The entanglement of trust and knowledge on the Web

In this paper I use philosophical accounts on the relationship between trust and knowledge in science to apprehend this relationship on the Web. I argue that trust and knowledge are fundamentally entangled in our epistemic practices. Yet despite this fundamental entanglement, we do not trust blindly. Instead we make use of knowledge to rationally place or withdraw trust. We use knowledge about the sources of epistemic content as well as general background knowledge to assess epistemic claims. Hence, although we may have a default to trust, we remain and should remain epistemically vigilant; we look out and need to look out for signs of insincerity and dishonesty in our attempts to know. A fundamental requirement for such vigilance is transparency: in order to critically assess epistemic agents, content and processes, we need to be able to access and address them. On the Web, this request for transparency becomes particularly pressing if (a) trust is placed in unknown human epistemic agents and (b) if it is placed in non-human agents, such as algorithms. I give examples of the entanglement between knowledge and trust on the Web and draw conclusions about the forms of transparency needed in such systems to support epistemically vigilant behaviour, which empowers users to become responsible and accountable knowers.     

Relationships between Challenge Tour golfers’ clubhead velocity and force producing capabilities during a countermovement jump and isometric mid-thigh pull

A number of field-based investigations have evidenced practically significant relationships between clubhead velocity (CHV), vertical jump performance and maximum strength. Unfortunately, whilst these investigations provide a great deal of external validity, they are unable to ascertain vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) variables that may relate to golfers’ CHVs. This investigation aimed to assess if the variance in European Challenge Tour golfers’ CHVs could be predicted by countermovement jump (CMJ) positive impulse (PI), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) peak force (PF) and rate of force development (RFD) from 0–50 ms, 0–100 ms, 0–150 ms and 0–200 ms. Thirty-one elite level European Challenge Tour golfers performed a CMJ and IMTP on dual force plates at a tournament venue, with CHV measured on a driving range. Hierarchical multiple regression results indicated that the variance in CHV was significantly predicted by all four models (model one R² = 0.379; model two R² = 0.392, model three R² = 0.422, model four R² = 0.480), with Akaike’s information criterion indicating that model one was the best fit. Individual standardised beta coefficients revealed that CMJ PI was the only significant variable, accounting for 37.9% of the variance in European Challenge Tour Golfers’ CHVs.     

Assessment of alcohol and other drug abuse with referred adolescents

Adolescents with alcohol or other drug problems may be referred to school psychologists for assessment and demonstrate symptoms similar to handicapping conditions such as learning disabilities or emotional disturbance. Therefore, school psychologists have a need for assessment techniques to determine the probablity that referred adolescents have alcohol or other drug problems. In this paper, prereferral questionnaires, initial interviews, behavioral observations, and assessment devices are discussed. Suggestions are made for referring substance-abusing adolescents.     

Ganma theory and third-sector sport-development programmes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth: Implications for sports management

Sport-development programmes provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth to excel and overcome social inequities. In Australia, all levels of government have identified sport-development programmes in their policy responses as a method to redress inequity amongst this population. Yet, a recent report has shown that national sport organisations have been more reactive in establishing anti-discrimination policy and less proactive in cultivating culturally inclusive programmes and meaningful sporting experiences (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2007). At the same time, neo-liberal approaches to policy in Australia have seen the emphasis on grassroots community sport-development shift to third-sector organisations. However, little research has examined how the third-sector organisations operate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and how culturally inclusive the programmes they deliver are for the communities in which they operate. Three case studies with the objectives of analysing organisational approaches to: structure and governance; sport-development philosophies; and cultural inclusiveness of the programmes, are presented here. The case studies were informed by the cultural lens of Ganma, a theory belonging to the Yolngu community of Yirrkala (Marika, Ngurruwutthun, & White, 1992). The case study method included in-depth interviews with programme leaders, reviews of management information systems and programme observation. The findings provided evidence of the importance of culturally inclusive programmes through governance and an informal lived approach to philosophy and culture. The implications for sports management are discussed, including: the benefits of involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at the board level; the need for collaboration between local communities and partners; the explicit need to empower local communities to develop the skills to sustain programmes and outcomes; and the maintenance of mutually beneficial interactions.     

External work and peak power are reliable measures of ergometer grinding performance when tested under load, deck heel, and grinding direction conditions

The reliability of grinding performance was assessed in 18 current Emirates Team New Zealand America's Cup sailors in two test sessions separated by 5 h using a custom-built ergometer. Sixteen different grinding conditions that varied by load (Light 39 N x m, Moderate 48 N x m, Heavy 68 N x m), deck heel (Flat 0 degrees control, Downhill 25 degrees, Uphill 25 degrees, Right 25 degrees, Left 25 degrees), and grinding direction (forwards, backwards) were assessed using peak power and external work over 5 s during maximal-effort 8-s grinds. Reliability statistics included the difference in mean (M(diff)), standard error of measurement (SEM), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). External work (SEM = 1.6-6.9%; ICC = 0.91-0.99) was a more consistent performance measure than peak power (SEM = 1.3-9.6%; ICC = 0.84-0.99) across all test conditions. Testing under different load conditions resulted in external work SEMs of 1.6-3.9% with performance more reliable in lighter load conditions. Grinding performance during different heel conditions was less reliable (external work SEMs = 4.6-6.9%). Grinding direction (forward or backward) did not appear to affect performance reliability, although external work was 10-15% higher in forward grinding. Reliability is acceptable across various loads, but testing under different heel conditions may need some protocol development to allow the detection of smaller differences in performance.     

Partially plastic thick-walled tubes

A theory is presented for the partial plastic yielding of thick-walled cylindrical tubes acted upon by any combination of internal pressure, external pressure and end load when the material follows an arbitrary stress-strain law. The solution combines (a) the distortion energy theory of plastic flow and (b) the effects of elastic compressibility of the plastic material.Numerical values for stresses and strains are given for certain special cases of internal pressure in thick-walled open-ended tubes for an idealized stress-strain law, and the results are compared with earlier approximate theories.     

Development and initial validation of a multidimensional questionnaire on the relationship to work (RWQ)

The paper presents first the theoretical foundations used to develop a pre-experimental version of a questionnaire on relationship to work, and then the four stages of its initial validation leading to an experimental version. These stages included: (1) Defining the dimensions and sub-dimensions of the relationship to work concept; (2) Operationalizing the dimensions and sub-dimensions and creating the items; (3) Verifying the face and content validity and developing the pre-experimental questionnaire; (4) Testing the pre-experimental questionnaire with 550 workers and 538 students, assessing its psychometric properties and elaborating the experimental questionnaire.