Nurses’ Attitudes Towards People with Dementia: the semantic differential technique

2006 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 264-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl-Gustaf Norbergh ◽  
Yvonne Helin ◽  
Annika Dahl ◽  
Ove Hellzén ◽  
Kenneth Asplund
Keyword(s):  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Semantic Differential ◽  
Measures Of Association ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Licensed Practical Nurses ◽  
Differential Technique ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Practical Nurses ◽  
Semantic Differential Technique

One important aspect of the nurse-patient relationship is nurses’ attitudes towards their patients. Nurses’ attitudes towards people with dementia have been studied from a wide range of approaches, but few authors have focused on the structure of these attitudes. This study aimed to identify a structure in licensed practical nurses’ attitudes towards people with dementia. Twenty-one group dwelling units for people with dementia at 11 nursing homes participated in the study. A total of 1 577 assessments of 178 patients were sent out to 181 respondents and 1 237 answers were returned. The semantic differential technique was used. The scale had 57 bipolar pairs of adjectives that estimate an unknown number of dimensions of nurses’ attitudes towards an identified patient. The assessments were analysed using entropy-based measures of association combined with structural plots. The analysis revealed four dimensions, which related to licensed practical nurses’ opinions of the patients: an ethical and aesthetic dimension; an ability to understand; an ability to experience; and an ability for social interaction. The results of the study indicated that, on the positive to negative attitude continuum, the nurses’ attitudes fell at the positive to neutral end. This is an important finding owing to the personhood perspective, from which it is reasonable to assume that, with a more positive attitude to people with dementia, the prerequisites for person-centred care will improve.

scholarly journals The optimum colour temperature for illumination of Japanese-style gardens in summer and winter

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Jia ◽  
T Misawa ◽  
M Takamatsu ◽  
S Hirobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Light Source ◽  
Image Recognition ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Semantic Differential ◽  
Cultural Value ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Colour Temperature ◽  
Differential Technique ◽  
Vegetation Water ◽  
Semantic Differential Technique

Japanese-style gardens offer a wealth of spiritual and cultural value. In this study, we attempt to determine the optimum colour temperature for lighting Japanese-style gardens at night. We analyse the influence of a change in light source colour temperature on image recognition using digitalization and quantification with the semantic differential technique. In addition, we propose a new evaluation methodology for the semantic differential technique and examine the statistical significance of the results. We find that in summer, impressions of the optimum colour temperature for each element (vegetation, water, stone and structure) differ significantly, but in winter, because of the effects of snow, differences in the impression of each colour temperature are not as distinct. Moreover, the colour of the natural environment or overall season affects peoples’ preferred light source colour temperature.

The Communicative Force of Wagner's Leitmotifs: Complementary Relationships between Their Connotations and Denotations

1997 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Hacohen ◽  
Naphtali Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Integral Method ◽  
Semantic Differential ◽  
Semantic Structure ◽  
Musical Work ◽  
Differential Technique ◽  
Ring Cycle ◽  
Semantic Differential Technique ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Significant Factors

Wagner's leitmotifs were intentionally constructed as compact, discrete musical units charged with extramusical meaning. Should they be considered merely as arbitrary signifiers, whose signifieds are discovered only through the dramatic context of their appearance? The research reported here rejects this possibility, demonstrating experimentally that the leitmotifs bear inherent meaning. It is this meaning that grants them their communicative potential and provides a basis for the specific message given them in the setting of the specific musical work. A selection of nine representative leitmotifs from Wagner's Ring cycle was played to subjects during the course of a two-part experiment. The first part, which was designed on the basis of the semantic differential technique, yielded several significant factors that defined an inclusive connotative space. The second part of the experiment was designed and evaluated according to the "semantic integral" method, which was developed for the purpose of adding a denotative dimension, using titles given to the leitmotifs by the subjects. The results substantiated the existence of complementary relations between the connotative and denotative aspects of the leitmotifs. Findings of this sort should assist in explaining how the leitmotifs function within the dramatic context. The methods applied, as well as the findings arrived at, disclose, we believe, essential characteristics of the semantic structure of music in general.

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