title: Aeolian activity in a Urewera catchment

authors: Cochrane, G. Ross

subjects: Urewera

abstract: Analyses of sedimentary deposits on the Otapora flat and adjacent flood plain areas of Whakatane River demonstrate that aeolian activity is important even in a humid (BB'r) forested Catchment. The importance of relief and wind conditions are shown. A tentative assessment of potential feral pest damage and increased sheetwash from a forested Urewera catchment is advanced.

text: Aeolian activity in a Urewera catchment Analyses of sedimentary deposits on the Otapora flat and adjacent flood plain areas of Whakatane River demonstrate that aeolian activity is important even in a humid (BB'r) forested Catchment. The importance of relief and wind conditions are shown. A tentative assessment of potential feral pest damage and increased sheetwash from a forested Urewera catchment is advanced.

year: 1967

title: Investigating on-field decision making in rugby union

authors: Sherwood, Sebastian

subjects: Rugby union

abstract: Quick, accurate decision making in sport is essential for successful performance. In this five study thesis, psychological elements of decision making were investigated, guided by real world challenges encountered in a professional rugby organisation. Chapter 1 provided a background and review of relevant literature. Chapters 2 and 3 focused on pattern recall, an individual’s ability to recollect specific patterns from previous experiences. The results of Chapter 2 showed that professional players with more years of rugby experience were more accurate when recalling structured patterns. However, it was shown that pattern recall tasks did not predict on-field decision making performance and thus did not warrant inclusion in talent identification programs. Chapter 2 concluded that more appropriate stimuli (structured and semi-structured patterns) should be included in future studies to investigate the viability of pattern recall tasks for talent identification purposes. Chapter 3 found that a high tendency for decision reinvestment (a predisposition to consciously process decision-making) led to slower and less accurate performance on pattern recall tasks.

In Chapter 4, the effect of reinvestment (movement specific and decision specific) and expertise on anticipation of deceptive and non-deceptive movements was investigated. The results showed experts to be significantly more accurate than novices at anticipating both deceptive and non-deceptive movements. It was also found that experts took significantly longer to respond than novices. Decision reinvestment did not play a role in anticipatory performance; however, increased movement reinvestment tendencies were associated with poorer anticipatory accuracy of deceptive movements.

Both Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 investigated the decoy runners tactic, which is a novel form of deception in the literature to date, as it centres on players who are not in possession of the ball. The tactic involves multiple players in an attacking team running option lines off the ball carrier, making it possible that any of the players could receive the ball. Runners who do not receive the ball are decoys who aim to create confusion in defences. It was shown that decoy runners were significantly more effective when they displayed certain characteristics to attract defenders’ attention (i.e., hands up as if receiving the ball and line change as if exploiting a gap in the defensive line). Chapter 6 followed up on a claim made in the discussion of Chapter 5, that the increased effectiveness of decoy runners (when displaying certain characteristics) was caused by momentary inattentional blindness of the player who received the ball. This study showed that the player who received the ball was more likely to be unnoticed when attention was diverted by a secondary task – fitting the description of inattentional blindness (an individual failing to register an unexpected object clearly within their field of vision when their attention is diverted to another object or task (Mack & Rock, 1998)). The findings are summarised and discussed in the context of relevant research in the decision making field. Practical applications for coaches are provided and future directions for research are considered.

text: Investigating on-field decision making in rugby union Quick, accurate decision making in sport is essential for successful performance. In this five study thesis, psychological elements of decision making were investigated, guided by real world challenges encountered in a professional rugby organisation. Chapter 1 provided a background and review of relevant literature. Chapters 2 and 3 focused on pattern recall, an individual’s ability to recollect specific patterns from previous experiences. The results of Chapter 2 showed that professional players with more years of rugby experience were more accurate when recalling structured patterns. However, it was shown that pattern recall tasks did not predict on-field decision making performance and thus did not warrant inclusion in talent identification programs. Chapter 2 concluded that more appropriate stimuli (structured and semi-structured patterns) should be included in future studies to investigate the viability of pattern recall tasks for talent identification purposes. Chapter 3 found that a high tendency for decision reinvestment (a predisposition to consciously process decision-making) led to slower and less accurate performance on pattern recall tasks.

In Chapter 4, the effect of reinvestment (movement specific and decision specific) and expertise on anticipation of deceptive and non-deceptive movements was investigated. The results showed experts to be significantly more accurate than novices at anticipating both deceptive and non-deceptive movements. It was also found that experts took significantly longer to respond than novices. Decision reinvestment did not play a role in anticipatory performance; however, increased movement reinvestment tendencies were associated with poorer anticipatory accuracy of deceptive movements.

Both Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 investigated the decoy runners tactic, which is a novel form of deception in the literature to date, as it centres on players who are not in possession of the ball. The tactic involves multiple players in an attacking team running option lines off the ball carrier, making it possible that any of the players could receive the ball. Runners who do not receive the ball are decoys who aim to create confusion in defences. It was shown that decoy runners were significantly more effective when they displayed certain characteristics to attract defenders’ attention (i.e., hands up as if receiving the ball and line change as if exploiting a gap in the defensive line). Chapter 6 followed up on a claim made in the discussion of Chapter 5, that the increased effectiveness of decoy runners (when displaying certain characteristics) was caused by momentary inattentional blindness of the player who received the ball. This study showed that the player who received the ball was more likely to be unnoticed when attention was diverted by a secondary task – fitting the description of inattentional blindness (an individual failing to register an unexpected object clearly within their field of vision when their attention is diverted to another object or task (Mack & Rock, 1998)). The findings are summarised and discussed in the context of relevant research in the decision making field. Practical applications for coaches are provided and future directions for research are considered.

year: 2020

title: Rangatahi and complex entanglements of sexuality, sexuality education and secondary school: A material-discursive exploration

authors: Chalmers, Jade

subjects: Rangatahi,sexuality,sexuality education,New materialisms,feminist poststructuralist,matter,discourse,ethico-onto-epistemology,secondary school,colonisation,diffraction,posthuman,postqualitative,entanglements,becoming,indigenous theorising

abstract: This research is an exploration with rangatahi (young Māori), of complex materially-discursive webs of sexuality education, sexuality, and secondary school education in Aotearoa. These research areas have commonly produced unfavourable outcomes, which include disparity statistics and other findings that position Māori as ‘cultural’ or ‘in need’ (Cooper, 2012; Green, 2011; Le Grice, 2014). To produce something different, in this work I engaged with concepts from the theoretical fields of Māori Indigenous Theories, Feminist Poststructuralisms, and New Feminist Materialisms to develop a framework for exploration.  Nine rangatahi participated in small hui (meetings) and individual interviews, focused on the areas of sexuality education, other sexuality topics, and experiences of secondary schooling. Transcripts from these meetings became part of the ‘data’. The approach to the analysis, termed Moving Through Entanglements, was informed by the whakaaro method (Mika & Southey, 2018) and diffractive approaches (Barad, 2007; Davies, 2014a, 2014b). The analysis explored a number of entanglements, using transcripts, theories, concepts, matter, experiences, colonisation, sensations, utterances and beyond (Davies, 2014c; Jackson & Mazzei, 2011). I did not attempt to produce ‘evidence’ or propose findings or truths about the ‘situation’ for rangatahi; instead I considered these well-worn research areas in different ways, honing in on ‘hot spots’ in entanglements (Taylor, 2013).
At the heart of this research are the lives of rangatahi. This research listened to and privileged their experiences in the materially-discursive webs of sexuality education, sexuality and secondary education, with the aim of contributing to further positive transformation in these areas (Allen, 2015b). The analysis suggested that confronting ‘gaps’ in what rangatahi learn in sexuality education and what they experience beyond the classroom remained. The contrast between the mundane topics or the “same old shit” (in the words of one participant) taught in sexuality education, which rangatahi recalled, and the complexities of two important and complex hot spots (Tayor, 2013) – ‘tap and gap’ and ‘relationship goals’ – demonstrated this gap. A need remains for sexuality education to be more connected with young people’s lives (Allen, 2001, 2005a, 2005b; Young, 2002). Other issues that became important included hickeys, hair and skin, the school stage, big bodies and health, boys’ breasts, and clothing. A material-discursive exploration of these topics was central to the analysis; this research has demonstrated their under-acknowledged importance in the daily existence of rangatahi, which should continue to be explored. Colonisation remained a lingering presence (Le Grice, 2018), and instances rangatahi shared highlighted not only this, but also their critical awareness of its functioning.
An innovative approach is the posthuman methodology experimented with in this research. As outlined above, this research was guided by a theoretical framework built with ideas borrowed from three philosophical fields. I applied a method of analysis that attempted to move beyond normative modes of qualitative analysis, unsettling dominant anthropocentric ways of doing research.  Taking this position, among other things, meant that the entanglements I worked through were materially-discursive. Thus, this research posits that non-human or more-than-human participants are active in the daily becomings of rangatahi, and their influence in shaping daily experiences for rangatahi and should not be overlooked in future research (Bennett, 2010). The ethical crises of the present mean that an ethical imperative to do things differently in every facet of our existence is needed now more than ever (St. Pierre, Mazzei & Jackson, 2016). Perhaps a change in the way research is conducted is one key approach to a fruitful and sustainable future for humans and non-humans alike.

text: Rangatahi and complex entanglements of sexuality, sexuality education and secondary school: A material-discursive exploration This research is an exploration with rangatahi (young Māori), of complex materially-discursive webs of sexuality education, sexuality, and secondary school education in Aotearoa. These research areas have commonly produced unfavourable outcomes, which include disparity statistics and other findings that position Māori as ‘cultural’ or ‘in need’ (Cooper, 2012; Green, 2011; Le Grice, 2014). To produce something different, in this work I engaged with concepts from the theoretical fields of Māori Indigenous Theories, Feminist Poststructuralisms, and New Feminist Materialisms to develop a framework for exploration.  Nine rangatahi participated in small hui (meetings) and individual interviews, focused on the areas of sexuality education, other sexuality topics, and experiences of secondary schooling. Transcripts from these meetings became part of the ‘data’. The approach to the analysis, termed Moving Through Entanglements, was informed by the whakaaro method (Mika & Southey, 2018) and diffractive approaches (Barad, 2007; Davies, 2014a, 2014b). The analysis explored a number of entanglements, using transcripts, theories, concepts, matter, experiences, colonisation, sensations, utterances and beyond (Davies, 2014c; Jackson & Mazzei, 2011). I did not attempt to produce ‘evidence’ or propose findings or truths about the ‘situation’ for rangatahi; instead I considered these well-worn research areas in different ways, honing in on ‘hot spots’ in entanglements (Taylor, 2013).
At the heart of this research are the lives of rangatahi. This research listened to and privileged their experiences in the materially-discursive webs of sexuality education, sexuality and secondary education, with the aim of contributing to further positive transformation in these areas (Allen, 2015b). The analysis suggested that confronting ‘gaps’ in what rangatahi learn in sexuality education and what they experience beyond the classroom remained. The contrast between the mundane topics or the “same old shit” (in the words of one participant) taught in sexuality education, which rangatahi recalled, and the complexities of two important and complex hot spots (Tayor, 2013) – ‘tap and gap’ and ‘relationship goals’ – demonstrated this gap. A need remains for sexuality education to be more connected with young people’s lives (Allen, 2001, 2005a, 2005b; Young, 2002). Other issues that became important included hickeys, hair and skin, the school stage, big bodies and health, boys’ breasts, and clothing. A material-discursive exploration of these topics was central to the analysis; this research has demonstrated their under-acknowledged importance in the daily existence of rangatahi, which should continue to be explored. Colonisation remained a lingering presence (Le Grice, 2018), and instances rangatahi shared highlighted not only this, but also their critical awareness of its functioning.
An innovative approach is the posthuman methodology experimented with in this research. As outlined above, this research was guided by a theoretical framework built with ideas borrowed from three philosophical fields. I applied a method of analysis that attempted to move beyond normative modes of qualitative analysis, unsettling dominant anthropocentric ways of doing research.  Taking this position, among other things, meant that the entanglements I worked through were materially-discursive. Thus, this research posits that non-human or more-than-human participants are active in the daily becomings of rangatahi, and their influence in shaping daily experiences for rangatahi and should not be overlooked in future research (Bennett, 2010). The ethical crises of the present mean that an ethical imperative to do things differently in every facet of our existence is needed now more than ever (St. Pierre, Mazzei & Jackson, 2016). Perhaps a change in the way research is conducted is one key approach to a fruitful and sustainable future for humans and non-humans alike.

year: 2019