Georgia College & State University

About: Georgia College & State University is a education organization based out in Milledgeville, Georgia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 950 authors who have published 1591 publications receiving 37027 citations.

Vividness Can Undermine or Enhance Message Processing: The Moderating Role of Vividness Congruency

Abstract: Previous research on the subject of vividness effects in persuasion has yielded conflicting outcomes that are difficult to interpret. The authors outline a theoretical position that anticipates conditions under which vivid message presentations can either enhance or inhibit message processing and persuasion. The key moderator is vividness congruency, which is defined as the extent to which the vivid elements of a message are congruent with the theme of the message itself. Two experiments were conducted that suggest that this previously unexamined variable is an important moderator of vividness effects. Experiment 1 demonstrated that vividness effects on message recall are contingent on the congruency between message content and vivid elements. Experiment 2 showed that message processing (indexed via an argument quality manipulation) can be reduced by adding vivid but incongruent images to a message, relative to pallid messages. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed.

The Social Costs of Gambling: An Economic Perspective.

Abstract: Much of the opposition to legalized gambling is based on analyses of the social costs that occur as a result of pathological gambling. It is our contention that many, if not most, authors who have contributed to this literature are either unclear or misguided in what they define as social costs. Instead of starting with a clear definition of what constitutes a social cost, these authors have adopted an ad hoc approach—using “common sense” to determine what constitutes losses to society and then attempting to quantify the impact of those activities. We believe this is not, as some suggest, simply a matter of semantics. Rather, it is a serious problem in the gambling literature. How do we differentiate between a consequence of pathological gambling that is a “social cost” and one that is not? Which of the consequences of addictive behaviors that are associated with gambling arise when gambling is legal, and which will be manifest in some form whether or not gambling is legal? In this article we explain the economic perspective on social costs. An understanding of this paradigm removes the subjectivity in the classification of pathological gambling's social costs. The paper has three major components. First, we introduce the economic notion of social costs. Using this paradigm, we differentiate between the “true” social costs related to pathological gambling, and other negative consequences that cannot legitimately be classified as social costs. Second, we evaluate a recent social cost study using the economics social cost paradigm. Third, we discuss two types of social costs that have been largely overlooked in the gambling literature. One is caused by gambling prohibition. The other occurs as a result of “rent seeking” that is related to the political process surrounding the legalization of gambling.

Exertional heat illness and environmental conditions during a single football season in the southeast

Abstract: Stressful environmental conditions can present numerous problems for the athletic participant. Exertional heat illness (EHI) is often associated with physical activity in a hot and humid environment; the incidence of EHI is correlated with the rise in ambient air temperature and humidity. 1 Extreme environmental heat places significant stress on the body's ability to perform while thermoregulatory responses are occurring in various internal organs. 2 These responses include mobilizing nutrients and electrolytes and maintaining an appropriate equilibrium of body fluids and increasing body temperature, pH, and blood pressure. If the organ systems do not respond appropriately, the athlete may develop a serious and potentially catastrophic medical condition. From 1979 through 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 8015 deaths among the general population that were attributable to heat-related illnesses as a result of exposure to excessive heat in the United States. 3 Although most of these fatalities were not sport related, the recent and untimely deaths of several professional, collegiate, and high school athletes as a result of heat-related illnesses have generated national attention related to the risk of exertional heat stress illnesses among athletes. Many professional organizations have published position statements 4–12 regarding the appropriate ways to recognize, treat, and prevent these illnesses. To guard against EHI during athletic events, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has studied the effects of heat stress and has made specific recommendations (ie, position statements) regarding the participation of individuals in stressful environments. These recommendations consist of guidelines that measure heat stress and define the severity of heat stress by a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) Index. 12 Based on the WBGT at the time of the event, the ACSM also has recommendations regarding the type, duration, and frequency of exercise regimes for a particular day, the frequency of hydration and rest breaks, and whether or not the activity should be moved to a different time of day or canceled altogether. 10 The WBGT Index is the most widely accepted measure of environmental conditions and is used as a monitoring guideline for activities in both athletics and industry. The development of the WBGT equation is well supported by the research performed by Yaglou and Minard 13 and is referenced by many agencies and governing bodies. 3–5, 8, 11, 12, 14–18 The WBGT Index is derived from 3 independent environmental readings: dry bulb temperature (ambient air temperature, dt), wet bulb temperature (humidity, wbt), and black globe temperature (radiant heat, bgt) using the equation below 13: WBGT Index = 0.7wbt + 0.2bgt + 0.1dt Using the WBGT Index score along with published guidelines allows sports medicine professionals to make decisions regarding the intensity, length, time of day, and required rest periods for exercise sessions in hot and humid environments. Since 1975, ACSM has published 3 position statements addressing the prevention of heat illnesses as it applies to distance running. 10, 12, 19 The original statement was updated in 1987 to include thermal injuries affecting not only distance runners but also the general population. 10 In 1996, the ACSM again updated the position statement by addressing exercise in extreme environmental conditions for both the recreational jogging community and elite distance runners, as seen in Table 1. 12 This guideline includes a WBGT Index Risk Chart that delineates temperature ranges and descriptive terminology for potential environmental heat stress. Table 1 American College of Sports Medicine Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Index Risk Chart 5,12* The ACSM Risk Chart recommendations were derived for the general community, recreational joggers, and elite distance runners. These recommendations are to be applied to all geographic areas of the United States and do not take into account sex differences, specific age populations, environmental conditions unique to the different regions of the country, equipment worn during activity, or the size or preexisting level of conditioning or fitness of the athlete. 10 Our purpose was to evaluate the WBGT and the incidence of EHI during American football practice sessions at 5 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Southeastern universities from August through October 2003.

Impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the microbial landscape of the New Orleans area

Abstract: Floodwaters in New Orleans from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were observed to contain high levels of fecal indicator bacteria and microbial pathogens, generating concern about long-term impacts of these floodwaters on the sediment and water quality of the New Orleans area and Lake Pontchartrain. We show here that fecal indicator microbe concentrations in offshore waters from Lake Pontchartrain returned to prehurricane concentrations within 2 months of the flooding induced by these hurricanes. Vibrio and Legionella species within the lake were more abundant in samples collected shortly after the floodwaters had receded compared with samples taken within the subsequent 3 months; no evidence of a long-term hurricane-induced algal bloom was observed. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected in canal waters. Elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria observed in sediment could not be solely attributed to impacts from floodwaters, as both flooded and nonflooded areas exhibited elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria. Evidence from measurements of Bifidobacterium and bacterial diversity analysis suggest that the fecal indicator bacteria observed in the sediment were from human fecal sources. Epidemiologic studies are highly recommended to evaluate the human health effects of the sediments deposited by the floodwaters.