Battered Women and Their Animal Companions: Symbolic Interaction Between Human and Nonhuman Animals

2000 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-127
Author(s):  
Clifton P. Flynnl

AbstractOnly recently have sociologists considered the role of nonhuman animals in human society.The few studies undertaken of battered women and their animal companions have revealed high rates of animal abuse co-existing with domestic violence.This study examines several aspects of the relationship between humans and animals in violent homes.The study explored the role of companion animals in the abusive relationship through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with clients at a battered women's shelter. In particular, the study focused on the use of companion animals by women's violent partners to control, hurt, and intimidate the women; the responses of the animals to the women's victimization; and the role of pets as human surrogates and the resulting symbolic interaction between human and nonhuman family members. The significance of the findings for family violence research and application are discussed, as well as the broader implications for sociological investigation of human-animal interaction.

2000 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifton Flynn

AbstractOnly recently have sociologists considered the role of nonhuman animals in human society. The few studies undertaken of battered women and their animal companions have revealed high rates of animal abuse co-existing with domestic violence. This study examines several aspects of the relationship between humans and animals in violent homes. The study explored the role of companion animals in the abusive relationship through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with clients at a battered women's shelter. In particular, the study focused on the use of companion animals by women's violent partners to control, hurt, and intimidate the women; the responses of the animals to the women's victimization; and the role of pets as human surrogates and the resulting symbolic interaction between human and nonhuman family members. The significance of the findings for family violence research and application are discussed, as well as the broader implications for sociological investigation of human-animal interaction.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Andrea Arango-Bernal

Objetivo: analizar los significados que construyen las madres de personas en condición de hemofilia, sobre ser portadoras de la enfermedad. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio cualitativo con enfoque del interaccionismo simbólico que, a través de una etnografía particularista y el uso de entrevistas semiestructuradas, observaciones y revisión documental, rescató el punto de vista de 17 madres pertenecientes a la Liga Antioqueña de Hemofílicos que participaron de manera voluntaria y residen en diferentes municipios del departamento de Antioquia. Resultados: Las participantes se reconocen a sí mismas como seres potenciales, es decir, no sólo como trasmisoras o cuidadoras de la enfermedad de sus hijos, sino como sujetos cognoscentes de su realidad dispuestas a reflexionar sobre sus aprendizajes e incorporarlos a favor de la relación consigo mismas y con los demás. Los significados más relevantes son: empezar a vivir con hemofilia, asumir la enfermedad, la familia, el cuidado y la crianza, la relación con los servicios de salud, caminando con algo que no se puede desprender y darse cuenta. Conclusiones: La salud colectiva es la posibilidad de tener un acercamiento más comprensivo al proceso salud – enfermedad – atención de los colectivos humanos, tomando en cuenta las condiciones económicas, sociales y culturales en las que estos se inscriben. La pregunta por los significados de estas madres develó el tejido de lo individual y lo colectivo, como un asunto que trasciende el plano biológico de la enfermedad y da cuenta de la construcción social en la que confluyen prácticas, saberes, imaginarios y sentimientos.Palabras Clave: Cuidadores, enfermedad crónica, hemofilia A, madresSignifi cance of being a hemophilia carrierAbstractObjective: Analyzing the meanings that mothers of people with hemophilia, build about being carriers of the disease. Materials and methods: Study based on the qualitative method supported by the approach of symbolic interaction, which through a particularistic ethnography, and the use of semi-structured interviews, observations and document review, rescued the point of view of 17 mothers belonging to the Liga Antioqueña de Hemofílicos. They participated voluntarily and reside in different municipalities of Antioquia. Results: The participants recognize themselves as potential beings, that is, not only as disseminators or carers of the illness of their children, but as cognocentes subject of their reality willing to reflect on their learning and incorporate them in favor of the relationship with herself and others. The most important meanings are: start living with hemophilia, assuming the disease, the family, the care and upbringing, relationships with health services, walking with something that can not be detached and realize. Conclusions: Collective health is the ability to have a more comprehensive approach to process health - disease - care of human groups, taking into account the economic, social and cultural conditions in which they are registered. The question of the meaning of these mothers, unveiled the tissue of the individual and the collective, as a matter that transcends the biological level of the disease and accounts for the social construction that blends practices, knowledge, imaginary and feelings.Key Words: Hemophilia A, chronic disease, mothers, caregivers. Significado de ser portadora de hemofiliaResumo                                   Objetivo: Analisar os significados construídos pelas mães de pessoas com hemofilia, sobre ser portadores da doença. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo qualitativo com foco no interacionismo simbólico, que, através de uma etnografia individualista e o uso de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, observações e revisão documental, resgatou o ponto de vista de 17 mães pertencentes à Liga Antioquia de Hemófilos que participaram voluntariamente e residem em diferentes municípios do departamento de Antioquia. Resultados: Os participantes se reconhecem como seres potenciais, ou seja, não apenas como transmissores ou cuidadores da doença de seus filhos, mas como sujeitos cognitivos de sua realidade que estão dispostos a refletir sobre sua aprendizagem e a incorporá-los em favor do relacionamento com eles mesmos e com os outros. Os significados mais relevantes são: começar a viver com hemofilia, assumir a doença, família, cuidados e educação, relacionar-se com os serviços de saúde, caminhar com algo que você não pode separar e perceber. Conclusões: A saúde coletiva é a possibilidade de ter uma abordagem mais abrangente para o processo saúde-doença-cuidado de grupos humanos, levando em consideração as condições econômicas, sociais e culturais nas quais estão registradas. A questão dos significados dessas mães revela o tecido do indivíduo e o coletivo como um problema que transcende o plano biológico da doença e explica a construção social em que as práticas, o conhecimento, o imaginário e os sentimentos convergem.Palavras-Chave: Cuidadores, doenças crônicas, hemofilia A, mães  


2011 ◽  
pp. 1639-1666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan J. Winter ◽  
Connie Marie Gaglio ◽  
Hari K. Rajagopalan

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face more serious challenges to their survival than do larger firms. To succeed, SMEs must establish and maintain credibility in the marketplace to attract the resources required for survival. Most co-opt legitimacy by mimicking the cues that signal credibility to convince potential stakeholders that something stands behind their promises. This research examines the role of information and communications technology (ICT) in legitimacy-building from the perspective of both SME founders and customers. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in a variety of industries to determine whether the ICT-related legitimacy schema from the customers’ perspective differs substantially from that of firm founders. Results indicate that customers compare the ICT information provided in SME’s sales pitches to pre-existing ICT expectations about the nature of desirable sales transactions. We describe the relationship between violations of ICT expectations, legitimacy, and purchase decisions. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Poblete ◽  
Adrian Leguina ◽  
Nicolás Masquiarán ◽  
Bárbara Carreño

Previous research recognizes the importance of musical experiences on music teacher education. However, current efforts do not provide a comprehensive view of the way their students learn music before starting university. The objective of this study is to portray their musical experiences, identifying the distinctive mechanisms underlying the relationship between practices, repertoires, and training contexts for music learning. A combination of pedagogical, social and musical dimensions, inspired by sociological theories of P. Bourdieu and B. Bernstein, examine the pre-university musical experiences and the mediating role of students’ sociocultural origins. Empirically, multimodal information from four Chilean universities ( n = 55) was collected through the application of a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using a set of mixed techniques, including descriptive statistics, text mining, and content analysis. Findings reveal relevant associations between practices, repertoires, and learning contexts, especially in terms of the specialized nature of musical training and the habitus and cultural dispositions of practitioners. Particularly relevant is the predominance of informal and non-formal learning contexts and their translation into specific types of learning. These challenge current perspectives and contribute a tool kit for the understanding of the relationship between power and knowledge in future professional teachers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Paquin ◽  
Ilana Bank ◽  
Meredith Young ◽  
Lily H.P. Nguyen ◽  
Rachel Fisher ◽  
...  

Purpose Complex clinical situations, involving multiple medical specialists, create potential for tension or lack of clarity over leadership roles and may result in miscommunication, errors and poor patient outcomes. Even though copresence has been shown to overcome some differences among team members, the coordination literature provides little guidance on the relationship between coordination and leadership in highly specialized health settings. The purpose of this paper is to determine how different specialties involved in critical medical situations perceive the role of a leader and its contribution to effective crisis management, to better define leadership and improve interdisciplinary leadership and education. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted featuring purposively sampled, semi-structured interviews with 27 physicians, from three different specialties involved in crisis resource management in pediatric centers across Canada: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Otolaryngology and Anesthesia. A total of three researchers independently organized participant responses into categories. The categories were further refined into conceptual themes through iterative negotiation among the researchers. Findings Relatively “structured” (predictable) cases were amenable to concrete distributed leadership – the performance by micro-teams of specialized tasks with relative independence from each other. In contrast, relatively “unstructured” (unpredictable) cases required higher-level coordinative leadership – the overall management of the context and allocations of priorities by a designated individual. Originality/value Crisis medicine relies on designated leadership over highly differentiated personnel and unpredictable events. This challenges the notion of organic coordination and upholds the validity of a concept of leadership for crisis medicine that is not reducible to simple coordination. The intersection of predictability of cases with types of leadership can be incorporated into medical simulation training to develop non-technical skills crisis management and adaptive leaderships skills.


2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolina M. Duvall Antonacopoulos ◽  
Timothy A. Pychyl

AbstractWhile previous research suggests that individuals who humanize their companion animals may have insufficient human social support (Epley, Waytz, & Cacioppo, 2007), researchers have not examined the relation between companion-animal anthropomorphism and the health of animal guardians while taking into consideration their human social support levels. It was hypothesized that dog guardians with low levels of human social support would have poorer health if they engaged in high rather than low levels of anthropomorphism, while the health of dog guardians with high levels of human social support would not vary depending on their anthropomorphism levels. A sample of 203 Canadian dog guardians completed an online survey. Results revealed that, among dog guardians with low levels of human social support, those who engaged in high levels of anthropomorphism were more depressed, visited the doctor more often, and took more medications. Furthermore, among dog guardians with high levels of human social support, those who engaged in high levels of anthropomorphism were more stressed and depressed. These findings highlight the complexity of the relationship between anthropomorphic behavior, human social support, and dog guardians’ health.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 418-427
Author(s):  
Anna Einarsson

How is performing with responsive technology in a mixed work experienced by performers, and how may the notion of embodied cognition further our understanding of this interaction? These questions are addressed here analysing accounts from singers performing the author’s mixed work Metamorphoses (2015). Combining semi-structured interviews and inspiration from Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, questions concerning the ‘self’ when listening, singing, moving and relating to fellow musicians, as well as the relationship towards the computer, are explored. The results include a notion of the computer as neither separated nor detached but both, and highlight the importance of the situation, including not only the here and now but also social and cultural dimensions. The discussion emphasises the role of sensorimotor interaction and bodily experience in human meaning-making.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 785-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELISABETH ZEITLER ◽  
LAURIE BUYS

ABSTRACTGovernments are challenged by the need to ensure that ageing populations stay active and engaged as they age. Therefore, it is critical to investigate the role of mobility in older people's engagement in out-of-home activities, and to identify the experiences they have within their communities. This research investigates the use of transportation by older people and its implications for their out-of-home activities within suburban environments. The qualitative, mixed-method approach employs data collection methods which include a daily travel diary (including a questionnaire), Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and semi-structured interviews with older people living in suburban environments in Brisbane, Australia. Results show that older people are mobile throughout the city, and their car provides them with that opportunity to access desired destinations. This ability to drive allows older people to live independently and to assist others who do not drive, particularly where transport alternatives are not as accessible. The ability to transport goods and other people is a significant advantage of the private car over other transport options. People with no access to private transportation who live in low-density environments are disadvantaged when it comes to participation within the community. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between transportation and participation within the community environment, to assist policy makers and city and transportation planners to develop strategies for age-friendly environments within the community.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (65) ◽  
pp. 18-30
Author(s):  
Cristian Bedoya Dorado ◽  
Mónica García-Solarte ◽  
Juan Sebastián Peña-Zúñiga ◽  
Steven Alejandro Piñeros Buriticá

Management in the context of higher education has been characterized by the predominance of male participation, mainly in senior management positions. As a result, women’s low participation is mainly concentrated in lower management positions, and their chances of escalating hierarchical positions are mediated by various factors ranging from subjective to socially naturalized. The objective of this research is to analyze the barriers women face to enter and escalate positions in university management in Colombia. Under a qualitative design, 26 semi-structured interviews were applied to university managers from different institutions of higher education in Colombia. The transcripts were analyzed using discourse analysis through three categories: individual, internal, and external barriers of the university. It was found that women face entry and promotion barriers marked by experiences, and conditions of inequality and discrimination in a male-dominated context. These barriers are conditioned by personal elements, organizational culture, and the social role of women. In addition, women’s trajectories involve mediation between professional development and family life. The study reveals experiences that contribute to understanding the research phenomenon from the webbing of senses and meanings. It is posited that the “glass ceiling” is mediated by variables in the internal order, and by the relationship between universities and their context.


Author(s):  
Colin Deal ◽  
Chris Shields

Previous research has highlighted the importance of relationships (e.g., athletic therapist/client) and psychological skill use to manage negative emotions (e.g., frustration, anger) in order to obtain optimal adherence and injury rehabilitation outcomes. However, the relationship between student athletic therapists and varsity athletes has not been examined. Thus, the objective was to examine the relationship between student therapists and varsity athletes and psychological skill use in injury rehabilitation in relation to adherence. Two senior student therapists and three varsity athletes who had completed injury rehabilitation were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Both groups of participants described the role of the student therapists as being primarily focused on injury prevention and management. Furthermore, the peer relationships that developed were valued. Goal-setting was used in injury rehabilitation to guide progress, improve adherence, and frame injuries as temporary setbacks. Participants were familiar with imagery from use in other context, however did not report using it in injury rehabilitation. Finally, participants acknowledged that adherence was not perfect, but acknowledged the peer relationships and collaborative goal-setting as helpful. These findings highlight the importance of the relationship between student therapists and athletes and suggest these relationships may support athlete adherence.


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