169 driving school students participated in the present project, in which the main aim was to inv... more 169 driving school students participated in the present project, in which the main aim was to investigate the effect of a differentiated anti-skid driving course. The course builds on the presumption that young novice drivers hold different attitudes, and further, that attitudes predict traffic behavior. Participants were identified as one of four driver types: sensation seeker, risky driver, responsible driver, and safety seeker. No significant effects were found for accident risk, for involvement in accidents under winter conditions, or for confidence in own driving abilities, attitudes or behavior. However, a weak non-significant tendency indicating effect on accident risk was detected. u0903
The report consists of four parts. Part i estimates effects of campaigns on road accidents, fatal... more The report consists of four parts. Part i estimates effects of campaigns on road accidents, fatal accidents and serious injury accidents by means of meta-analysis. Effect of campaigns in the campaign period is ca 9% reduction in the number of accidents (p<0.05). Effect of campaigns in the after period is a reduction of ca 15% (p<0.05). Mass media campaigns (TV, radio, and newspapers only) have no effect on the number of accidents. Police enforcement, length <200 days and personal influence contribute significantly in explaining the effects on accidents. Part 2 uses meta-analysis in estimating effects of campaigns on otherbehavioral areas than road traffic , for example sex behavior/HIV-protection, diet and physical activity, at home and leisure time accidents etc. Part 3 addresses six Swedish campaigns and discusses evaluation requirements, the objectives of the information activity as part of the concerns of the Swedish Road Administration, and as an element in larger meas...
The study examines whether the use of various tests of vision and cognitive functioning can ident... more The study examines whether the use of various tests of vision and cognitive functioning can identify elderly drivers with reduced ability to drive safely in traffic. The driving skills of 88 elderly drivers were evaluated, and the drivers also completed various tests of vision and cognitive functioning. A combination of four simple tests predicted 78% of the drivers who were regarded to present a danger to either themselves or to others in traffic. These included: reduced acuity under glare conditions, defects in the central field of vision, cognitive impairments/dementia, and impaired attention. None of these tests are included in the medical examination elderly drivers have to complete today.
The road safety campaign 'Speak Out' was launched in Telemark county in 1999. The campaig... more The road safety campaign 'Speak Out' was launched in Telemark county in 1999. The campaign appeals to passengers riding in cars to 'speak out' about dangerous driving, by telling drivers to drive more carefully. The campaign ended temporarily in 2001, but started again during spring 2004. Due to the fact that the campaign has been implemented in 2 time periods, the present report consists of two sections. Section 1 estimated whether the 'speak out' campaign carried out in 1999-2001 had any effects on the number of killed or injured road users. The results do not indicate any reduction in the number of injured or killed road users during the period the campaign lasted. Section 2 contains an evaluation of the 'speak out' campaign that started in 2005. The results show that the target group evaluated the campaign favorably.
The need for increasing conceptual clarity within well-being research has been stressed by social... more The need for increasing conceptual clarity within well-being research has been stressed by social scientists as well as policymakers and international organizations. The present study aimed to identify and compare conceptual structures of the everyday terms happiness, a good life, and satisfaction, based on a semi-stratified sample of Norwegian adults. Findings indicate that these terms share certain conceptual similarities, as used in everyday Norwegian language. For each term, it was possible to identify an underlying structure of conceptual configuration, articulated into external life domain components and internal, psychological dimensions. Relationship themes were prominent among the external domains for all three terms. Findings indicated that in Norwegian participants' understanding, happiness and good life were highly inclusive of external life domains, whereas satisfaction primarily evoked associations to internal, psychological states and experiences. Latent class analyses highlighted differences among socio-demographic groups as concerns the degree to which different conceptualizations of the three terms were endorsed. Findings raise questions about the practice, relatively common in the applied social sciences, of treating happiness, good life and satisfaction as highly similar concepts, and the assumption that each term carries the same meaning for everyone.
In 2006 respondents (n=844) from Oslo and Kristiansand participated in a survey on risk perceptio... more In 2006 respondents (n=844) from Oslo and Kristiansand participated in a survey on risk perception on different travel modes. In addition, interviews with 222 persons were conducted while they were travelling on the metro or by bicycle. Results indicated that respondents worried about security issues on public transport modes, while private transport modes were associated with worrying about safety issues. Moreover, while perception of security is influenced by own experience with unpleasant situations, this was not the case with perception of safety. Even though several respondents reported making behavioural adaptations as a consequence of worrying, risk perception does not have a major influence on transport mode choice. The results further indicate that people experience a higher degree of worry before the trip than while on the trip. Knowledge about risk perception is important with regard to users' mobility and general welfare
Two samples of six year olds (46 pupils), received training in safe road traffic behaviour, espec... more Two samples of six year olds (46 pupils), received training in safe road traffic behaviour, especially to look for safe spots to cross the road. Training was based on the use of a physical model (scale 1:40) representing various traffic environments. The children at both schools were tested before and after training, and compared to a control group who received no training. The results show that training had an effect on the children living in an urban area, but not on the children from a more rural school environment
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2013
Well-being a b s t r a c t "Islamophobia" has been used as an umbrella term capturing different t... more Well-being a b s t r a c t "Islamophobia" has been used as an umbrella term capturing different types of religious stigma towards Muslims. However, the operationalization of the term for research purposes varies greatly, where little attention heretofore has been paid on how islamophobia affects Muslim minorities' lives. Against this background, we aimed to develop and validate the Perceived Islamophobia Scale (PIS). In the first study (167 German-Arabs, 184 German-Turks and 205 British-Pakistanis), exploratory factor analyses of a preliminary item pool gave support of a three-factor scale in all samples. Subscales were computed for each factor (i.e., perceptions of a general fear of Islam and Muslims, fear of islamization, and islamophobia in the media), which were reliable across the samples. In all samples, the PIS was positively related to psychological distress and in two samples this relation remained significant, after controlling for experiences of discrimination. In Study 2 (262 German-Turks, 277 French-Maghrebis and 249 British-Pakistanis), confirmatory factor analyses supported the structural equivalence of the scale's three-factor solution. The PIS was positively related to perceived stress and discrimination. Lastly, PIS predicted higher levels of religious and ethnic identification, controlling for discrimination. The PIS seems to be a valid and reliable measure across different Muslim minority groups. The fact that perceptions of islamophobia in two samples negatively predicted psychological distress after controlling for experiences of discrimination, suggests that anti-discrimination laws may be insufficient in protecting Muslim minorities of the negative effects of stigma on psychological well-being.
Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 2004
An experiment was carried out to investigate 6-year olds ability to learn traffic safe behaviour ... more An experiment was carried out to investigate 6-year olds ability to learn traffic safe behaviour by the use of a tabletop model. The main purpose of the training was to teach the children to look for safe spots to cross the road. Children from two schools in Norway (92 children all in all) were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. Only the experimental group received training by use of the tabletop model; the control group received no such training. Both groups were tested (before-and-after-test) on a predefined route in the road traffic environment close to their school in order to determine the solutions they chose when they had to walk from one place to another (cross a road). The study also tested whether geographical location (urban/semi-urban) had any influence on knowledge acquisition. Data analysis showed that the training was effective in the urban school, but not in the semi-urban setting.
Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences, 2013
Social design feedback is a novel approach to usability evaluation where user participants are as... more Social design feedback is a novel approach to usability evaluation where user participants are asked to comment on designs asynchronously in online ad-hoc groups. Two key features of this approach are that (1) it supports interaction between user participants and development team representatives and (2) user participants can see and respond to other participants’ comments. Two design cases, involving 250 user participants, were studied to explore the output of social design feedback and investigate the effect of the two key features of this approach. Of all the design feedback, 17% was rated highly useful, and 21% contained change suggestions. The presence of an active moderator, representing the development team and interacting with the user participants, increased the usefulness of the design feedback. The opportunity to see and respond to others’ design feedback had a minor effect on the kind of design feedback provided, but no effect on usefulness. Based on the findings, we offe...
Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 2001
The present study aimed at identifying subtypes of young drivers N 2524 and evaluate how these re... more The present study aimed at identifying subtypes of young drivers N 2524 and evaluate how these responded to a trac safety campaign. On basis of a cluster analysis of personality measures, six subtypes of young drivers were identi®ed. The subtypes were found to dier on self-reported risky driving behaviour, attitudes towards trac safety, risk perception, estimation of own driving skills, and accident involvement. Two of the subtypes were identi®ed as high-risk groups in trac. The ®rst high-risk group consisted of mostly men, characterised by low levels of altruism and anxiety, and high levels of sensation-seeking, irresponsibility, and driving related aggression. The second high-risk group reported high sensation seeking, aggression, anxiety, and driving anger. The subtypes were also found to dier on how they evaluated and responded to the trac safety campaign. The results indicated that the campaign seemed to appeal most to the low-risk subtypes. Gender dierences within each subtype were also found on the dierent trac related measures, as well as on response to the campaign. It is concluded that young drivers should not be treated as a homogenous group pertaining to road safety. Practical suggestions on how to promote safe driving among these subtypes are also discussed.
Treatment-seeking patients (N = 233) were recruited as they started a course of relapse preventio... more Treatment-seeking patients (N = 233) were recruited as they started a course of relapse prevention and coping with depression. The mean Beck depression inventory (BDI-II) score was 26 points, indicating a moderate degree of depression.The sample was recruited from different outpatient clinics and screened for alcohol-related problems with the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT). Almost half of the total sample had a score on AUDIT >8 indicating an alcohol problem. The participants in this study did not undergo a clinical interview to check out if their symptoms, as assessed with BDI-II and AUDIT, were part of a formal diagnosis in accordance with the criteria in ICD 10 or DSM IV. A specific instrument, perceived uncontrollability of depression (UNCONTROL), was used to measure the persons' perceived control of depressive symptoms; a set of statements about coping with depressive symptoms where high scores indicate lack of coping with the symptoms. Alcohol problems were not found to be significantly associated with the perceived control of ongoing depressive symptoms and did not moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms and the perceived control of depressive symptoms. The results question the assumption that alcohol use is related to coping with depressive symptoms in patients with alcohol abuse and depressive symptoms.
Background: Impaired cognitive control functions have been demonstrated in both major depression ... more Background: Impaired cognitive control functions have been demonstrated in both major depression (MDD) and anxiety disorder (A), but few studies have systematically examined the impact of MDD with co-morbid A (MDDA), which is the main aim of this study. Method: We compared patients with MDD with (MDDA; n = 24) and without co-morbid A (n = 37) to a group of healthy controls (HC; n = 92) on three subtests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery; intra-extra dimensional, stop signal task, and spatial working memory. These tasks correspond to a theoretical model consisting of three separable but interrelated executive control functions: Shifting, Inhibition, and Updating. A simple psychomotor speed measure was also included. Results: After controlling for age, gender, and education level, the results showed that the MDDA group displayed significantly impaired performance on the functions Shifting and Updating compared to HC. There emerged no significant differences between any of the patient groups and HC regarding Inhibition. The pure MDD group did not display dysfunctions relative to the HC group on the main executive control variables, but displayed slowed psychomotor speed. Contrary to expectation there were no significant differences between the MDDA and the MDD groups. Conclusion: Co-morbid anxiety should be taken into account when studying cognitive control functions in major depression.
The aim of the present article is to validate the Norwegian version of the Organizational Climate... more The aim of the present article is to validate the Norwegian version of the Organizational Climate Measure (OCM). The original survey was translated and back translated, and administered to a Norwegian branch of an international service sector company (n=555). A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the fit between the present data and the original model. An exploratory factor analysis was carried out in order to investigate alternative model fits. The results for model fit successfully replicated those of Patterson et al (2005), and the failure to find a more suitable model for the data further supported the 17- latent factor model. The authors concluded in favor of the validity of the Norwegian translation.
Abstract The major aim of this study was to examine how job stress in the offshore working enviro... more Abstract The major aim of this study was to examine how job stress in the offshore working environment may affect workers experience of strain. This study also analyses both the main and moderator effect of social support on the association between job stress and strain. ...
169 driving school students participated in the present project, in which the main aim was to inv... more 169 driving school students participated in the present project, in which the main aim was to investigate the effect of a differentiated anti-skid driving course. The course builds on the presumption that young novice drivers hold different attitudes, and further, that attitudes predict traffic behavior. Participants were identified as one of four driver types: sensation seeker, risky driver, responsible driver, and safety seeker. No significant effects were found for accident risk, for involvement in accidents under winter conditions, or for confidence in own driving abilities, attitudes or behavior. However, a weak non-significant tendency indicating effect on accident risk was detected. u0903
The report consists of four parts. Part i estimates effects of campaigns on road accidents, fatal... more The report consists of four parts. Part i estimates effects of campaigns on road accidents, fatal accidents and serious injury accidents by means of meta-analysis. Effect of campaigns in the campaign period is ca 9% reduction in the number of accidents (p<0.05). Effect of campaigns in the after period is a reduction of ca 15% (p<0.05). Mass media campaigns (TV, radio, and newspapers only) have no effect on the number of accidents. Police enforcement, length <200 days and personal influence contribute significantly in explaining the effects on accidents. Part 2 uses meta-analysis in estimating effects of campaigns on otherbehavioral areas than road traffic , for example sex behavior/HIV-protection, diet and physical activity, at home and leisure time accidents etc. Part 3 addresses six Swedish campaigns and discusses evaluation requirements, the objectives of the information activity as part of the concerns of the Swedish Road Administration, and as an element in larger meas...
The study examines whether the use of various tests of vision and cognitive functioning can ident... more The study examines whether the use of various tests of vision and cognitive functioning can identify elderly drivers with reduced ability to drive safely in traffic. The driving skills of 88 elderly drivers were evaluated, and the drivers also completed various tests of vision and cognitive functioning. A combination of four simple tests predicted 78% of the drivers who were regarded to present a danger to either themselves or to others in traffic. These included: reduced acuity under glare conditions, defects in the central field of vision, cognitive impairments/dementia, and impaired attention. None of these tests are included in the medical examination elderly drivers have to complete today.
The road safety campaign 'Speak Out' was launched in Telemark county in 1999. The campaig... more The road safety campaign 'Speak Out' was launched in Telemark county in 1999. The campaign appeals to passengers riding in cars to 'speak out' about dangerous driving, by telling drivers to drive more carefully. The campaign ended temporarily in 2001, but started again during spring 2004. Due to the fact that the campaign has been implemented in 2 time periods, the present report consists of two sections. Section 1 estimated whether the 'speak out' campaign carried out in 1999-2001 had any effects on the number of killed or injured road users. The results do not indicate any reduction in the number of injured or killed road users during the period the campaign lasted. Section 2 contains an evaluation of the 'speak out' campaign that started in 2005. The results show that the target group evaluated the campaign favorably.
The need for increasing conceptual clarity within well-being research has been stressed by social... more The need for increasing conceptual clarity within well-being research has been stressed by social scientists as well as policymakers and international organizations. The present study aimed to identify and compare conceptual structures of the everyday terms happiness, a good life, and satisfaction, based on a semi-stratified sample of Norwegian adults. Findings indicate that these terms share certain conceptual similarities, as used in everyday Norwegian language. For each term, it was possible to identify an underlying structure of conceptual configuration, articulated into external life domain components and internal, psychological dimensions. Relationship themes were prominent among the external domains for all three terms. Findings indicated that in Norwegian participants' understanding, happiness and good life were highly inclusive of external life domains, whereas satisfaction primarily evoked associations to internal, psychological states and experiences. Latent class analyses highlighted differences among socio-demographic groups as concerns the degree to which different conceptualizations of the three terms were endorsed. Findings raise questions about the practice, relatively common in the applied social sciences, of treating happiness, good life and satisfaction as highly similar concepts, and the assumption that each term carries the same meaning for everyone.
In 2006 respondents (n=844) from Oslo and Kristiansand participated in a survey on risk perceptio... more In 2006 respondents (n=844) from Oslo and Kristiansand participated in a survey on risk perception on different travel modes. In addition, interviews with 222 persons were conducted while they were travelling on the metro or by bicycle. Results indicated that respondents worried about security issues on public transport modes, while private transport modes were associated with worrying about safety issues. Moreover, while perception of security is influenced by own experience with unpleasant situations, this was not the case with perception of safety. Even though several respondents reported making behavioural adaptations as a consequence of worrying, risk perception does not have a major influence on transport mode choice. The results further indicate that people experience a higher degree of worry before the trip than while on the trip. Knowledge about risk perception is important with regard to users' mobility and general welfare
Two samples of six year olds (46 pupils), received training in safe road traffic behaviour, espec... more Two samples of six year olds (46 pupils), received training in safe road traffic behaviour, especially to look for safe spots to cross the road. Training was based on the use of a physical model (scale 1:40) representing various traffic environments. The children at both schools were tested before and after training, and compared to a control group who received no training. The results show that training had an effect on the children living in an urban area, but not on the children from a more rural school environment
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2013
Well-being a b s t r a c t "Islamophobia" has been used as an umbrella term capturing different t... more Well-being a b s t r a c t "Islamophobia" has been used as an umbrella term capturing different types of religious stigma towards Muslims. However, the operationalization of the term for research purposes varies greatly, where little attention heretofore has been paid on how islamophobia affects Muslim minorities' lives. Against this background, we aimed to develop and validate the Perceived Islamophobia Scale (PIS). In the first study (167 German-Arabs, 184 German-Turks and 205 British-Pakistanis), exploratory factor analyses of a preliminary item pool gave support of a three-factor scale in all samples. Subscales were computed for each factor (i.e., perceptions of a general fear of Islam and Muslims, fear of islamization, and islamophobia in the media), which were reliable across the samples. In all samples, the PIS was positively related to psychological distress and in two samples this relation remained significant, after controlling for experiences of discrimination. In Study 2 (262 German-Turks, 277 French-Maghrebis and 249 British-Pakistanis), confirmatory factor analyses supported the structural equivalence of the scale's three-factor solution. The PIS was positively related to perceived stress and discrimination. Lastly, PIS predicted higher levels of religious and ethnic identification, controlling for discrimination. The PIS seems to be a valid and reliable measure across different Muslim minority groups. The fact that perceptions of islamophobia in two samples negatively predicted psychological distress after controlling for experiences of discrimination, suggests that anti-discrimination laws may be insufficient in protecting Muslim minorities of the negative effects of stigma on psychological well-being.
Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 2004
An experiment was carried out to investigate 6-year olds ability to learn traffic safe behaviour ... more An experiment was carried out to investigate 6-year olds ability to learn traffic safe behaviour by the use of a tabletop model. The main purpose of the training was to teach the children to look for safe spots to cross the road. Children from two schools in Norway (92 children all in all) were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. Only the experimental group received training by use of the tabletop model; the control group received no such training. Both groups were tested (before-and-after-test) on a predefined route in the road traffic environment close to their school in order to determine the solutions they chose when they had to walk from one place to another (cross a road). The study also tested whether geographical location (urban/semi-urban) had any influence on knowledge acquisition. Data analysis showed that the training was effective in the urban school, but not in the semi-urban setting.
Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences, 2013
Social design feedback is a novel approach to usability evaluation where user participants are as... more Social design feedback is a novel approach to usability evaluation where user participants are asked to comment on designs asynchronously in online ad-hoc groups. Two key features of this approach are that (1) it supports interaction between user participants and development team representatives and (2) user participants can see and respond to other participants’ comments. Two design cases, involving 250 user participants, were studied to explore the output of social design feedback and investigate the effect of the two key features of this approach. Of all the design feedback, 17% was rated highly useful, and 21% contained change suggestions. The presence of an active moderator, representing the development team and interacting with the user participants, increased the usefulness of the design feedback. The opportunity to see and respond to others’ design feedback had a minor effect on the kind of design feedback provided, but no effect on usefulness. Based on the findings, we offe...
Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 2001
The present study aimed at identifying subtypes of young drivers N 2524 and evaluate how these re... more The present study aimed at identifying subtypes of young drivers N 2524 and evaluate how these responded to a trac safety campaign. On basis of a cluster analysis of personality measures, six subtypes of young drivers were identi®ed. The subtypes were found to dier on self-reported risky driving behaviour, attitudes towards trac safety, risk perception, estimation of own driving skills, and accident involvement. Two of the subtypes were identi®ed as high-risk groups in trac. The ®rst high-risk group consisted of mostly men, characterised by low levels of altruism and anxiety, and high levels of sensation-seeking, irresponsibility, and driving related aggression. The second high-risk group reported high sensation seeking, aggression, anxiety, and driving anger. The subtypes were also found to dier on how they evaluated and responded to the trac safety campaign. The results indicated that the campaign seemed to appeal most to the low-risk subtypes. Gender dierences within each subtype were also found on the dierent trac related measures, as well as on response to the campaign. It is concluded that young drivers should not be treated as a homogenous group pertaining to road safety. Practical suggestions on how to promote safe driving among these subtypes are also discussed.
Treatment-seeking patients (N = 233) were recruited as they started a course of relapse preventio... more Treatment-seeking patients (N = 233) were recruited as they started a course of relapse prevention and coping with depression. The mean Beck depression inventory (BDI-II) score was 26 points, indicating a moderate degree of depression.The sample was recruited from different outpatient clinics and screened for alcohol-related problems with the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT). Almost half of the total sample had a score on AUDIT >8 indicating an alcohol problem. The participants in this study did not undergo a clinical interview to check out if their symptoms, as assessed with BDI-II and AUDIT, were part of a formal diagnosis in accordance with the criteria in ICD 10 or DSM IV. A specific instrument, perceived uncontrollability of depression (UNCONTROL), was used to measure the persons' perceived control of depressive symptoms; a set of statements about coping with depressive symptoms where high scores indicate lack of coping with the symptoms. Alcohol problems were not found to be significantly associated with the perceived control of ongoing depressive symptoms and did not moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms and the perceived control of depressive symptoms. The results question the assumption that alcohol use is related to coping with depressive symptoms in patients with alcohol abuse and depressive symptoms.
Background: Impaired cognitive control functions have been demonstrated in both major depression ... more Background: Impaired cognitive control functions have been demonstrated in both major depression (MDD) and anxiety disorder (A), but few studies have systematically examined the impact of MDD with co-morbid A (MDDA), which is the main aim of this study. Method: We compared patients with MDD with (MDDA; n = 24) and without co-morbid A (n = 37) to a group of healthy controls (HC; n = 92) on three subtests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery; intra-extra dimensional, stop signal task, and spatial working memory. These tasks correspond to a theoretical model consisting of three separable but interrelated executive control functions: Shifting, Inhibition, and Updating. A simple psychomotor speed measure was also included. Results: After controlling for age, gender, and education level, the results showed that the MDDA group displayed significantly impaired performance on the functions Shifting and Updating compared to HC. There emerged no significant differences between any of the patient groups and HC regarding Inhibition. The pure MDD group did not display dysfunctions relative to the HC group on the main executive control variables, but displayed slowed psychomotor speed. Contrary to expectation there were no significant differences between the MDDA and the MDD groups. Conclusion: Co-morbid anxiety should be taken into account when studying cognitive control functions in major depression.
The aim of the present article is to validate the Norwegian version of the Organizational Climate... more The aim of the present article is to validate the Norwegian version of the Organizational Climate Measure (OCM). The original survey was translated and back translated, and administered to a Norwegian branch of an international service sector company (n=555). A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the fit between the present data and the original model. An exploratory factor analysis was carried out in order to investigate alternative model fits. The results for model fit successfully replicated those of Patterson et al (2005), and the failure to find a more suitable model for the data further supported the 17- latent factor model. The authors concluded in favor of the validity of the Norwegian translation.
Abstract The major aim of this study was to examine how job stress in the offshore working enviro... more Abstract The major aim of this study was to examine how job stress in the offshore working environment may affect workers experience of strain. This study also analyses both the main and moderator effect of social support on the association between job stress and strain. ...
Uploads
Papers by P. Ulleberg