The effect of Bonyan-Method Experiential Marathon Structured Groups (BEMSG) on ego functions

The present research has studied Bonyan-Method Experiential Marathon Structured Groups' efficacy on the nonclinical populations' ego functions. This study was a quasi-experimental trial with a control group. The trial group participated in the marathon group on three consecutive days (36 hours) and weekly sessions for three weeks. Then the ego function evaluation questionnaire was simultaneously given to both groups. All ego functions in the trial group showed significant growth compared to the control group. Among these, the most remarkable statistical effect size was related to "Adaptive Regression in Service of the Ego" and "Stimulus barrier." The relationship between improving ego functions and mental health can be anticipated, and steps can be taken to promote the community’s mental health by using these groups.

Structure and Properties of Mixed Former Aluminum Borate Glasses Modified With Silver Oxide

The current study focuses on glass preparation and characterization in the xAl2O3 (35-x) Ag2O.65B2O3 system (0≤x≤35 mol%), where Ag2O is replaced with Al2O3. To examine a wide range of both structure and morphology of the produced glasses, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of 27Al nuclei, X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used. Changing the Al2O3 and Ag2O molar ratios reveals a substantial change in material structure. In Al2O3-rich glass, the well-formed AlO6, AlO5, and AlO4 structured groups are the well-formed units. In samples of (20 and 30 mol % Al2O3), tetrahedral AlO4 and traces from AlO6 units may be detected. At lower concentrations of Al2O3 (10 mol%), the dominant unit is only AlO4 groups containing non-bridging oxygen bonds (NBO). The XRD and EDP spectra confirm the amorphous nature of the glasses of Al2O3 ˂ 20 mol%. Glasses of higher Al2O3 concentrations contain crystalline Ag2Al2B2O7 which are formed due to the higher oxygen packaging of the mixed AlO5 and AlO4 compared with that of glasses containing only AlO4 species. The amount of higher coordinated Al species AlO5 and AlO6 are gradually increased in response to an increase in the ratios of Al2O3/Ag2O. The morphology of crystalline units is confirmed from TEM to differ from that of an amorphous composition. The conductivity decreases and the activation energy for ionic conduction increase with increasing Al2O3. The hardness number of the studied glasses is highly increased with increasing Al2O3 content. The increase of activation energy and the hardness number of the glasses led to an increase in the durability of the investigated glasses.

The Effect of Bonyan-Method Experiential Marathon Structured Groups (BEMSG) on the Elements of the Five-Factor Model of Personality

Various studies have shown the effectiveness of marathon groups on improving participants' personality components. For the first time, the present study has studied the effectiveness of one of the oldest marathon groups in Iran on the personality elements of the Big Five model in the nonclinical population. This study was performed quasi-experimental with an experimental (n = 50) and a control group (n = 50). To meet the entry criteria, all applicants were screened while completing a comprehensive demographic questionnaire. The experimental group participated in the marathon group on three days in a row (for 36 hours) and three weekly follow-up sessions. At the end of the third follow-up session, the NEO FFI questionnaire was simultaneously given to the experimental and control groups. The mean difference statistical tests showed that the score of all personality elements in the experimental group compared to the control group had changed significantly (P <0.05). Among these, the largest effects size are related to "extraversion", "responsibility" and "openness to experience" (d> 0.4), respectively. Individual and group constructive experiential games and intensive and sequential feedback processes in Bonyan-method experiential marathon groups seem to improve the Big 5 personality components in the nonclinical population. Considering the relationship between improving the components of personality and mental health, it can be predicted that important steps can be taken to promote the community's mental health and prevent psychological damage by using these groups.

Predicting and reasoning about replicability using structured groups

This paper explores judgements about the replicability of social and behavioural sciences research, and what drives those judgements. Using a mixed methods approach, it draws on qualitative and quantitative data elicited using a structured iterative approach for eliciting judgements from groups, called the IDEA protocol (‘Investigate’, ‘Discuss’, ‘Estimate’ and ‘Aggregate’). Five groups of five people separately assessed the replicability of 25 ‘known-outcome’ claims. That is, social and behavioural science claims that have already been subject to at least one replication study. Specifically, participants assessed the probability that each of the 25 research claims will replicate (i.e. a replication study would find a statistically significant result in the same direction as the original study). In addition to their quantitative judgements, participants also outlined the reasoning behind their judgements. To start, we quantitatively analysed some possible correlates of predictive accuracy, such as self-rated understanding and expertise in assessing each claim, and updating of judgements after feedback and discussion. Then we qualitatively analysed the reasoning data (i.e., the comments and justifications people provided for their judgements) to explore the cues and heuristics used, and features of group discussion that accompanied more and less accurate judgements.

Organisations as Computing Systems

Organisations are computing systems. The university’s sports centre is a computing system for managing sports teams and facilities. The tenure committee is a computing system for assigning tenure status. Despite an increasing number of publications in group ontology, the computational nature of organisations has not been recognised. The present paper is the first in this debate to propose a theory of organisations as groups structured for computing. I begin by describing the current situation in group ontology and by spelling out the thesis in more detail. I then present the example of a sports centre to illustrate why one might intuitively think of organisations as computing systems. To substantiate the thesis, I introduce Piccinini’s restrictive analysis of physical computation. As I show, organisations meet all criteria for being computing systems. Organisations are structured groups with the function of manipulating medium-independent vehicles according to rules. Furthermore, I argue for the modal claim that this is a necessary feature of organisations. Having sketched the computational account of organisations, I compare it to other proposals in the literature.

The Impact of Barriers on the Disproportionate Regional Development: A Review and Analysis

The article is aimed at distinguishing and analyzing the barriers to economic development of Ukraine, forming a theoretical basis for the implementation of a convergent development strategy in order to overcome them in both the short and the long term. The article analyzes the impact of barriers on the disproportionate development of regions, which, in turn, has negative consequences for the convergent development of regions. The author structured groups of barriers to economic development of the regions of Ukraine and provided their characterizations. The barriers are defined as those most easy to overcome and those overcoming which is difficult even in the long run. In the course of the research, the most important barriers as to the development of regions are distinguished, namely: arising from resource shortages; socio-political and cultural; related to planning; organizational and institutional; related to current management; related to monitoring and control. The author presents the conception of convergent economic development, directed, in particular, towards overcoming the extant barriers that slow down the development of regions. The relevance of a more detailed research of the development of regions of Ukraine within the framework of a single conception of convergence to unify the approach to overcoming the impact of barriers on the disproportionate development of regions is substantiated. It is proved that the conception of convergent development of regions is a holistic idea of the equilibrium development of regions, which includes a set of subjects and objects of regional development, a system of agreed goals and means of their achievement aimed at balancing and coordinating the development indicators and overcoming barriers. It is determined that the prerequisite for the effective implementation of the conception of convergent development of the regions of Ukraine is their adaptability – that is, the ability to respond to new requirements and opportunities arising from innovative upgrades of technology, innovations, modernization in management. The author also proves that there is a need to limit the scale of disparities in the economic development of regions by leveling the development barriers, which constitutes one of the main tasks of regional policy.

The Disquiet Junto as an Online Community of Practice

The reproduction and evolution of knowledge happens most effectively within communities of practice, structured groups that give learners a sense of membership, or at least aspiration to membership. The group should include expert practitioners to whom learners have access, and the community should create space for legitimate participation by the least expert, most peripheral members. Members of a community of practice need not be in close physical proximity, as long as they can communicate. The internet supports communities of practice by linking experts with learners, supporting platforms for storing and disseminating resources and tools, and enabling discussion. The Disquiet Junto is an exemplary online community of practice where members can complete a compositional challenge every week. Junto projects frequently have members remixing one another’s music, and sometimes remixing each other’s remixes. It turns the sometimes lonely art of composition into a lively ongoing musical conversation spanning the entire world. Furthermore, the organizer asks participants to document their technical and creative processes, which makes the Junto an invaluable peer-to-peer learning resource.

Social inequalities over the lifecourse and healthy ageing in Aotearoa/New Zealand: differences by Māori ethnicity and gender

Lifecourse approaches to healthy ageing recognise that health in older age is affected by long-term cumulative inequalities between socio-economic status (SES), gender and ethnicity groups, which begin in childhood. Combining longitudinal survey data with lifecourse history interviews from 729 older New Zealanders aged 61–81 (mean = 72, standard deviation = 4.5), we tested a lifecourse model of predictors of physical, mental and social health in older age. Latent growth curve and mediation analysis showed that the link between childhood SES and late-life health (over 10 years) was mediated by education, occupation and adult wealth. To account for the moderating effects of gender and ethnicity, we modelled the effects for sub-groups separately (225 non-Māori women, 158 Māori women, 219 non-Māori men and 127 Māori men). Childhood SES was an important predictor of later-life health, mediated by education and adult SES for all participants and for non-Māori men. However, there were significantly different pathways for Māori men and for women. Māori men and women and non-Māori women did not attain the same health benefits from higher childhood SES and education as non-Māori men. Findings point to the importance of considering the mediators of lifelong impacts on health in older age, and recognition of how membership of different socially structured groups produces different pathways to late-life health.

Collective-Action Problems and Institutional Systems

A society’s prospects for development depend on its ability to resolve collective-action problems (CAPs). Resolution depends on underlying institutional contexts. Inequality permeates these interactions. This chapter introduces CAPs, institutions, institutional systems, social orders, and political settlements. CAPs arise when individuals, pursuing their own goals, generate undesirable outcomes for some group. First-order CAPs concern forms of free riding; second-order CAPs concern orchestrating the coordination and enforcement that render agreements to limit free riding credible. Discussion proceeds to distinguish informal and formal institutions (norms and rules) from organizations (structured groups of individuals that can take action). Institutional systems are complementary mixes of institutions and organizations, where the latter play critical roles in resolving second-order CAPs. Social orders are large-scale institutional systems. Political settlements are mutual understandings that limit organized violence by addressing broad allocations of authority and benefits.