scholarly journals Sensorimotor, Cognitive and Affective Barriers to Social Relations in Aging: A Dynamical Framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 926-927
Author(s):  
Emmanuelle Tognoli ◽  
Alice Wead ◽  
Joseph McKinley ◽  
Christopher Beetle ◽  
Christine Williams
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Diverse Groups

Abstract Social interactions of all sorts (e.g. conversing, playing tennis, singing, strolling, etc.) rely on information flows between participants. The process of aging, however, can alter individuals’ sensorial, motor, cognitive and affective functioning in ways that may compromise their affinity for social interactions. For instance, hearing deficits or cognitive difficulties associated with word retrieval may contribute to disengagement from conversation and other forms of social interaction, which can lead to social retreat of the affected individuals. Strategies for mitigating such effects must take into account not only individuals’ own functional capacities, but also those of their partners in varying social contexts. Indeed, varied social contexts and diversity in partners can offer a beneficial balance of relational effort and comfort. For example, instead of comfortably strolling exclusively with partners of comparable cognitive and motor capabilities, strolling with faster partners can improve social engagement and long-term prospects for a wider range of social interactions. This work reviews an array of possible changes in individual abilities arising from both normal healthy aging and complications due to medical conditions, with an emphasis on their impact on interactions in varying social contexts and diverse groups of social partners. We incorporate theoretical models to explore a wide range of potential mitigation strategies, both for affected individuals and for other members of the social groups surrounding them. Our work focuses on healthy social aging over the long term, which is known to protect physical wellbeing, cognition and brain function.

Aging Societies, Civil Societies, and the Role of the Past: Active Aging beyond Demography in Contemporary Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 893-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica C. Robbins
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Demographic Change ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
Active Aging ◽  
The Past ◽  
Anthropological Theory ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ethnographic Data

This article belongs to the special cluster, “Politics and Current Demographic Challenges in Central and Eastern Europe,” guest-edited by Tsveta Petrova and Tomasz Inglot. Like other countries in Europe, Poland’s population is growing older, because of a combination of increasing life expectancies and decreasing birth rates. Such demographic change poses challenges for policy makers, who often understand population aging to put strain on social-service, health care, and pension systems. In response, governments and civil society often emphasize “active aging,” a rubric encompassing a wide range of policies and programs meant to promote health, workforce participation, lifelong learning, and social engagement. Although active aging is often part of neoliberal policies that focus on individual responsibility, recent anthropological theory shows that neoliberal ideals of self-care cannot fully explain contemporary forms of responsibility and social relations. Anthropological theory and ethnographic data can thus help to analyze the effects of demographic change as evident in social policy and programs. In this article, I integrate an analysis of Polish governmental documents meant to promote active aging with an analysis of ethnographic data of older Poles’ experiences of active aging. This article provides an ethnographically grounded perspective on the concept of active aging that focuses on how people actually experience such policies by exploring the meanings such programs and activities take on in the lives of individual and groups. Ethnographic data reveal that the past has multiple emotional valences that shape people’s experiences of these programs, stemming from histories of violence and rupture in the region. This suggests that making explicit the multiple, complex meanings of the past could shape active aging policy and thus civil society to be more inclusive.

“Not Everybody’s an Athlete, But They Certainly Can Move”: Facilitators of Physical Activity Maintenance in Older Adults in a Northern and Rural Setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 854-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Ward ◽  
Anne Pousette ◽  
Chelsea A. Pelletier
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Individual Program ◽  
Physical Activity Maintenance

Although the benefits of maintaining a physical activity regime for older adults are well known, it is unclear how programs and facilities can best support long-term participation. The purpose of this study is to determine the facilitating factors of physical activity maintenance in older adults at individual, program, and community levels. Nine semistructured interviews were conducted with individuals aged 60 years and older and long-term participants (>6 months) in community-based group exercise at a clinical wellness facility in northern British Columbia, Canada. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via inductive thematic analysis. Themes identified as facilitators of physical activity included (a) social connections, (b) individual contextual factors, and (c) healthy aging. Older adults are more likely to maintain physical activity when environments foster healthy aging and provide opportunity for social engagement.

scholarly journals The role of state feelings of loneliness in the situational regulation of social affiliative behavior: Exploring the regulatory relations within a multilevel framework

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252775
Author(s):  
Andreas Reissmann ◽  
Ewelina Stollberg ◽  
Joachim Hauser ◽  
Ivo Kaunzinger ◽  
Klaus W. Lange
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Affiliative Behavior ◽  
Social Affiliation ◽  
Quadratic Effects

Previous empirical evidence suggests that the engagement in social interactions across different everyday contexts occurs in a manner highly responsive to a person’s social affiliation needs. As has been shown repeatedly, social engagement (as well as disengagement) can be predicted from earlier situational need states, implying that homeostatic principles underlie a person’s social affiliative behaviors. However, little is known about the role of emotion in these regulative processes. For this reason, the present exploratory study investigated the predictive role of state feelings of loneliness in subsequent engagement in social interaction. Since loneliness is conceptually associated with both the need to reaffiliate as well as self-protecting tendencies potentially hindering engagement in social contact, the study investigated the possibility of both increases and decreases in social contacts resulting from state feelings of loneliness. Adopting an experience sampling methodology (ESM), a sample of 65 participants was recruited from a local university and was followed for 14 days. Subjects were prompted several times a day to rate their feeling states and the quantity of social interactions, using a fixed interval assessment schedule. Statistical analyses using multilevel analysis indicated that state feelings of loneliness had complex quadratic effects upon subsequent social interaction, leading to both increases and decreases in subsequent social interaction. Moreover, these effects were contingent upon previous engagement in social interaction, implying spillover effects across social contexts that are conditionally mediated by feelings of loneliness. These findings clearly imply an important, albeit complex role of state feelings of loneliness in the regulation of social affiliation, both as a predictor and a consequence of social interaction. These exploratory findings are discussed against the background of methodological and conceptual limitations, and several recommendations for future studies are made.

scholarly journals APPLYING MIXED-METHODS APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF SOCIAL TIES IN LATER LIFE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S411-S411
Author(s):  
J Jill Suitor ◽  
Megan Gilligan
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Interpersonal Processes ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Couples ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This symposium brings together a diverse set of studies applying mixed-methods approaches, with an emphasis on illustrating the ways in which such designs can provide greater understanding of interpersonal processes in the middle and later years. The papers span a wide range of relational contexts, including ties between parents and adult children, grandparents and grandchildren, and couples in gay, lesbian, heterosexual partnerships. They illustrate a variety of ways to combine quantitative and qualitative data collecting using surveys, in-depth interviews, timeline data, and technological devices. In the first paper, Silverstein and Bengtson present a study of continuity, change, and conflict across the generations regarding religion. The next two papers explore the impact of social relations on well-being. Fingerman and colleagues report findings from a study of social engagement and sedentary activities; and Suitor and colleagues investigate gender differences in the effects of mothers’ favoritism on adult children’s depressive symptoms. The final two papers focus on couples’ experiences when facing potentially demanding and/or challenging life circumstances. Thomeer and colleagues present findings from a study of same-sex couples in the context of marriage and parenthood; and Umberson and colleagues shed light on marital dynamics in same-sex and different-sex couples when one partner experiences psychological distress. This diverse set of studies provides a rich overview of the ways in which mixed-methods approaches can shed more light on patterns and consequences of relationships in adulthood than could be learned using single-method designs.

The Selfish Side of Self–Control

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 449-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liad Uziel ◽  
Uri Hefetz
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Dictator Game ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Rational Approach ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Normative Pressure ◽  
Zero Sum

Self–control is a powerful tool that promotes goal pursuit by helping individuals curb personal desires, follow norms, and adopt rational thinking. In interdependent social contexts, the socially acceptable (i.e. normative) and rational approach to secure long–term goals is prosocial behaviour. Consistent with that, much research associates self–control with prosociality. The present research demonstrates that when norm salience is reduced (i.e. social relations are no longer interdependent), high self–control leads to more selfish behaviour when it is economically rational. In three studies, participants were asked to allocate an endowment between themselves and another person (one–round, zero–sum version of the dictator game), facing a conflict between a socially normative and an economically rational approach. Across the studies, norm salience was manipulated [through manipulation of social context (private/public; Studies 1 and 2), measurement of social desirability (Studies 1 and 3), and measurement (Study 2) and manipulation (Study 3) of social power] such that some participants experienced low normative pressure. Findings showed that among individuals in a low normative pressure context, self–control led to economically rational, yet selfish, behaviour. The findings highlight the role of self–control in regulating behaviour so as to maximize situational adaptation. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Children’s Social Competence Learning Strategies for Building Mental Health During Covid-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suharni . ◽  
Endang Prastuti ◽  
Imanuel Hitipeuw ◽  
Ariga Bahrodin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Competence ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Huge Impact ◽  
Shed Light

The corona virus pandemic has a huge impact on the mental health of children. Social competency for children is the extent to which children are effective in their social interactions with others, including creating and maintaining social relationships, showing cooperative skills and flexibility, and adjusting behaviours to meet the demands of different social contexts. This study aims to shed light on how strategies can be used to build a child’s social competence in a pandemic- and post-pandemic world. The solutions used for strategies to build children’s social competence are with a wide range of solutions, including: 1) a systemic approach, 2) building positive relationships, 3) creating a supportive environment. Keywords: Learning Strategies, social competence, mental health, Pandemic covid-19

scholarly journals Reflections on sensing practice and power: A Response to Fleur Johns

AJIL Unbound ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 196-199
Author(s):  
Anne Alexander
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Oil Paintings ◽  
High Commissioner ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
John Berger ◽  
Power And Agency

One of the great strengths of Fleur Johns’ approach is her conceptual starting point: that sensing and knowing are intimately connected but distinct, and that therefore “sensing practice … encompasses those ways of knowing, or claims to knowledge, that are mobilized in the course of perception.” To borrow John Berger’s phrase, sensing practice is a “way of seeing” and whether we are viewing European oil paintings or the human-readable rendering of an algorithmic reading of data from a satellite, it is only possible to fully understand this process by recognizing that “sights” cannot be understood separately from society. Johns’ exploration of the questions of power and agency that are posed by an investigation into the implications of adopting new sensing technologies by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is important and timely because it opens up a wider discussion about the role played by Machine Learning (ML) in a wide range of social contexts, prompting us to ask about the social relations through which the technology itself is produced and used.

scholarly journals Developing Behavioral Markers of Social Function in Aging: A Methodology Using Pitch Mimicry

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1008-1008
Author(s):  
Christine Williams ◽  
Emmanuelle Tognoli ◽  
Alice Wead ◽  
Christopher Beetle ◽  
Joseph McKinley
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Pitch Estimation ◽  
Behavioral Marker ◽  
Synchrosqueezing Transform ◽  
Behavioral Markers ◽  
Verbal Exchanges ◽  
The Brain

Abstract The Covid pandemic brought to the forefront the crucial role of social interactions for society at large and in gerontological practice. Social interactions play a paramount role in preserving cognitive reserve in older adults. They rely on neurobehavioral processes that are complex (engage large parts of the brain and demand integrity of multiple perceptuomotor, attentional, cognitive and memory functions). Pitch mimicry is a well-known and spontaneously arising social phenomenon that requires the integrity of numerous processes of the brain, and we hypothesize that it constitutes a potentially sensitive behavioral marker of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). We developed and validated a series of algorithms to parse verbal exchanges between people and quantify the level of mimicry that each exhibit with their partners. Those algorithms are based on silence thresholding, carefully parametrized CEPSTRAL algorithms for automatic pitch estimation and Synchrosqueezing Transform for validation. We introduce a theoretical model to compare our estimates of pitch mimicry with model’s expectations based on the null hypothesis that its neurobehavioral pathways retain their integrity. Our method will allow researchers to study the evolution of pitch mimicry in aging individuals and its sensitivity to diverse social contexts, including those preserving lasting social engagement. Our method will also allow us to test the hypothesis that Pitch Mimicry is a sensitive behavioral marker of dementia, a condition characterized by a breakdown in social relatedness.

Perceived Voice Disorders in Older Adults and Impact on Social Interactions

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Connie K. Porcaro ◽  
Clare Singer ◽  
Boris Djokic ◽  
Ali A. Danesh ◽  
Ruth Tappen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Voice Disorders ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Vocal Performance ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Cross Sectional

Purpose Many aging individuals, even those who are healthy, report voice changes that can impact their ability to communicate as they once did. While this is commonly reported, most do not seek evaluation or management for this issue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and differences in voice disorders in older adults, along with the effect of fatigue on their social interactions. Method This is a cross-sectional investigation of a community-dwelling sample of individuals aged 60 years or older. Participants completed the Questionnaire on Vocal Performance, the Social Engagement Index subset “Engagement in Social or Leisure Activities,” and the Fatigue Severity Scale. Results Results indicated 32.5% of the 332 participants reported symptoms of voice problems with no difference found between male and female respondents. A slight increase in report of voice problems was noted with each year of age. Participants who self-reported voice problems indicated less interaction in social activities involving communication than those who did not. Finally, as severity of self-reported voice problems increased, an increase was reported by the same individuals for signs of fatigue. Conclusions Voice problems and resulting decreased social interaction are commonly experienced by older individuals. Voice symptoms in older adults have been found to benefit from evidence-based treatment strategies. It is critical to provide education to encourage older individuals to seek appropriate evaluation and management for voice issues through a speech-language pathologist or medical professional.

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