Sarah Norgate

Tourism and the smartphone app: capabilities, emerging practice and scope in the travel domain

Based on its advanced computing capabilities and ubiquity, the smartphone has rapidly been adopted as a tourism travel tool. With a growing number of users and a wide variety of applications emerging, the smartphone is fundamentally altering our current use and understanding of the transport network and tourism travel. Based on a review of smartphone apps, this article evaluates the current functionalities used in the domestic tourism travel domain and highlights where the next major developments lie. Then, at a more conceptual level, the article analyses how the smartphone mediates tourism travel and the role it might play in more collaborative and dynamic travel decisions to facilitate sustainable travel. Some emerging research challenges are discussed.

The equal environments assumption of classical twin studies may not hold

The classical twin method - comprising comparisons of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins - in the domain of cognitive abilities and attainments has led to wide acceptance of results suggesting a large amount of additive genetic variance, with far-reaching implications both for the nature of future studies on the causes of cognitive variance and for intervention policies, as in education. However, this interpretation is only valid if the method observes a number of conditions, which have to hold. Here, we show that the most crucial of these, namely, the equal environments assumption (EEA), may not hold. Consequently, differences in twin correlations might be at least partly explained by treatment effects from parents, teachers, peers, and so on. In addition, well-known interactions at various levels confound the model of simple additive effects on which the classical twin method is predicated and results are interpreted. For example, at a socio-cognitive level, DZ twins may respond to treatments differently from MZ twins. This interaction may further explain MZ-DZ correlation differences. There is abundant evidence for such interactive effects in published twin data. We suggest that there is a need for a more thorough examination of these problems.

Understanding temporal rhythms and travel behaviour at destinations: potential ways to achieve more sustainable travel

This paper analyses the roles played by time in destination-based travel behaviour. It contrasts clock times linear view of time with fragmented time, instantaneous time, fluid time and flow, time out and the multiple temporalities of tourism experiences. It explores temporal issues in a destination travel context, using qualitative techniques. Data were captured using diary photography, diary-interview method with tourists at a rural destination; their spatial and temporal patterns were captured using a purpose built smartphone app. The analysis revealed three temporal themes influencing travel behaviour: time fluidity; daily and place-related rhythms; and control of time. Three key messages emerge for future sustainable tourist destination-based travel systems. Given the strong desire for temporal fluidity, transport systems should evolve beyond clock-time regimes. Second, temporal forces favour personal modes of transport (car, walk, cycle), especially in rural areas where public transport cannot offer flexibility. Third, the car is personalised and perceived to optimise travel fluidity and speed, but is currently unsustainable. Imaginative initiatives, using new mobile media technology can offer new positive and proactive car travel, utilising spare public and private vehicle capacity. Research is needed to implement mechanisms for individualised space–time scheduling and collective vehicle use strategies.

The consequences of visual impairment for children's symbolic and functional play

Children with visual impairments are reported to be delayed in producing pretend play in naturalistic settings. This study examined the play of 18 children with visual impairments aged between 21 and 86 months on two structured tests of play. Appropriate functional play with miniature versions of everyday objects was distinguished from symbolic play involving substituting one object for another, pretending something has a property it does not have, or referring to something as if it were present. As a group, the children showed impaired functional and symbolic play. However, four children met the diagnostic criteria for autism and engaged in little or no play. When these children were excluded, the remaining children had lower functional play test scores than expected for their chronological age, but symbolic play test scores which were at the appropriate level for their chronological age. The functional and symbolic play of children with no vision or only light perception did not differ significantly from children with some vision. The production of symbolic play was strongly related to language ability, although functional play was not related to language ability. It is argued that children with visual impairment, but no behaviours characteristic of autism, can develop the ability to play both functionally and symbolically, but that lack of visual access to play materials may limit their ability to demonstrate these skills.

Development without learning

Abstract It is usually assumed that for cognitive development to occur, children need to receive feedback about the success of their endeavours. Such views are implicitly contained in the design of most educational programmes, especially those that are based on computer‐assisted learning. Two studies are reported which challenge these assumptions. The studies investigate Karmilojf‐Smiths ideas about the cognitive processes underlying the development of the ability to balance beams on a fulcrum. Karmiloff‐Smith suggests that at a certain and limited phase of development, children may largely ignore the information from feedback and development will occur due to internal cognitive reorganisation. Our findings provide some support for this view in that at this phase of development no difference was found between children who did and did not receive feedback about success.

Tourism communities and social ties: the role of online and offline tourist social networks in building social capital and sustainable practice

ABSTRACT Mobile connectivity enables the adoption of new ways to connect with social networks which are changing how we might, and could, seek support. In the tourism domain we increasingly blend online and offline presence to engage with social networks in the spatial location, at a distance and across time. This paper explores the forms of community that exist in physical tourism contexts, contexts not previously analysed through a community lens, and explores how mobile technology is creating connections within and beyond existing social networks. It examines how sustainable tourism can be enhanced by mobile connectivity through new space–time practices and using ephemeral interpersonal relationships to harness niche groups to create bottom-up social systems interested in sharing experiences, ideas and resources. Special attention is given to the concept of gelling socialities which proposes a less ridged network structure, and to the need to understand the increasingly liquid social dynamics of mobile social interactions. The paper adds to the theories surrounding community, social ties and tourisms value to society. It draws on data from in-depth interviews undertaken while designing and testing a collaborative travel app. It contributes to growing research into the new technologies increasingly available for sustainable tourism marketing and implementation.

A Critical Analysis of IQ Studies of Adopted Children

The pattern of parent-child correlations in adoption studies has long been interpreted to suggest substantial additive genetic variance underlying variance in IQ. The studies have frequently been criticized on methodological grounds, but those criticisms have not reflected recent perspectives in genetics and developmental theory. Here we apply those perspectives to recent IQ adoption studies and show how they further question two sets of problems: first, the assumption of additive gene and environmental effects; second, the assumption that the adoption situation approximates a randomized-effects design. We show how a number of possible factors having systematic effects in breach of those assumptions can produce the received pattern of correlations without appealing to unusual amounts of additive gene variance.

Sixth sense transport: challenges in supporting flexible time travel

In this paper, we consider the challenges associated with providing a mobile computing system that helps users enjoy a more flexible relationship between time and travel. Current travel plans, especially in Western cultures, are dominated by a strict notion of time. The need to conform to schedules leads to increased pressures for travellers and inefficiencies when these schedules cannot be met. We are interested in exploring the extent to which mobile computing can be used to help travellers relax these schedules and adopt a more opportunistic approach to travel -- potentially helping to reduce the environmental, financial and societal costs of modern travel.

Maternally Perceived Barriers to and Facilitators of Establishing and Maintaining Tooth-Brushing Routines with Infants and Preschoolers

Establishing effective toothbrushing routines using fluoridated toothpaste in infancy has been suggested as important to dental health throughout childhood and into adulthood. However, previous studies have revealed a number of potential barriers to, and facilitators of caregivers ability to establish early dyadic toothbrushing routines with pre-schoolers. However, as yet no qualitative research has been conducted to ascertain potential barriers and facilitators of the earliest dyadic toothbrushing in infancy, and nor has any previous research specifically focused on how novice mothers of first-born infants and preschoolers manage this task. This study therefore outlines findings from a qualitative interview study with first-time mothers of children aged 24–30 months (n = 16) exploring perceived barriers to and facilitators of early dyadic toothbrushing routines with infants and preschoolers. A number of key themes were identified from interview transcripts and an ‘ecological’ approach conceptualised maternally perceived barriers to and facilitators of dyadic toothbrushing. Proximal influences were found to be located within the caregiver-child relationship (‘micro-system’), including parental cognitions (e.g., PSE), parental behaviours (e.g., parenting practices) and infant and preschooler temperament and behaviours (e.g., tantrums). Distal factors were also identified as relevant to the establishment and maintenance of these routines, such as social support (‘exosystem’) and family history of tooth-brushing (‘chronosystem’).

Dynamic collection scheduling using remote asset monitoring

Remote sensing technology is now coming onto the market in the waste collection sector. This technology allows waste and recycling receptacles to report their fill levels at regular intervals. This reporting enables collection schedules to be optimized dynamically to meet true servicing needs in a better way and so reduce transport costs and ensure that visits to clients are made in a timely fashion. This paper describes a real-life logistics problem faced by a leading UK charity that services its textile and book donation banks and its high street stores by using a common fleet of vehicles with various carrying capacities. Use of a common fleet gives rise to a vehicle routing problem in which visits to stores are on fixed days of the week with time window constraints and visits to banks (fitted with remote fill-monitoring technology) are made in a timely fashion so that the banks do not become full before collection. A tabu search algorithm was developed to provide vehicle routes for the next day of operation on the basis of the maximization of profit. A longer look-ahead period was not considered because donation rates to banks are highly variable. The algorithm included parameters that specified the minimum fill level (e.g., 50%) required to allow a visit to a bank and a penalty function used to encourage visits to banks that are becoming full. The results showed that the algorithm significantly reduced visits to banks and increased profit by up to 2.4%, with the best performance obtained when the donation rates were more variable.