scholarly journals The COVID-19 crisis as a collective biographical disjuncture: Understanding the pandemic as a learning experience

2021 ◽  
pp. 9-20
Author(s):  
George Koulaouzides

This paper examines the COVID-19 pandemic as a disorienting social experience and as an opportunity to engage in learning processes that may critically examine the dysfunctional assumptions that have consequentially emerged from it. The first part of the paper based on the theoretical perspectives of Peter Jarvis develops a framework for the definition of a social experience as a collective biographical disjuncture. Based on that definition, the paper exposes the assumptions that have been challenged during the pandemic era in the areas of social interaction, education, and employment. Finally, the paper argues that critical learning may provide to adults with the necessary cognitive "antibodies" to overcome the side-effects of the pandemic in our social life in the postpandemic period.

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Pezzulo ◽  
Laura Barca ◽  
Domenico Maisto ◽  
Francesco Donnarumma

Abstract We consider the ways humans engage in social epistemic actions, to guide each other's attention, prediction, and learning processes towards salient information, at the timescale of online social interaction and joint action. This parallels the active guidance of other's attention, prediction, and learning processes at the longer timescale of niche construction and cultural practices, as discussed in the target article.


2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Gaither ◽  
Jessica D. Remedios ◽  
Jennifer R. Schultz ◽  
Keith B. Maddox ◽  
Samuel R. Sommers

Abstract. Research shows that I-sharing, or sharing subjective experiences with an outgroup member, positively shapes attitudes toward that outgroup member. We investigated whether this type of social experience would also promote a positive interracial interaction with a novel outgroup member. Results showed that White and Black participants who I-shared with a racial outgroup member (vs. I-sharing with a racial ingroup member) expressed more liking toward that outgroup member. However, I-sharing with an outgroup member did not reduce anxious behavior in a future social interaction with a novel racial outgroup member. Therefore, although sharing subjective experiences may increase liking toward one individual from a racial outgroup, it remains to be seen whether this positive experience can influence behaviors in future interactions with other racial outgroup members. Future directions are discussed.


1970 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-126
Author(s):  
Марина Орап

У  статті  висвітлено  методологічні  та  практичні  засади  вивчення  онтогенезу  соціального  інтелекту. Складність вивчення даного соціально-психологічного феномену пов’язана із дотичністю його  до багатьох явищ, які описують умови успішності соціальної взаємодії особистості. Проаналізовано наявні  теоретичні   підходи   до   визначення   змісту   та   структури  соціального  інтелекту,   до   взаємозв’язку  останнього  з  іншими  видами  інтелекту.  Визначено,  що  дослідження  соціального  інтелекту  молодших  школярів слід здійснювати на основі розуміння останнього як здатності, що виникає на базі комплексу  інтелектуальних,   особистісних,   комунікативних   і   поведінкових   рис,   що   зумовлюють   прогнозування  розвитку  міжособистісних  ситуацій,  інтерпретацію  інформації  і  поведінки,  готовність  до  соціальної  взаємодії і прийняття рішень. Здійснене пілотажне емпіричне дослідження прогностичних можливостей  дітей  молодшого  шкільного  віку  продемонструвало  наявні  позитивні  кореляційні  зв’язки  між  рівнем  розвитку здатності до передбачення найбільш адекватного сценарію розвитку подій у соціальній ситуації  та рівнем розвитку мовленнєвого досвіду. Найбільш тісний взаємозв’язок виявлено між рівнем розвитку  здатності  передбачати  адекватну  вербальну  відповідь  у  ситуації  комунікації  та  рівнем  розвитку  мовленнєвої компетентності та мовленнєвої діяльності дітей молодшого шкільного віку. Таким чином,  були зроблені попередні висновки про наявність взаємозв’язку між мовленнєвим досвідом та прогностичним  можливостями у складі соціального інтелекту дитини молодшого шкільного віку The  article  outlines  the  methodological  and  practical  principles  of  studying  the  ontogenesis  of  social  intelligence. The complexity of studying this socio-psychological phenomenon is associated with its attractiveness to  many  phenomena  that  describe  the  conditions  for  the  successful  social  interaction.  The  existing  theoretical  approaches to the definition of the content and structure of social intelligence, to the interrelationship of it with  other types of intelligence are analyzed. It is determined that research of social intelligence of junior pupils should  be carried out on the basis of the understanding of this kind of intelligencer as an ability that based on a complex of  intellectual, personal, communicative and behavioral features. This complex predetermines the forecasting of the  development  of  interpersonal  situations,  the  interpretation  of  information  and  behavior,  readiness  for  social  interaction  and  decision-making.  The  research  of  the  prognostic  possibilities  of  primary  school  children  demonstrated the positive correlation between the level of development of the ability to predict the most adequate  scenario of the development of events in the social situation and the level of development of speech experience. The  closest relationship is found between the level of development of the ability to provide an adequate verbal response  in the context of communication and the level of development of speech competence and speech activity of children  of junior school age. Thus, was done a conclusion about the existence of a relationship between speech experience  and prognostic possibilities in the social intellect of a child of junior school age.   


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1186-1204
Author(s):  
A.V. Fedorov ◽  
Zh.S. Peredera

Subject. The article reviews distinctions of M&A deals in innovation and technology. Objectives. We determine the specifics of innovative and technological companies and its impact on the synergy, process, finance, valuation of M&A deals. Methods. The article employs methods of generalization, comprehensive analysis, systematization, specification, comparison, study into trends and the structure. Graphics and tables are used to display the findings. Results. We conducted the content analysis of the term Mergers & Acquisitions, thus finding the divergence of foreign and the Russian approaches. We provide our own definition of the concept and analyzed the dynamics of the overall M&A market and the innovation and technological sector. The article describes operational distinctions of innovative and technological companies and compares them with conventional sectors. The article determined the specifics of synergy, process, finance, valuation of M&A deals in innovation and technology. Conclusions and Relevance. The innovation and technology sector saw M&A deals become more frequent for the recent five years. What distinguishes them is the number of startups and infant businesses, large M&A deals in order to develop their ecosystems, involve digital technology companies. Traditional approaches should be adapted for structuring M&A deals, their arrangement, financing and valuation of target companies. The findings can lay the groundwork for further studies into the specifics of the innovation and technology sector, M&A deals, and set up the methodological framework for the valuation of innovative and technological companies. The findings can also immediately support parties of M&A deals from theoretical perspectives.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1470.2-1471
Author(s):  
M. Fusama ◽  
S. Oliver ◽  
H. Nakahara ◽  
Y. Van Eijk-Hustings ◽  
Y. Kuroe

Background:The course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) differs from patient to patient, and each patient has a unique story. The disease condition affects psychological and social aspects, greatly affecting the quality of life. The disease course is unpredictable, and each patient’s story can be seen as a lifelong journey, full of ups and downs. Therefore, it is crucial to know what kind of support is required during the course of their life.Objectives:The aim of this study is to examine the life story of patients with RA and clarify a common situation in their stories in order to consider what kind of support is needed.Methods:This is a qualitative study using life story interview for patients with RA in Japan. Interview included disease history, patients’ behaviors, effects on daily life, the patients’ perspectives regarding psychological considerations and useful support. Data were analyzed using content analysis. This study was approved by the ethics committee and informed consent was obtained.Results:Eight patients participated in this study. They were all females and the average age was 57 years old. As a result of the categorization, we extracted the following eight situations: (1) Emergence of symptom; patients thought joint pain would go away, however, the symptom did not improve and began to affect their daily life and work, (2) Choose a hospital to visit; pain and anxiety have continued and decided to visit a hospital, (3) Encounter with their doctors; patients expected their doctor to relieve their pain, while they were afraid of being told that they were suffering from a serious disease. (4) Diagnosis of RA; patients were shocked when diagnosed and anxious about what would happen and wondered why they had such a disease, (5) Choice of treatment; patients were afraid of the side effects. They wanted to make a decision discussing with their doctor, but they could not understand the explanation about drugs well and, therefore, followed the doctor’s opinion. (6) Change of treatment; a biological agent was often recommended. Patients were also worried about side effects and the financial burden. (7) Remission or stable phase; they felt better mentally too, however, they often felt anxiety about disease flare, side effect of drugs and financial burden, and (8) Flare and remission; patients felt shocked and disappointed when RA flared, and then, they noticed that patients with RA had alternating periods of relapse and remission and they had to live with RA.These interviews revealed repeated worsening and improvement of symptoms and many similar repeated psychological reactions such as anxiety, shock, denial, conflict, acceptance, giving up and relief. To cope with these fluctuating disease and mental conditions, patients were supported by educational and psychological assistance, timely consultations, social life help from nurses and support from their family. The patients considered a trusting relationship with their doctors is necessary. The patients had also realized through their experience the importance of enhancing their own abilities, such as decision-making, prevention of infections and self-management skills. Moreover, they noticed that it is important to have their own goals including hobbies and work.Conclusion:This study elucidated the common behaviors of patients with RA, the impact of RA on their psychological state and daily and social life, and the required support. The psychological condition and daily and social life also had a great influence on medical behavior. Therefore, psychosocial support and establishment of trust between healthcare professionals and patients are crucial. In addition, improving patients’ self-management skills including self-efficacy and empowerment is also necessary. As patients with RA often feel anxious in various situations and expect nurses’ support, nurses should listen to patients, pay attention to their concerns and anxieties, and show a solution-oriented attitude. In order for patients to feel at ease in their Patient Journey, nurses should sail with them while maintaining a patient-centered perspective.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


Author(s):  
Banita Lal ◽  
Yogesh K. Dwivedi ◽  
Markus Haag

AbstractWith the overnight growth in Working from Home (WFH) owing to the pandemic, organisations and their employees have had to adapt work-related processes and practices quickly with a huge reliance upon technology. Everyday activities such as social interactions with colleagues must therefore be reconsidered. Existing literature emphasises that social interactions, typically conducted in the traditional workplace, are a fundamental feature of social life and shape employees’ experience of work. This experience is completely removed for many employees due to the pandemic and, presently, there is a lack of knowledge on how individuals maintain social interactions with colleagues via technology when working from home. Given that a lack of social interaction can lead to social isolation and other negative repercussions, this study aims to contribute to the existing body of literature on remote working by highlighting employees’ experiences and practices around social interaction with colleagues. This study takes an interpretivist and qualitative approach utilising the diary-keeping technique to collect data from twenty-nine individuals who had started to work from home on a full-time basis as a result of the pandemic. The study explores how participants conduct social interactions using different technology platforms and how such interactions are embedded in their working lives. The findings highlight the difficulty in maintaining social interactions via technology such as the absence of cues and emotional intelligence, as well as highlighting numerous other factors such as job uncertainty, increased workloads and heavy usage of technology that affect their work lives. The study also highlights that despite the negative experiences relating to working from home, some participants are apprehensive about returning to work in the traditional office place where social interactions may actually be perceived as a distraction. The main contribution of our study is to highlight that a variety of perceptions and feelings of how work has changed via an increased use of digital media while working from home exists and that organisations need to be aware of these differences so that they can be managed in a contextualised manner, thus increasing both the efficiency and effectiveness of working from home.


2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-238
Author(s):  
Nienke van Andel ◽  
Martin J.M. Hoondert ◽  
Marcel Barnard

Even before they started the editorial board of the new Dutch hymnal was blamed for being too elitist. The fact that they had been selected on the basis of their expertise made them vulnerable for such criticism. Subsequently the position of the editors has been a point of continuous reflection. In this contribution, we will argue that this image of editors as dissociated from users of the hymn book is only one among several available identity repertoires. In order to answer the question which ‘identities-in-relation-to-users’ do the editors construct in the meetings of the board and how do they value these identities?, we will use a broad definition of identity and focus on positions performed in social interaction. The interaction in question concerns seven selected meetings of the editorial board, all of which were audio-taped and transcribed. Looking closely at the identities that were constructed during those meetings, we distinguish six positions, ranging from a great to no distance between editors and users: editors, professionals, experienced, vanguard, pleasers and equals.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larita Killian

ABSTRACT Due to fiscal constraints and demands for increased accountability, scholars and public officials are reviewing the structure and reporting practices of local governments. These efforts are often incomplete, however, because they bypass special districts, which now comprise over 40 percent of all local governments. The proliferation of special districts has the potential to increase government costs, redirect the allocation of scarce resources, remove debt and expenditure practices from the public eye, and reduce democratic controls over elected officials. This paper highlights some of the public interest concerns related to these entities to inform future, localized research. For decades, scholars have approached special districts from two opposing theoretical perspectives: institutional reform and public choice. Literature from these opposing perspectives is used to analyze special districts along three dimensions: efficiency and economy of operations, policy alignment and allocation of resources, and democratic accountability. This paper uses the U.S. Census Bureau definition of special districts, though alternative definitions are discussed. Efforts by four states (Florida, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and New York) to improve local government, and their varying approaches to special districts, are reviewed, leading to the conclusion that the complex issues related to special districts must be resolved within state contexts.


1983 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell A. Ward ◽  
Harold Kilburn

Community access can be expected to have an important influence on the life satisfaction of the aged because of age-linked restrictions in social life space. Such access may be less important for older blacks, however, as a consequence of lifelong “ghettoization.” These hypotheses are tested using national survey data. Community mobility is found to have a stronger association with life satisfaction for older whites, while having only an indirect effect through social interaction for older blacks. Directions for future research are suggested.


Author(s):  
I.I. Dokuchaev

The series of publications was prepared on the basis of a teaching manual addressed to 10th grade schoolchildren of schools studying the integrative course “Social Studies” (section “Man and Society”), and is a set of materials for independent work. The content of the manual fully meets the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards of Basic General Education and work programs for secondary (complete) education in social studies. The presented theoretical and practical material reveals the main aspects of social life: the essence and functional characteristics of consciousness and activity, ideas about society and social institutions as a system, types of societies, views on culture as a cumulative spiritual experience and “collective memory”, its main institutions — science, religion, morality, education, art. Particular attention is paid to the definition of social progress and global problems of mankind.


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