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Description
As the designer is asked to design, create, or simply solve a problem, many factors go into that process. It generally begins with defining the scope or problem that undergoes an iterative process utilizing different tools and techniques to generate the desired outcome. This is often referred to as the design process. Notwithstanding the many factors that influence this process, this study investigates the use of theory for behavior change and its effect on the design process. While social behavioral theories have been extensively discussed in the realm of design, and a well-developed body of literature exists, there is limited knowledge about how designers respond to and incorporate theory into their design process. Fogg’s persuasive design (2003), Lockton’s design with intent (2009) and Tromp’s social implication framework (2011) stand as exemplars of new strategies developed towards design for behavior change that are able to empower designers’ mindsets, providing them with a uniquely insightful perspective to entice change. Instead of focusing on the effectiveness of the design end product, this study focuses on how theory-driven approaches affect the ideation and framing fragment of the design process. A workshop case study with senior design students was utilized with focused observations and post-workshop interviews to answer the research questions. This study contributes by providing a useful method of documenting a behavioral economics theory to the design process in a workshop setting. It also provides insights on how behavioral change theory application can be incorporated in a segment of the design process.
ContributorsAlWazzan, Aysha F. KH. A. A (Author) / Mejia, G. Mauricio (Thesis advisor) / Sanft, Alfred (Committee member) / Fischer, Daniel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
… A. A (Author) Mejia, G. Mauricio (Thesis advisor) Sanft, Alfred (Committee member) Fischer, Daniel (Committee member) … Graduate Supervisory Committee: G. Mauricio Mejia, Chair Alfred Sanft Daniel Fischer ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY … I am also grateful to my other committee members Professor Alfred Sanft and Daniel Fischer for their continuous time, …
Description
The basal ganglia are four sub-cortical nuclei associated with motor control and reward learning. They are part of numerous larger mostly segregated loops where the basal ganglia receive inputs from specific regions of cortex. Converging on these inputs are dopaminergic neurons that alter their firing based on received and/or predicted rewarding outcomes of a behavior. The basal ganglia's output feeds through the thalamus back to the areas of the cortex where the loop originated. Understanding the dynamic interactions between the various parts of these loops is critical to understanding the basal ganglia's role in motor control and reward based learning. This work developed several experimental techniques that can be applied to further study basal ganglia function. The first technique used micro-volume injections of low concentration muscimol to decrease the firing rates of recorded neurons in a limited area of cortex in rats. Afterwards, an artificial cerebrospinal fluid flush was injected to rapidly eliminate the muscimol's effects. This technique was able to contain the effects of muscimol to approximately a 1 mm radius volume and limited the duration of the drug effect to less than one hour. This technique could be used to temporarily perturb a small portion of the loops involving the basal ganglia and then observe how these effects propagate in other connected regions. The second part applied self-organizing maps (SOM) to find temporal patterns in neural firing rate that are independent of behavior. The distribution of detected patterns frequency on these maps can then be used to determine if changes in neural activity are occurring over time. The final technique focused on the role of the basal ganglia in reward learning. A new conditioning technique was created to increase the occurrence of selected patterns of neural activity without utilizing any external reward or behavior. A pattern of neural activity in the cortex of rats was selected using an SOM. The pattern was then reinforced by being paired with electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle triggering dopamine release in the basal ganglia. Ultimately, this technique proved unsuccessful possibly due to poor selection of the patterns being reinforced.
ContributorsBaldwin, Nathan Aaron (Author) / Helms Tillery, Stephen I (Thesis advisor) / Castaneda, Edward (Committee member) / Buneo, Christopher A (Committee member) / Muthuswamy, Jitendran (Committee member) / Si, Jennie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
… reinforced. Date Created 2014 Contributors Baldwin, Nathan Aaron (Author) Helms Tillery, Stephen I (Thesis advisor) … Statement of Responsibility by Nathan Aaron Baldwin Description Source Viewed on Aug. 11, 2014 … selection of the patterns being reinforced. … by Nathan Aaron Baldwin …
Description
An exhibition about the expectations, stress, and pressure that were put on Asian students and how that negatively affect their mentally, physical, and emotional health.
ContributorsTran, Nghi (Author) / Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) / Montgomery, Eric (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2022-05
… Created 2022-05 Contributors Tran, Nghi (Author) Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) Montgomery, Eric (Committee member) … Tanya Yan Tucker Brown Sofia Garcia Thom Kim Yasmeen Kannan Alfred Sanft About the Class Eric Montgomery Individual …
Description
In a world where tweets, texts, posts, likes and favorites are a part of our daily lives, it's hard not to believe everything we see. Every little detail of one's personal life is easily shared with the world with the click of a button. And because of this, the beauty standards that society has created is jumping from the pages of magazines and TV shows to apps such as Instagram and Facebook. The majority of social media users are young teens and adults, but the popularity of these apps is rising among kids as young as five years old as well. These are some of the most impressionable years of one's life. So, by seeing these standards that qualify someone as "beautiful," individuals are likely to strive toward these standards. And while some may seem impossible to attain, individuals are willing to go to extreme lengths to get there. Qualities like the "thigh gap" are slowly becoming more popular, and are putting individuals at risk. In a country where the ideal woman is skinny, and most of the celebrities and models showcase these nearly impossible standards, it's hard not to fall into the trap. With the addition of editing software and filters to already existing social media applications, the ability to edit and enhance photos is in the hands of the user. Photos can be edited so dramatically different from the original that what we're seeing doesn't even exist. This project explores the false reality that social media is creating and the negative effects it has on young girls and women. It also offers a solution to the problem.
ContributorsHenry, Lauren Nicole (Author) / Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
… 2016-05 Contributors Henry, Lauren Nicole (Author) Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) Heywood, William (Committee member) … and was nominated for Design Excellence by my professors Alfred Sanft and Wil Heywood. Miss Representation 52 ” 53 57 …
Description
Mental illness has always been a stark fact of life, whether it affects people directly or indirectly. More and more research is now showing that mental illness is becoming increasingly more widespread in the U.S. This poses a serious problem to our society in terms of treatment of mental illness, as well as the costs that are involved with treating those who are affected with different disorders. According to the CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, about 1 in 68 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A large number of these children are given psychotropic medications when there is no real proof of their efficacy. Our children are our society's future, so how can we aide parents of these young children to ultimately benefit their future? As a result of my research in the gut-brain connection, I have developed an application called Portal. Portal will serve the parents of children with autism in assisting with their daily lives and teaching them about the most up to date research. This application will work in conjunction with thesis material developed in the Visual Communication Design program to create a well-rounded approach to incorporating knowledge of the gut-brain connection in everyday life. Portal will have a variety of capabilities including that of autism related news, diet plans, schedules, community resources, and medication planning. There will be a daily tip or reminder to incorporate knowledge of the gut-brain connection in daily life. This can be something as simple as a reminder to eat vegetables to a fact about the research. The main goal of Portal is to assist parents in adapting to a lifestyle with ASD easier and healthier for both parents and children alike.
ContributorsChen, Cynthia Yue (Author) / Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2014-05
… 2014-05 Contributors Chen, Cynthia Yue (Author) Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) Heywood, William (Committee member) … Gut-Brain Enteric Microbiota Axis By Cynthia Chen Approved: Alfred C. Sanft William Heywood _____________________ …
Description
Using the case of the ocean plastic supply chain in Southeast Asia, this creative project serves to educate the audience about the differences between “informal” and “formal” supply chains, while also providing context for why these differences are so important for the global economy. Most people are not familiar with the idea of an informal supply chain, though they account for more than 60% of the employed population and over 80% of all global enterprises. These chains are hard to manage and are extremely unpredictable, yet most formal supply chains, like those of major corporations that we know and love, utilize informal supply chains in some capacity. The focus of my research was through hands-on experiences and interviews in Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines, with additional outside research from academic and other publications.
The deliverable for my project was, in this case, a video that helps to visualize the differences between these supply chains, while also educating the listener about various key facts that make this problem so complex. It utilizes an adapted framework to visualize the main stakeholders in the supply chain, providing explanations and photos of each level. It then dives into further detail of the first level in the supply chain: Pickers.
The deliverable for my project was, in this case, a video that helps to visualize the differences between these supply chains, while also educating the listener about various key facts that make this problem so complex. It utilizes an adapted framework to visualize the main stakeholders in the supply chain, providing explanations and photos of each level. It then dives into further detail of the first level in the supply chain: Pickers.
ContributorsLacourse, Aaron (Author) / Dooley, Dr. Kevin (Thesis director) / Blackmer, Cindie (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-12
… chain: Pickers. Date Created 2019-12 Contributors Lacourse, Aaron (Author) Dooley, Dr. Kevin (Thesis director) Blackmer, … Dive into the Southeast Asian Ocean Plastic Supply Chain by Aaron LaCourse has been approved Fall 2019 APPROVED (printed … Dive into the Southeast Asian Ocean Plastic Supply Chain By Aaron LaCourse Submitted to Barrett, The Honors College at …
Description
This thesis seeks to answer, how could architects design for mystery and suspense and how would the perception of those spaces change for the spectators? By looking into production designers, art directors, and screenwriters, specifically the film Rear Window (1954) by Alfred Hitchcock one can analyze their use of architecture as part of the way that they build mystery and suspense by making movies that can help test if architecture spaces that are originally designed for a different purpose can build mystery and suspense. This research re-creates one scene from the film in four different locations: three on Arizona State University Tempe campus and one in an apartment complex. These short movies tested in different architectural spaces as such as, entering and exiting of buildings, access under a building that restricts individuals from seeing who is coming in or out, enclosed architecture, and by having hallways that lead up to each other and not permitting the occupant/participant to see everything around them. After filming the movies were compared to each other and a set of drawings was made to understand important choices made in each movie. What this thesis comes to investigate are the movies which are tools architects can use in their design process. Instead of starting a project from a sketch, why not start it from a movie. As this thesis reveals the act of choosing a film, dissecting it, and re-creating the experience of the film in their own movies in different locations can create a unique project.
ContributorsKattan, Yasmine Natalia (Author) / Rocchi, Elena (Thesis director) / Hejduk, Renata (Committee member) / Scott, Jason Davids (Committee member) / Cánovas, Elena (Committee member) / The Design School (Contributor, Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
… screenwriters, specifically the film Rear Window (1954) by Alfred Hitchcock one can analyze their use of architecture … screenwriters, specifically the film Rear Window (1954) by Alfred Hitchcock one can analyze their use of architecture …
Description
Traditional design education consists of three phases: perceptual, transitional, and professional. This study explored three independent variables (IVs) as predictors of success in the Transitional Phase of a visual communication design (VCD) program: (a) prior academic performance (as reported by GPA); (b) cognitive style (assessed with Peterson, Deary, and Austin's Verbal Imagery Cognitive Styles Test [VICS] and Extended Cognitive Style Analysis-Wholistic Analytic Test [E-CSA-WA]); and (c) learning style (assessed with Kolb's Learning Style Inventory [LSI] 3.1). To address the research problem and hypothesis, this study examined (a) the relationship between academic performance, cognitive style, and learning style, and visual communication design students' performance in the Transitional Phase; (b) the cognitive style and learning style preferences of visual communication design students as compared with other samples; and (c) how the resulting knowledge can be used to improve instructional design for the Transitional Phase in VCD programs. Multiple regression analysis revealed that 9% of Transitional Phase performance was predicted by studio GPA. No other variables were statistically significant predictors of Transitional Phase performance. However, ANOVA and t tests revealed statistically significant and suggested relationships among components of the independent variables, that indicate avenues for future study. The results are discussed in the context of style-based learning theory, and the cognitive apprenticeship approach to instructional design.
ContributorsMurdock, John Boardman (Author) / Sanft, Alfred C (Thesis advisor) / Patel, Mookesh (Thesis advisor) / Weed, Andrew (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
… 2011 Contributors Murdock, John Boardman (Author) Sanft, Alfred C (Thesis advisor) Patel, Mookesh (Thesis advisor) … Approved July 2011 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Alfred Carl Sanft, Co-Chair Mookesh Patel, Co-Chair Andrew … APPENDIX G A INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL 175 To: Alfred Sanft ARCH 212 From: Mark Roosa, Chair Institutional …
Description
The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to discover the hindrances and apply new innovative ideas to the problematic stages of student acclimatization and acculturation to an American education and Taiwanese host culture. The goal was to improve academic success during the initial first year, improve the acclimatization process, and stimulate the acculturation process.
The study applied a mixed-methods approach. Four new foreign students participated in a 12-week innovation. This innovation consisted of establishing a protocol for school staff, creating and implementing a student-led Welcoming Committee, training at the beginning of the school year, establishing guidelines and expectations for participating Welcoming Committee members, assigning peer mentors to new students, and providing opportunities for socializing and meeting people. The participants took pre and post cultural self-efficacy tests. In addition, qualitative data was collected from the interviews of the four participants.
The new foreign students showed an increase in cultural self-efficacy from the beginning of the innovation to the conclusion of it. Findings of this study found that students used past experiences in creating initial perceptions, these perceptions changed after interactions with the Welcoming Committee, ample assistance was given to the new foreign students throughout the innovation, and Welcoming Committee members were relied on to make initial contact with others due to initial difficulties in this area.
The study applied a mixed-methods approach. Four new foreign students participated in a 12-week innovation. This innovation consisted of establishing a protocol for school staff, creating and implementing a student-led Welcoming Committee, training at the beginning of the school year, establishing guidelines and expectations for participating Welcoming Committee members, assigning peer mentors to new students, and providing opportunities for socializing and meeting people. The participants took pre and post cultural self-efficacy tests. In addition, qualitative data was collected from the interviews of the four participants.
The new foreign students showed an increase in cultural self-efficacy from the beginning of the innovation to the conclusion of it. Findings of this study found that students used past experiences in creating initial perceptions, these perceptions changed after interactions with the Welcoming Committee, ample assistance was given to the new foreign students throughout the innovation, and Welcoming Committee members were relied on to make initial contact with others due to initial difficulties in this area.
ContributorsAyers, Aaron (Author) / Bernstein, Katie (Thesis advisor) / Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka (Committee member) / McGrath, John (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
… in this area. Date Created 2019 Contributors Ayers, Aaron (Author) Bernstein, Katie (Thesis advisor) … to Assist New Students Experiencing Acculturation by Aaron Dee Ayers A Dissertation Presented in Partial … the universal findings in such a diverse population. Gomez, Alfredo, and Glass (2014) studied international college …
Description
Institutions of higher learning have long been recognized as essential sources of knowledge for individuals seeking to solve real-life problems and improve their value in the workforce. However, despite their best efforts, many graduates lack the necessary hard and soft skills to excel in their chosen careers. As an accountant-turned-lecturer, I have observed this phenomenon firsthand and felt compelled to take action. To address this issue, I undertook a project aimed at preparing graduates from the Accountancy Program at the University of Guyana's School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI) for success in their careers. In conducting this project, I conducted an action-based research study consisting of three cycles. In the first two cycles, I delved into the perceptions of learners and lecturers regarding the need for instructional development in the degree program. Both groups agreed that it was necessary to implement appropriate innovations to improve the teaching of the program. In the third cycle, I interviewed employers to get their perspective on implementing an instructional innovation. The results of these interviews were striking, as they led to the development of an internship program that would allow students to practice their knowledge and learn soft and hard skills while being attached to institutions. To determine the impact of such programs, I studied other degree programs that currently have internship and attachment programs. From my investigation, I learned that learners have a positive attitude towards internships, and that they can help learners gain more skills than they get in class when implemented well. Given the success of similar programs in other degree programs, I propose the implementation of an internship program in the Accountancy Program in SEBI. The program's goal is to improve the knowledge, skills, and experience of its graduates and help them succeed in their chosen careers. With the introduction of such a program, students will have the opportunity to learn through hands-on experience, allowing them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the workforce. Overall, this program's success will contribute to enhancing the reputation of the institution, attracting more potential students, and increasing its graduates' employability.
ContributorsAaron, Alfred Vini (Author) / Smith, Stephanie (Thesis advisor) / Fischman, Gustavo (Committee member) / Henry, Paulette (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
… graduates' employability. Date Created 2023 Contributors Aaron, Alfred Vini (Author) Smith, Stephanie (Thesis advisor) …