An individual's general self-efficacy affects their cognitive behaviours in a number of ways. Previous research has found general self-efficacy to influence how people interpret persuasive messages designed to encourage behavioural change. No previous work has looked into how general self-efficacy affects the interpretation of vicarious experience information and how this affects self-efficacy in being able to complete a set task within a career skills online learning environment. The study presented considers this gap in knowledge, analysing the effect of six different types of vicarious experience information on the self-efficacy of online workshop participants to complete a set task. In analysing the results, each participant's general self-efficacy was considered. Results showed individuals with low general self-efficacy to find vicarious experience information significantly less beneficial for their self-efficacy in completing a set task when compared to others with high general self-efficacy. Those with low general self-efficacy were more likely to make negative self-comparisons to the vicarious experience information, restricting its potential to increase their self-efficacy. In contrast, participants with high general self-efficacy found many of the vicarious experience information presented to be beneficial to their self-efficacy to complete the set task as they were more likely to dismiss any information they interpreted to be negative. Results from this study highlight the importance of more research into how vicarious experience information can be designed and presented in a way that ensures benefit to the taskspecific self-efficacy of all individuals, regardless of their general self-efficacy beliefs at the time.
There is a current trend of wearable sensing with regards to health. Wearable sensors and devices allow us to monitor various aspects of our lives. Through this monitoring, wearable systems can utilise data to positively influence an individual's overall health and wellbeing. We envisage a future where technology can effectively help us to become fitter and healthier, but the current state of wearables and future directions are unclear. In this paper, we present an overview of current methods used within wearable applications to monitor and support positive health and wellbeing within an individual. We then highlight issues and challenges outlined by previous studies and describe the future focuses of work. General Terms Human Factors
Previous researchers have emphasised the need for more student-centred approaches to online learning. This study presents and assesses the feasibility of a tailoring system, which adapts vicarious experience information to best benefit the learners’ self-efficacy (SE), based upon the model–observer similarity hypothesis. This hypothesis states that the benefit of vicarious experience information is positively correlated with the levels of similarity between the model within the information and the individual observing it. Participants took part in online learning, which included a set task. Before completing the set task, they were shown vicarious experience information in the form of a fictional testimonial from a previous individual who had completed the task. Participants were exposed to one of two types of testimonials: a testimonial chosen by the tailoring system to ensure high levels of model–observer similarity, or a generic testimonial. Overall, the results found that using a tailoring system to ensure high levels of model–observer similarity did result in the testimonial information having a more positive effect on an individual’s task-specific SE when compared to generic testimonial information. The results support the feasibility of tailoring within online learning to increase the effectiveness of testimonial information in increasing an individual’s efficacy beliefs.
Social support has a positive influence on a person's overall wellbeing. The recent creation of mobile and online social networks have changed the methods used to obtain such support. Previous wearable devices have focussed on increasing an individuals perceived level of social support by either encouraging new social relationships or strengthening those already existing. With the release of the Apple Watch, wearable interfaces are becoming popular but there is little research into the current attitudes of using these interfaces as a social support medium. In this paper we present the results of our survey to establish the attitudes of current smartwatch owners. Results show owning a smartwatch has no effect on the levels of social support a person feels they have. The most commonly used method of support was through smartphone, which was true for people regardless of whether they own a smartwatch. A large number of smartwatch owners stated using their device was their last preference in seeking emotional (61%) and informational (57%) support from others. Results from the survey indicate that more research is needed to establish exactly what factors make technological devices well suited to accommodate social support and how these can be applied to wearable interfaces in the future.
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