scholarly journals Exploring adversity and the potential for growth among Iron[wo]man competitors

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Johnson ◽  
Leslee Fisher ◽  
Zachary Smith ◽  
Jordan Schools ◽  
Rebecca Zakrajsek
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Mental Toughness ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Mental Fitness ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Fitness Training ◽  
Leisure Pursuit ◽  
Casual Leisure ◽  
Bike Ride ◽  
Ironman Triathlon

The Ironman triathlon is one of the most famous endurance races in the world. Consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run, it requires significant physical and mental fitness training (Atkinson, 2008) as well as substantial investments in equipment, time, and emotional energy. As opposed to more casual leisure pursuits, the Ironman triathlon can be considered a serious leisure pursuit (Stebbins, 1982). Like other serious athletic leisure pursuits, participation in triathlon can facilitate personal growth experiences, especially through overcoming sport-related adversity (e.g., Atkinson, 2008; Connaughton et al., 2010; Galli & Reel, 2012). In fact, researchers have reported self-discovery, empowerment, agency, and mental toughness as potential benefits of sport-related growth through adversity (Atkinson, 2008; Cronan & Scott, 2008; Galli & Vealey, 2008; Granskog, 1992, 2003; Howells & Fletcher, 2015; Howells et al., 2017; Sarkar et al., 2015).

Exploring the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening for older adults

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 2176-2200 ◽  
Author(s):  
THERESA L. SCOTT ◽  
BARBARA M. MASSER ◽  
NANCY A. PACHANA
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Leisure Pursuit ◽  
Casual Leisure

ABSTRACTResearch shows that contact with nature plays a vital role in our psychological wellbeing. Domestic gardening is common among older adults who spend more leisure hours gardening than any other age group. Despite this, few studies have systematically explored the significance of domestic gardens in relation to older adults' health and wellbeing. This study examined the perceived therapeutic benefits of gardening, and the effect of ageing in relation to older gardeners' continued participation in gardening, using quantitative and qualitative data from a survey of Australian older adult gardeners (N=331). The quantitative data, which included frequencies, were analysed using the PASW Statistics 18.0 package. The qualitative data, which included participants' responses to open questions, were analysed by deriving themes via Leximancer, an innovative text analytics software that uses word association information to elicit concepts, extracting the most important and grouping these according to themes. In relation to the reasons for gardening, several themes were identified including valuing the aesthetics of gardens, connecting with nature, achievement, and physical and mental activity. The benefits of gardening, and the variety of ways that respondents had adapted or modified their gardening activities in order to continue, are also reported. Gardening was more than a casual leisure pursuit for these participants, who saw it as critical to their physical and psychological wellbeing.

scholarly journals The Effectively Maintained Inequality Hypothesis and Socioeconomic Inequalities in the Greek Higher Education Sector

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iakovos Tsiplakides
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
Socioeconomic Background ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Modern Knowledge ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Effectively Maintained Inequality

In this paper we draw on the hypothesis of “Effectively Maintained Inequality” (EMI), which holds that inequalities in higher education concern differentiation as regards the institutions or study programmes which people from different socioeconomic backgrounds choose, rather than the difference between participating and non-participating. It is an important issue, as in modern knowledge and information societies, characterized by new methods of getting, processing and distributing information, higher education is important as a means of equipping people with the knowledge necessary to participate actively in them, for personal growth and national growth. It also impacts positively on social justice, equality of educational opportunity and can boost intergenerational social mobility. These potential benefits, however, are undermined by segregation within higher education. In this paper we present the findings of a research study that examined the breadth of segregation of the higher sector in Greece by socioeconomic background. Research findings indicate a correlation among cultural, social and financial capital and programme or institution, thus conforming the theory of “Effectively Maintained Inequality”.

The Cultural Master Narrative of Personal Growth

2021 ◽  
pp. 32-56
Author(s):  
Jack Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Character Development ◽  
Good Life ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Master Narrative ◽  
Cultural Ideal ◽  
Internal Conflicts ◽  
Self Actualization ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Materialistic Values

This chapter first examines the enduring, cultural ideal of growth, providing a historical context for the modern transformative self. The chapter then introduces cultural master narratives as story prototypes that a culture cherishes in part because they provide individuals with examples of how to live a good life in that culture. The transformative self has a cultural master narrative in the bildungsroman genre of literature—stories that extol character development, personal growth, and self-actualization as the path to happiness, love, and wisdom. Generally speaking, the bildungsroman protagonist rejects the materialistic values of society’s mainstream and forges a personal path of humane growth. On this path, the protagonist learns how to resolve internal conflicts such as money versus meaning, self-discovery versus self-invention, individuation versus interdependence, and playing roles versus living authentically. The chapter introduces characters from a handful of bildungsroman novels that will serve to illustrate concepts throughout the book.

Music for good: Reflections on a community music project through the lens of historical nostalgia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen J. English ◽  
Jane W. Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Engagement ◽  
Community Music ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Community Project ◽  
Preparation Period ◽  
Self Discovery

This study investigates a large-scale community project that called for a long preparation period and involved over a hundred participants. The researchers were interested in the contributory factors that led participants and leaders to commit and persevere with the project, for which there were almost two years of planning and five months of rehearsals. The project related a suppressed wartime history and had re-enactment aspects. Interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology was used to engage participants in sharing their lived experiences. Through focus group sessions, a theme of restoration emerged, among other themes that are frequently expressed in community music groups, such as social and emotional well-being. A deep emotional engagement with the project centred on historical restoration, which aligned with personal restoration experiences. Restoration was closely linked to storytelling and three other themes of personal growth, connections and self-discovery/journey. In light of this theme and the historical basis for the community project, the researchers chose to examine the findings through the lens of historical nostalgia.

The Power of ePortfolio Development to Foster Reflective and Deeper Learning in an Online Graduate Adult Education Program

2020 ◽  
pp. 104515952097773
Author(s):  
Frank Di Silvestro ◽  
Hamid Nadir
Keyword(s):  
Adult Education ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Master's Students ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Personal Strengths ◽  
Self Discovery

The current study addressed two problems in adult education: the lack of published research on the use of ePortfolios in graduate adult education, and more specifically, how can graduate adult educators utilize ePortfolios to foster reflective and deeper learning in a graduate adult education program? This was a 3-year qualitative study of 36 master’s students in their final capstone course in an online graduate adult education program. The primary research question was Can developing ePortfolios foster reflective and deeper learning in an online graduate adult education program? Researchers analyzed student responses to three guideline questions for the development of their ePortfolios: (a) What story did your ePortfolio tell?, (b) What surprised you?, and (c) What did you learn about yourself? These questions were designed to stimulate students’ thinking about their learning from the ePortfolio process, artifacts, and experience in the degree program. Through thematic analysis of student responses to these questions, three predominant themes emerged that provided evidence for reflective and deeper learning. The three themes were as follows: (a) Students became more reflective learners who frequently experienced deeper transformative learning, (b) Students were surprised by greater self-discovery and significant personal growth exceeding their expectations, and (c) Students found new personal strengths. Specific recommendations were provided about how to use ePortfolios in graduate adult education programs to foster reflective and deeper learning.

scholarly journals The Benefits of Adult Piano Study as Self-Reported by Selected Adult Piano Students

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Jutras
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Technical Improvement ◽  
Piano Students ◽  
Piano Study ◽  
Self Actualization ◽  
Musical Knowledge ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Skill Improvement ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Personal Skill

Adult piano students (N = 711) from 24 states across the U.S. rated the existence and importance of 31 potential benefits of adult piano study. Benefits selected from existing adult music and leisure-benefit research were organized into three categories: Personal, Skill, and Social/Cultural. The category of Skill Benefits was the most-agreed-upon and highest-rated category. Personal Benefits were also rated highly, particularly benefits related to Self-Actualization and Fun/Enjoyment. Social/Cul tural Benefits were the least-agreed-upon and rated as the least important benefits. The most-ag-reed-upon benefits were Skill Improvement, Musical Knowledge, Musicianship, Accomplishment, Skill Refinement, Technique, and Play/Fun. The highest-rated benefits, in order of importance, were Dream Fulfilled, Technique, Accomplishment, Escape from Routine, Skill Improvement, Musicianship, Musical Knowledge, Play/Fun, Skill Refinement, and Personal Growth. Findings suggest that students are interested in technical improvement, but they also place high value on the enjoyment and self grozuth that piano study provides.

scholarly journals Teaching Life Lessons: When Millennials Fail

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Jeffery Ramirez ◽  
Janalee Isaacson ◽  
Deborah Smith ◽  
Brenda Senger
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Transformative Experience ◽  
Successful Performance ◽  
Life Lessons ◽  
Self Worth ◽  
Teaching Life ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Time To Learn ◽  
Teachers And Parents

Background: Students who fail may face feelings of diminished self-perception, decreased sense of achievement, and experience negative emotions or moods such as: guilt, embarrassment, thoughts of reoccurring failure, feeling of letting others down or disappointing teachers and parents. Aim: This paper is to discusses the topic of failure and providing thoughts and reflections on the topic. The authors believe that faculty can help students learn to fail and also maintain their self-worth and dignity.  Helping students learn from these failures and promoting resilience and humility when faced with life adversities may be one of the best lifelong lessons faculty can teach. Results: Failure is never an easy experience. When a student is faced with failure, it is critical for faculty to help the student find the positives of the experience. This as an opportunity to promote personal growth and character development. Educators are in a precarious position because learning outcomes are based on successful performance and failure can be looked upon negatively for faculty. Conclusions: Faculty are perfectly positioned to help reframe failure for students struggling in college and help them find their true passion in life. College is a transformative experience, a time for self-discovery and finding one’s true identity. It is a time to learn life lessons and how to manage adversity facilitating strong, emotionally healthy, driven men and women of future generations.

scholarly journals Nilai Sense of Community pada Kesejahteraan Psikologis dalam Menghuni (Housing Well-being): Studi Meta-analisis

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Intan Rahmawati
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Residential Community ◽  
Analysis Strategy ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Individual

<div class="Section1"><div class="Section1"><p class="IABSTRAK"><strong>Abstract:</strong> Well-being appreciates as a holistic unity of one's potential and a state where individuals can receive strengths and weaknesses, have a purpose in life, develop positive relationships that lead to personal growth wherever individuals are, especially in their neighborhoods. The shelter that spawned a housing well-being that looked at the potential benefits optimally could be likened to where he/she lived. Housing well-being requires reflective and formative as a benchmark to assess the welfare of individuals in their dwellings. Formative indicators point to the evaluation of the satisfaction of residential features, while reflective indicators look at the gap between expectations and existing in the neighborhood, one of which is in the neighboring neighborhoods that are part of the residential community. Sense of community is an early stage in the individual to see the community. Based on the map of existing research results in terms of residential satisfaction. The study used this meta-analysis strategy to examine the results of previous research on the consistency between the sense of community in shaping housing welfare. This meta-analysis study resulted that a sense of community contributing to housing welfare.</p><p class="IKEYWORDS"><strong>Abstrak: </strong>Kesejahteraan psikologis dijelaskan sebagai suatu pencapaian yang holistik dari potensi psikologis seseorang dan suatu keadaan ketika individu dapat menerima kekuatan maupun kelemahan, memiliki tujuan hidup, mengembangkan relasi positif yang bermuara pada pertumbuhan pribadi dimanapun individu berada, terlebih dalam lingkungan tinggal­nya. Konsep kesejahteraan psikologis inipun berkembang dalam lingkup hunian yang mencetuskan perspektif kesejahteraan psikologis dalam menghuni (<em>housing well-being</em>) yang memandang pada pencapaian potensi secara optimal beserta fungsi psikologis positif seseorang terhadap tempat tinggalnya. Pada indikatornya, <em>housing well-being</em> mensyaratkan reflektif dan formatif sebagai tolak ukur untuk menilai kesejahteraan psikologis individu pada huniannya. Indikator formatif menunjuk pada evaluasi kepuasan menyeluruh fitur hunian, sementara indikator reflektif melihat pada senjang antara harapan dan kenyataan yang ada di lingkungan tinggal, salah satunya adalah kepuasan dalam bertetangga yang merupakan bagian dari komunitas tinggal. S<em>ense of community</em> merupakan tahap awal dalam diri  individu  untuk  melihat  komunitasnya.  Berdasarkan peta penelitian  diperoleh  hasil bahwa terdapat peran <em>sense of community</em> dalam <em>housing well-being</em>. Penelitian yang meng­gunakan strategi meta-analisa ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji hasil-hasil penelitian yang telah dilakukan peneliti sebelumnya tentang kekonsistenan antara <em>sense of community</em> dalam membentuk <em>housing well-being</em>. Studi meta-analisis ini menghasilkan bahwa <em>sense of community</em> memberikan kontribusi terhadap <em>housing well-being.</em></p></div></div>

scholarly journals Integrated cognitive and physical fitness training enhances attention abilities in older adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquin Anguera ◽  
Joshua Volponi ◽  
Alexander Simon ◽  
Courtney Gallen ◽  
Camarin Rolle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Placebo Control ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Fitness Training

Abstract Preserving attention abilities is of great concern to older adults who are motivated to maintain their quality of life as they age. Both cognitive and physical fitness interventions have been utilized in intervention studies to assess maintenance and enhancement of attention abilities in seniors, and a coupling of these approaches is a compelling strategy to buttress both cognitive and physical health in a time- and resource-effective manner. With this perspective, we created a closed-loop, motion-capture video game (Body-Brain Trainer: BBT) that adapts a player’s cognitive and physical demands in an integrated approach, thus creating a personalized and cohesive experience across both domains. Older adults who engaged in two months of BBT improved on both physical fitness and attention outcome measures beyond that of an expectancy-matched, active, placebo control group, with maintenance of improved attention performance evidenced 1 year later. Following training, the BBT group’s improvement on the attention outcome measure exceeded performance levels attained by an untrained group of 20-year-olds, and showed age-equilibration of a neural signature of attention shown to decline with age: midline frontal theta power. These findings highlight the potential benefits of an integrated, cognitive-physical, closed-loop training platform as a powerful tool for both cognitive and physical enhancement in older adults.

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