered and attitudes to speeding, overtaking and
close following had improved significantly in the participants after the higher level
driving skills training. The final aspect to this study was to examine the effects of the
training over the following 6 month period based on self-reported driving behaviour.
The response rate of participants however, was not sufficient to reach any meaningful conclusion on any long-term training effects. A pilot study using GPSbased data trackers to assess post-training driving behaviour revealed some promising results for future driver training evaluation studies. The overall implications of the results are discussed in relation to improving the safety of young 
drivers in New Zealand.

year: 2008-06

title: Theoretical predictions for spatial covariance of the electroencephalographic signal during the anesthetic-induced phase transition: Increased correlation length and emergence of spatial self-organization

authors: Steyn-Ross, Moira L.

subjects: EEG

abstract: In a recent series of papers, the authors have developed a stochastic theory to describe the electrical response of a spatially homogeneous cerebral cortex to infusion of a general anesthetic agent. We showed that by modeling the GABAergic (propofol-like) drug effect as a prolongation of the inhibitory postsynaptic impulse response, we obtain a prediction that there will be a hysteretically separated pair of first-order phase transitions in the population-average excitatory soma voltage, the first occurring at the point of induction of unconsciousness, and the second at the point of emergence from unconsciousness. In the present paper we generalize our earlier “zero-dimensional” homogeneous cortex to a one-dimensional (1D) line of cortical “mass,” thus allowing for the possibility of spatial inhomogeneities in neural activity. Following the spirit of our earlier adiabatic (“slow membrane”) philosophy, we impose a spatioadiabatic approximation that permits us to compute analytic expressions for changes in EEG (electroencephalographic) correlation length and EEG spatial covariance as a function of anesthetic effect. We establish that the correlation length of the EEG fluctuations is expected to increase at the approach to the transition points, and this finding is consistent with both the homogeneous-cortex prediction of increased correlation time (“critical slowing down”) near transition, and the recent, comprehensive anesthetic study by John et al.[Conscious. Cogn.  10, 165 (2001)] reporting an increase in EEG coherence near the points of loss and recovery of consciousness. In addition, we find that if the long-range (corticocortical) excitatory-to-inhibitory connectivity in the 1D cortex is stronger than the long-range excitatory-to-excitatory connectivity, then the spatioadiabatic system can organize itself into large-amplitude spatial patterns (“dissipative structures”) consisting of giant stationary quasiperiodic voltage fluctuations distributed along the cortical rod.

text: Theoretical predictions for spatial covariance of the electroencephalographic signal during the anesthetic-induced phase transition: Increased correlation length and emergence of spatial self-organization In a recent series of papers, the authors have developed a stochastic theory to describe the electrical response of a spatially homogeneous cerebral cortex to infusion of a general anesthetic agent. We showed that by modeling the GABAergic (propofol-like) drug effect as a prolongation of the inhibitory postsynaptic impulse response, we obtain a prediction that there will be a hysteretically separated pair of first-order phase transitions in the population-average excitatory soma voltage, the first occurring at the point of induction of unconsciousness, and the second at the point of emergence from unconsciousness. In the present paper we generalize our earlier “zero-dimensional” homogeneous cortex to a one-dimensional (1D) line of cortical “mass,” thus allowing for the possibility of spatial inhomogeneities in neural activity. Following the spirit of our earlier adiabatic (“slow membrane”) philosophy, we impose a spatioadiabatic approximation that permits us to compute analytic expressions for changes in EEG (electroencephalographic) correlation length and EEG spatial covariance as a function of anesthetic effect. We establish that the correlation length of the EEG fluctuations is expected to increase at the approach to the transition points, and this finding is consistent with both the homogeneous-cortex prediction of increased correlation time (“critical slowing down”) near transition, and the recent, comprehensive anesthetic study by John et al.[Conscious. Cogn.  10, 165 (2001)] reporting an increase in EEG coherence near the points of loss and recovery of consciousness. In addition, we find that if the long-range (corticocortical) excitatory-to-inhibitory connectivity in the 1D cortex is stronger than the long-range excitatory-to-excitatory connectivity, then the spatioadiabatic system can organize itself into large-amplitude spatial patterns (“dissipative structures”) consisting of giant stationary quasiperiodic voltage fluctuations distributed along the cortical rod.

year: 2003

title: Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae: Rangatahi perspectives of leadership within Ngāti Maniapoto

authors: Moss, Luke

subjects: Rangatahi

abstract: Research on youth leadership development is often saturated by adult perceptions and thus the literature often lacks youth voice and youth perspective on what integral areas are needed for successful youth leadership development. This research focuses on the rangatahi of Ngāti Maniapoto and their perspectives of leadership within the iwi to aid the gap in academic literature relating to youth perception of leadership development.

Maniapoto has an abundance of leadership examples from the plethora of tūpuna that have developed the iwi to the leaders of contemporary Maniapoto pushing the iwi forward. The purpose of this research is to delve into the perspectives of rangatahi Maniapoto that pertain to good leadership qualities, their perception of leadership, unique leadership styles within Maniapoto, rangatahi leadership skills and perspectives of youth development within the iwi. By interviewing rangatahi with strong connection to Maniapoto this information of their perspectives revealed four integral areas of rangatahi leadership development were collated into a model for dissemination and use within the iwi for youth development practices. This model is named Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae and has four areas, education, collective, communication and vision. Education was identified by rangatahi as they found that learning Maniapoto reo and tikanga was integral for a Maniapoto leader, in addition they saw an opportunity to establish a wānanga to future proof our Maniapototanga. A collective approach to leadership was highlighted as the rangatahi perceive that Maniapoto leaders need to be well known in the community and have good relationships with iwi members to be successful. Rangatahi reported that communication was an important attribute for leaders to have, not just speech but communicating by doing was essential for a Maniapoto leader. Finally, rangatahi explained that leaders need to have a vision for the taiao and a vision for our people to be a successful leader, and be able to take the iwi to a place they have not been to before.

This study adds to the scarce literature on youth perceptions on youth leadership development and definitively answers the question on how rangatahi of Maniapoto perceive leadership and how rangatahi of Maniapoto would develop leadership within Te Nehenehenui. The key findings presented in this thesis indicate that rangatahi from Maniapoto engage and identify leadership in many ways, however they do agree that leadership development is necessary for Maniapoto to flourish in the future. Applying this model and research within the iwi will create new foundations for leadership to grow within Maniapoto, and fill the gap of leadership for the iwi that rangatahi have identified.

text: Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae: Rangatahi perspectives of leadership within Ngāti Maniapoto Research on youth leadership development is often saturated by adult perceptions and thus the literature often lacks youth voice and youth perspective on what integral areas are needed for successful youth leadership development. This research focuses on the rangatahi of Ngāti Maniapoto and their perspectives of leadership within the iwi to aid the gap in academic literature relating to youth perception of leadership development.

Maniapoto has an abundance of leadership examples from the plethora of tūpuna that have developed the iwi to the leaders of contemporary Maniapoto pushing the iwi forward. The purpose of this research is to delve into the perspectives of rangatahi Maniapoto that pertain to good leadership qualities, their perception of leadership, unique leadership styles within Maniapoto, rangatahi leadership skills and perspectives of youth development within the iwi. By interviewing rangatahi with strong connection to Maniapoto this information of their perspectives revealed four integral areas of rangatahi leadership development were collated into a model for dissemination and use within the iwi for youth development practices. This model is named Ngā Tuituinga o te Pōtae and has four areas, education, collective, communication and vision. Education was identified by rangatahi as they found that learning Maniapoto reo and tikanga was integral for a Maniapoto leader, in addition they saw an opportunity to establish a wānanga to future proof our Maniapototanga. A collective approach to leadership was highlighted as the rangatahi perceive that Maniapoto leaders need to be well known in the community and have good relationships with iwi members to be successful. Rangatahi reported that communication was an important attribute for leaders to have, not just speech but communicating by doing was essential for a Maniapoto leader. Finally, rangatahi explained that leaders need to have a vision for the taiao and a vision for our people to be a successful leader, and be able to take the iwi to a place they have not been to before.

This study adds to the scarce literature on youth perceptions on youth leadership development and definitively answers the question on how rangatahi of Maniapoto perceive leadership and how rangatahi of Maniapoto would develop leadership within Te Nehenehenui. The key findings presented in this thesis indicate that rangatahi from Maniapoto engage and identify leadership in many ways, however they do agree that leadership development is necessary for Maniapoto to flourish in the future. Applying this model and research within the iwi will create new foundations for leadership to grow within Maniapoto, and fill the gap of leadership for the iwi that rangatahi have identified.

year: 2021