Neighbourhood preferences,active travel behaviour,and built environment: An exploratory study

In the current study we investigated the extent to which neighbourhood preferences could be used as a base to group people in order to explore their residential and travel choices. The basic idea of this study was that the preferences people would have for their residential and travel choices might be a robust predictor of their actual travel behaviour, and that the neighbourhood preferences might distinguish people in terms of the characteristics of their living environment. We used a moderation model to test whether the effect of built environment on travel behaviour varied in terms of resident’s type. A total of 3403 inhabitants of the city of Tampere in Finland participated in the study. A web-based public participation GIS survey combining the questionnaires with a map (SoftGIS technique) was used to collect the data. We identified two distinct groups of residents in terms of general neighbourhood preferences. The findings showed that clustering residents based on neighbourhood preferences moderated the association between some features of density measures and travel behaviour. We found significant differences between the two clusters in both the frequencies and the distance of pedestrian and bike travel. The findings revealed that inhabitants of neighbourhoods with a larger percentage of green surroundings had a greater perception of neighbourhood stability than did the residents of neighbourhoods with a smaller percentage of green surroundings.     

Locus of control and attitudes toward large carnivores

It has been hypothesized tha the negative attitudes toward carnivores found among rural groups is only one element embedded in a larger sociopolitical complex of disputes over resource use and rural development. Negative attitudes may reflect a protest against increased control of land use by central political authorities. In a survey among sheep farmers, wildlife managers, and research biologists in Norway we found that the sheep farmers expressed an external locus of control, indicating a belief that external forces control events, relative to the two other groups. Among sheep farmers and research biologists a positive association was found between an external locus of control and negative attitudes toward large carnivores.     

Response-restriction analysis: II. Alteration of activity preferences

We used response-restriction (RR) assessments to identify the preferences of 7 individuals with mental retardation for a variety of vocational and leisure activities. We subsequently increased their engagement in nonpreferred activities using several procedures: response restriction per se versus a Premack-type contingency (Study 1), supplemental reinforcement for engagement in target activities (Study 2), and noncontingent pairing of reinforcers with nonpreferred activities (Study 3). Results indicated that preferences are not immutable and can be altered through a variety of relatively benign interventions and that the results of RR assessments may be helpful in determining which types of procedures may be most effective on an individual basis.     

Color preferences of art students: surface colors: II.

In a previous study (G?tz & G?tz, 1974b) the preferences of 14 surface colors were analyzed. While this set contained only one red, one blue, one yellow, etc., the color set of the present investigation was extended, and the preferences of 5 different reds, blues, yellow, etc. were analyzed. Between the five variations of red and yellow, respectively, the greatest affective differences were found, while the opposite was true for the 5 oranges, pinks, and grays. The most preferred colors are 2 reds, 2 blues, and 2 yellows; least preferred are a greenish yellow, a penetrating red-violet, and all 5 pinks. Significant sex differences were found for 8 colors.     

The role of achievement goal orientations in students' perceptions of and preferences for classroom environment

Background . Recent research on achievement motivation has begun to examine the effects of environmental factors affecting students' motivational beliefs and goal tendencies. However, when interpreting and applying the results, individual factors underlying students' different perceptions of their learning environment are often ignored. An implicit assumption seems to be that regardless of their dispositional differences (e.g. motivational basis), students will experience and benefit from instructional practices in the same way. Aims . This paper highlights the importance of students' dispositional motivational factors when examining differences in their perceptions of and preferences for the learning environment. The study builds on a conception of student motivation that emphasizes the interaction of individual and contextual factors. Sample and method . Questionnaires served as self‐report tools and assessed students' achievement goal orientations, self‐esteem, causality beliefs, academic withdrawal and perceptions of and preferences for the learning environment. The sample consisted of 208 sixth grade elementary school students. Results . Based on latent class cluster analysis and one‐way analyses of variance, it was found that students' perceptions of and preferences for the learning environment vary depending on differences in students' motivational tendencies. Conclusions . Students' dispositional motivational characteristics should be taken into account both in theoretical considerations and in instructional interventions.     

Eye-gaze behaviour of expert and novice surfers in a simulated surf environment

Skilled performance in sport often relies on looking at the right place at the right time. Differences in visual behaviour can thus characterise expertise. The current study examined visual attention associated with surfing expertise. Expert (n = 12) and novice (n = 12) surfers viewed 360-degree surfing videos in a head-mounted display. Eye-gaze, presence, and engagement were measured. Experts were faster to detect approaching high, and low waves, spent more time overall attending to high-performance value areas-of-interest (AOIs; pocket, shoulder, lip), and were more physically engaged. Group differences were not found for presence or simulator sickness. Outcomes show that surfing expertise is associated with more optimal visual attention to cues informing wave approach and wave dynamics. Experts look at these areas earlier than novices, and for more time overall. The findings suggest the performance advantages of early planning of motor actions, along with moment-to-moment adjustments while surfing.     

Origins of children's career aspirations: II. Direct suggestions as a method of transmitting occupational preferences.

Analysis of responses of 576 children in kindergarten and Grades 2, 4, and 6 in both public and private schools shows direct suggestions particularly from significant others are recalled increasingly frequently as children grow older. Children, however, are less likely to select suggested occupations with age. These data do not account for high aspirations of children to parental occupations.     

Locus of control and home mortgage loan behaviour

The present study investigated the impact of locus of control on home mortgage loan behaviours. The results showed that participants with stronger external control were more likely to purchase a lower priced home, have a lower ratio of mortgage loan amount to the total home value, and have a shorter term of mortgage loan. Moreover, among participants who have owned a home, those not using mortgage loans showed more external control than those using mortgage loans; among participants who have not owned a home but want to buy a home, those not planning to use mortgage loans showed more external control than those planning to use mortgage loans.     

The importance of impulse purchasing behaviour in the international airport environment

Airports are unique retail environments due to the environmental and psychological issues linked with the travel process. Travellers experience feelings of anxiety, stress and excitement which make them react in unusual ways. Airport retail environments therefore differ from more day‐to‐day channels of distribution. Consequently, retailers' approaches must also differ in order to maximise performance. There is evidence of a considerable impulse purchasing effect in airport retail operations which, if understood and harnessed by airport retailers, can enhance performance. The impulse effects will differ significantly between customer segments due to both the psychological effects of the travel experience and the existence of normative traits. Retailers must create an environment that minimises inherent stress and accentuates or at least maintains natural levels of excitement, while also virtuously motivating impulse purchasing by reducing or eliminating barriers to purchase. Development of an impulse strategy, which should permeate all elements of airport retail activities, is essential for maximising performance and profitability. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications Ltd.