scholarly journals The relevance of social dreaming for action research: exploring jail workers’ unconscious thinking of the changes in the prison organization

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidia Borghi ◽  
Claudio Cassardo ◽  
Elisa Mingarelli ◽  
Elena Vegni
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Correctional Facility ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Emotional Climate ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Formative Experience ◽  
Prison Environment ◽  
The Individual

The contribution focuses on how dreams can be investigated as social phenomena in a manner which illuminates the role of the individual in a particular group and elucidates unconscious group processes in an organization. The article presents an experience of adopting Lawrence’s social dreaming (SD) matrices in a new a specific field: an Italian prison which has shifted in the last two decades from a punitive to a rehabilitative mission. The aim of the experience was twofold: i) to help jail workers, through a formative experience, gaining a deeper understanding of how the new prison environment influences their emotional experience and work functioning; ii) to collect the emotional climate, the feelings, and the critical issues among the prison staff, in order to gain insights for the authorities responsible for the regulation of correctional facility. The experience of SD included 4 matrices, involving a total of 12 participants: 7 prison officers and 5 educators. The main thematic areas emerged from the matrices are related to: trust, competence, professional identity, separateness and privacy, safety, and to the gender differences. All the themes are presented and discussed, along with dreams and free associations. The present work is, to our knowledge, the first attempt to apply the tool of social dreaming to the context of correctional facility all over the world. The described experience might serve as an example of the applicability of this mode of analytic exploration to institutions or organizations, and the contribution opens to reflection and some implications.

scholarly journals The development of youth spirituality in the modern realities of Russian society

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-292
Author(s):  
Lyubov Konstantinovna Fortova ◽  
Anna Mikhailovna Yudina ◽  
Natalya Ivanovna Evsyukova
Keyword(s):  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Russian Society ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Self Actualization ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Personal Paradigm ◽  
Intelligence Development ◽  
Educated Person

This paper discusses the problems that inhibit the development of spirituality in the youth, shows the role of educational institutions for young peoples moral stability development, reveals a personal paradigm that initiates self-actualization and improvement of students for socialization in modern Russian society. The paper analyzes the problems of spirituality and intelligence development in Russian universities. It is argued that the presence of spirituality creates a barrier to destructive social phenomena, while intelligence represents the internal and external culture, dignity and morality of the individual. The paper emphasizes that spirituality and intelligence should be protected by the individual from the destructive influence of the criminal environment and dubious offers. Students relying on the theory of reactance must learn to say no. It is noted that according to students the significant components of spirituality are the desire to develop their country, national virtues, the less significant ones are the willingness to sacrifice personal interests for the interests of the fatherland. The role of a comfortable psychological environment in the development of self-education, self-criticism, self-actualization of student youth is shown. It is postulated that an educated person respects other people, recognizes their intrinsic value, originality, meaning and dignity.

scholarly journals Practical Aspects of the Design and Use of the Artificial Neural Networks in Materials Engineering

Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1832
Author(s):  
Wojciech Sitek ◽  
Jacek Trzaska
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Neural Networks ◽  
Artificial Neural Networks ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Materials Engineering ◽  
The Neural Network ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Artificial Neural ◽  
The Individual

Artificial neural networks are an effective and frequently used modelling method in regression and classification tasks in the area of steels and metal alloys. New publications show examples of the use of artificial neural networks in this area, which appear regularly. The paper presents an overview of these publications. Attention was paid to critical issues related to the design of artificial neural networks. There have been presented our suggestions regarding the individual stages of creating and evaluating neural models. Among other things, attention was paid to the vital role of the dataset, which is used to train and test the neural network and its relationship to the artificial neural network topology. Examples of approaches to designing neural networks by other researchers in this area are presented.

scholarly journals Capital theory and rational choice

Sociologija ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-204
Author(s):  
Natasa Golubovic
Keyword(s):  
Rational Choice ◽  
Rational Choice Theory ◽  
Choice Theory ◽  
Economic Science ◽  
Marxian Theory ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
The One ◽  
The Individual

Almost from the very beginning of economic science the notion of capital has been the subject of numerous controversies. The main reason for the concept's controversial nature is that it explains interest and profit. In Marxian theory, where 'manner of production' determines forms of activities, mutual relationships and life of individuals, capital appears as a social phenomenon i.e. social relation. Goods and money are not capital by themselves but become capital in the capitalist way of production. Economics mainstream is based on methodological individualism upon which explanation of social phenomena and processes must be derived from individual behavior and motivation. Capital, therefore, is not a product of capitalism as a socially and historically specific form of economic organization, but is rather perceived as connected to the individual and his or her rational behavior. Rational choice is the basic and sometimes the only explanatory factor in the neoclassic theories of capital. Although theories of human and cultural capital point out the interdependence between individual activity and choice on the one hand, and social position on the other hand in the process of capitalization, the connection remains in the background and somehow unclear. A more explicit indication of the interdependence between social structure and choice can be found in the theory of social capital. The goal of this paper is to explore the role of rational choice theory in explaining the nature of capital.

The Need to Refocus on the Group as the Site of Radicalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura G. E. Smith ◽  
Leda Blackwood ◽  
Emma F. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Socialization Process ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
Violent Extremism ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Individual

The past decade has witnessed burgeoning efforts among governments to prevent people from developing a commitment to violent extremism (conceived of as a process of radicalization). These interventions acknowledge the importance of group processes yet in practice primarily focus on the idiosyncratic personal vulnerabilities that lead people to engage in violence. This conceptualization is problematic because it disconnects the individual from the group and fails to adequately address the role of group processes in radicalization. To address this shortcoming, we propose a genuinely social psychological account of radicalization as an alternative. We draw on recent developments in theory and research in psychological science to suggest that radicalization is fundamentally a group socialization process through which people develop identification with a set of norms—that may be violent or nonviolent—through situated social interactions that leverage their shared perceptions and experiences. Our alternative provides a way of understanding shifts toward violent extremism that are caused by both the content (focal topics) and process of social interactions. This means that people’s radicalization to violence is inseparable from the social context in which their social interactions take place.

How emotional climate in teams affects workplace effectiveness in individualistic and collectivistic contexts

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charmine EJ Härtel ◽  
Xiao-Yu Liu
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Organizational Studies ◽  
Emotional Climate ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Significant Development ◽  
Team Research ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractDespite a prolific research literature on the question of what makes teams effective, the literature is still limited on the role that team level emotions play in this process. In this article, we argue that the construct of workgroup emotional climate (WEC) provides a useful perspective from which to examine this matter. Following a discussion of the importance of considering emotions in organizational studies generally and team research, specifically, we draw on evidence of cultural differences in emotional experience and expression to develop a model explicating how cultural orientation can impact on the relationship between WEC and workgroup effectiveness. The model presented in the paper represents a significant development in our understanding of the role of cultural differences, specifically the influence of the individualism–collectivism identity orientation, in WEC and its relationship to workgroup effectiveness. Future directions for research and practice arising from the model are also presented.

Professional Roles in a Self-Help Group for the Bereaved

1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Klass ◽  
Beth Shinners
Keyword(s):  
Program Planning ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
The Self ◽  
Local Chapter ◽  
Self Help ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Self Help Groups ◽  
Self Help Group

Self-help groups are a relatively new and very useful aid to the bereaved. The movement does for the bereaved what the development of the hospice did for the dying a few years ago, in that it creates community, puts the locus of control on the individual, and emphasizes interaction and growth. Some of the literature on self-help groups raises the question of the role of professionals in the self-help group since such groups are different from, at some points antithetical to, and in practice occasionally resistant to professional intervention. This paper grew out of our experience with a local chapter of the Compassionate Friends, a group of bereaved parents. It is an attempt to show how professionals can work within the self-help movement despite the gap between the self-help ideology and our own. We have sketched five areas in our work which seem to have been useful to our TCF chapter: 1) intermediary between the group and the professional community; 2) articulating the group's ideology to the group itself; 3) resource person in program planning; 4) facilitator of group processes and organization; and 5) research. This paper also explores the topic of referral to professionals for parents in acute grief expressing itself in psychotomimetic behavior.

How emotional climate in teams affects workplace effectiveness in individualistic and collectivistic contexts

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charmine EJ Härtel ◽  
Xiao-Yu Liu
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Organizational Studies ◽  
Emotional Climate ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Significant Development ◽  
Team Research ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractDespite a prolific research literature on the question of what makes teams effective, the literature is still limited on the role that team level emotions play in this process. In this article, we argue that the construct of workgroup emotional climate (WEC) provides a useful perspective from which to examine this matter. Following a discussion of the importance of considering emotions in organizational studies generally and team research, specifically, we draw on evidence of cultural differences in emotional experience and expression to develop a model explicating how cultural orientation can impact on the relationship between WEC and workgroup effectiveness. The model presented in the paper represents a significant development in our understanding of the role of cultural differences, specifically the influence of the individualism–collectivism identity orientation, in WEC and its relationship to workgroup effectiveness. Future directions for research and practice arising from the model are also presented.

scholarly journals Developmental Psychology (Social)

Psychology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip C. Rodkin ◽  
Glenn I. Roisman
Keyword(s):  
Social Development ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Prevention Education ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Material History ◽  
The Stability ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship

The central questions of child social development bear upon the essential nature of human existence, including the lasting importance of the infant’s first social relationships, the stability of human personality, nature-nurture, the way to properly socialize children to be moral and successful, and the importance of family and friends. Social development research has broad relevance to issues in education, public policy, prevention, social work, and the life sciences. In this overview, we begin with some basic information on source material, history, and common journals in the field. Then comes coverage of critical issues in the child’s early social development: attachment to a loving adult, the importance of temperament, the study of genetic and other biological factors in development, and the relationship between ontogeny (the development of the individual) and phylogeny (the development of the species). Next comes a focus on some key behaviors that are seen as essential for successful socialization: moral and prosocial behavior, the motivation to achieve, and (the lack of) aggressive and antisocial behavior. We consider classic and recent research on the role of gender, ethnicity, and intergroup relations on children’s development as children learn to be part of a larger society. Finally comes research on two critical domains of influence in children’s social development: families and peers. The field of children’s social development is vibrant, exciting, and increasingly interconnected with other areas in prevention, education, and the biological and social sciences.

School Success and School Engagement of Immigrant Children and Adolescents

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frosso Motti-Stefanidi ◽  
Ann S. Masten
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
School Engagement ◽  
School Success ◽  
Immigrant Children ◽  
Integrative Model ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
The Individual

Academic achievement in immigrant children and adolescents is an indicator of current and future adaptive success. Since the future of immigrant youths is inextricably linked to that of the receiving society, the success of their trajectory through school becomes a high stakes issue both for the individual and society. The present article focuses on school success in immigrant children and adolescents, and the role of school engagement in accounting for individual and group differences in academic achievement from the perspective of a multilevel integrative model of immigrant youths’ adaptation ( Motti-Stefanidi, Berry, Chryssochoou, Sam, & Phinney, 2012 ). Drawing on this conceptual framework, school success is examined in developmental and acculturative context, taking into account multiple levels of analysis. Findings suggest that for both immigrant and nonimmigrant youths the relationship between school engagement and school success is bidirectional, each influencing over time the other. Evidence regarding potential moderating and mediating roles of school engagement for the academic success of immigrant youths also is evaluated.

Role of Transcriptional Read-Through in PRE Activity in Drosophila melanogaster

Acta Naturae ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. V. Elizar’ev ◽  
D. V. Lomaev ◽  
D. A. Chetverina ◽  
P. G. Georgiev ◽  
M. M. Erokhin
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Transcription Terminator ◽  
Response Elements ◽  
Polycomb Response Elements ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Multicellular Organisms ◽  
Different Cell Types ◽  
Main Factor

Maintenance of the individual patterns of gene expression in different cell types is required for the differentiation and development of multicellular organisms. Expression of many genes is controlled by Polycomb (PcG) and Trithorax (TrxG) group proteins that act through association with chromatin. PcG/TrxG are assembled on the DNA sequences termed PREs (Polycomb Response Elements), the activity of which can be modulated and switched from repression to activation. In this study, we analyzed the influence of transcriptional read-through on PRE activity switch mediated by the yeast activator GAL4. We show that a transcription terminator inserted between the promoter and PRE doesnt prevent switching of PRE activity from repression to activation. We demonstrate that, independently of PRE orientation, high levels of transcription fail to dislodge PcG/TrxG proteins from PRE in the absence of a terminator. Thus, transcription is not the main factor required for PRE activity switch.

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