scholarly journals Self, substance, and society

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (28) ◽  
pp. 63-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorthe Brogård Kristensen ◽  
Katrine Schepelern Johansen

The article explores the role of addictive substances, and how they constitute the experience of pleasure and categories of addictions (Garriott & Raikhel 2015). In two separate studies, one of the users in heroin-assisted treatment of addiction in Denmark and the other of consumers’ food perceptions, we became interested in the roles played by the addictive substance and the concept of addiction – as a cultural category with social, moral, and political significance (Keane 2002) – among our informants. More specifically, we focused on how pleasure is constrained, made, or enacted in societal responses and treatment practices by comparing the case of heroin and sugar. The juxtaposition of the two types of addiction serves to illustrate the relationship between a specific substance, cultural categories, and responses.Analysis focuses on the interplay between the addict, the substance, social networks, and institutions. We argue that both the addict as a subject and the effect of the addictive substance are produced by a network of actors, experiences, moral values, societal institutions, and public discourses. The two cases show the importance of attending to substance effect in this context, and to variations in a single cultural setting – ultimately demonstrating that substance use and the experience of pleasure are not simply matters of choice but rather results of embodied conditioning, whereby social forces constrain the experience of pleasure. In both cases, recovery becomes a means of finding what is perceived to be one’s inner core in a society marked by industrial interference and artificiality, manifested in – among many other objects – certain chemical substances. In some situations, however, by regaining some degree of autonomy and by getting in touch with one’s “inner core” the substance becomes a possible actant for the enjoyment of pleasure

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Hoover ◽  
Mohammad Atari ◽  
Aida Mostafazadeh Davani ◽  
Brendan Kennedy ◽  
Gwenyth Portillo-Wightman ◽  
...  

Acts of hate have been used to silence, terrorize, and erase marginalized social groups throughout history. The rising rates of these behaviors in recent years underscores the importance of developing a better understanding of when, why, and where they occur. In this work, we present a program of research that suggests that acts of hate may often be best understood not just as responses to threat, but also as morally motivated behaviors grounded in people’s moral values and perceptions of moral violations. As evidence for this claim, we present findings from five studies that rely on a combination of natural language processing, spatial modeling, and experimental methods to investigate the relationship between moral values and acts of hate toward marginalized groups. Across these studies, we find consistent evidence that moral values oriented around ingroup preservation are disproportionately evoked in hate speech, predictive of the county-level prevalence of hate groups, and associated with the belief that acts of hate against marginalized groups are justified. Additional analyses suggest that the association between group-oriented moral values and hate acts against marginalized groups can be partly explained by the belief that these groups have done something morally wrong. By accounting for the role of moralization in acts of hate, this work provides a unified framework for understanding hateful behaviors and the events or dynamics that trigger them.


Author(s):  
Pınar Özgökbel Bilis ◽  
Ali Emre Bilis

Television channels for children contain many cartoons and programs. These productions reach the viewers via both the television and the channel's official website. TRT Çocuk, broadcasting for children as a government television channel, presents many locally produced animated cartoons to the viewers. A product of the modern and digital technology, these locally produced cartoons carry importance in terms of transfer of social values. This study focuses on locally produced animation cartoons that have an important potential especially in the transfer of national and moral values. Determination of values conveyed via cartoons that bear importance in the transformation of television into an educational tool allows the media and child relationships to become visible. This work aims to examine the relationship between media and values by defining the concept of “value.” After creating a corporate frame, the study brings to light the social values conveyed in locally produced cartoons aired on TRT Çocuk television channel via qualitative analysis method.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Hoover ◽  
Mohammad Atari ◽  
Aida Mostafazadeh Davani ◽  
Brendan Kennedy ◽  
Gwenyth Portillo-Wightman ◽  
...  

AbstractUnderstanding motivations underlying acts of hatred are essential for developing strategies to prevent such extreme behavioral expressions of prejudice (EBEPs) against marginalized groups. In this work, we investigate the motivations underlying EBEPs as a function of moral values. Specifically, we propose EBEPs may often be best understood as morally motivated behaviors grounded in people’s moral values and perceptions of moral violations. As evidence, we report five studies that integrate spatial modeling and experimental methods to investigate the relationship between moral values and EBEPs. Our results, from these U.S. based studies, suggest that moral values oriented around group preservation are predictive of the county-level prevalence of hate groups and associated with the belief that extreme behavioral expressions of prejudice against marginalized groups are justified. Additional analyses suggest that the association between group-based moral values and EBEPs against outgroups can be partly explained by the belief that these groups have done something morally wrong.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaishnavi. R. Kanzal ◽  
Subikshalakshmi. G ◽  
Lopamudra Goswami

Moral values play an important role in every aspect of an individual’s life. It is necessary for the holistic growth of an individual. According to Piaget’s theory of moral judgment, adolescence is the phase where the transition from heteronomous to autonomous morality takes place. During this transition period, the role of educators becomes crucial, as most of the learning in that phase occurs at school. Despite moral education being provided in schools, there is a substantial increase in delinquency. This evokes a question whether teachers inculcate moral values effectively in students. This study focuses on measuring the current moral values in students, the effectiveness of teachers in inculcating such moral values and whether there is effective implication of the learnt moral values. Sampling method was random and the sample size of the students and their moral science teachers are 102 and 12 respectively. The age range of the students was between 12 and 14. The tools used were Moral Values Scale (MVS), Personal Values Scale (PVS) and Teachers’ Effectiveness Scale (TES). The result from that quantitative analysis revealed that the current level of moral values in students range from high to extremely high. The teachers are very effective in inculcating moral values in the students. The relationship between teachers’ effectiveness in inculcating moral values and the current moral values in students is positive, but negligible. But, the qualitative observation revealed that there is an immense gap between the theoretical knowledge of moral values of the adolescent students and the practical implementation of the same. Further studies will be focused on strategies that could encourage practical implementation of moral values through moral education in their real life situations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 1845-1863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Dai ◽  
Sharanya J. Majumdar ◽  
David S. Nolan

Abstract This study investigates the role of the asymmetric interaction between the tropical cyclone (TC) and the environmental flow in governing the TC inner-core asymmetric structure. Motivated by the limitations of bulk measures of vertical wind shear in representing the complete environmental flow, the TC outflow is used as a focus for the asymmetric interaction. By analyzing an idealized numerical simulation, it is demonstrated that parcels can go directly from the asymmetric rainband to the upper-level outflow. The relatively large vertical mass flux in the rainband region also suggests that the asymmetric rainband is an important source of the outflow. In a simulation that suppresses convection by reducing the water vapor within the rainband region, the upper-level outflow is weakened, further supporting the hypothesis that the rainband and outflow are directly connected. Finally, it is demonstrated that the asymmetric outflow and the outer rainband are coupled through the descending inflow below the outflow. Some of the main characteristics of the outflow–rainband relationship are also supported by a real-case numerical simulation of Hurricane Bill (2009). The relationship is potentially useful for understanding and predicting the evolution of the TC inner-core structure during the interaction with the large-scale environmental flow.


2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-423
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Kivotidis

This article examines the relationship between rights and social struggle. This topic is revisited in light of the phenomenon of rising inequality in the aftermath of the last capitalist crisis, which reignited the debate on the role of rights in processes of social mobilisation. In this context, this paper examines three very recent contributions to this debate, namely Samuel Moyn’s Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World, Radha D’Souza’s What’s Wrong with Rights, and Paul O’Connell’s work on a critique of the displacement thesis. In critically discussing these contributions it introduces and elaborates on six theses which describe the relationship between rights and social struggle. The argument focuses on the important role of rights in the struggle between different social forces, as well as their limitations in promoting a critique of the structural roots of social inequality. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Parr

Abstract This commentary focuses upon the relationship between two themes in the target article: the ways in which a Markov blanket may be defined and the role of precision and salience in mediating the interactions between what is internal and external to a system. These each rest upon the different perspectives we might take while “choosing” a Markov blanket.


Crisis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 212-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Joiner ◽  
Melanie A. Hom ◽  
Megan L. Rogers ◽  
Carol Chu ◽  
Ian H. Stanley ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Lowered eye blink rate may be a clinically useful indicator of acute, imminent, and severe suicide risk. Diminished eye blink rates are often seen among individuals engaged in heightened concentration on a specific task that requires careful planning and attention. Indeed, overcoming one’s biological instinct for survival through suicide necessitates premeditation and concentration; thus, a diminished eye blink rate may signal imminent suicidality. Aims: This article aims to spur research and clinical inquiry into the role of eye blinks as an indicator of acute suicide risk. Method: Literature relevant to the potential connection between eye blink rate and suicidality was reviewed and synthesized. Results: Anecdotal, cognitive, neurological, and conceptual support for the relationship between decreased blink rate and suicide risk is outlined. Conclusion: Given that eye blinks are a highly observable behavior, the potential clinical utility of using eye blink rate as a marker of suicide risk is immense. Research is warranted to explore the association between eye blink rate and acute suicide risk.


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin N. Stevens ◽  
Joseph R. Bardeen ◽  
Kyle W. Murdock

Parenting behaviors – specifically behaviors characterized by high control, intrusiveness, rejection, and overprotection – and effortful control have each been implicated in the development of anxiety pathology. However, little research has examined the protective role of effortful control in the relation between parenting and anxiety symptoms, specifically among adults. Thus, we sought to explore the unique and interactive effects of parenting and effortful control on anxiety among adults (N = 162). Results suggest that effortful control uniquely contributes to anxiety symptoms above and beyond that of any parenting behavior. Furthermore, effortful control acted as a moderator of the relationship between parental overprotection and anxiety, such that overprotection is associated with anxiety only in individuals with lower levels of effortful control. Implications for potential prevention and intervention efforts which specifically target effortful control are discussed. These findings underscore the importance of considering individual differences in self-regulatory abilities when examining associations between putative early-life risk factors, such as parenting, and anxiety symptoms.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole L. Hofman ◽  
Austin M. Hahn ◽  
Christine K. Tirabassi ◽  
Raluca M. Gaher

Abstract. Exposure to traumatic events and the associated risk of developing Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms is a significant and overlooked concern in the college population. It is important for current research to identify potential protective factors associated with the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms unique to this population. Emotional intelligence and perceived social support are two identified protective factors that influence the association between exposure to traumatic events and PTSD symptomology. The current study examined the mediating role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. Participants included 443 trauma-exposed university students who completed online questionnaires. The results of this study indicated that social support mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and reported PTSD symptoms. Thus, emotional intelligence is significantly associated with PTSD symptoms and social support may play an integral role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD. The current study is the first to investigate the role of social support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and PTSD symptoms. These findings have important treatment and prevention implications with regard to PTSD.


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