title: The Effect of Effort: An analysis of Killeen's (1994) Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement

authors: Bjarnesen, Rebecca Claire

subjects: Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement

abstract: Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement (MPR, Killeen, 1994) is a mathematical model comprising three main concepts; an animal’s arousal to behaviour based on its motivation for a particular reinforcer, time and energy constraints on responding, and coupling between a response class and reinforcer. This experiment tested the ability of MPR to predict response rates when the minimum force requirement and topography of response was changed. Increasing the minimum force requirement was expected to increase the value of δ, the parameter related to response constraint. Altering the topography of the response was expected to also alter the δ value, as different response forms were expected to take different lengths of time to perform. There were four conditions; low force key, low force door, high force key and high force door, and 6 hens responded under each of these conditions in an ascending geometric series of Fixed Ratio (FR) values. It was shown that hens responded at a faster rate and to higher FR values when responding on the key than on the door, and for both apparatus, the hens stopped responding at lower FR values when weights were added. Unexpectedly, there were no statistically significant differences in the value of δ across conditions, but the values for a, meant to represent the animals’ arousal, did change. It was suggested that the changes in a reflected changes in the animals’ motivation to perform the different responses, probably due to rewarding or aversive properties of the operant response related to the different response forms.

text: The Effect of Effort: An analysis of Killeen's (1994) Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement (MPR, Killeen, 1994) is a mathematical model comprising three main concepts; an animal’s arousal to behaviour based on its motivation for a particular reinforcer, time and energy constraints on responding, and coupling between a response class and reinforcer. This experiment tested the ability of MPR to predict response rates when the minimum force requirement and topography of response was changed. Increasing the minimum force requirement was expected to increase the value of δ, the parameter related to response constraint. Altering the topography of the response was expected to also alter the δ value, as different response forms were expected to take different lengths of time to perform. There were four conditions; low force key, low force door, high force key and high force door, and 6 hens responded under each of these conditions in an ascending geometric series of Fixed Ratio (FR) values. It was shown that hens responded at a faster rate and to higher FR values when responding on the key than on the door, and for both apparatus, the hens stopped responding at lower FR values when weights were added. Unexpectedly, there were no statistically significant differences in the value of δ across conditions, but the values for a, meant to represent the animals’ arousal, did change. It was suggested that the changes in a reflected changes in the animals’ motivation to perform the different responses, probably due to rewarding or aversive properties of the operant response related to the different response forms.

year: 2011

title: On Consumer Credit Law in New Zealand: Theories, Legislation and Judicial Practice

authors: Liao, Zhixiong (Leo)

subjects: 消费者信贷

abstract: A thorough review on the theories and developments of the Consumer Credit Law in New Zealand.

text: On Consumer Credit Law in New Zealand: Theories, Legislation and Judicial Practice A thorough review on the theories and developments of the Consumer Credit Law in New Zealand.

year: 2016-08-01

title: A reflective account of successful leadership: Māori special character secondary boarding schools.

authors: McAllister, Theresa

abstract: This thesis explores the leadership and Māori student achievement in Māori boarding schools taking into account cultural contexts, environments and the leadership ideologies around educational leadership. What are the leadership practices in Māori boarding schools that have made a difference for Māori student achievement? I argue that, Māori secondary boarding schools continue to offer an educational framework whereby Māori students achieve as Maori.
In order to better understand the philosophies and goals of those early Māori boarding school leaders through to the present time I have researched a sample of current leaders within those boarding schools. This research interest arose many years ago when I first realised that there was a significant gap in Māori student educational achievement compared to non-Māori. What was also realised was that few people understood the contribution that Māori boarding schools have played in Māori student achievement and success over many decades. While some people had heard of Māori boarding schools, not a great deal was really known about what Māori boarding schools delivered in terms of education for Māori and Māori culture. What is apparent from an historical perspective is that Māori boarding schools have contributed to the retention of Māori culture, language and identity resulting in student achievement. This is a result of what successful leadership has provided for Māori students to achieve.
Student achievement is a direct result of leadership. In a Māori boarding school setting, achievement is multifaceted. For Māori secondary boarding schools, achievement is taken from three perspectives: Christian, Māori and Academic. Flowing down from those three perspectives is the holistic wellbeing of students’, mind, body and soul, while recognizing and including whānau, hapū and iwi. Therefore, this research investigates the leadership practices in Māori boarding schools that have made a difference for Māori student achievement.

text: A reflective account of successful leadership: Māori special character secondary boarding schools. This thesis explores the leadership and Māori student achievement in Māori boarding schools taking into account cultural contexts, environments and the leadership ideologies around educational leadership. What are the leadership practices in Māori boarding schools that have made a difference for Māori student achievement? I argue that, Māori secondary boarding schools continue to offer an educational framework whereby Māori students achieve as Maori.
In order to better understand the philosophies and goals of those early Māori boarding school leaders through to the present time I have researched a sample of current leaders within those boarding schools. This research interest arose many years ago when I first realised that there was a significant gap in Māori student educational achievement compared to non-Māori. What was also realised was that few people understood the contribution that Māori boarding schools have played in Māori student achievement and success over many decades. While some people had heard of Māori boarding schools, not a great deal was really known about what Māori boarding schools delivered in terms of education for Māori and Māori culture. What is apparent from an historical perspective is that Māori boarding schools have contributed to the retention of Māori culture, language and identity resulting in student achievement. This is a result of what successful leadership has provided for Māori students to achieve.
Student achievement is a direct result of leadership. In a Māori boarding school setting, achievement is multifaceted. For Māori secondary boarding schools, achievement is taken from three perspectives: Christian, Māori and Academic. Flowing down from those three perspectives is the holistic wellbeing of students’, mind, body and soul, while recognizing and including whānau, hapū and iwi. Therefore, this research investigates the leadership practices in Māori boarding schools that have made a difference for Māori student achievement.

year: 2016