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The Multidimensional Inventory of Personal Intelligence (MIPI) was designed to measure three related dimensions of the personal intelligence (PI) construct: emotional intelligence (EI), social intelligence (SI), and motivational intelligence (MI). The MIPI has psychometric properties and a theoretical structure that improves on the shortcomings of existing trait EI measures. The aim of the first study was to create and validate a shortened form (MIPI- Short) that maintains the same factorial structure of the original MIPI. The purpose of the second study was to validate the new scale with measures of conceptually similar constructs (e.g., emotional intelligence, Alexithymia) with various measurement methodologies (self-report, observer-report, and performance-based). Results from Study 1 found that the MIPI-Short had good factorial structure in two independent samples, as well as adequate internal reliability, and good incremental validity. The results of Study 2 demonstrated that the MIPI-Short had good construct validity as it generally related as expected with measures of EI and Alexithymia. The findings of both studies provide evidence for the validity of the MIPI-Short as a brief measure of Personal Intelligence. Directions for further research are emphasized, as the validation process is on-going for any assessment tool.

Author Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Personal Intelligence, Socio-Emotional Competencies

This thesis explores connection with creation/nature in Curve Lake First Nation, including the components of how this connection manifests and community concerns about and priorities for this connection. Influenced by existing psychological theories and frameworks about how humans connect with the natural world, this research implements novel Indigenist methodologies that are responsive to community interests and desires. Seven knowledge contributors (participants) participated in three research sharing circles to explore the research topic. The research revealed unique concerns and priorities in the community about connection with creation, such as the impacts of treaties and the need for the reclamation of critical natural sites. This thesis also reports on critical aspects of connection with creation through the elements of the Medicine Wheel, as well as the Anishinaabe concept of mino bimaadiziwin. Results are presented in thematic analyses and informed the preliminary steps in creating a connection with creation scale for the community.

Author Keywords: Anishinaabe, Indigenist methodologies, Indigenous methods, Medicine Wheel, Nature connection, Nature relatedness

This thesis critically engages with the historic site Sainte-Marie among the Hurons. The most visited historic site in Ontario anchors a vivid and pervasive story of early Canada while archaeological excavations and reconstruction have a history of their own. It is intertwined with the Martyrs' Shrine and regional sites of significance and pilgrimage in the Catholic world where veneration as saints of Jesuits collectively known as the Canadian Martyrs takes place. Through a panoramic perspective and participant-observer experiences within the sites, in present-day Wendake, Québec, and at a Jesuit mission in Chiapas, Mexico, dimensions of landscape, temporality, materiality, and identity are explored. Development of this history and place in relationship to Indigenous peoples, the Catholic Church, and the Canadian public are examined with consideration for findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, advancement in archaeological knowledge, and ongoing tensions in the practice of archaeology in Ontario.

Author Keywords: Canadian Martyrs, Huron-Wendat, Jesuits, Landscape, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

This research explores the lived experiences of Palestinians involved in environmental peacebuilding efforts, focusing on how they navigate the contradictions inherent in these initiatives. It examines how the broader context of occupation and settler colonialism profoundly influences their encounters with peacebuilding efforts. Palestinians often grapple with conflicting emotions, as they must balance ideals of cooperation and dialogue with the ongoing realities of oppression and dispossession. The study situates these experiences within the concept of slow environmental violence, which refers to the gradual, often unnoticed environmental harms that accumulate over time. This framework helps illuminate how Palestinians experience increasing alienation from their land and environment. Through this lens, the research aims to understand how these contradictions shape their participation in environmental peacebuilding, offering insights into the dilemmas and challenges they face. The findings of this research are based on in-depth interviews conducted between April and June 2024.

Author Keywords: environmental justice, environmental peacebuilding, normalization, Palestine-Israel, settler colonialism, slow violence

Contemporary struggles with Indigenous identities in Canada are deeply rooted in the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization, which have left profound and lasting effects on different geographical regions across the country. These struggles are multifaceted, encompassing complex questions surrounding who qualifies as Indigenous and what criteria are used to authenticate claims of Indigenous heritage.

In the modern era, the digital landscape has become an integral part of our daily lives, revolutionizing how we interact with the world around us. Digital spaces, including the vast expanse of the Internet, various social media platforms, and mobile applications, have transformed how we communicate, conduct business, seek entertainment, and share information. These virtual environments offer unparalleled opportunities for connectivity, collaboration, and the exchange of resources and ideas.Within this digital realm, social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools for self-expression and exploration of identity. Individuals increasingly use these platforms to delve into the complexities of their identities, including their intersectionality and connections to specific geographic locations. Research has shown that this exploration often leads to a reclamation and revitalization of Indigenous identities, serving as a form of political resistance against the ongoing legacies of colonization. Through social media, Indigenous individuals and communities are able to reclaim their voices, assert their autonomy, and challenge dominant narratives.

This research delves into how digital spaces, mainly the social media platform of TikTok, shape Indigenous identity formation, maintenance, and resurgence. By employing a mixed-methods approach, this study analyzes various dimensions of this phenomenon, including the role of storytelling, community building, and cultural expression in digital spaces. Moreover, the research explores how these digital platforms can empower Indigenous communities to reclaim, revitalize, and reconstruct their identities and notions of community. Ultimately, by examining the impact of digital spaces on Indigenous identity, this research provides valuable insights into contemporary practices of identity revitalization and proposes strategies to support Indigenous futures in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

This research used the Medicine Wheel, adapted from the research of Dr. Kathleen E. Absolon, Anishinaabekwe from Flying Post First Nation, in her article Indigenous Wholistic Theory: A Knowledge Set for Practice, as a framework to explore the dynamic interplay between Indigenous identity and the digital age. It highlights how each quadrant—East (birth and rejuvenation), South (relationships and advocacy), West (challenges and resilience), and North (wisdom and healing)—provides unique insights into the cultural preservation, self-discovery, community engagement, and integration of traditional knowledge with modern technology. Indigenous communities leverage digital platforms to rejuvenate cultural practices, foster relationships, advocate for social justice, and empower their voices while navigating the complexities of online spaces and ensuring cultural authenticity.

The findings emphasize the transformative potential of social media in preserving and revitalizing Indigenous cultures, advocating for critical issues, and empowering different generations. Ethical engagement in digital spaces is crucial, as well as promoting cultural respect and addressing historical injustices. The research underscores the importance of balancing traditional values with modern technology to foster resilience, empowerment, and holistic well-being within Indigenous communities.

Author Keywords: Colonialism, Identity Resurgence, Indigenous Identities, Online Communities, Self-Determination, Social Media

This research examines the digital game through the subject of the Apocalypse, both in its literal revelatory form and its colloquial disaster form. To accomplish that, it employs Louis Althusser's concept of structural causality as a springboard for a structure-based interrogation of interlocked systems. Drawing a comparison between Ian Bogost's definition of black-box analysis and Althusser's concept of ideology, I suggest the apocalypse is a valuable subject matter for understanding digital games, and in turn digital games provide media-based insight on complex systems of subjectivations. These positions are accomplished in two ways. First, I focus on five different apocalyptic games - The Last of Us (2012), Tokyo Jungle (2012), Mass Effect (2008), Doki Doki Literature Club (2016), and Persona 4 Arena (2012) – and how they express radically different visions and scopes of apocalypse. More specifically, I focus on the digitality of these games and how their technical construction in light of their suggested themes reveal hidden relations between apocalypse and ideology. Second, I expand on a research-creation project focused on the production and dissemination of a game, specifically as a means of using what has been discussed in previous chapters to attempt to expand on the subject matter of ideology and apocalypse. The aim of this is to discuss the process of expressing a procedural argument following several chapters interpreting them. It is also to expand on additional tensions between human and system which are underplayed or obscured in the playing process. It concludes that apocalypse, in the process of using systems, remains an elusive topic and to produce meaningful texts as commentary on ideology requires different, difficult considerations.

Author Keywords: Althusser, Apocalypse, Bogost, Digital Games, Ideology, Jameson

The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial for reducing transportation-related emissions and achieving sustainability goals. However, a significant research gap exists regarding specific consumer groups, such as university students, and their attitudes toward EV adoption, as they represent a demographic influential in shaping future adoption patterns. This research uses a quantitative approach to explore Trent University students' attitudes and perceptions toward EV adoption.A survey of 154 students examined the factors influencing their willingness to adopt EVs. Various quantitative data analyses, including cross-tabulation tables and chi-square tests, were employed to investigate the relationships between socio-demographic, social, environmental, and economic factors and students' willingness to adopt EVs. The findings indicate that while socio-demographic factors do not significantly influence willingness to adopt EVs, factors such as first-hand experience, knowledge about EVs, social influence, upfront costs, charging infrastructure, and government incentives significantly impact students' willingness to adopt EVs. The study revealed that although students recognize the benefits of electric vehicles (EVs), such as reduced emissions, lower operating costs, enhanced energy efficiency and health advantages, key barriers to student EV adoption include high upfront costs, limited charging infrastructure, concerns about driving range and charging time, and a need for more knowledge and awareness. The findings of this study fill a significant research gap and add to the existing literature on EV adoption. The insights generated can inform targeted strategies by policymakers, educational institutions, and EV manufacturers to promote widespread EV adoption among students. Keywords: Electric Vehicles, Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles, Zero-emission vehicles, sustainable transportation, attitudes, perceptions, University students, consumer behaviour.

Author Keywords: Consumer behaviour, Electric Vehicles, Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles, sustainable transportation, University students, Zero-emission vehicles

Pain conditions occur at an increasing rate alongside people with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and can include chronic headaches, migraines, and neuropathic pain. In order to begin to understand the concurrence, this experiment aimed to investigate the effect of long-term amygdala kindling, a model of TLE, on the affective and nociceptive components of pain in rats. Formalin-induced affective avoidance was investigated using the conditioned place aversion (CPA) test and found aversion in kindled, but not sham rats. Nociceptive behaviours were observed using the formalin test and found a peripheral reduction of pain, that persisted one-week following the last stimulation in kindled rats. Lower activation of c-Fos in the periaqueductal gray was seen in kindled rats, while no changes in protein kinase C δ activation was found. Amygdala kindling contributed to pain sensitivity changes that persisted into the interictal period, and male and female pain trends were found, requiring further investigation.

Author Keywords: affective pain, amygdala, amygdala kindling, formalin, nociceptive pain, periaqueductal gray

This work presents a new online method using gas chromatography coupled to the multicollector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer for methylmercury (MMHg) isotope ratio measurement. An extraction method using distillation was developed that effectively extracted MMHg from up to 5 grams of sediment, imparting no isotope fractionation on MMHg during extraction. Isotope ratios from transient signals were calculated using three different data treatment approaches, facilitated by a data processing application, IsoCor. Peak Area Integration using 80% of the peak gave the most accurate and precise results. Using the proposed methodology, an external precision (2 SD) of ± 0.59‰ for NIST 3177 was measured. This method can be applied to samples with MMHg concentration as low as 0.1 ng/g and was successfully applied to real sediment samples however, additional research to improve the precision of the method is required for the detection of small differences between samples.

Author Keywords: compound specific isotopic ratios, isotope ratio measurement, MC-ICP-MS, methylmercury

Agriculture may result in soil disturbances, including contamination by rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements (TEs) from agricultural inputs (e.g. fertilizers, pesticides). Regulations concerning agricultural inputs currently do not consider TE background concentrations, concurrent use of inputs, and emerging contaminants. Therefore, they may not sufficiently protect against TE contamination, including that of REEs as emerging contaminants. The objective of this work was to assess the concentration and distribution of TEs and REEs in agricultural soil and whether agricultural management alters soil geochemistry. Fourteen farms were sampled in southeastern Ontario, and the geochemistry of soils was analysed using ICP-MS and ED-XRF. Trace element concentrations exceeded environmental safety standards in some sites, including those characterized by historical contamination or elevated background concentrations. Concentrations of REEs are reported in Ontario agricultural soils, and the normalized REE values indicated enrichment of the middle REEs. Geographic location drives site geochemistry more than agricultural management.

Author Keywords: agriculture, phosphate fertilizer, rare earth elements, soil geochemistry, trace elements