How eating patterns interact with activity, sleep and mood. This project aims to understand temporal eating patterns (the timing and distribution of food intake and eating occasions across the day) among adults and how these eating patterns interact with activity and sleep patterns. Eating, activity and sleep patterns form a lifestyle triad which may be important for well-being and productivity. The project will study eating, activity and sleep patterns in daily life, to examine their social dri ....How eating patterns interact with activity, sleep and mood. This project aims to understand temporal eating patterns (the timing and distribution of food intake and eating occasions across the day) among adults and how these eating patterns interact with activity and sleep patterns. Eating, activity and sleep patterns form a lifestyle triad which may be important for well-being and productivity. The project will study eating, activity and sleep patterns in daily life, to examine their social drivers, interactions and effect on mood. This project could enable these behaviours to be targeted, with the potential to promote healthy lifestyles and improve health, quality of life and productivity.Read moreRead less
Changing modes: A study of the knowledge economy of human service research in Australia. Significant national benefits will accrue through this study of the human services knowledge economy. The creation of human services employing knowledge-based interventions will address the real needs of Australians in the current socio-political environment. In investigating how current systems of knowledge production contribute to the creation of relevant and effective human services, the research will ide ....Changing modes: A study of the knowledge economy of human service research in Australia. Significant national benefits will accrue through this study of the human services knowledge economy. The creation of human services employing knowledge-based interventions will address the real needs of Australians in the current socio-political environment. In investigating how current systems of knowledge production contribute to the creation of relevant and effective human services, the research will identify the restraints to innovation in human services and the structures in which knowledge production is articulated. In modelling an 'ideal-type' of knowledge transfer conducive to the development of socially accountable research, it will inform changes needed for effective human service delivery. Read moreRead less
Reforming evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policy. This project aims to develop and evaluate a ‘Fit-for-Purpose’ framework to strategically guide evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policies in order to effectively and safely tackle contemporary nutrition and food security problems. The project intends to use interdisciplinary approaches that integrate nutrition science, health promotion and policy science. The project would also examine policy-make ....Reforming evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policy. This project aims to develop and evaluate a ‘Fit-for-Purpose’ framework to strategically guide evidence synthesis and translation for food and nutrition policies in order to effectively and safely tackle contemporary nutrition and food security problems. The project intends to use interdisciplinary approaches that integrate nutrition science, health promotion and policy science. The project would also examine policy-maker acceptance of the framework. Expected project outcomes include an enhanced capacity to critically analyse existing policies and guide future food and nutrition policy formulation and evaluation. This project would provide significant benefits by helping to promote public health, wellbeing and food system sustainability.Read moreRead less
Crimes, Places and Communities: A Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Collective Capacity with implications for community-based crime prevention. This project seeks to provide policy makers in Australia with better evidence on which to protect Australia from crime. Our project will provide insights as to how communities might more effectively insulate themselves from crime over time. Our research has the potential to lead the future direction in Australian approaches to community-based crime preven ....Crimes, Places and Communities: A Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Collective Capacity with implications for community-based crime prevention. This project seeks to provide policy makers in Australia with better evidence on which to protect Australia from crime. Our project will provide insights as to how communities might more effectively insulate themselves from crime over time. Our research has the potential to lead the future direction in Australian approaches to community-based crime prevention and crime control programs.
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Attachment security and relationship outcomes in adult adoptees: The moderating effects of family experiences and recent relationship events. Personal relationships are vital to well-being and to the structure of society; hence, factors involved in maintaining satisfying relationships are of prime importance. The relationship experiences of adult adoptees deserve particular attention. These individuals have lost the major persons with whom attachments normally form; further, given legislative ....Attachment security and relationship outcomes in adult adoptees: The moderating effects of family experiences and recent relationship events. Personal relationships are vital to well-being and to the structure of society; hence, factors involved in maintaining satisfying relationships are of prime importance. The relationship experiences of adult adoptees deserve particular attention. These individuals have lost the major persons with whom attachments normally form; further, given legislative changes, an increasing number are facing issues related to the search for birth parents. These studies, based on adult attachment theory, represent the first research program to systematically examine the links among adoption, family experiences, attachment security and relationship outcomes. The research has implications for policy and practice regarding adoption and post-adoption counselling.Read moreRead less
The social determinants of childhood injury. Child hood injury is a preventable problem of major importance. This project will provide a comprehensive, research-based policy solution that will minimise death and disability among children zero to three years of age.
The production, use and effect of social work research. This project aims to reform social work research to improve the quality and effectiveness of human services. The human services industry is vital to many people’s quality of life, but lacks innovation and struggles to demonstrate its effectiveness. Crucially for social work, research expands thinking about how to respond to social disadvantage. This project intends to examine the scope and quality of Australian social work research in child ....The production, use and effect of social work research. This project aims to reform social work research to improve the quality and effectiveness of human services. The human services industry is vital to many people’s quality of life, but lacks innovation and struggles to demonstrate its effectiveness. Crucially for social work, research expands thinking about how to respond to social disadvantage. This project intends to examine the scope and quality of Australian social work research in child protection, disability services, and aged care; assess the use of this research to the human services sector and its effect on generating innovation; and develop strategies to advance the production, uptake, and effect of social work research.Read moreRead less
The role of social identity complexity in the success of interethnic contact. Australians collectively represent more than 250 ethno-cultural, 400 linguistic, and 100 religious groups. Although contact with diverse individuals is becoming increasingly common in many facets of life (e.g., work, school, social gatherings), such encounters are often awkward and stressful, even for well-intentioned people. Negative interactions between diverse individuals can fuel tension and hostility between diver ....The role of social identity complexity in the success of interethnic contact. Australians collectively represent more than 250 ethno-cultural, 400 linguistic, and 100 religious groups. Although contact with diverse individuals is becoming increasingly common in many facets of life (e.g., work, school, social gatherings), such encounters are often awkward and stressful, even for well-intentioned people. Negative interactions between diverse individuals can fuel tension and hostility between diverse groups. The project will determine whether the processes and outcomes of interethnic interactions are influenced by the ways in which individuals understand their social groups. Insights into the factors that contribute to positive interethnic interactions will improve our ability to promote harmony in diverse societies.Read moreRead less
Comparative dimensions of active citizenship: an analysis of indicators of inclusivity and exclusivity in civil society. Active citizenship is a key concept in debates around the nature of civil society and the changing forms of citizenship. To date, grounded studies of the concept have been few. The project's significance lies in its focus on developing indicators of active citizenship. This enables the empirical charting of active citizenship. The comparative aspect to the project will heighte ....Comparative dimensions of active citizenship: an analysis of indicators of inclusivity and exclusivity in civil society. Active citizenship is a key concept in debates around the nature of civil society and the changing forms of citizenship. To date, grounded studies of the concept have been few. The project's significance lies in its focus on developing indicators of active citizenship. This enables the empirical charting of active citizenship. The comparative aspect to the project will heighten our ability to understand these processes in Australia in relation to other countries.
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Persuasion through numbers: How majority and minority groups can change peoples’ attitudes and be agents of innovation and social change. Project develops a social psychological understanding of how people process, and are influenced by, persuasive arguments endorsed by majority and minority groups. New techniques examine which source (majority vs. minority) is associated with most message processing, the consequence of message processing to attitude change, and factors that affect the ability/ ....Persuasion through numbers: How majority and minority groups can change peoples’ attitudes and be agents of innovation and social change. Project develops a social psychological understanding of how people process, and are influenced by, persuasive arguments endorsed by majority and minority groups. New techniques examine which source (majority vs. minority) is associated with most message processing, the consequence of message processing to attitude change, and factors that affect the ability/motivation to engage in message processing. Project extends theory by developing a framework that is tested across new paradigms (including rare group studies). Results will increase understanding of when, and how, majorities and minorities change attitudes (and when they fail) which is valuable for practitioners and policy-makers involved in managing change.Read moreRead less