Going Digital

2022 ◽  
pp. 24-41
Author(s):  
Felice Addeo ◽  
Valentina D'Auria
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Shared Vision ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Digital Society ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Digital Environments ◽  
The Web

The digital society is a research object that still lacks a clear and shared definition, as it is always in progressive and whirling transformation. From a methodological point of view, digital society is then a fruitful ground for experimentation and innovation. However, the unceasing flourishing of online social practices and the innovative ways to frame into data the online activities of individuals make the knowledge drawn from the web always uncertain, revisable, and at high risk of obsolescence. Social research tried to face the challenges posed by the digital society first by adapting the established social research methods to the new digital environments and then creating new ones. Neither approach has been able to define which are the most valid and reliable methodological tools to study the digital society, nor to draw a shared vision that would allow social research to advance. This chapter discusses the challenges and opportunities that the digital society poses to social research methodology and reflects on the need for new epistemological and methodological positions.

Secondary Analysis for Digitized Data

2022 ◽  
pp. 898-919
Author(s):  
Gennaro Iorio ◽  
Marco Palmieri ◽  
Geraldina Roberti
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Digital Society ◽  
National Perspective ◽  
The Web

Secondary analysis for quantitative data is a social research method traditionally employed for statistical analysis of administrative data. In the new digital society, this old research method that pre-existed the emergence of the new digital environment has been digitized to carry out its valuable activity in doing science. In this chapter, the secondary analysis for digitized data is illustrated. Thanks to the growing availability of datasets digitized on the web, the scholars of social well-being use the secondary analysis to inquiry this phenomenon through a cross-national perspective. The authors present the empirical study of World Love Index, in which the utility of the secondary analysis in finding and selecting valid indicators of social well-being is experienced.

scholarly journals Can You Hear Me Now? Augmentative Communication, Methodological Empowerment, and the Life Story of Jon Feucht

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Flad ◽  
Ronald J. Berger ◽  
Jon Feucht
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Life History ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Augmentative Communication ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Communication Device ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Communication Disability

<p>Keywords</p><p>augmentative communication, disability, biography, methodology</p><p>Abstract</p><p>Feminist social research and disability studies converge in arguing for a research methodology undertaken on behalf of and to empower research participants. Our research, an ongoing life history project with Jon Feucht, has been undertaken in this tradition. Throughout much of his life, Jon struggled with a severe speech disability due to cerebral palsy that significantly impaired his ability to communicate verbally with others. After acquiring a sophisticated augmentative communication device, Jon's life changed for the better. In this paper we describe the nature of augmentative communication, share some of Jon's thoughts about augmentative communication and people with disabilities, and explore some of the challenges and opportunities facing researchers collaborating on research projects with individuals who use augmentative communication to speak.</p>

scholarly journals Pharmacists’ Role in Opioid Safety: A Focus Group Investigation

Pain Medicine ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 1799-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel M Hartung ◽  
Jennifer Hall ◽  
Sarah N Haverly ◽  
David Cameron ◽  
Lindsey Alley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Opioid Medications

Abstract Objective The pharmacist’s role and responsibilities in addressing the opioid epidemic have yet to be clearly defined, particularly from the patient’s point of view. This qualitative study explores the pharmacist’s role in promoting opioid safety from the perspective of pharmacists and patients. Design Focus groups. Setting Patient groups were held in person, and pharmacist groups were held online. Subjects Oregon pharmacists (N = 19, Mage = 39.0 years, range = 26–57 years, 58% female) and patients (N = 18, Mage = 60.1 years, range = 30–77 years, 71% female) with current experience dispensing or receiving opioid medications. Methods Pharmacists were asked about the challenges and opportunities for opioid safety monitoring and prescription dispensing. Patients were asked about their experiences accessing care, medications, and safety information. Focus group data were analyzed by a multidisciplinary team using an immersion-crystallization approach. Results Pharmacists and patients agreed that pharmacists are responsible for medication safety. Pharmacists expressed discomfort filling potentially high-risk opioid prescriptions and noted barriers such as lack of clinical information and discomfort policing high-risk prescribing. Patients were concerned about pharmacists potentially overstepping their professional responsibilities by interfering with prescribers’ clinical decisions. Conclusions Feedback from both pharmacists and patient participants suggests that there is uncertainty in the degree to which pharmacists can and should confront the prescription opioid epidemic directly. Ambiguities in the pharmacist’s role may be best clarified through structured training promoting enhanced between-party communication.

scholarly journals Big Data: las implicancias de la democratización de los métodos. Oportunidades y desafíos que los dispositivos y datos digitales plantean para la investigación social

2016 ◽  
pp. 237
Author(s):  
Andrés Asenjo Morosetti ◽  
Christian Riveros Pino
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Digital Data ◽  
Technology Research ◽  
Social Production ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Subject

ResumenEl presente ensayo monográfico intenta brindar una panorámica globaldel fenómeno del Big Data, entendido como un sistema de producción,procesamiento, sistematización y análisis de datos sociales a gran escala.Actualmente, una multiplicidad de entes se han posicionado como agentesrecopiladores de datos sobre conductas y prácticas sociales, gracias aavances tecnológicos que han incrementado las capacidades sistémicas parala obtención y análisis de grandes volúmenes de información. Esto suponeuna suerte de democratización de los métodos, lo cual plantea una serie dedesafíos y oportunidades para los cientistas sociales, otrora agentes exclusivosde la producción de lo social. Ante esto, el presente documento ofrece unmarco general de análisis, esbozando reflexiones temáticas y estratégicaspara la comunidad científica en general y para la sociología en particular. Elensayo se estructura a partir de tres secciones: una introducción, que ofreceun acercamiento global al tema; una sección de discusión, en la que se revisaa grandes rasgos las principales problemáticas y desafíos que presenta elBig Data para la investigación social y los científicos sociales, y una secciónde conclusiones, en la que se esbozan posibles alternativas de integraciónmetodológica entre las nuevas formas de investigación social y los métodostradicionales.Palabras clave: Big Data, tecnologías de la información, métodos deinvestigación, investigación social, empirismo.Big Data: Implications of the democratization ofmethods.Opportunities and challenges for social researchprovided by digital data and devicesAbstractThis monographic essay attempts to provide a comprehensive overviewof the phenomenon of Big Data, understood as a system of production,processing, systematization and analysis of large-scale social data. Currently,a multiplicity of entities have positioned themselves as agents collectingdata, behaviors and social practices, thanks to technological advancesthat have increased systemic capacities for collection and analysis of largevolumes of information. This is a sort of democratization of methods, whichposes a number of challenges and opportunities for social scientists, onceexclusive agents of social production. In this way, the present documentprovides a general framework for analysis outlining thematic and strategicconsiderations for the scientific community in general and sociology inparticular. The essay is structured in three sections: an introduction, whichprovides a comprehensive approach to the subject; a section of discussion,which reviews in broad terms the main problems and challenges imposed byBig Data for social research and social scientists; and a section of conclusionswith possible alternatives for methodological integration among new formsof social research and the traditional methods.Keywords: Big Data, information technology, research methods, socialresearch, empiricism.Big Data: as implicações da democratização dosmétodos.Oportunidades e desafios que os dispositivos edados digitais projetam para a pesquisa socialResumoO presente ensaio monográfico tenta oferecer uma visão panorâmicado fenómeno do Big Data, entendido como um sistema de produção,processamento, sistematização e análise dos dados sociais em grandeescala. Atualmente, uma multiplicidade de entidades têm se posicionadocomo agentes coletores de dados sobre comportamentos e práticas sociais,graças aos avanços tecnológicos que aumentaram as capacidades sistêmicaspara a obtenção e análise de grandes volumes de informação. Esta é umaespécie de democratização dos métodos, o que coloca uma série de desafiose oportunidades para os cientistas sociais, pois em outros tempos foram osagentes exclusivos de produção social. Diante disso, o presente documentoapresenta um quadro geral de análise, delineando reflexões temáticase estratégicas para a comunidade científica em geral e para a sociologiaem particular. O ensaio é estruturado em três seções: uma introdução,que oferece uma abordagem global para o tema; uma seção de discussão, onde é revistada em termos gerais, os principais problemas e desafios queapresenta a Big Data para a investigação social e os cientistas sociais, e umaseção de conclusões onde se esboçam possíveis alternativas de integraçãometodológica entre as novas formas de investigação social e os métodostradicionais.Palavras-chave: Big Data, tecnologias da informação, métodos de pesquisa,pesquisa social, empirismo.

scholarly journals Big Data: las implicancias de la democratización de los métodos. Oportunidades y desafíos que los dispositivos y datos digitales plantean para la investigación social

2016 ◽  
pp. 237
Author(s):  
Andrés Asenjo Morosetti ◽  
Christian Riveros Pino
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Digital Data ◽  
Technology Research ◽  
Social Production ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Subject

ResumenEl presente ensayo monográfico intenta brindar una panorámica globaldel fenómeno del Big Data, entendido como un sistema de producción,procesamiento, sistematización y análisis de datos sociales a gran escala.Actualmente, una multiplicidad de entes se han posicionado como agentesrecopiladores de datos sobre conductas y prácticas sociales, gracias aavances tecnológicos que han incrementado las capacidades sistémicas parala obtención y análisis de grandes volúmenes de información. Esto suponeuna suerte de democratización de los métodos, lo cual plantea una serie dedesafíos y oportunidades para los cientistas sociales, otrora agentes exclusivosde la producción de lo social. Ante esto, el presente documento ofrece unmarco general de análisis, esbozando reflexiones temáticas y estratégicaspara la comunidad científica en general y para la sociología en particular. Elensayo se estructura a partir de tres secciones: una introducción, que ofreceun acercamiento global al tema; una sección de discusión, en la que se revisaa grandes rasgos las principales problemáticas y desafíos que presenta elBig Data para la investigación social y los científicos sociales, y una secciónde conclusiones, en la que se esbozan posibles alternativas de integraciónmetodológica entre las nuevas formas de investigación social y los métodostradicionales.Palabras clave: Big Data, tecnologías de la información, métodos deinvestigación, investigación social, empirismo.Big Data: Implications of the democratization ofmethods.Opportunities and challenges for social researchprovided by digital data and devicesAbstractThis monographic essay attempts to provide a comprehensive overviewof the phenomenon of Big Data, understood as a system of production,processing, systematization and analysis of large-scale social data. Currently,a multiplicity of entities have positioned themselves as agents collectingdata, behaviors and social practices, thanks to technological advancesthat have increased systemic capacities for collection and analysis of largevolumes of information. This is a sort of democratization of methods, whichposes a number of challenges and opportunities for social scientists, onceexclusive agents of social production. In this way, the present documentprovides a general framework for analysis outlining thematic and strategicconsiderations for the scientific community in general and sociology inparticular. The essay is structured in three sections: an introduction, whichprovides a comprehensive approach to the subject; a section of discussion,which reviews in broad terms the main problems and challenges imposed byBig Data for social research and social scientists; and a section of conclusionswith possible alternatives for methodological integration among new formsof social research and the traditional methods.Keywords: Big Data, information technology, research methods, socialresearch, empiricism.Big Data: as implicações da democratização dosmétodos.Oportunidades e desafios que os dispositivos edados digitais projetam para a pesquisa socialResumoO presente ensaio monográfico tenta oferecer uma visão panorâmicado fenómeno do Big Data, entendido como um sistema de produção,processamento, sistematização e análise dos dados sociais em grandeescala. Atualmente, uma multiplicidade de entidades têm se posicionadocomo agentes coletores de dados sobre comportamentos e práticas sociais,graças aos avanços tecnológicos que aumentaram as capacidades sistêmicaspara a obtenção e análise de grandes volumes de informação. Esta é umaespécie de democratização dos métodos, o que coloca uma série de desafiose oportunidades para os cientistas sociais, pois em outros tempos foram osagentes exclusivos de produção social. Diante disso, o presente documentoapresenta um quadro geral de análise, delineando reflexões temáticase estratégicas para a comunidade científica em geral e para a sociologiaem particular. O ensaio é estruturado em três seções: uma introdução,que oferece uma abordagem global para o tema; uma seção de discussão, onde é revistada em termos gerais, os principais problemas e desafios queapresenta a Big Data para a investigação social e os cientistas sociais, e umaseção de conclusões onde se esboçam possíveis alternativas de integraçãometodológica entre as novas formas de investigação social e os métodostradicionais.Palavras-chave: Big Data, tecnologias da informação, métodos de pesquisa,pesquisa social, empirismo.

scholarly journals Early Diagnostics and Early Intervention in Neurodevelopmental Disorders—Age-Dependent Challenges and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 861
Author(s):  
Mijna Hadders-Algra
Keyword(s):  
Early Intervention ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Early Detection ◽  
Developmental Disorders ◽  
Familial Risk ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
First Year ◽  
Early Diagnostics ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

This review discusses early diagnostics and early intervention in developmental disorders in the light of brain development. The best instruments for early detection of cerebral palsy (CP) with or without intellectual disability are neonatal magnetic resonance imaging, general movements assessment at 2–4 months and from 2–4 months onwards, the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination and Standardized Infant NeuroDevelopmental Assessment. Early detection of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is difficult; its first signs emerge at the end of the first year. Prediction with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers and Infant Toddler Checklist is possible to some extent and improves during the second year, especially in children at familial risk of ASD. Thus, prediction improves substantially when transient brain structures have been replaced by permanent circuitries. At around 3 months the cortical subplate has dissolved in primary motor and sensory cortices; around 12 months the cortical subplate in prefrontal and parieto-temporal cortices and cerebellar external granular layer have disappeared. This review stresses that families are pivotal in early intervention. It summarizes evidence on the effectiveness of early intervention in medically fragile neonates, infants at low to moderate risk, infants with or at high risk of CP and with or at high risk of ASD.

scholarly journals Applied Research, Diffractive Methodology, and the Research-Assemblage: Challenges and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
pp. 136078042110299
Author(s):  
Nick J Fox ◽  
Pam Alldred
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Representational Approach ◽  
Oriented Research

This article offers a critical assessment of the challenges for policy- and practice-oriented social research of ‘diffractive methodology’ (DM): a post-representational approach to data analysis gaining interest among social researchers. Diffractive analyses read data from empirical research alongside other materials – including researchers’ perspectives, memories, experiences, and emotions – to provide novel insights on events. While this analytical approach acknowledges the situatedness of all research data, it raises issues concerning the applicability of findings for policy or practice. In addition, it does not elucidate in what ways and to what extent the diffractions employed during analysis have influenced the findings. To explore these questions, we diffract DM itself, by reading it alongside a DeleuzoGuattarian analysis of research-as-assemblage. This supplies a richer understanding of the entanglements between research and its subject-matter, and suggests how diffractive analysis may be used in conjunction with other methods in practice- and policy-oriented research.

scholarly journals How ethical challenges of covert observations can be met in practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 174701612110082
Author(s):  
Nicole Podschuweit
Keyword(s):  
Social Research ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Great Distance ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Research Subjects ◽  
Written Information ◽  
Ethical Debate ◽  
The People ◽  
Almost All

This paper aims to bring into the ethical debate on covert research two aspects that are neglected to date: the perspective of the research subjects and the special responsibility of investigators towards their observers. Both aspects are falling behind, especially in quantitative social research. From a methodological point of view, quantitative forms of covert observation involve a great distance between the researcher and the research subjects. When human observers are involved, the focus is usually on the reliable application of the measuring instrument. Therefore, herein, a quantitative study is used as an example to show how the protection needs of both the observed persons and the observers can be met in practice. The study involved 40 student observers who covertly captured everyday conversations in real-world settings (e.g. in cafés or trains) by a highly standardised observation scheme. The study suggests that the anonymity of the research subjects and their trust in the observers are crucial for their subsequent consent. However, many participants showed only little or even no interest in the written information they were provided. Further, this study strongly emphasises how mentally stressful covert observations are to the observers. Almost all observers were worried in advance that the people they were observing would prematurely blow their cover and confront them. Role-playing and in-depth discussions in teams are good strategies to alleviate such and other fears and to prepare student assistants well for their demanding work in the field.

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