PATRICK KWAKU OFORI | University Of Cape Coast, Ghana (original) (raw)

Papers by PATRICK KWAKU OFORI

Superstitious thoughts or behaviours have been demonstrated to occur frequently and persistently ... more Superstitious thoughts or behaviours have been demonstrated to occur frequently and persistently among students and athletes. One major limitation in the superstition in sports literature is that researchers attempt to measure only negative superstitious beliefs; however, to date, little is known about types of superstitions, how superstitions are developed and maintained, their psychological functions and malfunctions, or their behavioural consequences. Study 1 demonstrates the widespread prevalence of superstitions within the present population of undergraduate student athletes in British and Ghanaian universities, and explores several specific superstitions that appear to be particularly common. There were significant main effects of gender and nationality on both positive and negative superstitious beliefs. British student athletes tended to endorse both

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology, 2016

A major tenet of agroforestry is that trees maintain soil fertility and it is based on observatio... more A major tenet of agroforestry is that trees maintain soil fertility and it is based on observation of higher crop yields near trees or where trees have been grown before. This hypothesis is based on studies of effective transfer of nutrients from litter to trees in natural ecosystem. A research was conducted at Central Agricultural Station, Kwadaso to assess the contribution of multipurpose trees and sole fertilizer to improve maize yield on smallholder fields. Six (6) treatments were applied in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replicates. The treatments were: T1 = Control, T2 = NPK 90-60-60, T3 = Gliricidia sepium (4t/ha), T4 = Moringa oleifera (4t/ha), T5 = Gliricidia sepium (2t/ha) + NPK 60-30-30 and T6 = Moringa oleifera (2t/ha) + NPK 60-30-30. Maize variety, Obatampa was used in the experiment. The results showed that for the three successive years of maize harvest, the performances of biomass application from the two MPTs are comparable to the full rate blanket fertilizer application rate for all ecological zones (NPK 90-60-60). There were indications that either of the two species of MPTs, Moringa and Gliricidia could be applied with or without fertilizer to raise maize yields at the rates indicated and also sustainably improve soil productivity.

Open Agriculture, 2021

Low soil fertility is a major problem limiting peri-urban vegetable production in the Kumasi metr... more Low soil fertility is a major problem limiting peri-urban vegetable production in the Kumasi metropolis. This study was conducted to assess the effects of poultry litter biochar (PLB) and NPK fertilizer application on soil chemical properties and the yield of cabbage. Twelve treatments (control, 100% NPK, 50% NPK, 2.5 t ha−1 PLB, 2.5 t ha−1 PLB + 50% NPK, 2.5 t ha−1 PLB + 100% NPK, 5 t ha−1 PLB, 5 t ha−1 PLB + 50% NPK, 5 t ha−1 PLB + 100% NPK, 7.5 t ha−1 PLB, 7.5 t ha−1 PLB + 50% NPK, and 7.5 t ha−1 PLB + 100% NPK) were evaluated under field conditions in a randomized block design with three replications. Combined application of PLB and NPK fertilizer improved the soil chemical properties, growth, and yield of cabbage relative to the control and sole PLB treatments. Application of 5 t ha−1 PLB + 50% NPK increased the soil pH, soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity by 26.6, 41.4, 296, and 78.7%, respectively, relative to the control. Moreover, 5 t ha−...

Open Agriculture, 2020

Biochar produced from pyrolysis of organic materials has been found to improve plant growth by im... more Biochar produced from pyrolysis of organic materials has been found to improve plant growth by improving the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil as well as enhancing the sequestration of carbon dioxide that would release into the atmosphere through the decomposition of organic residues. However, there is scanty information on the methods used to apply biochar in order to optimize the benefits of biochar use for agricultural production. In view of this, a field study was carried out at the experimental field of CSIR – Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, to assess the effect of method of biochar application on the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in a moderately acidic sandy Ferric Acrisol. The experiment was set up using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The treatments imposed were as follows: control, broadcasting, spot and ring methods of application. The parameters assessed included growth and yield data as well a...

Molecular pharmaceutics, Jan 23, 2017

In this study, two dissolution models were developed to achieve in vitro-in vivo relationship for... more In this study, two dissolution models were developed to achieve in vitro-in vivo relationship for immediate release formulations of Compound-A, a poorly soluble weak base with pH-dependent solubility and low bioavailability in hypochlorhydric and achlorhydric patients. The dissolution models were designed to approximate the hypo-/achlorhydric and normal fasted stomach conditions after ingesting a glass of water with the drug. The dissolution data from the two models were predictive of the relative in vivo bioavailability of various formulations under the same gastric condition, hypo-/achlorhydric or normal. Furthermore, the dissolution data were able to estimate the relative performance under hypo-/achlorhydric and normal fasted conditions for the same formulation. Together, these biorelevant dissolution models facilitated formulation development for Compound-A by identifying the right type and amount of key excipient to enhance bioavailability and mitigate the negative effect of hy...

African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Feb 27, 2009

Superstitious behavior and beliefs are evident in all sports. The present study examines the self... more Superstitious behavior and beliefs are evident in all sports. The present study examines the self-report of superstitious behavior among 120 male professional footballers in Ghana. The Superstitious Ritual Questionnaire and Sport Attribution Style Scale were the instruments used to measured superstitious behavior and attribution styles of elite Ghanaian footballers. Significant negative correlations (p<. 05) were found between number of rituals and scores for positive-internality (-0.27) and negativeinternality (-0.17). A significant positive correlation was found between superstitious behavior and positive-controllability (0.20). Simple correlations and multiple regression showed that scores for attribution styles significantly but weakly predicted scores on the Superstition Ritual Questionnaire, accounting for 11% of the variance with the latter measured. This is important in understanding professional footballers' usage of superstitious rituals. Follow up work needs to address cross-cultural differences among Africans and Western professional athletes.

The purpose of the study was to examine how elite footballers developed and maintained superstiti... more The purpose of the study was to examine how elite footballers developed and maintained superstitious and religious rituals and when these behaviours become useful in their professional careers, using portions of the Theory of Challenge and Threat States in Athletes (Jones et al, 2009) to explain the phenomena. Major international sporting events such as the World Cup have the potential to be extremely stressful and likely to elicit superstitious and religious behaviour. Research in the field has been inconclusive regarding the functionality of superstitions and conventional religious practices in sport. Superstitious behaviours have been used to reduce anxiety, build confidence, and cope with uncertainty (Neil, 1980). Ten male international footballers (M age = 22) participated in semi-structured interviews pertaining to their superstitious and religious experiences throughout their career. The interviews were transcript verbatim and data were thematically analyzed using Interpretiv...

International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Feb 18, 2016

This study examined the relationships between primary and secondary control strategies, coping,an... more This study examined the relationships between primary and secondary control strategies, coping,and superstitious behavior. Participants were 349 studentathletes from the United Kingdom and Ghana, consisting of 194 males and 155 females. The nationality breakdown was 177 British student athletes and 172 Ghanaian student athletes. Participants completed five inventories measuring superstitious behaviors, personal control,control strategies, coping skills, and social desirability. Sequential multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between these constructs.A 2 by 2 analysis of covariance was conducted to assess the main and interactive effects of gender and nationality on superstitious behavior. Findings demonstrated that personal control, coping mechanisms, and control strategies predicted superstitious behavior. The findings suggest that athletes may engage insuperstitious behavior as a coping mechanism and as a secondary control strategy to offer them a sense of being in control in stressful situations. Theresults suggest that Ghanaian student athletesmayengage in superstitious behaviormore than British student athletes.Results are discussed in relation to previous research and practical implications are delineated.

Journal of Psychology in Africa, Aug 4, 2016

This study investigated whether relationships exist among, personal control, coping mechanism, pr... more This study investigated whether relationships exist among, personal control, coping mechanism, primary control, secondary control and superstitious beliefs. The participants were 375 Ghanaian student athletes (females =44%). They completed measures of self-reported superstitious beliefs, personal control, coping mechanisms, primary and secondary control strategies. The data were analyzed to evaluate the correlates of both positive and negative superstitious beliefs and how constructs of personal control, coping mechanisms and control strategies, predict positive and negative superstitious beliefs. The results indicated that personal control, coping mechanisms and control strategies were predictors of negative and positive superstitious beliefs. In the final model Exaggerated internal control, God-mediated control, emotional support, and substance use were predictors of negative superstitions. Exaggerated internal control, Substance use, Emotional support and Acceptance were predictors of positive superstitions. Athletes may activate different types of superstitious beliefs to cope and gain control in situations of uncertainty.

The aim of this study was to apply meta-ethnography to synthesise qualitative studies in the area... more The aim of this study was to apply meta-ethnography to synthesise qualitative studies in the area of diabetes care in Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria. Full text qualitative studies were collected from several recognised electronic databases to select quality papers for the analysis. Controlling for all possible selection biases, we chose eight standard peer reviewed qualitative studies in the area of diabetes mellitus. Subsequently, we pragmatically applied the seven-stage procedure of Noblit and Hare to conduct a meta-ethnography. As a qualitative alternative to meta-analysis, the meta-ethnography approach allowed us to employ both induction and interpretation. Subsequently, the following five concepts: tripartite aetiology; healer choice; adherence; coping strategies; and discriminatory switch were derived. In addition, we also derived second-order and third-order interpretations from our synthesis. Although we do not intend to make any generalisation claim, our study offered to illuminate a more coherent story about diabetes care within the West African mind so far.

Superstition has been defined as “reactions which are repetitive, formal, sequential, distinct fr... more Superstition has been defined as “reactions which are repetitive, formal, sequential, distinct from technical performance and which the athletes believe to be powerful in controlling luck or other external factors” (Bleak & Frederick, 1998:P.2).These rituals can come in the form of ice baths before a football game or listening to a certain song before a gymnastics event. Researchers differentiated between superstitious behaviors and pre-performance routines. Superstitious behavior is an act that has no obvious technical function in skill execution, and involves behaviours that athletes initiate to gain a feeling of control, when actual control is perceived as unlikely or unattainable. Pre-performance routines are learned, behavioural, and cognitive strategies intentionally used by athletes to facilitate physical performance.Superstitious behavior often results from response to uncontrollable reinforcement. It appears most often under conditions of psychological stress, uncertainty, ...

Research has shown that the frequency of superstitious behaviour increases under conditions of st... more Research has shown that the frequency of superstitious behaviour increases under conditions of stress, low control and anxiety. Athletes attempts to adopt secondary control strategies such as superstitious behaviours under conditions of helplessness, uncertainty and stress. The aim of the current research is to draw upon an established theory of anxiety; the theory of challenge and threat states in athletes (TCTSA) to investigate the relationships between personal control, control strategies and superstitious beliefs and behavior. It was hypothesized that measures of personal control and coping strategies would predict superstitious behaviour and superstitious beliefs types (positive and negative). Questionnaires were administered to determine if coping, personal control, control strategies and learned helplessness are related to superstitious beliefs and behaviours. The participants were 375 students from United Kingdom and Ghana, consisting of 210 males and 165 females. The ethnic...

One major limitation in the superstition in sports literature is researchers attempt to measure o... more One major limitation in the superstition in sports literature is researchers attempt to measure only negative superstitious beliefs with the Paranormal Belief Scale (PBS). Negative and positive superstitions serve difference psychological function under different situation. The purpose of the study was to examine the possible relationship between gender, ethnicity and age with superstitious behaviour, negative and positive superstitious beliefs. It was hypothesized that there will be a significant difference in terms of gender, ethnicity and age on superstitious behaviour and beliefs types. Questionnaires were administered to determine if cultural, age and gender differences existed among participants. There were 375 student participants from the United Kingdom and Ghana, 210 males and 165 females. The ethnic breakdown was 177 British students, and 197 Ghanaian students. The mean age for Ghanaian students were 24.1 and British students were 21.2. The Superstitious Ritual Questionnai...

Superstitious behaviours have been demonstrated to occur frequently and persistently in our curre... more Superstitious behaviours have been demonstrated to occur frequently and persistently in our current population. Athletes use superstitions in the context of an important performance task with the aim to reduce anxiety, build confidence, and cope with uncertainty (Neil et al., 1981). However, to date, little is known about the reason for the maintenance of this seemingly irrational phenomenon, its psychological functions, or its behavioural consequences in team process. This study examined professional team sport players’ (N=10, age range =23- 33, mean age = 22.4 years, SD = 1.4 years) perceive benefits of superstitions in team sports and issue of half-beliefs and cognitive dissonance among elite team sport athletes in relations to superstition usage. Qualitative design seems well suited to the description and understanding of the complex issues associated with superstition in team sports. Participants were engaged in semi-structured interviews. Interview data were transcribed verbat...