scholarly journals Studying insecurity from relative safety — Dealing with methodological blind spots

2021 ◽  
pp. 146879412110610
Author(s):  
Lotje de Vries ◽  
Tim Glawion
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Knowledge Production ◽  
Incomplete Data ◽  
Central African Republic ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Outer Circle ◽  
Relative Safety ◽  
Blind Spots

Qualitative empirical enquiries into dynamics of security and insecurity often include a blind spot that bear theoretical ramifications because only those areas and respondents that allow for relatively safe fieldwork are studied. To transparently articulate the spheres of projection that creep into our knowledge production, we propose a distinction between inner and outer circles as highly fluid but separate geographical, socio-political and methodological spaces. Drawing on fieldwork in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, we discuss the risks posed by incomplete data and subsequently flawed inferences. We argue that the perceptions of fear projected onto the outer circle shape people’s behaviour more than measurable insecurity incidents and that increased interaction between actors in both circles reduces the perceived threats coming from the outer circles. We demonstrate how studying insecurity from inner circles risks securitizing outer circles while further centralizing the inner ones. We thus urge transparency in data collection and the related inferences that underpin our knowledge production.

scholarly journals A few questions regarding perceptual filling-in of the blind spot

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernt Skottun
Keyword(s):  
Blind Spot ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Blind Spots

The fact that we are generally unaware of our blind spots is supposed to be the result of the visual systemfilling them in. This brings up the question of what would be the case if no filling-in were to take place.In other words, what would be the difference between the presence and absence of filling-in. The lack of aclear answer to this question makes it unclear what is to be explained by filling-in or even if any explanationis called for. Because filling-in is supposed to be accomplished by some ”mechanism” the lack of an answeralso raises a question regarding what is to be meant by ”mechanisms” in this case.

scholarly journals Peripheral vision as anthropological critique

Focaal ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 (71) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cris Shore ◽  
Susanna Trnka
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Production ◽  
Peripheral Vision ◽  
Neoliberal Reform ◽  
Neoliberal Reforms ◽  
Field Of Vision ◽  
The Social ◽  
Methodological Tool ◽  
Anthropological Critique ◽  
Blind Spots

In the context of rapid neoliberal reform, both anthropology as a discipline and the social and cultural phenomena it studies are undergoing profound changes. In this article we develop June Nash's concept of “peripheral vision” to show how peripheries, and the politics of “peripheralization”, can illuminate processes of neoliberalization and the implications that this has for anthropological knowledge production. We argue that anthropology is uniquely situated to examine the conceptual blind spots produced by capitalism. By recasting “peripheral vision” as an analytic concept and methodological tool, we show how cultivating our ethnographic sensibilities to identify and hone in on events and processes that lie beyond our immediate field of vision can provide a useful antidote to the seductive fantasies of contemporary capitalism. In doing so, we also suggest how this approach can help counter some of the increasing strictures on knowledge production and narrowing of the research imagination that neoliberal reforms impose.

Blind-Spots in Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Perceptual Mean

Apeiron ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-284
Author(s):  
Roberto Grasso
Keyword(s):  
Blind Spot ◽  
The Other ◽  
Final Part ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Physiological Reaction ◽  
Sensory Apparatus ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Sense Of Touch ◽  
Blind Spots

AbstractThis paper aims to identify several interpretive problems posed by the final part of DA II.11 (423b27–424 a10), where Aristotle intertwines the thesis that a sense is like a ‘mean’ and an explanation for the existence of a ‘blind spot’ related to the sense of touch, adding the further contention that we are capable of discriminating because the mean ‘becomes the other opposite’ in relation to the perceptible property being perceived. To solve those problems, the paper explores a novel interpretation of Aristotle’s claims, arguing that they describe a homeostatic physiological reaction by which the sensory apparatus responds to perceptible stimuli. According to the proposed interpretation, such homeostatic reaction constitutes a necessary condition for perceiving what Aristotle refers to as ‘proper’ perceptible features, which include properties like ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ as well as colors and sounds.

The Adaptive Significance of the Location of the Optic Disk

Perception ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 649-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aries Arditi
Keyword(s):  
Visual Space ◽  
Spatial Arrangement ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
The Other ◽  
Optic Disk ◽  
Horizontal Position ◽  
Fixation Distance ◽  
Adaptive Property ◽  
Blind Spots

Although the ‘filling in’ of each blind spot by healthy retina in the other eye has long been described as an adaptive property of the spatial arrangement of the optic disks, an explanation of why the disks are specifically located where they are has yet to be proposed. A rationale for their horizontal position in humans is offered that is based on the projections of the blind spots in visual space in relation to fixation distance and to the protrusion of the bony facial occlusion of the nose bridge.

African politics and security to end-2017

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Central African Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
African Politics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Funding ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Step Down ◽  
Regional Leaders

Subject African politics and security to end-2017. Significance Key regional leaders are set to step down from national and party presidencies in Angola and South Africa, presidents in Nigeria and Zimbabwe are in ill health, while growing displacement crises in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could worsen without increased international funding and support. Although famine risks have lessened in South Sudan, conflict and instability will persist in Nigeria and Somalia as renewed insurgency threats grow.

Behavioral evidence of filling-in at the blind spot of the monkey

1994 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1103-1113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hidehiko Komatsu ◽  
Ikuya Murakami
Keyword(s):  
Visual Field ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Visual Fields ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Opposite Field ◽  
Normal Visual Field ◽  
Saccade Task ◽  
Behavioral Evidence ◽  
Blind Spots

AbstractIn human subjects, the blind spot is perceptually filled-in by color and brightness from the surrounding visual field. The present behavioral study examined the occurrence of color filling-in at the blind spot in monkeys. First, the location of the blind spot was determined using a monocular saccade task. The blind spots were located on the horizontal meridian at approximately 15–17 deg from the fixation point in the temporal visual field. Then, filling-in at the blind spot was tested by determining if the monkey could discriminate between an annulus presented on the blind spot and a homogeneous disk in the normal visual field. In this task, the monkey was required to make a saccade to a homogeneous disk of the same color and size as an annulus presented simultaneously in the opposite field. Both stimuli were large enough to cover the blind spot and the inner circle of the annulus was confined inside the blind spot. All four monkeys tested performed this task correctly in over 80% of the trials. However, when one eye was covered and the annulus was presented on the blind spot of the uncovered eye, performance deteriorated significantly. To confirm that these results reflected filling-in, one monkey was trained to maintain fixation when two identical homogeneous disks appeared in opposite visual fields. When only one eye was uncovered, and the annulus was presented on the blind spot of the uncovered eye, the monkey maintained fixation in most of the trials. These results show that monkeys were unable to distinguish an annulus from a homogeneous disk when the annulus was presented on the blind spot. This indicates that color filling-in occurs at the blind spot in monkeys and opens possibility to physiological experiments to study the neural mechanisms of filling-in.

scholarly journals Addressing two blind spots of commonly used experimental designs: The highly-repeated within-person approach

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian Zayas ◽  
Vasundhara Sridharan ◽  
Randy T. Lee ◽  
Yuichi Shoda
Keyword(s):  
Blind Spot ◽  
Experimental Designs ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Limited Sample ◽  
Psychological Phenomenon ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Blind Spots

Two well documented but still neglected blind spots of often-used study designs limit a researcher’s ability to make inferences about psychological phenomenon. First, typical designs focus on effects of conditions at the group level and are not able to assess the extent to which effects characterize each participant in the study. This blind spot can lead to erroneous (or incomplete) conclusions about the effects of manipulations both for a given participant and at the group level. Second, commonly used research designs often use only a limited sample of stimuli, constraining conclusions to the particular stimuli. This blind spot can lead to non-replication when different stimuli are used. We propose that the Highly-Repeated Within-Person (HRWP) approach helps mitigate these limitations. Using a study on the effects of anti-smoking messages, we illustrate how the HRWP approach helps alert researchers when the conclusions at the group-level may not apply to all (or any) participant, quantifies the heterogeneity of effects of manipulations across people, and increases confidence regarding the generalizability of the effects. We discuss how the HRWP approach may help conceptualize issues of replicability in a new light.

scholarly journals Developing a Driver Alert and Alarm System for High Quality Driving Supports

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Rei-Jo Yamashita ◽  
Hsiu-Hsen Yao ◽  
Hiroki Yamashita ◽  
Lo Chi
Keyword(s):  
Drunk Driving ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Driving Safety ◽  
Alarm System ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Diagnostics System ◽  
Fatigue Driving ◽  
Vehicle Status ◽  
Blind Spots

Abstract—Prevention and vigilance plays a key role in preventing threatening risks and potential dangers when one is driving. In other to achieve the goal of averting danger when driving, people need valid and up to date information about: driving behavior, driving environment and vehicle status. There are a lot of factors that needs to be considered in order to keep a driver safe. Drunk driving, blind spots, bad driving habits, fatigue driving, and vehicle status are all factors that needs to be taken into account if safety is to be improved. Driving comfortability greatly depends on vehicle’s status and driver’s behavior. To evaluate the comfort level for a particular ride, we developed a number of formulas for evaluating various variable like vibration which has their base from the ISO. Rules for detecting these factors like fatigue driving, blind spot collision, etc., were set in this study, each of which has a threshold that shouldn’t be exceeded. In this paper, we introduce an in-car monitoring system for driving safety and provide alert and alarm functions using Android device connected to the car’s on-board diagnostics system(OBD-II) and the in-car module.

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