What Makes a Team? The Composition of Small Groups for C.A.I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellows, B. P.

This study examined the task performance and social interaction of young children who used a computer to learn map skills. Specifically, ability and sex were examined in relation to students' achievement on a social studies task and in relation to student interaction in small groups. Subjects were 66 second grade students in 3 different…

Small Groups in a Social Learning MOOC (sIMOOC): Strategies for Fostering Learning and Knowledge Creation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krasny, Marianne E.; DuBois, Bryce; Adameit, Mechthild; Atiogbe, Ronnie; Alfakihuddin, Muhammad Lukman Baihaqi; Bold-erdene, Tergel; Golshani, Zahra; González-González, Rodrigo; Kimirei, Ishmael; Leung, Yamme; Shian-Yun, Lo; Yao, Yue

2018-01-01

Social support and face-to-face learning may enhance outcomes for students who face barriers in accessing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). This study investigated how self-identified volunteer leaders guide and foster interactions among small groups of students who face technical and conceptual barriers in accessing MOOC content. Several…

Teaching Small Group Communication: The Do Good Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minei, Elizabeth M.

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on the parameters of a semester-long project called the "Do Good" project, geared towards developing small group communication skills in undergraduate students. This project highlights participation in a social engagement project that allows students to bridge concepts learned in small group communication lectures…

The importance of aquaculture community group (ACG) in social media (Facebook) towards the aquaculture knowledge and financial improvement of small scale fish farmers (SSFF) in rural areas of Central Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elfitasari, T.; Nugroho, R. A.; Nugroho, A. P.

2018-04-01

Internet is now widely used by people all over the world, including small scale fisheries communities such as fish farmers. Many applications are being created including social media Facebook which are used by small scale fish farmers (SSFF) for its ease and convenience. The objective of this research is to identify the impact of aquaculture community group (ACG) in social media Facebook towards the improvement of aquaculture knowledge and financial condition of small scale fish farmers in Central Java. This research used quantitative approach where questionnaires were distributed into two groups: SSFF who are member of ACG in social media Facebook and who are not. Sampling technique used random sampling, used 60 samples of SSFF in Central Java. Data obtained were tested using the test statistic Independent t-test using SPSS v.20. Result showed a significant effect of group who are member of ACG in social media Facebook and those who are not, towards the aquaculture knowledge (t count -7.424 and sig 0.000) and financial improvement (t -3.775 and sig 0.000). The results of the average value of the SSFF who are ACG member in Facebook are also higher than farmers who are not.

The American Cowboy: Developing Small Group Social Studies Interaction Experiences in the Elementary Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Edward, Jr.

Appropriate for elementary school students, this resource unit on the American cowboy provides four activities for small group work. The unit also lists objectives and discusses the organization and dynamics of small groups. The general objective is for the student to learn how to work within groups and how to resolve group conflict. The…

Dynamical networks of influence in small group discussions.

PubMed

Moussaïd, Mehdi; Noriega Campero, Alejandro; Almaatouq, Abdullah

2018-01-01

In many domains of life, business and management, numerous problems are addressed by small groups of individuals engaged in face-to-face discussions. While research in social psychology has a long history of studying the determinants of small group performances, the internal dynamics that govern a group discussion are not yet well understood. Here, we rely on computational methods based on network analyses and opinion dynamics to describe how individuals influence each other during a group discussion. We consider the situation in which a small group of three individuals engages in a discussion to solve an estimation task. We propose a model describing how group members gradually influence each other and revise their judgments over the course of the discussion. The main component of the model is an influence network-a weighted, directed graph that determines the extent to which individuals influence each other during the discussion. In simulations, we first study the optimal structure of the influence network that yields the best group performances. Then, we implement a social learning process by which individuals adapt to the past performance of their peers, thereby affecting the structure of the influence network in the long run. We explore the mechanisms underlying the emergence of efficient or maladaptive networks and show that the influence network can converge towards the optimal one, but only when individuals exhibit a social discounting bias by downgrading the relative performances of their peers. Finally, we find a late-speaker effect, whereby individuals who speak later in the discussion are perceived more positively in the long run and are thus more influential. The numerous predictions of the model can serve as a basis for future experiments, and this work opens research on small group discussion to computational social sciences.

Dynamical networks of influence in small group discussions

PubMed Central

Noriega Campero, Alejandro; Almaatouq, Abdullah

2018-01-01

In many domains of life, business and management, numerous problems are addressed by small groups of individuals engaged in face-to-face discussions. While research in social psychology has a long history of studying the determinants of small group performances, the internal dynamics that govern a group discussion are not yet well understood. Here, we rely on computational methods based on network analyses and opinion dynamics to describe how individuals influence each other during a group discussion. We consider the situation in which a small group of three individuals engages in a discussion to solve an estimation task. We propose a model describing how group members gradually influence each other and revise their judgments over the course of the discussion. The main component of the model is an influence network—a weighted, directed graph that determines the extent to which individuals influence each other during the discussion. In simulations, we first study the optimal structure of the influence network that yields the best group performances. Then, we implement a social learning process by which individuals adapt to the past performance of their peers, thereby affecting the structure of the influence network in the long run. We explore the mechanisms underlying the emergence of efficient or maladaptive networks and show that the influence network can converge towards the optimal one, but only when individuals exhibit a social discounting bias by downgrading the relative performances of their peers. Finally, we find a late-speaker effect, whereby individuals who speak later in the discussion are perceived more positively in the long run and are thus more influential. The numerous predictions of the model can serve as a basis for future experiments, and this work opens research on small group discussion to computational social sciences. PMID:29338013

Democracy and Leadership in Basic Writing Small Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurth, Lita

Commonly accepted ideas, on the one hand, about how small groups in a writing class should work and, on the other hand, psychological research about what makes a small group work well are not consistent. Social psychologist Clovis Shepherd claims that the "popular notion that the democratic ideal is a group in which all members exert an equal…

MSEE: Stochastic Cognitive Linguistic Behavior Models for Semantic Sensing

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

recognition, a Gaussian Process Dynamic Model with Social Network Analysis (GPDM-SNA) for a small human group action recognition, an extended GPDM-SNA...44  3.2. Small Human Group Activity Modeling Based on Gaussian Process Dynamic Model and Social Network Analysis (SN-GPDM...51  Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. 3 3.2.3. Gaussian Process Dynamical Model and

The social brain: scale-invariant layering of Erdős-Rényi networks in small-scale human societies.

PubMed

Harré, Michael S; Prokopenko, Mikhail

2016-05-01

The cognitive ability to form social links that can bind individuals together into large cooperative groups for safety and resource sharing was a key development in human evolutionary and social history. The 'social brain hypothesis' argues that the size of these social groups is based on a neurologically constrained capacity for maintaining long-term stable relationships. No model to date has been able to combine a specific socio-cognitive mechanism with the discrete scale invariance observed in ethnographic studies. We show that these properties result in nested layers of self-organizing Erdős-Rényi networks formed by each individual's ability to maintain only a small number of social links. Each set of links plays a specific role in the formation of different social groups. The scale invariance in our model is distinct from previous 'scale-free networks' studied using much larger social groups; here, the scale invariance is in the relationship between group sizes, rather than in the link degree distribution. We also compare our model with a dominance-based hierarchy and conclude that humans were probably egalitarian in hunter-gatherer-like societies, maintaining an average maximum of four or five social links connecting all members in a largest social network of around 132 people. © 2016 The Author(s).

Using Video Self-Modelling to Increase Active Learning Responses during Small-Group Reading Instruction for Primary School Pupils with Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young-Pelton, Cheryl A.; Bushman, Samantha L.

2015-01-01

Effectiveness of a video self-modelling (VSM) intervention was examined with primary schoolchildren who attended a full-time special education programme for pupils with social emotional and behavioural difficulties and who exhibited inappropriate behaviour during small-group reading instruction. A randomised multiple-probe baseline design was used…

A Multi-Modal Active Learning Experience for Teaching Social Categorization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwarzmueller, April

2011-01-01

This article details a multi-modal active learning experience to help students understand elements of social categorization. Each student in a group dynamics course observed two groups in conflict and identified examples of in-group bias, double-standard thinking, out-group homogeneity bias, law of small numbers, group attribution error, ultimate…

The Social System in Outdoor Adventure Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibthorp, Jim; Jostad, Jeremy

2014-01-01

Many components of the social system interact with one another to produce group-level behavior that determines the functionality of the small group in outdoor adventure education (OAE). This article synthesizes the contemporary literature and theory regarding eight aspects of the OAE social system: (a) Macro Contextual Factors, (b) Student…

What Factors Influence Well-being of Students on Performing Small Group Discussion?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulanyani, N. M. S.; Vembriati, N.

2018-01-01

Generally, Faculty of Medicine of Udayana University applied Small Group Discussion (SGD) in its learning process. If group problem solving succeeds, each individual of the group will individually succeed. However, the success is also determined by each individual’s level of psychological well-being. When the students are in the high level of wellbeing, they will feel comfortable in small group discussion, and teamwork will be effective. Therefore, it is needed to conduct a research which investigates how psychological factors, such as traits, needs, cognitive, and social intelligence, influence students’ wellbeing in performing SGD. This research is also initiated by several cases of students who prefer individual learning and take SGD merely to fulfill attendance requirement. If the students have good wellbeing, they will take the SGD process optimally. The subject of this research was 100 students of Faculty of Medicine of Udayana University. This survey research used psychological test assessment, Psychological well-being scale, and Social Intelligence scale to gain data analyzed quantitatively. The results showed that all aspects of traits together with aspects ‘need for rules and supervision’ affect social intelligence. Furthermore, social intelligence factor with cognitive factors influence wellbeing of the students in the process of SGD.

Optimal group size in a highly social mammal

PubMed Central

Markham, A. Catherine; Gesquiere, Laurence R.; Alberts, Susan C.; Altmann, Jeanne

2015-01-01

Group size is an important trait of social animals, affecting how individuals allocate time and use space, and influencing both an individual’s fitness and the collective, cooperative behaviors of the group as a whole. Here we tested predictions motivated by the ecological constraints model of group size, examining the effects of group size on ranging patterns and adult female glucocorticoid (stress hormone) concentrations in five social groups of wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus) over an 11-y period. Strikingly, we found evidence that intermediate-sized groups have energetically optimal space-use strategies; both large and small groups experience ranging disadvantages, in contrast to the commonly reported positive linear relationship between group size and home range area and daily travel distance, which depict a disadvantage only in large groups. Specifically, we observed a U-shaped relationship between group size and home range area, average daily distance traveled, evenness of space use within the home range, and glucocorticoid concentrations. We propose that a likely explanation for these U-shaped patterns is that large, socially dominant groups are constrained by within-group competition, whereas small, socially subordinate groups are constrained by between-group competition and predation pressures. Overall, our results provide testable hypotheses for evaluating group-size constraints in other group-living species, in which the costs of intra- and intergroup competition vary as a function of group size. PMID:26504236

Domain-specific rationality in human choices: violations of utility axioms and social contexts.

PubMed

Wang, X T

1996-07-01

This study presents a domain-specific view of human decision rationality. It explores social and ecological domain-specific psychological mechanisms underlying choice biases and violations of utility axioms. Results from both the USA and China revealed a social group domain-specific choice pattern. The irrational preference reversal in a hypothetical life-death decision problem (a classical example of framing effects) was eliminated by providing a small group or family context in which most subjects favored a risky choice option regardless of the positive/negative framing of choice outcomes. The risk preference data also indicate that the subjective scope of small group domain is larger for Chinese subjects, suggesting that human choice mechanisms are sensitive to culturally specific features of group living. A further experiment provided evidence that perceived fairness might be one major factor regulating the choice preferences found in small group (kith-and-kin) contexts. Finally, the violation of the stochastic dominance axiom of the rational theory of choice was predicted and tested. The violations were found only when the "life-death" problem was presented in small group contexts; the strongest violation was found in a family context. These results suggest that human decisions and choices are regulated by domain-specific choice mechanisms designed to solve evolutionary recurrent and adaptively important problems.

When is bigger better? The effects of group size on the evolution of helping behaviours.

PubMed

Powers, Simon T; Lehmann, Laurent

2017-05-01

Understanding the evolution of sociality in humans and other species requires understanding how selection on social behaviour varies with group size. However, the effects of group size are frequently obscured in the theoretical literature, which often makes assumptions that are at odds with empirical findings. In particular, mechanisms are suggested as supporting large-scale cooperation when they would in fact rapidly become ineffective with increasing group size. Here we review the literature on the evolution of helping behaviours (cooperation and altruism), and frame it using a simple synthetic model that allows us to delineate how the three main components of the selection pressure on helping must vary with increasing group size. The first component is the marginal benefit of helping to group members, which determines both direct fitness benefits to the actor and indirect fitness benefits to recipients. While this is often assumed to be independent of group size, marginal benefits are in practice likely to be maximal at intermediate group sizes for many types of collective action problems, and will eventually become very small in large groups due to the law of decreasing marginal returns. The second component is the response of social partners on the past play of an actor, which underlies conditional behaviour under repeated social interactions. We argue that under realistic conditions on the transmission of information in a population, this response on past play decreases rapidly with increasing group size so that reciprocity alone (whether direct, indirect, or generalised) cannot sustain cooperation in very large groups. The final component is the relatedness between actor and recipient, which, according to the rules of inheritance, again decreases rapidly with increasing group size. These results explain why helping behaviours in very large social groups are limited to cases where the number of reproducing individuals is small, as in social insects, or where there are social institutions that can promote (possibly through sanctioning) large-scale cooperation, as in human societies. Finally, we discuss how individually devised institutions can foster the transition from small-scale to large-scale cooperative groups in human evolution. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Processing power limits social group size: computational evidence for the cognitive costs of sociality

PubMed Central

Dávid-Barrett, T.; Dunbar, R. I. M.

2013-01-01

Sociality is primarily a coordination problem. However, the social (or communication) complexity hypothesis suggests that the kinds of information that can be acquired and processed may limit the size and/or complexity of social groups that a species can maintain. We use an agent-based model to test the hypothesis that the complexity of information processed influences the computational demands involved. We show that successive increases in the kinds of information processed allow organisms to break through the glass ceilings that otherwise limit the size of social groups: larger groups can only be achieved at the cost of more sophisticated kinds of information processing that are disadvantageous when optimal group size is small. These results simultaneously support both the social brain and the social complexity hypotheses. PMID:23804623

Observational Learning of Academic and Social Behaviors during Small-Group Direct Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledford, Jennifer R.; Wolery, Mark

2015-01-01

Many studies have shown that small-group direct instruction is effective and efficient for teaching students with and without disabilities, although relatively few studies have been conducted with heterogeneous groups of preschool participants. In addition, previous studies have primarily assessed whether observational learning occurred for…

Social Preference Choices in Late Elementary School: Within and across Group Nominations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Thomas W.; Leung, Man-Chi; Keagy, Kristen; Boudah, Daniel J.; Akos, Patrick; McDonough, Erin; Hall, Cristin M.

2009-01-01

This study examined the social preference nominations (i.e., "liked most" and "liked least") in relation to peer group and classroom social dynamics in a sample of 622 fifth graders from 11 schools in a southeastern state. Liked most and liked least nominations were given to a small concentration of students within classrooms.…

SYMLOG in the Communication Classroom: Applications for Small Group Communication Behavior Awareness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillmer, Barbara Hoehn; Blubaugh, Jon A.

The development of skills for group evaluation and facilitation in today's team environment is an essential component of the learning process for the student of communication. Until recently there has been no integrated model for the consideration of small groups and teams that incorporated findings from psychology, social psychology, management…

Emergent Leadership in Children's Cooperative Problem Solving Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Jingjng; Anderson, Richard C.; Perry, Michelle; Lin, Tzu-Jung

2017-01-01

Social skills involved in leadership were examined in a problem-solving activity in which 252 Chinese 5th-graders worked in small groups on a spatial-reasoning puzzle. Results showed that students who engaged in peer-managed small-group discussions of stories prior to problem solving produced significantly better solutions and initiated…

Understanding Groups in Outdoor Adventure Education through Social Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jostad, Jeremy; Sibthorp, Jim; Paisley, Karen

2013-01-01

Relationships are a critical component to the experience of an outdoor adventure education (OAE) program, therefore, more fruitful ways of investigating groups is needed. Social network analysis (SNA) is an effective tool to study the relationship structure of small groups. This paper provides an explanation of SNA and shows how it was used by the…

A Life-Cycle Model of Human Social Groups Produces a U-Shaped Distribution in Group Size.

PubMed

Salali, Gul Deniz; Whitehouse, Harvey; Hochberg, Michael E

2015-01-01

One of the central puzzles in the study of sociocultural evolution is how and why transitions from small-scale human groups to large-scale, hierarchically more complex ones occurred. Here we develop a spatially explicit agent-based model as a first step towards understanding the ecological dynamics of small and large-scale human groups. By analogy with the interactions between single-celled and multicellular organisms, we build a theory of group lifecycles as an emergent property of single cell demographic and expansion behaviours. We find that once the transition from small-scale to large-scale groups occurs, a few large-scale groups continue expanding while small-scale groups gradually become scarcer, and large-scale groups become larger in size and fewer in number over time. Demographic and expansion behaviours of groups are largely influenced by the distribution and availability of resources. Our results conform to a pattern of human political change in which religions and nation states come to be represented by a few large units and many smaller ones. Future enhancements of the model should include decision-making rules and probabilities of fragmentation for large-scale societies. We suggest that the synthesis of population ecology and social evolution will generate increasingly plausible models of human group dynamics.

A Life-Cycle Model of Human Social Groups Produces a U-Shaped Distribution in Group Size

PubMed Central

Salali, Gul Deniz; Whitehouse, Harvey; Hochberg, Michael E.

2015-01-01

One of the central puzzles in the study of sociocultural evolution is how and why transitions from small-scale human groups to large-scale, hierarchically more complex ones occurred. Here we develop a spatially explicit agent-based model as a first step towards understanding the ecological dynamics of small and large-scale human groups. By analogy with the interactions between single-celled and multicellular organisms, we build a theory of group lifecycles as an emergent property of single cell demographic and expansion behaviours. We find that once the transition from small-scale to large-scale groups occurs, a few large-scale groups continue expanding while small-scale groups gradually become scarcer, and large-scale groups become larger in size and fewer in number over time. Demographic and expansion behaviours of groups are largely influenced by the distribution and availability of resources. Our results conform to a pattern of human political change in which religions and nation states come to be represented by a few large units and many smaller ones. Future enhancements of the model should include decision-making rules and probabilities of fragmentation for large-scale societies. We suggest that the synthesis of population ecology and social evolution will generate increasingly plausible models of human group dynamics. PMID:26381745

Disease dynamics and costly punishment can foster socially imposed monogamy.

PubMed

Bauch, Chris T; McElreath, Richard

2016-04-05

Socially imposed monogamy in humans is an evolutionary puzzle because it requires costly punishment by those who impose the norm. Moreover, most societies were--and are--polygynous; yet many larger human societies transitioned from polygyny to socially imposed monogamy beginning with the advent of agriculture and larger residential groups. We use a simulation model to explore how interactions between group size, sexually transmitted infection (STI) dynamics and social norms can explain the timing and emergence of socially imposed monogamy. Polygyny dominates when groups are too small to sustain STIs. However, in larger groups, STIs become endemic (especially in concurrent polygynist networks) and have an impact on fertility, thereby mediating multilevel selection. Punishment of polygynists improves monogamist fitness within groups by reducing their STI exposure, and between groups by enabling punishing monogamist groups to outcompete polygynists. This suggests pathways for the emergence of socially imposed monogamy, and enriches our understanding of costly punishment evolution.

Disease dynamics and costly punishment can foster socially imposed monogamy

PubMed Central

Bauch, Chris T.; McElreath, Richard

2016-01-01

Socially imposed monogamy in humans is an evolutionary puzzle because it requires costly punishment by those who impose the norm. Moreover, most societies were—and are—polygynous; yet many larger human societies transitioned from polygyny to socially imposed monogamy beginning with the advent of agriculture and larger residential groups. We use a simulation model to explore how interactions between group size, sexually transmitted infection (STI) dynamics and social norms can explain the timing and emergence of socially imposed monogamy. Polygyny dominates when groups are too small to sustain STIs. However, in larger groups, STIs become endemic (especially in concurrent polygynist networks) and have an impact on fertility, thereby mediating multilevel selection. Punishment of polygynists improves monogamist fitness within groups by reducing their STI exposure, and between groups by enabling punishing monogamist groups to outcompete polygynists. This suggests pathways for the emergence of socially imposed monogamy, and enriches our understanding of costly punishment evolution. PMID:27044573

Who is the competent physics student? A study of students' positions and social interaction in small-group discussions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Due, Karin

2014-06-01

This article describes a study which explored the social interaction and the reproduction and challenge of gendered discourses in small group discussions in physics. Data for the study consisted of video recordings of eight upper secondary school groups solving physics problems and 15 audiotaped individual interviews with participating students. The analysis was based on gender theory viewing gender both as a process and a discourse. Specifically discursive psychology analysis was used to examine how students position themselves and their peers within discourses of physics and gender. The results of the study reveal how images of physics and of "skilled physics student" were constructed in the context of the interviews. These discourses were reconstructed in the students' discussions and their social interactions within groups. Traditional gendered positions were reconstructed, for example with boys positioned as more competent in physics than girls. These positions were however also resisted and challenged.

Further Evidence for the Efficacy of an Evidence-Based, Small Group, Literacy Intervention Program for Young Struggling Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheldall, Kevin; Wheldall, Robyn; Madelaine, Alison; Reynolds, Meree; Arakelian, Sarah

2017-01-01

An earlier series of pilot studies and small-scale experimental studies had previously provided some evidence for the efficacy of a small group early literacy intervention program for young struggling readers. The present paper provides further evidence for efficacy based on a much larger sample of young, socially disadvantaged, at-risk readers.…

Social Interaction of Children with and without Learning Disabilities in Dyads and Small Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiener, Judith; Harris, P. J.

To investigate differences in social behavior between learning disabled (LD) and non-learning disabled (NLD) children in different size groups and to examine the association between children's social behavior and acceptance by their peers, a study was conducted of 44 LD and 50 NLD boys and 7 LD and 13 NLD girls from fourth, fifth, and sixth grade…

Thinking Big or Small: Does Mental Abstraction Affect Social Network Organization?

PubMed Central

Bacev-Giles, Chantal; Peetz, Johanna

2016-01-01

Four studies examined how mental abstraction affects how people perceive their relationships with other people, specifically, how these relationships may be categorized in social groups. We expected that individuals induced to think abstractly would report fewer more global social groups, compared to those induced to think concretely, who would report more specific groups. However, induced abstract mindset did not affect how people structured their social groups (Study 2–4), despite evidence that the mindset manipulation changed the level of abstraction in their thoughts (Study 3) and evidence that it changed how people structured groups for a control condition (household objects, Study 4). Together, these studies suggest that while the way people organize their relationships into groups is malleable; cognitive abstraction does not seem to affect how people categorize their relationships into social groups. PMID:26808086

Social Transmission of False Memory in Small Groups and Large Networks.

PubMed

Maswood, Raeya; Rajaram, Suparna

2018-05-21

Sharing information and memories is a key feature of social interactions, making social contexts important for developing and transmitting accurate memories and also false memories. False memory transmission can have wide-ranging effects, including shaping personal memories of individuals as well as collective memories of a network of people. This paper reviews a collection of key findings and explanations in cognitive research on the transmission of false memories in small groups. It also reviews the emerging experimental work on larger networks and collective false memories. Given the reconstructive nature of memory, the abundance of misinformation in everyday life, and the variety of social structures in which people interact, an understanding of transmission of false memories has both scientific and societal implications. © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Ethnic diversity and value sharing: A longitudinal social network perspective on interactive group processes.

PubMed

Meeussen, Loes; Agneessens, Filip; Delvaux, Ellen; Phalet, Karen

2018-04-01

People often collaborate in groups that are increasingly diverse. As research predominantly investigated effects of diversity, the processes behind these effects remain understudied. We follow recent research that shows creating shared values is important for group functioning but seems hindered in high diversity groups - and use longitudinal social network analyses to study two interpersonal processes behind value sharing: creating relations between members or 'social bonding' (network tie formation and homophily) and sharing values - potentially through these relationships - or 'social norming' (network convergence and influence). We investigate these processes in small interactive groups with low and high ethnic diversity as they collaborate over time. In both low and high diversity groups, members showed social bonding and this creation of relations between members was not organized along ethnic lines. Low diversity groups also showed social norming: Members adjusted their relational values to others they liked and achievement values converged regardless of liking. In high diversity groups, however, there was no evidence for social norming. Thus, ethnic diversity seems to especially affect processes of social norming in groups, suggesting that targeted interventions should focus on facilitating social norming to stimulate value sharing in high diversity groups. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Modeling Physical Processes at the Nanoscale—Insight into Self-Organization of Small Systems (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proykova, Ana

2009-04-01

Essential contributions have been made in the field of finite-size systems of ingredients interacting with potentials of various ranges. Theoretical simulations have revealed peculiar size effects on stability, ground state structure, phases, and phase transformation of systems confined in space and time. Models developed in the field of pure physics (atomic and molecular clusters) have been extended and successfully transferred to finite-size systems that seem very different—small-scale financial markets, autoimmune reactions, and social group reactions to advertisements. The models show that small-scale markets diverge unexpectedly fast as a result of small fluctuations; autoimmune reactions are sequences of two discontinuous phase transitions; and social groups possess critical behavior (social percolation) under the influence of an external field (advertisement). Some predicted size-dependent properties have been experimentally observed. These findings lead to the hypothesis that restrictions on an object's size determine the object's total internal (configuration) and external (environmental) interactions. Since phases are emergent phenomena produced by self-organization of a large number of particles, the occurrence of a phase in a system containing a small number of ingredients is remarkable.

Social aspects of classroom learning: Results of a discourse analysis in an inquiry-oriented physical chemistry class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Nicole M.

Engaging students in classroom discourse offers opportunities for students to participate in the construction of joint understandings, to negotiate relationships between different types of evidence, and to practice making evidence-based claims about science content. However, close attention to social aspects of learning is critical to creating inquiry-oriented classroom environments in which students learn with understanding. This study examined the social influences that contribute to classroom learning in an inquiry-oriented undergraduate physical chemistry class using the Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) approach. A qualitative approach to analyzing classroom discourse derived from Toulmin's (1968) model of argumentation was used to document patterns in classroom reasoning that reflect normative aspects of social interaction. Adapting the constructs of social and sociomathematical norms from the work of Yackel and Cobb (1996), I describe social aspects of the classroom environment by discussing normative aspects of social interaction (social norms) and discipline-specific criteria related to reasoning and justification in chemistry contexts, referred to here as sociochemical norms. This work discusses four social norms and two sociochemical norms that were documented over a five-week period of observation in Dr. Black's POGIL physical chemistry class. In small group activities, the socially established expectations that students explain reasoning, negotiate understandings of terminology and symbolic representations, and arrive at a consensus on critical thinking questions shaped small group interactions and reasoning. In whole class discussion, there was an expectation that students share reasoning with the class, and that the instructor provide feedback on student reasoning in ways that extended student contributions and elaborated relationships between macroscopic, particulate, and symbolic-level ideas. The ways in which the class constructed evidence-based claims about chemistry content reflected the influence of sociochemical norms that were enacted through classroom discourse. Two sociochemical norms were documented in both whole class and small group activities: first, the class used particulate-level evidence to make claims about chemical and physical properties; second, particular ways of using mathematical reasoning to justify claims about thermodynamics content became normative for the class. These similarities and differences between social and sociochemical norms in small group and whole class discussion highlight ways in which instructor facilitation can support productive interactions in classroom activities.

Social Norms about a Health Issue in Work Group Networks

PubMed Central

Frank, Lauren B.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to advance theorizing about how small groups understand health issues through the use of social network analysis. To achieve this goal, an adapted cognitive social structure examines group social norms around a specific health issue, H1N1 flu prevention. As predicted, individual’s attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceived social norms were each positively associated with behavioral intentions for at least one of the H1N1 health behaviors studied. Moreover, collective norms of the whole group were also associated with behavioral intentions, even after controlling for how individual group members perceive those norms. For members of work groups in which pairs were perceived to agree in their support for H1N1 vaccination, the effect of individually perceived group norms on behavioral intentions was stronger than for groups with less agreement. PMID:26389934

The effect of antenatal education in small classes on obstetric and psycho-social outcomes - a systematic review.

PubMed

Brixval, Carina Sjöberg; Axelsen, Solveig Forberg; Lauemøller, Stine Glenstrup; Andersen, Stig Krøger; Due, Pernille; Koushede, Vibeke

2015-02-28

The aims of antenatal education are broad and encompass outcomes related to pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Both form and content of antenatal education have changed over time without evidence of effects on relevant outcomes. The effect of antenatal education in groups, with participation of a small number of participants, may differ from the effect of other forms of antenatal education due to, for example, group dynamic. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effects of antenatal education in small groups on obstetric as well as psycho-social outcomes. Bibliographic databases (Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsycINFO) were searched. We included randomized and quasi-randomized trials irrespective of language, publication year, publication type, and publication status. Only trials carried out in the Western world were considered in this review. Studies were assessed for bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results are presented as structured summaries of the included trials and as forest plots. We identified 5,708 records. Of these, 17 studies met inclusion criteria. Studies varied greatly in content of the experimental and control condition. All outcomes were only reported in a single or a few trials, leading to limited or uncertain confidence in effect estimates. Given the heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes and also the high risk of bias of studies, we are unable to draw definitive conclusions as to the impact of small group antenatal education on obstetric and psycho-social outcomes. Insufficient evidence exists as to whether antenatal education in small classes is effective in regard to obstetric and psycho-social outcomes. We recommend updating this review following the emergence of well-conducted randomized controlled trials with a low risk of bias. PROSPERO CRD42013004319.

Integrating Academic Interventions into Small Group Counseling in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steen, Sam; Kaffenberger, Carol J.

2007-01-01

Professional school counselors face the challenge of delivering guidance and counseling services to students while connecting to the educational mission of schools. This article is a summary and evaluation of a small group counseling program that targets academic issues while addressing personal/social issues with elementary-aged children. Results…

Climate-mediated cooperation promotes niche expansion in burying beetles.

PubMed

Sun, Syuan-Jyun; Rubenstein, Dustin R; Chen, Bo-Fei; Chan, Shih-Fan; Liu, Jian-Nan; Liu, Mark; Hwang, Wenbe; Yang, Ping-Shih; Shen, Sheng-Feng

2014-05-13

The ability to form cooperative societies may explain why humans and social insects have come to dominate the earth. Here we examine the ecological consequences of cooperation by quantifying the fitness of cooperative (large groups) and non-cooperative (small groups) phenotypes in burying beetles (Nicrophorus nepalensis) along an elevational and temperature gradient. We experimentally created large and small groups along the gradient and manipulated interspecific competition with flies by heating carcasses. We show that cooperative groups performed as thermal generalists with similarly high breeding success at all temperatures and elevations, whereas non-cooperative groups performed as thermal specialists with higher breeding success only at intermediate temperatures and elevations. Studying the ecological consequences of cooperation may not only help us to understand why so many species of social insects have conquered the earth, but also to determine how climate change will affect the success of these and other social species, including our own.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02440.001. Copyright © 2014, Sun et al.

Climate-mediated cooperation promotes niche expansion in burying beetles

PubMed Central

Sun, Syuan-Jyun; Rubenstein, Dustin R; Chen, Bo-Fei; Chan, Shih-Fan; Liu, Jian-Nan; Liu, Mark; Hwang, Wenbe; Yang, Ping-Shih; Shen, Sheng-Feng

2014-01-01

The ability to form cooperative societies may explain why humans and social insects have come to dominate the earth. Here we examine the ecological consequences of cooperation by quantifying the fitness of cooperative (large groups) and non-cooperative (small groups) phenotypes in burying beetles (Nicrophorus nepalensis) along an elevational and temperature gradient. We experimentally created large and small groups along the gradient and manipulated interspecific competition with flies by heating carcasses. We show that cooperative groups performed as thermal generalists with similarly high breeding success at all temperatures and elevations, whereas non-cooperative groups performed as thermal specialists with higher breeding success only at intermediate temperatures and elevations. Studying the ecological consequences of cooperation may not only help us to understand why so many species of social insects have conquered the earth, but also to determine how climate change will affect the success of these and other social species, including our own. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02440.001 PMID:24842999

Outcome-Based Evaluation of a Social Skills Program Using Art Therapy and Group Therapy for Children on the Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epp, Kathleen Marie

2008-01-01

There is a paucity of literature on social skills therapy for students on the autism spectrum, revealing an urgent need for additional research. Past research has focused on the use of small groups or single-case study designs. The present study examines the effectiveness of a social skills therapy program for school-age children ages 11 through…

Women's Literacy and Numeracy Practices Oriented toward Small-Scale Social Action in Northern Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mein, Erika

2010-01-01

This article looks at literacy from social and critical perspectives in order to understand the literacy and numeracy practices of women in small savings groups in northern Mexico. In this case, women's literacy and numeracy practices were not only situated in a rural desert context but also oriented toward concrete action to address their…

Improving Sibling Relationships among Young Children: A Social Skills Training Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer, Laurie; Radey, Chad

1997-01-01

Evaluates a new approach to improving sibling relationships in which social skills training was used to coach small groups of children (n=21) in prosocial sibling behaviors. Results show that children in the training group exhibited increased warmth, decreased rivalry, fewer problematic sibling behaviors, and a reduced status/power differential…

One bad apple: experimental effects of psychological conflict on social resilience

PubMed Central

Pincus, David

2014-01-01

Past research suggests that small groups are self-organizing systems, and that social resilience may be measured as the meta-flexibility of group dynamics: the ability to shift back and forth from flexiblity to rigidity in response to conflict. This study extends these prior results, examining the impact of experimentally induced internal conflict and group-level conflict resolution on group dynamics—whether one bad apple can spoil the bunch. Six experimental groups with four members each participated in a series of four 25 min discussions. The first two discussions served as a baseline condition. Internal conflict was induced to one or more group members prior to discussion three, with the prediction that higher levels of conflict induction would lead to significant drops in group flexibility—creating a press on the group's resilience, whereas conflict resolution in discussion four was expected to allow for a rebound in group flexibility. Consistent with prior research, the turn-taking dynamics of each the 24 groups were distributed as inverse power laws (R2 = 0.86–0.99) providing evidence for self-organization. Furthermore, there were significant study-wise negative correlation between levels of personality conflict and two measures of flexibility: information entropy (r = −0.47, p = 0.019) and fractal dimension (r = −0.42, p = 0.037). Altogether, these results suggest that: (i) small groups are self-organizing systems with structure and flexibility providing social resilience and (ii) individual conflict is able to spread to higher level social dynamics, creating pressure on social resilience. Practical implications for assessment of, and intervention with, psychosocial resilience are discussed. PMID:25285194

Making media work in space: an interdisciplinary perspective on media and communication requirements for current and future space communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babidge, S.; Cokley, J.; Gordon, F.; Louw, E.

2005-10-01

As humans expand into space communities will form. These have already begun to form in small ways, such as long-duration missions on the International Space Station and the space shuttle, and small-scale tourist excursions into space. Social, behavioural and communications data emerging from such existing communities in space suggest that the physically-bounded, work-oriented and traditionally male-dominated nature of these extremely remote groups present specific problems for the resident astronauts, groups of them viewed as ‘communities’, and their associated groups who remain on Earth, including mission controllers, management and astronauts’ families. Notionally feminine group attributes such as adaptive competence, social adaptation skills and social sensitivity will be crucial to the viability of space communities and in the absence of gender equity, ‘staying in touch’ by means of ‘news from home’ becomes more important than ever. A template of news and media forms and technologies is suggested to service those needs and enhance the social viability of future terraforming activities.

Sympatric Woodland Myotis Bats Form Tight-Knit Social Groups with Exclusive Roost Home Ranges

PubMed Central

August, Tom A.; Nunn, Miles A.; Fensome, Amy G.; Linton, Danielle M.; Mathews, Fiona

2014-01-01

Background The structuring of wild animal populations can influence population dynamics, disease spread, and information transfer. Social network analysis potentially offers insights into these processes but is rarely, if ever, used to investigate more than one species in a community. We therefore compared the social, temporal and spatial networks of sympatric Myotis bats (M. nattereri (Natterer's bats) and M. daubentonii (Daubenton's bats)), and asked: (1) are there long-lasting social associations within species? (2) do the ranges occupied by roosting social groups overlap within or between species? (3) are M. daubentonii bachelor colonies excluded from roosting in areas used by maternity groups? Results Using data on 490 ringed M. nattereri and 978 M. daubentonii from 379 colonies, we found that both species formed stable social groups encompassing multiple colonies. M. nattereri formed 11 mixed-sex social groups with few (4.3%) inter-group associations. Approximately half of all M. nattereri were associated with the same individuals when recaptured, with many associations being long-term (>100 days). In contrast, M. daubentonii were sexually segregated; only a quarter of pairs were associated at recapture after a few days, and inter-sex associations were not long-lasting. Social groups of M. nattereri and female M. daubentonii had small roost home ranges (mean 0.2 km2 in each case). Intra-specific overlap was low, but inter-specific overlap was high, suggesting territoriality within but not between species. M. daubentonii bachelor colonies did not appear to be excluded from roosting areas used by females. Conclusions Our data suggest marked species- and sex-specific patterns of disease and information transmission are likely between bats of the same genus despite sharing a common habitat. The clear partitioning of the woodland amongst social groups, and their apparent reliance on small patches of habitat for roosting, means that localised woodland management may be more important to bat conservation than previously recognised. PMID:25356770

Implicit signals in small group settings and their impact on the expression of cognitive capacity and associated brain responses

PubMed Central

Kishida, Kenneth T.; Yang, Dongni; Quartz, Karen Hunter; Quartz, Steven R.; Montague, P. Read

2012-01-01

Measures of intelligence, when broadcast, serve as salient signals of social status, which may be used to unjustly reinforce low-status stereotypes about out-groups' cultural norms. Herein, we investigate neurobehavioural signals manifest in small (n = 5) groups using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a ‘ranked group IQ task’ where implicit signals of social status are broadcast and differentiate individuals based on their expression of cognitive capacity. We report an initial overall decrease in the expression of cognitive capacity in the small group setting. However, the environment of the ‘ranked group IQ task’ eventually stratifies the population into two groups (‘high performers’, HP and ‘low performers’, LP) identifiable based on changes in estimated intelligence quotient and brain responses in the amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition, we demonstrate signals in the nucleus accumbens consistent with prediction errors in expected changes in status regardless of group membership. Our results suggest that individuals express diminished cognitive capacity in small groups, an effect that is exacerbated by perceived lower status within the group and correlated with specific neurobehavioural responses. The impact these reactions have on intergroup divisions and conflict resolution requires further investigation, but suggests that low-status groups may develop diminished capacity to mitigate conflict using non-violent means. PMID:22271786

Power and status within small groups: An analysis of students' verbal and nonverbal behavior and responses to one another

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, Lynnae Carol

The purpose of this research has been to determine the influence of verbal and nonverbal behavior on power and status within small groups. The interactions which took place within five small groups of students in a middle school spatial reasoning elective were analyzed. Verbal responses to requests for help were analyzed using sequential analysis techniques. Results indicated that the identity of the student asking a question or requesting help in some form or another is a better predictor of whether he/she will receive help than the type of questions he/she asks. Nonverbal behavior was analyzed for social gestures, body language, and shifts in possession of tools. Each nonverbal act was coded as either "positive" (encouraging participation) or "negative" (discouraging participation); and, the researchers found that in groups in which there was unequal participation and less "help" provided among peers (according to the verbal analysis results) there tended to be more "negative" nonverbal behavior demonstrated than in groups in which "shared talk time" and "helping behavior" were common characteristics of the norm. The combined results from the analyses of the verbal and nonverbal behavior of students within small groups were then reviewed through the conflict, power, status perspective of small group interactions in order to determine some common characteristics of high functioning (collaborative) and low functioning (non-collaborative) groups. Some common characteristics of the higher functioning groups include: few instances of conflict, shared "talk time" and decision making, inclusive leadership, frequent use of encouraging social gestures and body language, and more sharing of tools than seizing. Some shared traits among the lower functioning groups include: frequent occurrences of interpersonal conflict, a focus on process (rather than content), persuasive or alienating leadership, unequal participation and power, frequent use of discouraging social gestures and body language, and more seizing of tools than sharing. While "functionality" was easily defined, labeling groups according to this characteristic proved to be a more difficult task. Although there was clearly a "highest functioning" and a "lowest functioning" group among the five, the other three groups fell somewhere in between these two, along a continuum of group functioning.

The Structure of Positive Interpersonal Relations in Small Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, James A.; Leinhardt, Samuel

The authors sought to test Homans' proposition that small groups inevitably generate a social structure which combines subgroups (cliques) and a ranking system. We present a graph theoretical model of such a structure and prove that a necessary and sufficient condition for its existence is the absence of seven particular triad types. Expected…

Behavioral and biological interactions with small groups in confined microsocieties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brady, Joseph V.

1986-01-01

Research on small group performance in confined microsocieties was focused upon the development of principles and procedures relevant to the selection and training of space mission personnel, upon the investigation of behavioral programming, preventive monitoring and corrective procedures to enhance space mission performance effectiveness, and upon the evaluation of behavioral and physiological countermeasures to the potentially disruptive effects of unfamiliar and stressful environments. An experimental microsociety environment was designed and developed for continuous residence of human volunteers over extended time periods. Studies were then undertaken to analyze experimentally: (1) conditions that sustain group cohesion and productivity and that prevent social fragmentation and performance deterioration, (2) motivational effects performance requirements, and (3) behavioral and physiological effects resulting from changes in group size and composition. The results show that both individual and group productivity can be enhanced under such conditions by the direct application of contingency management principles to designated high-value tasks. Similarly, group cohesiveness can be promoted and individual social isolation and/or alienation prevented by the application of contingency management principles to social interaction segments of the program.

Complex Social Structure of an Endangered Population of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy)

PubMed Central

Blasi, Monica F.; Boitani, Luigi

2014-01-01

We investigated social structure and association patterns for a small population of Mediterranean bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, inhabiting the Aeolian Archipelago (southern Italy). Specifically we evaluate the role of sex and age composition, residency patterns and interaction with trammel nets on this social organization. Association data for 23 regularly sighted individuals were obtained from summer photoidentification surveys collected from 2005–2012. Using a combined cluster and social network analysis approach, we found associations between dolphins were hierarchically structured, where two mixed-sex social units were subdivided into smaller temporarily dynamic groups. We found non-random and long-term preferred associations in the population; however, the degree of social cohesion, residence pattern and interaction with trammel nets differed considerably between the two social units. Six of eight females occurred in the more resident social unit-1; in addition, social unit-1 individuals had significantly stronger associations, higher preferred associates, lived in larger groups and occurred less frequently with trammel nets. Nine of eleven males were clustered in social unit-2 and five of these males, interacting with trammel nets, formed small groups and preferred associations. We propose that female and male groups associate in the study area during the breeding season and that some males choose to interact with reproductive females forming a distinct but interrelated social unit. Other males may be associating in a larger fission-fusion network, which consists of dolphins that appear to temporarily join the network from the coastal population. We cannot exclude that some males specialized in trammel net foraging, suggesting that this foraging technique may favor a solitary lifestyle. Large group sizes and high degree of social cohesion for females could be an indication of greater protection and more efficiency in detecting, deterring or repelling anthropogenic pressures. Most likely dolphins' social organization depends on a combination of socio-ecological, demographic and anthropogenic factors. PMID:25494331

A Social Competence Intervention for Young Children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minne, Elizabeth Portman; Semrud-Clikeman, Margaret

2012-01-01

The key features of Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) include marked and sustained impairment in social interactions. A multi-session, small group program was developed to increase social perception based on the assumption perceptual or interpretive problems underlying these social difficulties. Additionally, the group…

Social Literacies across Communities, Cultures and Contexts. Adult Literacy Research Network.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Searle, Jean, Ed.

This document contains eight papers on social literacies across communities, cultures, and contexts in Australia. "Social Literacies" (Jean Searle) is an introduction to the other papers, which each report on small action research projects examining how particular groups of people use literacy. "Recognising Shifting Delivery Modes:…

Access to Behavioral Health Care for Geographically Remote Service Members and Dependents in the U.S.

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

economically and socially integrated regions surrounding dense urban areas and have at least 1 million inhabitants, such as Cleveland, Chicago , and...group. examples: new York, Chicago . Small metropolitan area Meets criteria for a large or small urban area and small CBSA. this group includes...Lynch, Donald S. Shepard , and Helen M. Pettinati, “The Effectiveness of Telephone-Based Continuing Care for Alcohol and Cocaine Dependence: 24-Month

Commons Dilemma Choices in Small vs. Large Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Richard B.; Boyle, William

The purpose of the Commons Game is to teach students how social traps work; that is, that short-term individual gain tends to dominate long-term collective gain. Simulations of Commons Dilemma have grown considerably in the last decade; however, the research has used small face-to-face groups to study behavior in the Commons. To compare the…

Improving Executive Functions in 5- and 6-year-olds: Evaluation of a Small Group Intervention in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Röthlisberger, Marianne; Neuenschwander, Regula; Cimeli, Patriza; Michel, Eva; Roebers, Claudia M.

2012-01-01

Research suggests a central role of executive functions for children's cognitive and social development during preschool years, especially in promoting school readiness. Interventions aiming to improve executive functions are therefore being called for. The present study examined the effect of a small group intervention implemented in kindergarten…

Social cognition and interaction training (SCIT) for outpatients with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Lahera, G; Benito, A; Montes, J M; Fernández-Liria, A; Olbert, C M; Penn, D L

2013-03-20

Patients with bipolar disorder show social cognition deficits during both symptomatic and euthymic phases of the illness, partially independent of other cognitive dysfunctions and current mood. Previous studies in schizophrenia have revealed that social cognition is a modifiable domain. Social cognition and interaction training (SCIT) is an 18-week, manual-based, group treatment designed to improve social functioning by way of social cognition. 37 outpatients with DSM-IV-TR bipolar and schizoaffective disorders were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU)+SCIT (n=21) or TAU (n=16). Independent, blind evaluators assessed subjects before and after the intervention on Face Emotion Identification Task (FEIT), Face Emotion Discrimination (FEDT), Emotion Recognition (ER40), Theory of Mind (Hinting Task) and Hostility Bias (AIHQ). Analysis of covariance revealed significant group effects for emotion perception, theory of mind, and depressive symptoms. The SCIT group showed a small within-group decrease on the AIHQ Blame subscale, a moderate decrease in AIHQ Hostility Bias, a small increase in scores on the Hinting Task, a moderate increase on the ER40, and large increases on the FEDT and FEIT. There was no evidence of effects on aggressive attributional biases or on global functioning. No follow up assessment was conducted, so it is unknown whether the effects of SCIT persist over time. This trial provides preliminary evidence that SCIT is feasible and may improve social cognition for bipolar and schizoaffective outpatients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can Management Potential Be Revealed in Groups?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chartrand, P. J.; Jackson, D.

1971-01-01

Videotaping small group problem solving sessions and applying Bales Social Interaction scale can give valuable insight into areas where people (particularly managers) can profitably spend time developing themselves. (Author/EB)

Male group size, female distribution and changes in sexual segregation by Roosevelt elk

PubMed Central

Peterson, Leah M.

2017-01-01

Sexual segregation, or the differential use of space by males and females, is hypothesized to be a function of body size dimorphism. Sexual segregation can also manifest at small (social segregation) and large (habitat segregation) spatial scales for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, the connection between small- and large-scale sexual segregation has rarely been addressed. We studied a population of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) across 21 years in north coastal California, USA, to assess small- and large-scale sexual segregation in winter. We hypothesized that male group size would associate with small-scale segregation and that a change in female distribution would associate with large-scale segregation. Variation in forage biomass might also be coupled to small and large-scale sexual segregation. Our findings were consistent with male group size associating with small-scale segregation and a change in female distribution associating with large-scale segregation. Females appeared to avoid large groups comprised of socially dominant males. Males appeared to occupy a habitat vacated by females because of a wider forage niche, greater tolerance to lethal risks, and, perhaps, to reduce encounters with other elk. Sexual segregation at both spatial scales was a poor predictor of forage biomass. Size dimorphism was coupled to change in sexual segregation at small and large spatial scales. Small scale segregation can seemingly manifest when all forage habitat is occupied by females and large scale segregation might happen when some forage habitat is not occupied by females. PMID:29121076

Developmental Environment Effects on Sexual Selection in Male and Female Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Juliano; Pizzari, Tommaso; Wigby, Stuart

2016-01-01

The developmental environment can potentially alter the adult social environment and influence traits targeted by sexual selection such as body size. In this study, we manipulated larval density in male and female Drosophila melanogaster, which results in distinct adult size phenotypes–high (low) densities for small (large) adults–and measured sexual selection in experimental groups consisting of adult males and females from high, low, or a mixture of low and high larval densities. Overall, large adult females (those reared at low larval density) had more matings, more mates and produced more offspring than small females (those reared at high larval density). The number of offspring produced by females was positively associated with their number of mates (i.e. there was a positive female Bateman gradient) in social groups where female size was experimentally varied, likely due to the covariance between female productivity and mating rate. For males, we found evidence that the larval environment affected the relative importance of sexual selection via mate number (Bateman gradients), mate productivity, paternity share, and their covariances. Mate number and mate productivity were significantly reduced for small males in social environments where males were of mixed sizes, versus social environments where all males were small, suggesting that social heterogeneity altered selection on this subset of males. Males are commonly assumed to benefit from mating with large females, but in contrast to expectations we found that in groups where both the male and female size varied, males did not gain more offspring per mating with large females. Collectively, our results indicate sex-specific effects of the developmental environment on the operation of sexual selection, via both the phenotype of individuals, and the phenotype of their competitors and mates. PMID:27167120

The dynamics of social networks among female Asian elephants

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Patterns in the association of individuals can shed light on the underlying conditions and processes that shape societies. Here we characterize patterns of association in a population of wild Asian Elephants at Uda Walawe National Park in Sri Lanka. We observed 286 individually-identified adult female elephants over 20 months and examined their social dynamics at three levels of organization: pairs of individuals (dyads), small sets of direct companions (ego-networks), and the population level (complete networks). Results Corroborating previous studies of this and other Asian elephant populations, we find that the sizes of elephant groups observed in the field on any particular day are typically small and that rates of association are low. In contrast to earlier studies, our longitudinal observations reveal that individuals form larger social units that can be remarkably stable across years while associations among such units change across seasons. Association rates tend to peak in dry seasons as opposed to wet seasons, with some cyclicity at the level of dyads. In addition, we find that individuals vary substantially in their fidelity to companions. At the ego-network level, we find that despite these fluctuations, individuals associate with a pool of long-term companions. At the population level, social networks do not exhibit any clear seasonal structure or hierarchical stratification. Conclusions This detailed longitudinal study reveals different social dynamics at different levels of organization. Taken together, these results demonstrate that low association rates, seemingly small group sizes, and fission-fusion grouping behavior mask hidden stability in the extensive and fluid social affiliations in this population of Asian elephants. PMID:21794147

The pearls of using real-world evidence to discover social groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardillo, Raymond A.; Salerno, John J.

2005-03-01

In previous work, we introduced a new paradigm called Uni-Party Data Community Generation (UDCG) and a new methodology to discover social groups (a.k.a., community models) called Link Discovery based on Correlation Analysis (LDCA). We further advanced this work by experimenting with a corpus of evidence obtained from a Ponzi scheme investigation. That work identified several UDCG algorithms, developed what we called "Importance Measures" to compare the accuracy of the algorithms based on ground truth, and presented a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) that criminal investigators could use to discover social groups. However, that work used a rather small random sample of manually edited documents because the evidence contained far too many OCR and other extraction errors. Deferring the evidence extraction errors allowed us to continue experimenting with UDCG algorithms, but only used a small fraction of the available evidence. In attempt to discover techniques that are more practical in the near-term, our most recent work focuses on being able to use an entire corpus of real-world evidence to discover social groups. This paper discusses the complications of extracting evidence, suggests a method of performing name resolution, presents a new UDCG algorithm, and discusses our future direction in this area.

Social activities are associated with cognitive decline in older Koreans.

PubMed

Kim, DaeHyun; Arai, Hidenori; Kim, SungHi

2017-08-01

Social activity seems to be important for the prevention of cognitive impairment and frailty. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether social activities are associated with the development of cognitive impairment in Korean older people. We analyzed data from the Korean National Longitudinal Study on Aging. A total of 2495 Korean community-dwelling older adults (1163 men and 1332 women) aged between 65 and 79 years at the first wave of the Korean National Longitudinal Study on Aging were used for analysis. Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination in 2006 and 2012. Multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out by adjusting covariates, such as age, sex, education, employment, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression and instrumental activities of daily living scores, and weight loss. Among the participants, 951 participants (38.1%) showed cognitive decline. Compared with those who participated in a large number of group social activities, multivariate-adjusted odds ratios of cognitive decline in those who participated in a moderate and small number of group activities were 1.18 (95% CI 0.93-1.48) and 1.80 (95% CI 1.16-1.90), respectively. Among six types of group social activities, two types (social club/café and alumni) showed a significant correlation with less cognitive decline; adjusted odds ratios of the group with a small number of activities were 1.31 (95% CI 1.09-1.56) and 1.46 (95% CI 1.10-1.93), respectively, compared with the group with a large number of activities. Personal social activities and the other four types of activities (religious, political, leisure and volunteer) did not affect the outcome. Two social group activities (social club/café and alumni) were significantly associated with less cognitive decline in older Koreans. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1191-1196. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Formation of raiding parties for intergroup violence is mediated by social network structure

PubMed Central

Glowacki, Luke; Isakov, Alexander; Wrangham, Richard W.; McDermott, Rose; Fowler, James H.; Christakis, Nicholas A.

2016-01-01

Intergroup violence is common among humans worldwide. To assess how within-group social dynamics contribute to risky, between-group conflict, we conducted a 3-y longitudinal study of the formation of raiding parties among the Nyangatom, a group of East African nomadic pastoralists currently engaged in small-scale warfare. We also mapped the social network structure of potential male raiders. Here, we show that the initiation of raids depends on the presence of specific leaders who tend to participate in many raids, to have more friends, and to occupy more central positions in the network. However, despite the different structural position of raid leaders, raid participants are recruited from the whole population, not just from the direct friends of leaders. An individual’s decision to participate in a raid is strongly associated with the individual’s social network position in relation to other participants. Moreover, nonleaders have a larger total impact on raid participation than leaders, despite leaders’ greater connectivity. Thus, we find that leaders matter more for raid initiation than participant mobilization. Social networks may play a role in supporting risky collective action, amplify the emergence of raiding parties, and hence facilitate intergroup violence in small-scale societies. PMID:27790996

Prevention of problem behavior by teaching functional communication and self-control skills to preschoolers.

PubMed

Luczynski, Kevin C; Hanley, Gregory P

2013-01-01

We evaluated the effects of the preschool life skills program (PLS; Hanley, Heal, Tiger, & Ingvarsson, 2007) on the acquisition and maintenance of functional communication and self-control skills, as well as its effect on problem behavior, of small groups of preschoolers at risk for school failure. Six children were taught to request teacher attention, teacher assistance, and preferred materials, and to tolerate delays to and denial of those events during child-led, small-group activities. Teaching strategies included instruction, modeling, role play, and differential reinforcement. Six additional children randomly assigned to similarly sized control groups participated in small-group activities but did not experience the PLS program. Within-subject and between-groups designs showed that the PLS teaching procedures were functionally related to the improvements and maintenance of the skills and prevention of problem behavior. Stakeholder responses on a social acceptability questionnaire indicated that they were satisfied with the form of the targeted social skills, the improvements in the children's performance, and the teaching strategies. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

@OceanSeaIceNPI: Positive Practice of Science Outreach via Social Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, A.; Pavlov, A.; Rösel, A.; Granskog, M. A.; Gerland, S.; Hudson, S. R.; King, J.; Itkin, P.; Negrel, J.; Cohen, L.; Dodd, P. A.; de Steur, L.

2016-12-01

As researchers, we are keen to share our passion for science with the general public. We are encouraged to do so by colleagues, journalists, policy-makers and funding agencies. How can we best achieve this in a small research group without having specific resources and skills such as funding, dedicated staff, and training? How do we sustain communication on a regular basis as opposed to the limited lifetime of a specific project? The emerging platforms of social media have become powerful and inexpensive tools to communicate science for various audiences. Many research institutions and individual researchers are already advanced users of social media, but small research groups and labs remain underrepresented. A small group of oceanographers, sea ice, and atmospheric scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute have been running their social media science outreach for two years @OceanSeaIceNPI. Here we share our successful experience of developing and maintaining a researcher-driven outreach through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We present our framework for sharing responsibilities within the group to maximize effectiveness. Each media channel has a target audience for which the posts are tailored. Collaboration with other online organizations and institutes is key for the growth of the channels. The @OceanSeaIceNPI posts reach more than 4000 followers on a weekly basis. If you have questions about our @OceanSeaIceNPI initiative, you can tweet them with a #ask_oceanseaicenpi hashtag anytime.

Improved community model for social networks based on social mobility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhe-Ming; Wu, Zhen; Luo, Hao; Wang, Hao-Xian

2015-07-01

This paper proposes an improved community model for social networks based on social mobility. The relationship between the group distribution and the community size is investigated in terms of communication rate and turnover rate. The degree distributions, clustering coefficients, average distances and diameters of networks are analyzed. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model possesses the small-world property and can reproduce social networks effectively and efficiently.

Working in small-scale, homelike dementia care: effects on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics. A quasi-experimental, longitudinal study.

PubMed

Zwakhalen, Sandra Mg; Hamers, Jan Ph; van Rossum, Erik; Ambergen, Ton; Kempen, Gertrudis Ijm; Verbeek, Hilde

2018-05-01

This paper reports on a quasi-experimental, longitudinal study on the effects of working in a new type of dementia care facility (i.e. small-scale living facilities) on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics (job autonomy, social support, physical demands and workload). It is hypothesised that nursing staff working in small-scale facilities experience fewer burnout symptoms, more autonomy and social support, and fewer symptoms of physical demands and workload compared with staff in regular wards. Two types of long-term institutional nursing care settings were included: 28 houses in small-scale living facilities and 21 regular psychogeriatric wards in nursing homes. At baseline and at follow-ups after 6 and 12 months nursing staff were assessed by means of self-report questionnaires. In total, 305 nursing staff members were included in the study, 114 working in small-scale living facilities (intervention group) and 191 in regular wards (control group). No overall effects on burnout symptoms were detected. Significantly fewer physical demands and lower workload were experienced by staff working in small-scale living facilities compared with staff in regular wards. They also experienced more job autonomy. No significant effect was found for overall social support in the total group. This study suggests positive effects of the work environment on several work characteristics. Organisational climate differs in the two conditions, which might account for our results. This may influence nursing staff well-being and has important implications for nursing home managers and policy makers. Future studies should enhance our understanding of the influence of job characteristics on outcomes.

Worrying about What Others Think: A Social-Comparison Concern Intervention in Small Learning Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Micari, Marina; Pazos, Pilar

2014-01-01

Small-group learning has become commonplace in education at all levels. While it has been shown to have many benefits, previous research has demonstrated that it may not always work to the advantage of every student. One potential problem is that less-prepared students may feel anxious about participating, for fear of looking "dumb" in…

Implementing Primary Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) Small Group Interventions: Recommendations for Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lendrum, Ann; Humphrey, Neil; Kalambouka, Afroditi; Wigelsworth, Michael

2009-01-01

This article presents an extended vignette describing a good practice model for implementing SEAL small group work at "Mellington Primary", a fictional school. The vignette/model was developed from in-depth case studies at five primary schools in the north-west of England during a national evaluation of primary SEAL by the authors. The…

Effects of Communication Apprehension on Perceptions of Leadership and Intragroup Attraction in Small Task-Oriented Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Katherine; Stewart, Robert A.

1991-01-01

Examines the impact of communication apprehension (CA) on perceptions of leadership and intragroup attraction in small task-oriented groups, using 68 undergraduates working on a class project. Finds high CA students were rated by themselves (and by others) to be lower in emerged leadership and social and task attraction than those with lower CA.…

Teaching Play Skills to Children with Autism through Video Modeling: Small Group Arrangement and Observational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozen, Arzu; Batu, Sema; Birkan, Binyamin

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine if video modeling was an effective way of teaching sociodramatic play skills to individuals with autism in a small group arrangement. Besides maintenance, observational learning and social validation data were collected. Three 9 year old boys with autism participated in the study. Multiple probe…

The Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning on the Reading Comprehension Skills in Turkish as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolukbas, Fatma; Keskin, Funda; Polat, Mustafa

2011-01-01

Cooperative learning is a process through which students with various abilities, gender, nationalities and different level of social skills carry out their learning process by working in small groups and helping each other. Cooperative learning is a pedagogical use of small groups which enable students to maximize both their own and others'…

Shared perceptions: morality is embedded in social contexts.

PubMed

Carnes, Nate C; Lickel, Brian; Janoff-Bulman, Ronnie

2015-03-01

Morality helps make social life possible, but social life is embedded in many social contexts. Research on morality has generally neglected this and instead has emphasized people's general beliefs. We therefore investigated the extent to which different moral principles are perceived as embedded in social contexts. We conducted two studies investigating how diverse social contexts influence beliefs about the operative moral principles in distinct group types. Study 1 examined these perceptions using a within-subjects design, whereas Study 2 utilized a between-subjects design. We found a high degree of consensus among raters concerning the operative moral principles in groups, and each group type was characterized by a qualitatively distinct pattern of applicable moral principles. Political orientation, a focus of past research on morality, had a small influence on beliefs about operative moral principles. The implications of these findings for our understanding of morality and its functional role in groups are discussed. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Students' development of models of magnetic materials, patterns of group activity, and social norms in a physics classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Andrew P.

1999-11-01

This dissertation is a study of students' model development processes in a physical science course for preservice elementary teachers. It details the models of magnetic materials developed and used by students during a unit on static electricity and magnetism. In this inquiry-based course, the class developed and formally accepted a model, in the form of diagrams and descriptions, that is very similar to the accepted magnetic domains model. They did this without textbooks or lectures on magnetism. Before adopting this model, however, most groups in the class temporarily used models involving opposite charges at the two ends of magnetized nails. How did the students do it? The explanation involves detailed study of the groups' interactions and use of structure in the classroom environment. This dissertation uses two theoretical frameworks to analyze interactions. It applies Yackel and Cobb's (1996) concepts of classroom social norms to characterize aspects of the classroom participation structure which affected groups' construction and declaration of models. It also applies distributed cognition ideas to analyze the sense-making conversations that small groups had when constructing group responses. This research found that conversations in one small group could be characterized into sixteen categories. Important categories included "extending ideas" which involved gradual deepening and elaboration of the group's understanding of their model(s), and "joint typing", an interactive process by which group members collaborated on typed statements or group diagrams and simultaneously developed common language for communicating their ideas to each other. Some of these categories of activity were closely connected to computer use. Also, four classroom norms are described. One small group social classroom norm involved group members developing a "common ground" consisting of agreed-upon group statements. Three sociophysics norms which characterize the whole class interactions as well as those of the small group involved a distinction between generalizations of phenomena and theoretical statements, class criteria for accepting evidence, and the obligation for each group to have a model of magnetic materials that they could support with acceptable evidence.

Communicating polar science to the general public: sharing the social media experience of @OceanSeaIceNPI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rösel, Anja; Pavlov, Alexey K.; Granskog, Mats A.; Gerland, Sebastian; Meyer, Amelie; Hudson, Stephen R.; King, Jennifer; Itkin, Polona; Cohen, Lana; Dodd, Paul; de Steur, Laura

2016-04-01

The findings of climate science need to be communicated to the general public. Researchers are encouraged to do so by journalists, policy-makers and funding agencies and many of us want to become better science communicators. But how can we do this at the lab or small research group level without specifically allocated resources in terms of funds and communication officers? And how do we sustain communication on a regular basis and not just during the limited lifetime of a specific project? One of the solutions is to use the emerging platform of social media, which has become a powerful and inexpensive tool for communicating science to different target audiences. Many research institutions and individual researchers are already advanced users of social media, but small research groups and labs remain underrepresented. The group of oceanographers, sea ice and atmospheric scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute (@OceanSeaIceNPI( will share our experiences developing and maintaining researcher-driven outreach for over a year through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We will present our solutions to some of the practical considerations such as identifying key target groups, defining the framework for sharing responsibilities and interactions within the research group, and choosing an up-to-date and appropriate social medium. By sharing this information, we aim to inspire and assist other research groups and labs in conducting their own effective science communication.

A social competence intervention for young children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome: a pilot study.

PubMed

Minne, Elizabeth Portman; Semrud-Clikeman, Margaret

2012-11-01

The key features of Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) include marked and sustained impairment in social interactions. A multi-session, small group program was developed to increase social perception based on the assumption perceptual or interpretive problems underlying these social difficulties. Additionally, the group format espoused a play therapy orientation and the use of sociodramatic play was the primary therapeutic modality used. Qualitative analyses of the data resulted in an explanation of the key changes in social interactions that took place through the course of the intervention. Although each participant's experience in this group was unique, all children in this program demonstrated improvements in their social interactions, as they experienced development both emotionally and behaviorally. Findings suggest that, despite their rigid interests and behavior patterns, the social limitations of these children improved when provided with the necessary environmental resources.

Marginalised social groups in contemporary weee management within social enterprises investments: A study in Greece.

PubMed

Papaoikonomou, K; Kipouros, S; Kungolos, A; Somakos, L; Aravossis, K; Antonopoulos, I; Karagiannidis, A

2009-05-01

This paper deals with the creation of appropriate conditions aimed at developing social services for reuse and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), by the inclusion of handicapped and Roma people in the workforce. Application areas for the project are the Hellenic (Greek) regions of Thessaly and North Aegean, where these groups suffer from professional and social exclusion. The efforts to reduce unemployment in the two aforementioned groups, together with the efforts to implement related Greek and European legislation for sustainable WEEE management, are examined here. Furthermore, networking and cooperation at local, regional and central levels between small enterprises, entrepreneurships and local authorities are examined, so that these social enterprises and their corresponding investments may support the development of the Greek alternative WEEE recycling system.

The Group-lending Model and Social Closure: Microcredit, Exclusion, and Health in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Johnston, Heidi Bart

2009-01-01

According to social exclusion theory, health risks are positively associated with involuntary social, economic, political and cultural exclusion from society. In this paper, a social exclusion framework has been used, and available literature on microcredit in Bangladesh has been reviewed to explore the available evidence on associations among microcredit, exclusion, and health outcomes. The paper addresses the question of whether participation in group-lending reduces health inequities through promoting social inclusion. The group-lending model of microcredit is a development intervention in which small-scale credit for income-generation activities is provided to groups of individuals who do not have material collateral. The paper outlines four pathways through which microcredit can affect health status: financing care in the event of health emergencies; financing health inputs such as improved nutrition; as a platform for health education; and by increasing social capital through group meetings and mutual support. For many participants, the group-lending model of microcredit can mitigate exclusionary processes and lead to improvements in health for some; for others, it can worsen exclusionary processes which contribute to health disadvantage. PMID:19761085

The group-lending model and social closure: microcredit, exclusion, and health in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Schurmann, Anna T; Johnston, Heidi Bart

2009-08-01

According to social exclusion theory, health risks are positively associated with involuntary social, economic, political and cultural exclusion from society. In this paper, a social exclusion framework has been used, and available literature on microcredit in Bangladesh has been reviewed to explore the available evidence on associations among microcredit, exclusion, and health outcomes. The paper addresses the question of whether participation in group-lending reduces health inequities through promoting social inclusion. The group-lending model of microcredit is a development intervention in which small-scale credit for income-generation activities is provided to groups of individuals who do not have material collateral. The paper outlines four pathways through which microcredit can affect health status: financing care in the event of health emergencies; financing health inputs such as improved nutrition; as a platform for health education; and by increasing social capital through group meetings and mutual support. For many participants, the group-lending model of microcredit can mitigate exclusionary processes and lead to improvements in health for some; for others, it can worsen exclusionary processes which contribute to health disadvantage.

Kanter's Theory of Tokenism and the Socialization of African American Students Attending Midwestern University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallett, Justin R.

2013-01-01

This study analyzed how Kanter's theory of tokenism and its related concepts of performance pressure, social isolation and role entrapment can be used to understand the socialization of African American students at a small Midwestern college. Sixteen African American students were interviewed in focus groups to examine various aspects of their…

Social Studies, Book II: A Bilingual Multicultural Guide, English-Spanish.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cedillo, Gustavo F.

This is the second of two social science guides designed for the bilingual, multicultural, upper elementary classroom. The guide may be used independently or as a supplement to other social studies programs. Activities may be done in writing or orally, in English or Spanish, with the entire class, in small groups, or individually. Eight curriculum…

An Investigation on Social Representations: Inanimate Agent Can Mislead Dogs (Canis familiaris) in a Food Choice Task.

PubMed

Abdai, Judit; Gergely, Anna; Petró, Eszter; Topál, József; Miklósi, Ádám

2015-01-01

The nature of mental representation of others plays a crucial role in social interactions. Dogs present an ideal model species for the investigation of such mental representations because they develop social ties with both conspecifics and heterospecifics. Former studies found that dogs' preference for larger food quantity could be reversed by humans who indicate the smaller quantity. The question is whether this social bias is restricted to human partners. We suggest that after a short positive social experience, an unfamiliar moving inanimate agent (UMO) can also change dogs' choice between two food quantities. We tested four groups of dogs with different partners: In the (1) Helper UMO and (2) Helper UMO Control groups the partner was an interactive remote control car that helped the dog to obtain an otherwise unreachable food. In the (3) Non-helper UMO and (4) Human partner groups dogs had restricted interaction with the remote control car and the unfamiliar human partners. In the Human partner, Helper UMO and Helper UMO Control groups the partners were able to revert dogs' choice for the small amount by indicating the small one, but the Non-helper UMO was not. We suggest that dogs are able to generalize their wide range of experiences with humans to another type of agent as well, based on the recognition of similarities in simple behavioural patterns.

An Investigation on Social Representations: Inanimate Agent Can Mislead Dogs (Canis familiaris) in a Food Choice Task

PubMed Central

Abdai, Judit; Gergely, Anna; Petró, Eszter; Topál, József; Miklósi, Ádám

2015-01-01

The nature of mental representation of others plays a crucial role in social interactions. Dogs present an ideal model species for the investigation of such mental representations because they develop social ties with both conspecifics and heterospecifics. Former studies found that dogs’ preference for larger food quantity could be reversed by humans who indicate the smaller quantity. The question is whether this social bias is restricted to human partners. We suggest that after a short positive social experience, an unfamiliar moving inanimate agent (UMO) can also change dogs’ choice between two food quantities. We tested four groups of dogs with different partners: In the (1) Helper UMO and (2) Helper UMO Control groups the partner was an interactive remote control car that helped the dog to obtain an otherwise unreachable food. In the (3) Non-helper UMO and (4) Human partner groups dogs had restricted interaction with the remote control car and the unfamiliar human partners. In the Human partner, Helper UMO and Helper UMO Control groups the partners were able to revert dogs’ choice for the small amount by indicating the small one, but the Non-helper UMO was not. We suggest that dogs are able to generalize their wide range of experiences with humans to another type of agent as well, based on the recognition of similarities in simple behavioural patterns. PMID:26241747

Effectiveness of a worksite social & physical environment intervention on need for recovery, physical activity and relaxation; results of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Coffeng, Jennifer K; Boot, Cécile R L; Duijts, Saskia F A; Twisk, Jos W R; van Mechelen, Willem; Hendriksen, Ingrid J M

2014-01-01

To investigate the effectiveness of a worksite social and physical environment intervention on need for recovery (i.e., early symptoms of work-related mental and physical fatigue), physical activity and relaxation. Also, the effectiveness of the separate interventions was investigated. In this 2 × 2 factorial design study, 412 office employees from a financial service provider participated. Participants were allocated to the combined social and physical intervention, to the social intervention only, to the physical intervention only or to the control group. The primary outcome measure was need for recovery. Secondary outcomes were work-related stress (i.e., exhaustion, detachment and relaxation), small breaks, physical activity (i.e., stair climbing, active commuting, sport activities, light/moderate/vigorous physical activity) and sedentary behavior. Outcomes were measured by questionnaires at baseline, 6 and 12 months follow-up. Multilevel analyses were performed to investigate the effects of the three interventions. In all intervention groups, a non-significant reduction was found in need for recovery. In the combined intervention (n = 92), exhaustion and vigorous physical activities decreased significantly, and small breaks at work and active commuting increased significantly compared to the control group. The social intervention (n = 118) showed a significant reduction in exhaustion, sedentary behavior at work and a significant increase in small breaks at work and leisure activities. In the physical intervention (n = 96), stair climbing at work and active commuting significantly increased, and sedentary behavior at work decreased significantly compared to the control group. None of the interventions was effective in improving the need for recovery. It is recommended to implement the social and physical intervention among a population with higher baseline values of need for recovery. Furthermore, the intervention itself could be improved by increasing the intensity of the intervention (for example weekly GMI-sessions), providing physical activity opportunities and exercise schemes, and by more drastic environment interventions (restructuring entire department floor). Nederlands Trial Register NTR2553.

Compelled to do the right thing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabiana Laguna, M.; Abramson, Guillermo; Iglesias, J. Roberto

2013-05-01

We use a model of opinion formation to study the consequences of some mechanisms attempting to enforce the right behaviour in a society. We start from a model where the possible choices are not equivalent (such is the case when the agents decide to comply or not with a law) and where an imitation mechanism allow the agents to change their behaviour based on the influence of a group of partners. In addition, we consider the existence of two social constraints: (a) an external authority, called monitor, that imposes the correct behaviour with infinite persuasion and (b) an educated group of agents that act upon their fellows but never change their own opinion, i.e., they exhibit infinite adamancy. We determine the minimum number of monitors to induce an effective change in the behaviour of the social group, and the size of the educated group that produces the same effect. Also, we compare the results for the cases of random social interactions and agents placed on a network. We have verified that a small number of monitors are enough to change the behaviour of the society. This also happens with a relatively small educated group in the case of random interactions.

Joking Culture: The Role of Repeated Humorous Interactions on Group Processes during Challenge Course Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothwell, Erin; Siharath, Kassidy; Bell, Steven; Nguyen, Kim; Baker, Carla

2011-01-01

When groups form, they develop their own culture from the shared meaning created from their interactions. Humor is part of every social group, and when repeatedly referenced, it forms a joking culture. The joking culture of small groups influences group processes by smoothing group interaction, forming a collective identity, separating the group…

Social media connecting ocean sciences and the general public: the @OceanSeaIceNPI experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlov, A. K.; Granskog, M. A.; Gerland, S.; Meyer, A.; Hudson, S. R.; Rösel, A.; King, J.; Itkin, P.; Cohen, L.; Dodd, P. A.; de Steur, L.

2016-02-01

As researchers we are constantly being encouraged by funding agencies, policy-makers and journalists to conduct effective outreach and to communicate our latest research findings. As environmental scientists we also understand the necessity of communicating our research to the general public. Many of us wish to become better science communicators but have little time and limited funding available to do so. How can we expend our science communication past project-based efforts that have a limited lifetime? Most critically, how can a small research groups do it without additional resources such as funds and communication officers? Social media is one answer, and has become a powerful and inexpensive tool for communicating science to different target audiences. Many research institutions and researchers are exploring the full breadth of possibilities brought by social media for reaching out to the general public, journalists, policy-makers, stake-holders, and research community. However, smaller research groups and labs are still underrepresented in social media. When it comes to practice, some essential difficulties can be encountered: identifying key target groups, defining the framework for sharing responsibilities and interaction within the research group, and finally, choosing a currently up-to-date social medium as a technical solution for communicating your research. Here, a group of oceanography and sea ice researchers (@OceanSeaIceNPI) share the positive experience of developing and maintaining for more than one year a researcher-driven outreach effort currently implemented through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We will present potential pitfalls and challenges that small research groups could face, and how to better overcome them. This will hopefully inspire and help other research groups and labs to conduct their own effective ocean science communication.

Sharing a Personal Trainer: Personal and Social Benefits of Individualized, Small-Group Training.

PubMed

Wayment, Heidi A; McDonald, Rachael L

2017-11-01

Wayment, HA and McDonald, RL. Sharing a personal trainer: personal and social benefits of individualized, small-group training. J Strength Cond Res 31(11): 3137-3145, 2017-We examined a novel personal fitness training program that combines personal training principles in a small-group training environment. In a typical training session, exercisers warm-up together but receive individualized training for 50 minutes with 1-5 other adults who range in age, exercise experience, and goals for participation. Study participants were 98 regularly exercising adult members of a fitness studio in the southwestern United States (64 women and 32 men), aged 19-78 years (mean, 46.52 years; SD = 14.15). Average membership time was 2 years (range, 1-75 months; mean, 23.54 months; SD = 20.10). In collaboration with the program directors, we developed a scale to assess satisfaction with key features of this unique training program. Participants completed an online survey in Fall 2015. Hypotheses were tested with a serial mediator model (model 6) using the SPSS PROCESS module. In support of the basic tenets of self-determination theory, satisfaction with small-group, individualized training supported basic psychological needs, which in turn were associated with greater autonomous exercise motivation and life satisfaction. Satisfaction with this unique training method was also associated with greater exercise self-efficacy. Autonomous exercise motivation was associated with both exercise self-efficacy and greater self-reported health and energy. Discussion focuses on why exercise programs that foster a sense of social belonging (in addition to motivation and efficacy) may be helpful for successful adherence to an exercise program.

Working in small-scale, homelike dementia care: effects on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics. A quasi-experimental, longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Zwakhalen, Sandra MG; Hamers, Jan PH; van Rossum, Erik; Ambergen, Ton; Kempen, Gertrudis IJM; Verbeek, Hilde

2018-01-01

Aim This paper reports on a quasi-experimental, longitudinal study on the effects of working in a new type of dementia care facility (i.e. small-scale living facilities) on staff burnout symptoms and job characteristics (job autonomy, social support, physical demands and workload). Methods It is hypothesised that nursing staff working in small-scale facilities experience fewer burnout symptoms, more autonomy and social support, and fewer symptoms of physical demands and workload compared with staff in regular wards. Two types of long-term institutional nursing care settings were included: 28 houses in small-scale living facilities and 21 regular psychogeriatric wards in nursing homes. At baseline and at follow-ups after 6 and 12 months nursing staff were assessed by means of self-report questionnaires. In total, 305 nursing staff members were included in the study, 114 working in small-scale living facilities (intervention group) and 191 in regular wards (control group). Results No overall effects on burnout symptoms were detected. Significantly fewer physical demands and lower workload were experienced by staff working in small-scale living facilities compared with staff in regular wards. They also experienced more job autonomy. No significant effect was found for overall social support in the total group. Conclusions This study suggests positive effects of the work environment on several work characteristics. Organisational climate differs in the two conditions, which might account for our results. This may influence nursing staff well-being and has important implications for nursing home managers and policy makers. Future studies should enhance our understanding of the influence of job characteristics on outcomes. PMID:29805471

Understanding Children's Self-Regulation within Different Classroom Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmons, Kristy; Pelletier, Janette; Corter, Carl

2016-01-01

In this study, children's self-regulation was observed, along with other social and academic activities in kindergarten classrooms during whole group, small group, transition and play contexts. We examined how children's self-regulation and engagement differed among classroom grouping, play and transition contexts. Results showed that students…

Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Opinion Dynamics in Small Social Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2013 96 M. Gabbay described. Section 4 illustrates the application of the methodology...group of cyber terrorists has already gained access to multiple computers. The attack will attempt to disrupt and destroy a large oil refinery; at

Study on the social adaptation of Chinese children with down syndrome.

PubMed

Wang, Yan-Xia; Mao, Shan-Shan; Xie, Chun-Hong; Qin, Yu-Feng; Zhu, Zhi-Wei; Zhan, Jian-Ying; Shao, Jie; Li, Rong; Zhao, Zheng-Yan

2007-06-30

To evaluate social adjustment and related factors among Chinese children with Down syndrome (DS). A structured interview and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) were conducted with a group of 36 DS children with a mean age of 106.28 months, a group of 30 normally-developing children matched for mental age (MA) and a group of 40 normally-developing children matched for chronological age (CA). Mean scores of social adjustment were compared between the three groups, and partial correlations and stepwise multiple regression models were used to further explore related factors. There was no difference between the DS group and the MA group in terms of communication skills. However, the DS group scored much better than the MA group in self-dependence, locomotion, work skills, socialization and self-management. Children in the CA group achieved significantly higher scores in all aspects of social adjustment than the DS children. Partial correlations indicate a relationship between social adjustment and the PPVT raw score and also between social adjustment and age (significant r ranging between 0.24 and 0.92). A stepwise linear regression analysis showed that family structure was the main predictor of social adjustment. Newborn history was also a predictor of work skills, communication, socialization and self-management. Parental education was found to account for 8% of self-dependence. Maternal education explained 6% of the variation in locomotion. Although limited by the small sample size, these results indicate that Chinese DS children have better social adjustment skills when compared to their mental-age-matched normally-developing peers, but that the Chinese DS children showed aspects of adaptive development that differed from Western DS children. Analyses of factors related to social adjustment suggest that effective early intervention may improve social adaptability.

Investigating Affordance of Opportunity for Young Children's Language Interactions in a Nursery Setting: How Can Small Group Talk Act as a Forum for Language Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Sarah Elizabeth; Dockrell, Julie E.

2016-01-01

The importance of research on the unique nature of the communication supporting environment in nurseries has been heightened by growing evidence of the significance of early language skills for later academic and social development. This study focussed on children's language use during small group times. Opportunities to hear and practise language…

Group protocol to mitigate disaster stress and enhance social support in adolescents exposed to Hurricane Hugo.

PubMed

Stewart, J B; Hardin, S B; Weinrich, S; McGeorge, S; Lopez, J; Pesut, D

1992-01-01

Literature reports that cognitive understanding and social support can mitigate stress in both adults and adolescents. As a subcomponent of the Carolina Adolescent Health Project (CAHP), this research evaluated the efficacy of a Cognitive Social Support (CSS) group protocol designed to mitigate the disaster stress of adolescents who had been exposed seriously to Hurricane Hugo. A purposive sample of 259 students participated in and evaluated the CSS. This article reports the specific structure, content, process, rationale, and cost of the CSS. Evaluations indicated that 82% of the students evaluated the small-group component of the CSS as "very good" or "excellent," while 70% rated the large-group component as "very good" or "excellent."

Educational differentials in disability vary across and within welfare regimes: a comparison of 26 European countries in 2009.

PubMed

Cambois, Emmanuelle; Solé-Auró, Aïda; Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik; Egidi, Viviana; Jagger, Carol; Jeune, Bernard; Nusselder, Wilma J; Van Oyen, Herman; White, Chris; Robine, Jean-Marie

2016-04-01

Social differentials in disability prevalence exist in all European countries, but their scale varies markedly. To improve understanding of this variation, the article focuses on each end of the social gradient. It compares the extent of the higher disability prevalence in low social groups (referred to as disability disadvantage) and of the lower prevalence in high social groups (disability advantage); country-specific advantages/disadvantages are discussed regarding the possible influence of welfare regimes. Cross-sectional disability prevalence is measured by longstanding health-related activity limitation (AL) in the 2009 European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) across 26 countries classified into four welfare regime groups. Logistic models adjusted by country, age and sex (in all 30-79 years and in three age-bands) measured the country-specific ORs across education, representing the AL-disadvantage of low-educated and AL-advantage of high-educated groups relative to middle-educated groups. The relative AL-disadvantage of the low-educated groups was small in Sweden (eg, 1.2 (1.0-1.4)), Finland, Romania, Bulgaria and Spain (youngest age-band), but was large in the Czech Republic (eg, 1.9 (1.7-2.2)), Denmark, Belgium, Italy and Hungary. The high-educated groups had a small relative AL-advantage in Denmark (eg, 0.9 (0.8-1.1)), but a large AL-advantage in Lithuania (eg, 0.5 (0.4-0.6)), half of the Baltic and Eastern European countries, Norway and Germany (youngest age-band). There were notable differences within welfare regime groups. The country-specific disability advantages/disadvantages across educational groups identified here could help to identify determining factors and the efficiency of national policies implemented to tackle social differentials in health. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A grouping method based on grid density and relationship for crowd evacuation simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yan; Liu, Hong; Liu, Guang-peng; Li, Liang; Moore, Philip; Hu, Bin

2017-05-01

Psychological factors affect the movement of people in the competitive or panic mode of evacuation, in which the density of pedestrians is relatively large and the distance among them is small. In this paper, a crowd is divided into groups according to their social relations to simulate the actual movement of crowd evacuation more realistically and increase the attractiveness of the group based on social force model. The force of group attraction is the synthesis of two forces; one is the attraction of the individuals generated by their social relations to gather, and the other is that of the group leader to the individuals within the group to ensure that the individuals follow the leader. The synthetic force determines the trajectory of individuals. The evacuation process is demonstrated using the improved social force model. In the improved social force model, the individuals with close social relations gradually present a closer and coordinated action while following the leader. In this paper, a grouping algorithm is proposed based on grid density and relationship via computer simulation to illustrate the features of the improved social force model. The definition of the parameters involved in the algorithm is given, and the effect of relational value on the grouping is tested. Reasonable numbers of grids and weights are selected. The effectiveness of the algorithm is shown through simulation experiments. A simulation platform is also established using the proposed grouping algorithm and the improved social force model for crowd evacuation simulation.

Reshaping the Social Order: The Case of Gender Segregation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockheed, Marlaine E.

1986-01-01

Describes an experimental study of gender segregation in 38 fourth and fifth grade classrooms. Students working in small, experimental, mixed-sex, instructional groups engaged in more cross-sex interactions than students in control groups. Boys in experimental classrooms showed greater preference for working in cross-sex groups. (SA)

Grouping for Inequity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macqueen, Suzanne Elizabeth

2013-01-01

The inequity of streaming as a method of organising classes was established by research conducted in the 1960s and 1970s. While the practice produces small advantages for limited groups of students, it hinders the academic and social advancement of the majority. Although streaming has declined, new forms of achievement grouping have emerged, with…

Roosevelt elk density and social segregation: Foraging behavior and females avoiding larger groups of males

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weckerly, F.; McFarland, K.; Ricca, M.; Meyer, K.

2004-01-01

Intersexual social segregation at small spatial scales is prevalent in ruminants that are sexually dimorphic in body size. Explaining social segregation, however, from hypotheses of how intersexual size differences affects the foraging process of males and females has had mixed results. We studied whether body size influences on forage behavior, intersexual social incompatibility or both might influence social segregation in a population of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelt) that declined 40% over 5 y. Most males and females in the population occurred in the same forage patches, meadows, but occupied different parts of meadows and most groups were overwhelming comprised of one sex. The extent of segregation varied slightly with changing elk density. Cropping rate, our surrogate of forage ingestion, of males in mixed-sex groups differed from males in male-only groups at high, but not low, elk density. In a prior study of intersexual social interactions it was shown that females avoided groups containing ???6 males. Therefore, we predicted that females should avoid parts of meadows where groups of males ???6 were prevalent. Across the 5 y of study this prediction held because ???5% of all females were found in parts of meadows where median aggregation sizes of males were ???6. Social segregation was coupled to body size influences on forage ingestion at high density and social incompatibility was coupled to social segregation regardless of elk density.

Group cognitive remediation therapy for chronic schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Tan, Shuping; Zou, Yizhuang; Wykes, Til; Reeder, Clare; Zhu, Xiaolin; Yang, Fude; Zhao, Yanli; Tan, Yunlong; Fan, Fengmei; Zhou, Dongfeng

2016-07-28

Individual-level cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) has been shown to be effective for cognitive improvement and social function amelioration. Here, we aimed to test the efficacy of group-based CRT in Chinese subjects with schizophrenia. One-hundred and four inpatients were randomly assigned to either 40 sessions of small-group CRT therapy or therapeutic contact-matched Musical and Dancing Therapy (MDT). Cognitive and social functioning, as well as clinical symptoms, were evaluated over the course of treatment. Specifically, cognitive function was evaluated using a battery of cognitive measurements, clinical symptoms were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and social function was evaluated using the Nurse's Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation-30. All patients were evaluated pre- and post-treatment. Forty-four individuals in the CRT group and 46 in the MDT group completed all of the planned treatments and analyses. Cognitive functions, especially cognitive flexibility and memory, showed significant improvement in the CRT group over the course of the study. The MDT group also showed improvement in several cognitive flexibility assessments, but the degree of improvement was significantly greater in the CRT group. Several social-function factors exhibited a significant improvement in the CRT group, but not in the MDT group. Cognitive function improvement correlated positively with social function without predicting social function change. We conclude that group-based CRT is an effective and promising therapy. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Discursive Positioning and Emotion in School Mathematics Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Jeff; Morgan, Candia; Tsatsaroni, Anna

2006-01-01

Our approach to emotion in school mathematics draws on social semiotics, pedagogic discourse theory and psychoanalysis. Emotions are considered as socially organised and shaped by power relations; we portray emotion as a charge (of energy) attached to ideas or signifiers. We analyse transcripts from a small group solving problems in mathematics…

Positioning and Latinas/os: A Study of Small-Group Interactions in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez Leiva, Carlos Alfonso

2011-01-01

This study explores social interaction and mathematics performance, especially regarding how bilingual Latino/a students' positioning and participation evolved as they interacted with others in mathematics problem solving. Historically, Latinas/os have faced segregation in different ways that affect the quality of their social interactions…

Teaching Social Skills in a Virtual Environment: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Jason; Parks-Savage, Agatha; Rehfuss, Mark

2009-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory study which examines the use of virtual environment technology as a tool to teach elementary school children social skills. Small group interventions were assessed to determine how the participants were measurably different on 7 different dependent variables: problem behaviors, academic competence,…

Telling It like It Is: Developing Social Stories[TM] for Children in Mainstream Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehead, Jo

2007-01-01

In this article, the author reports on a practical strategy originally developed for use with pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). Based on a small-scale research project, the article focuses on the use of Social Stories to promote pro-social behaviour with a group of non-ASC pupils. The topic was chosen for systematic enquiry by the…

GROUP INEQUALITY

PubMed Central

Bowles, Samuel; Loury, Glenn C.; Sethi, Rajiv

2014-01-01

We explore the combined effect of segregation in social networks, peer effects, and the relative size of a historically disadvantaged group on the incentives to invest in market-rewarded skills and the dynamics of inequality between social groups. We identify conditions under which group inequality will persist in the absence of differences in ability, credit constraints, or labor market discrimination. Under these conditions, group inequality may be amplified even if initial group differences are negligible. Increases in social integration may destabilize an unequal state and make group equality possible, but the distributional and human capital effects of this depend on the demographic composition of the population. When the size of the initially disadvantaged group is sufficiently small, integration can lower the long-run costs of human capital investment in both groups and result in an increase the aggregate skill share. In contrast, when the initially disadvantaged group is large, integration can induce a fall in the aggregate skill share as the costs of human capital investment rise in both groups. We consider applications to concrete cases and policy implications. PMID:25554727

GROUP INEQUALITY.

PubMed

Bowles, Samuel; Loury, Glenn C; Sethi, Rajiv

2014-02-01

We explore the combined effect of segregation in social networks, peer effects, and the relative size of a historically disadvantaged group on the incentives to invest in market-rewarded skills and the dynamics of inequality between social groups. We identify conditions under which group inequality will persist in the absence of differences in ability, credit constraints, or labor market discrimination. Under these conditions, group inequality may be amplified even if initial group differences are negligible. Increases in social integration may destabilize an unequal state and make group equality possible, but the distributional and human capital effects of this depend on the demographic composition of the population. When the size of the initially disadvantaged group is sufficiently small, integration can lower the long-run costs of human capital investment in both groups and result in an increase the aggregate skill share. In contrast, when the initially disadvantaged group is large, integration can induce a fall in the aggregate skill share as the costs of human capital investment rise in both groups. We consider applications to concrete cases and policy implications.

Social organization of the Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis).

PubMed

Mutschler, T; Nievergelt, C M; Feistner, A T

2000-01-01

Knowledge of the social organization of lemurs is still limited for most species. Where there is sufficient information, it has been shown that lemur social organization differs in essential points from that of other primates. In the field study reported here, demographic structure and life-history processes were investigated in order to characterize the social organization of the Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis). Data were obtained through captures and observations. Alaotran gentle lemurs were found in small groups of up to nine individuals. Although most groups contained just one breeding female, a substantial proportion of groups (35%) had two breeding females. Therefore, Alaotran gentle lemurs cannot be classed as being organized in monogamous family groups. An extended birth season was found, and groups with two breeding females had significantly higher breeding output per adult than groups with a single adult female. Limited data suggest that females emigrate from their natal group while still subadult, whereas males can stay in the natal group until they are fully grown and disperse as adults. Variability in group composition, significantly higher reproductive output per adult in groups with two breeding females, and delayed dispersal of males suggest that Alaotran gentle lemurs pursue a resource-defense mating strategy, rather than a female-defense mating strategy. The suggestion that extant social lemurs may have evolved from a monogamous system, could explain the differences between lemur social systems and those of other primates.

Pain as social glue: shared pain increases cooperation.

PubMed

Bastian, Brock; Jetten, Jolanda; Ferris, Laura J

2014-11-01

Even though painful experiences are employed within social rituals across the world, little is known about the social effects of pain. We examined the possibility that painful experiences can promote cooperation within social groups. In Experiments 1 and 2, we induced pain by asking some participants to insert their hands in ice water and to perform leg squats. In Experiment 3, we induced pain by asking some participants to eat a hot chili pepper. Participants performed these tasks in small groups. We found evidence for a causal link: Sharing painful experiences with other people, compared with a no-pain control treatment, promoted trusting interpersonal relationships by increasing perceived bonding among strangers (Experiment 1) and increased cooperation in an economic game (Experiments 2 and 3). Our findings shed light on the social effects of pain, demonstrating that shared pain may be an important trigger for group formation. © The Author(s) 2014.

Associative nature of event participation dynamics: A network theory approach

PubMed Central

Smiljanić, Jelena; Mitrović Dankulov, Marija

2017-01-01

The affiliation with various social groups can be a critical factor when it comes to quality of life of each individual, making such groups an essential element of every society. The group dynamics, longevity and effectiveness strongly depend on group’s ability to attract new members and keep them engaged in group activities. It was shown that high heterogeneity of scientist’s engagement in conference activities of the specific scientific community depends on the balance between the numbers of previous attendances and non-attendances and is directly related to scientist’s association with that community. Here we show that the same holds for leisure groups of the Meetup website and further quantify individual members’ association with the group. We examine how structure of personal social networks is evolving with the event attendance. Our results show that member’s increasing engagement in the group activities is primarily associated with the strengthening of already existing ties and increase in the bonding social capital. We also show that Meetup social networks mostly grow trough big events, while small events contribute to the groups cohesiveness. PMID:28166305

Pro-socially shareable entertainment television programmes: a programming alternative in developing countries?

PubMed

Singhal, A; Svenkerud, P J

1994-12-01

Over the period 1975-82, the Mexican television network created and aired seven entertainment soap operas promoting educational-development themes like adult literacy, smaller family size norms, and an higher social status for women. These emissions earned high ratings in Mexico and in other Latin American countries where they were subsequently broadcast. Evidence suggests that many of the social objectives of the soaps were met. In light of such success, the authors investigated the potential of pro-socially shareable entertainment television programs in developing countries. These programs use entertaining media formats to carry pro-social messages to a wide, yet culturally-proximate audience group. Entertainment television genres such as melodramatic soap operas offer certain advantages for carrying pro-socially shareable messages to audiences. The possibility of using other television genres and media channels, however, also needs to be seriously considered. Pro-socially shareable entertainment programs do have their limitations and problems, with a certain degree of message dilution invariably accompanying the quest for shareability. Targeting specific problems in specific audience groups is difficult and the identity of a relatively small homogeneous group can be threatened in a larger culturally proximate group. The value-laden nature of pro-social content can also be problematic.

The Optimal Size for Discussion Groups. Exchange Bibliography No. 378.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petty, Robert M.

Many variables relate to the successful functioning of groups, but one that is fundamental is the size of the group. Part 1 of this bibliography includes a selection of studies from small-group research in experimental social psychology. Part 2 of this report represents an attempt at a rigorous review of the feelings of clinicians and counselors…

An Analysis of Small Group Interactions of Vietnamese Students under the Bourdieusian Theoretical Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Thanh; Pham, Lam

2018-01-01

Group work has been increasingly encouraged and applied in Vietnamese universities. However, very little has been known about how Vietnamese university students work in a group and what the conditions are that help establish an effective group. This study attempted to redress this gap. The research applied Bourdieu's social field theory to examine…

Social behaviors as determined by different arrangements of social consequences: diffusion of responsibility effects with competition.

PubMed

Guerin, Bernard

2003-06-01

According to a recently proposed synthesis, social loafing, social facilitation, and deindividuation can be viewed as different ways of arranging social consequences (B. Guerin, 1999). The effects of such arrangements have been measured in past research as productive output (social loafing and social facilitation) or as antinormative behaviors (deindividuation), but all 3 effects are manipulable by changing individual identifiability, evaluation, social identity, task difficulty, and presence in a group. The synthesis also predicted that these same variables would apply to other measures and other arrangements of social consequences. To this end, in the present 2 experiments, the author varied the arrangements for consequence diffusion in a competition situation by varying small and large competing groups and measured productive output and antinormative behaviors simultaneously. The 2 experiments showed social-consequence effects in competition situations with college students, giving further support for the social-consequence synthesis and the idea that the verbal naming of phenomena in social psychology is arbitrary.

A Taxonomy of Well-Being for Small-Town Elderly: A Case for Rural Diversity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheidt, Rick J.

1984-01-01

Describes the development of a taxonomy of social and psychological well-being for 900 elderly small town residents. Compares the four largest groups (partially engaged, fully engaged, disengaged, and frail) in terms of mental and physical health, contact with others, and activity. (JAC)

Community Problem Solving and Small/Rural Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFoe, Bettye Haller

Because demographic and social changes in rural communities also affect small and rural school environments, schools must consider the impact of community change and plan accordingly. Rural school administrators, who are visible and respected, know how to work with groups, and understand the local community, are well qualified to provide their…

DESIGNS FOR SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NIMNICHT, GLENDON P.; PARTRIDGE, ARTHUR R.

BY MULTIPLE-CLASS TEACHING AND FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING, SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS CAN OFFER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS COMPARABLE TO THOSE OFFERED BY LARGE HIGH SCHOOLS. WITH ATTENTION TO FACILITY DESIGN, NOT ONLY CAN SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, FOREIGN LANGUAGE, ART, BUSINESS, INDUSTRIAL ARTS, HOMEMAKING, ENGLISH, AND SOCIAL STUDIES BE OFFERED TO TWO OR MORE GROUPS OF…

Intragroup Emotions: Physiological Linkage and Social Presence.

PubMed

Järvelä, Simo; Kätsyri, Jari; Ravaja, Niklas; Chanel, Guillaume; Henttonen, Pentti

2016-01-01

We investigated how technologically mediating two different components of emotion-communicative expression and physiological state-to group members affects physiological linkage and self-reported feelings in a small group during video viewing. In different conditions the availability of second screen text chat (communicative expression) and visualization of group level physiological heart rates and their dyadic linkage (physiology) was varied. Within this four person group two participants formed a physically co-located dyad and the other two were individually situated in two separate rooms. We found that text chat always increased heart rate synchrony but HR visualization only with non-co-located dyads. We also found that physiological linkage was strongly connected to self-reported social presence. The results encourage further exploration of the possibilities of sharing group member's physiological components of emotion by technological means to enhance mediated communication and strengthen social presence.

Resilient help to switch and overlap hierarchical subsystems in a small human group

PubMed Central

Fujii, K.; Yokoyama, K.; Koyama, T.; Rikukawa, A.; Yamada, H.; Yamamoto, Y.

2016-01-01

Groups of social organisms in nature are resilient systems that can overcome unpredicted threats by helping its members. These social organisms are assumed to behave both autonomously and cooperatively as individuals, the helper, the helped and other part of a group depending on the context such as emergencies. However, the structure and function of these resilient actions, such as how helpers help colleagues and how the helper’s action is effective at multiple subsystem scales remain unclear. Here we investigated the behaviour of organised and efficient small human groups in a ballgame defence, and identified three principles of hierarchical resilient help when under attack. First, at a present high emergency level, the helper simply switched the local roles in the attacked subsystem with the helped. Second, at an intermediate emergency level, the helpers effectively acted in overlapping subsystems. Third, for the most critical emergency, the helpers globally switched the action on the overall system. These resilient actions to the benefit of the system were assumed to be observed in only humans, which help colleagues at flexibly switched and overlapped hierarchical subsystem. We suggest that these multi-layered helping behaviours can help to understand resilient cooperation in social organisms and human groups. PMID:27045443

Using social media to support small group learning.

PubMed

Cole, Duncan; Rengasamy, Emma; Batchelor, Shafqat; Pope, Charles; Riley, Stephen; Cunningham, Anne Marie

2017-11-10

Medical curricula are increasingly using small group learning and less didactic lecture-based teaching. This creates new challenges and opportunities in how students are best supported with information technology. We explored how university-supported and external social media could support collaborative small group working on our new undergraduate medical curriculum. We made available a curation platform (Scoop.it) and a wiki within our virtual learning environment as part of year 1 Case-Based Learning, and did not discourage the use of other tools such as Facebook. We undertook student surveys to capture perceptions of the tools and information on how they were used, and employed software user metrics to explore the extent to which they were used during the year. Student groups developed a preferred way of working early in the course. Most groups used Facebook to facilitate communication within the group, and to host documents and notes. There were more barriers to using the wiki and curation platform, although some groups did make extensive use of them. Staff engagement was variable, with some tutors reviewing the content posted on the wiki and curation platform in face-to-face sessions, but not outside these times. A small number of staff posted resources and reviewed student posts on the curation platform. Optimum use of these tools depends on sufficient training of both staff and students, and an opportunity to practice using them, with ongoing support. The platforms can all support collaborative learning, and may help develop digital literacy, critical appraisal skills, and awareness of wider health issues in society.

The highest-ranking rooster has priority to announce the break of dawn.

PubMed

Shimmura, Tsuyoshi; Ohashi, Shosei; Yoshimura, Takashi

2015-07-23

The "cock-a-doodle-doo" crowing of roosters, which symbolizes the break of dawn in many cultures, is controlled by the circadian clock. When one rooster announces the break of dawn, others in the vicinity immediately follow. Chickens are highly social animals, and they develop a linear and fixed hierarchy in small groups. We found that when chickens were housed in small groups, the top-ranking rooster determined the timing of predawn crowing. Specifically, the top-ranking rooster always started to crow first, followed by its subordinates, in descending order of social rank. When the top-ranking rooster was physically removed from a group, the second-ranking rooster initiated crowing. The presence of a dominant rooster significantly reduced the number of predawn crows in subordinates. However, the number of crows induced by external stimuli was independent of social rank, confirming that subordinates have the ability to crow. Although the timing of subordinates' predawn crowing was strongly dependent on that of the top-ranking rooster, free-running periods of body temperature rhythms differed among individuals, and crowing rhythm did not entrain to a crowing sound stimulus. These results indicate that in a group situation, the top-ranking rooster has priority to announce the break of dawn, and that subordinate roosters are patient enough to wait for the top-ranking rooster's first crow every morning and thus compromise their circadian clock for social reasons.

Micro-provision of Social Care Support for Marginalized Communities - Filling the Gap or Building Bridges to the Mainstream?

PubMed

Needham, Catherine; Carr, Sarah

2015-12-01

As English social care services reconstruct themselves in response to the personalization agenda, there is increased interest in the contribution of micro-providers - very small community-based organizations, which can work directly with individuals. These micro-providers are assumed to be able to cater for the 'seldom heard' groups which have been marginalized within mainstream social care services. This article reviews recent literature from the UK published in peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2013 on support provision for people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. It considers the marginalising dynamics in mainstream, statutory social care support provision, and how far local community, specialist or small-scale services are responding to unmet need for support and advice among marginalized groups. The review found that there is a tradition of compensatory self-organization, use of informal networks and a mobilization of social capital for all these groups in response to marginalization from mainstream, statutory services. This requires recognition and nurturing in ways that do not stifle its unique nature. Specialist and community-based micro-providers can contribute to a wider range of choices for people who feel larger, mainstream services are not suitable or accessible. However, the types of compensatory activity identified in the research need recognition and investment, and its existence does not imply that the mainstream should not address marginalization.

Sex-Role Orientation and Leadership Styles: Further Exploration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korabik, Karen

Studies have shown that, in small groups, two types of leaders generally emerge, i.e., a task specialist concerned with achieving the group's goals and a social-emotional specialist concerned with the morale and cohesiveness of the group. To determine if leadship style is related to sex role orientation, rather than to biological sex, to…

Mechanisms for Promoting the Development of Cognitive, Social and Affective Graduate Attributes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kember, David; Hong, Celina; Yau, Vickie W. K.; Ho, Shun Amaly

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to help universities promote graduate attributes by investigating mechanisms for promoting the development of cognitive, social and affective attributes which could impact upon all undergraduate students. Small group interviews were conducted with 90 final year students at a university in Hong Kong. Interview transcripts…

Cross-Cultural Competence and Small Groups: Why SOF Are the Way SOF Are

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

social brain hypothesis suggests that the ability of the brain to process social knowledge (as distinct from memory size) sets limits on the number...is the autobiographical account of the experi- ence of British soldier T. E. Lawrence. 83. The Jedburgh Operation consisted of 3-man international

The Incredible Years Therapeutic Social and Emotional Skills Programme: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchings, Judy; Bywater, Tracey; Gridley, Nicole; Whitaker, Christopher J.; Martin-Forbes, Pam; Gruffydd, Stella

2012-01-01

The Incredible Years (IY) universal child Classroom Dinosaur and Teacher Classroom Management programmes are delivered in all 102 primary schools in Gwynedd County, Wales. This article describes a pilot study of the IY Therapeutic (small group) Dinosaur School social and emotional coaching programme, developed as a treatment programme, in one such…

(Re)integrating Simmel in Contemporary Social Exchange: The Effect of Nonpartisans on Relational Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collett, Jessica L.

2011-01-01

Despite the increased prevalence of neutral third parties in both formal and informal exchange processes, social exchange theory has yet to consider the effect of nonpartisans on important cognitive and affective outcomes of exchange. This research integrates Simmel's conceptualization of small groups and nonpartisans with contemporary theory and…

Discursive Construction of Social Presence and Identity Positions in an International Bilingual Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Ute

2017-01-01

This article examines the discursive construction of social presence and identity in a bilingual collaboration between tertiary distance learners of German in New Zealand and Academic English students in Germany. Drawing on positioning theory, this small-scale study investigated the collaborative practices of a group of students, whose synchronous…

Gray matter volume of the anterior insular cortex and social networking.

PubMed

Spagna, Alfredo; Dufford, Alexander J; Wu, Qiong; Wu, Tingting; Zheng, Weihao; Coons, Edgar E; Hof, Patrick R; Hu, Bin; Wu, Yanhong; Fan, Jin

2018-05-01

In human life, social context requires the engagement in complex interactions among individuals as the dynamics of social networks. The evolution of the brain as the neurological basis of the mind must be crucial in supporting social networking. Although the relationship between social networking and the amygdala, a small but core region for emotion processing, has been reported, other structures supporting sophisticated social interactions must be involved and need to be identified. In this study, we examined the relationship between morphology of the anterior insular cortex (AIC), a structure involved in basic and high-level cognition, and social networking. Two independent cohorts of individuals (New York group n = 50, Beijing group n = 100) were recruited. Structural magnetic resonance images were acquired and the social network index (SNI), a composite measure summarizing an individual's network diversity, size, and complexity, was measured. The association between morphological features of the AIC, in addition to amygdala, and the SNI was examined. Positive correlations between the measures of the volume as well as sulcal depth of the AIC and the SNI were found in both groups, while a significant positive correlation between the volume of the amygdala and the SNI was only found in the New York group. The converging results from the two groups suggest that the AIC supports network-level social interactions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Social interactions of autistic and nonhandicapped children during free play.

PubMed

McHale, S M

1983-01-01

Ten small groups of second and third graders participated in weekly play sessions with autistic children over a period of ten weeks. Observations of 28 nonhandicapped children indicated that the frequency of their social interaction and communication increased across the week of their daily visits. Autistic children displayed increases in social interaction and decreases in solitary behavior from the first to the tenth week of observation.

Sand: Up Close and Amazing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDuffie, Thomas E.

2003-01-01

The integration of science with social science and literature captures the spirit of inquiry and pedagogy embodied in the "National Science Education Standards". Multiple instructional approaches--group and individual work, small and large group work, at-home activities, hands-on and virtual instruction, extension into literature, writing and…

Measuring Group Work Dynamics and Its Relation with L2 Learners' Task Motivation and Language Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poupore, Glen

2016-01-01

While learners of a second language (L2) are increasingly interacting in small groups as part of a communicative methodological paradigm, very few studies have investigated the social dynamics that occur in such groups. The aim of this study is to introduce a group work dynamic measuring instrument and to investigate the relationship between group…

Effectiveness of a Worksite Social & Physical Environment Intervention on Need for Recovery, Physical Activity and Relaxation; Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Coffeng, Jennifer K.; Boot, Cécile R. L.; Duijts, Saskia F. A.; Twisk, Jos W. R.; van Mechelen, Willem; Hendriksen, Ingrid J. M.

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of a worksite social and physical environment intervention on need for recovery (i.e., early symptoms of work-related mental and physical fatigue), physical activity and relaxation. Also, the effectiveness of the separate interventions was investigated. Methods In this 2×2 factorial design study, 412 office employees from a financial service provider participated. Participants were allocated to the combined social and physical intervention, to the social intervention only, to the physical intervention only or to the control group. The primary outcome measure was need for recovery. Secondary outcomes were work-related stress (i.e., exhaustion, detachment and relaxation), small breaks, physical activity (i.e., stair climbing, active commuting, sport activities, light/moderate/vigorous physical activity) and sedentary behavior. Outcomes were measured by questionnaires at baseline, 6 and 12 months follow-up. Multilevel analyses were performed to investigate the effects of the three interventions. Results In all intervention groups, a non-significant reduction was found in need for recovery. In the combined intervention (n = 92), exhaustion and vigorous physical activities decreased significantly, and small breaks at work and active commuting increased significantly compared to the control group. The social intervention (n = 118) showed a significant reduction in exhaustion, sedentary behavior at work and a significant increase in small breaks at work and leisure activities. In the physical intervention (n = 96), stair climbing at work and active commuting significantly increased, and sedentary behavior at work decreased significantly compared to the control group. Conclusion None of the interventions was effective in improving the need for recovery. It is recommended to implement the social and physical intervention among a population with higher baseline values of need for recovery. Furthermore, the intervention itself could be improved by increasing the intensity of the intervention (for example weekly GMI-sessions), providing physical activity opportunities and exercise schemes, and by more drastic environment interventions (restructuring entire department floor). Trial Registration Nederlands Trial Register NTR2553 PMID:25542039

Automated computer-based detection of encounter behaviours in groups of honeybees.

PubMed

Blut, Christina; Crespi, Alessandro; Mersch, Danielle; Keller, Laurent; Zhao, Linlin; Kollmann, Markus; Schellscheidt, Benjamin; Fülber, Carsten; Beye, Martin

2017-12-15

Honeybees form societies in which thousands of members integrate their behaviours to act as a single functional unit. We have little knowledge on how the collaborative features are regulated by workers' activities because we lack methods that enable collection of simultaneous and continuous behavioural information for each worker bee. In this study, we introduce the Bee Behavioral Annotation System (BBAS), which enables the automated detection of bees' behaviours in small observation hives. Continuous information on position and orientation were obtained by marking worker bees with 2D barcodes in a small observation hive. We computed behavioural and social features from the tracking information to train a behaviour classifier for encounter behaviours (interaction of workers via antennation) using a machine learning-based system. The classifier correctly detected 93% of the encounter behaviours in a group of bees, whereas 13% of the falsely classified behaviours were unrelated to encounter behaviours. The possibility of building accurate classifiers for automatically annotating behaviours may allow for the examination of individual behaviours of worker bees in the social environments of small observation hives. We envisage that BBAS will be a powerful tool for detecting the effects of experimental manipulation of social attributes and sub-lethal effects of pesticides on behaviour.

Deciphering the crowd: modeling and identification of pedestrian group motion.

PubMed

Yücel, Zeynep; Zanlungo, Francesco; Ikeda, Tetsushi; Miyashita, Takahiro; Hagita, Norihiro

2013-01-14

Associating attributes to pedestrians in a crowd is relevant for various areas like surveillance, customer profiling and service providing. The attributes of interest greatly depend on the application domain and might involve such social relations as friends or family as well as the hierarchy of the group including the leader or subordinates. Nevertheless, the complex social setting inherently complicates this task. We attack this problem by exploiting the small group structures in the crowd. The relations among individuals and their peers within a social group are reliable indicators of social attributes. To that end, this paper identifies social groups based on explicit motion models integrated through a hypothesis testing scheme. We develop two models relating positional and directional relations. A pair of pedestrians is identified as belonging to the same group or not by utilizing the two models in parallel, which defines a compound hypothesis testing scheme. By testing the proposed approach on three datasets with different environmental properties and group characteristics, it is demonstrated that we achieve an identification accuracy of 87% to 99%. The contribution of this study lies in its definition of positional and directional relation models, its description of compound evaluations, and the resolution of ambiguities with our proposed uncertainty measure based on the local and global indicators of group relation.

Deciphering the Crowd: Modeling and Identification of Pedestrian Group Motion

PubMed Central

Yücel, Zeynep; Zanlungo, Francesco; Ikeda, Tetsushi; Miyashita, Takahiro; Hagita, Norihiro

2013-01-01

Associating attributes to pedestrians in a crowd is relevant for various areas like surveillance, customer profiling and service providing. The attributes of interest greatly depend on the application domain and might involve such social relations as friends or family as well as the hierarchy of the group including the leader or subordinates. Nevertheless, the complex social setting inherently complicates this task. We attack this problem by exploiting the small group structures in the crowd. The relations among individuals and their peers within a social group are reliable indicators of social attributes. To that end, this paper identifies social groups based on explicit motion models integrated through a hypothesis testing scheme. We develop two models relating positional and directional relations. A pair of pedestrians is identified as belonging to the same group or not by utilizing the two models in parallel, which defines a compound hypothesis testing scheme. By testing the proposed approach on three datasets with different environmental properties and group characteristics, it is demonstrated that we achieve an identification accuracy of 87% to 99%. The contribution of this study lies in its definition of positional and directional relation models, its description of compound evaluations, and the resolution of ambiguities with our proposed uncertainty measure based on the local and global indicators of group relation. PMID:23344382

On some genetic consequences of social structure, mating systems, dispersal, and sampling

PubMed Central

Parreira, Bárbara R.; Chikhi, Lounès

2015-01-01

Many species are spatially and socially organized, with complex social organizations and dispersal patterns that are increasingly documented. Social species typically consist of small age-structured units, where a limited number of individuals monopolize reproduction and exhibit complex mating strategies. Here, we model social groups as age-structured units and investigate the genetic consequences of social structure under distinct mating strategies commonly found in mammals. Our results show that sociality maximizes genotypic diversity, which contradicts the belief that social groups are necessarily subject to strong genetic drift and at high risk of inbreeding depression. Social structure generates an excess of genotypic diversity. This is commonly observed in ecological studies but rarely reported in population genetic studies that ignore social structure. This heterozygosity excess, when detected, is often interpreted as a consequence of inbreeding avoidance mechanisms, but we show that it can occur even in the absence of such mechanisms. Many seemly contradictory results from ecology and population genetics can be reconciled by genetic models that include the complexities of social species. We find that such discrepancies can be explained by the intrinsic properties of social groups and by the sampling strategies of real populations. In particular, the number of social groups and the nature of the individuals that compose samples (e.g., nonreproductive and reproductive individuals) are key factors in generating outbreeding signatures. Sociality is an important component of population structure that needs to be revisited by ecologists and population geneticists alike. PMID:26080393

Peer Learning for Change in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilsdon, John

2014-01-01

This paper draws upon small scale, qualitative research at a UK university to present a Learning Development (LD) perspective on peer learning. This approach is offered as a lens for exploring social aspects of learning, cultural change in higher education and implications for pedagogy and policy. Views of a small group of peer learning leaders…

Autonomy and interdependence: beliefs of Brazilian mothers from state capitals and small towns.

PubMed

Vieira, Mauro Luis; Seidl-de-Moura, Maria Lucia; Macarini, Samira Mafioletti; Martins, Gabriela Dal Forno; Lordelo, Eulina da Rocha; Tokumaru, Rosana Suemi; Oliva, Angela Donate

2010-11-01

This study aimed to investigate characteristics of Brazilian mothers' beliefs system, in the dimensions of autonomy and interdependence. A group of 600 women, half from state capitals and half from small towns, participated in the study. They were individually interviewed with Scales of Allocentrism, Beliefs about Parental Practices and Socialization Goals. Paired and Independent samples t tests and Multivariate GLM were performed. The results indicate that although mothers from both contexts value autonomy, mothers inhabiting small towns considered the relational dimension as the most important; whereas mothers inhabiting capitals valued equally both dimensions, either in their beliefs about practices or in the socialization goals for their children. Mothers from small towns have a higher mean score for allocentrism than mothers living in capitals. Thus, place of residence proved to be a relevant variable in the modulation of maternal beliefs. Educational level was not a significant factor in the variables considered and with this group of mothers. The study results are discussed in terms of their contribution to the understanding of the complex relationship between dimensions of autonomy and interdependence in mothers' beliefs system.

Intragroup Emotions: Physiological Linkage and Social Presence

PubMed Central

Järvelä, Simo; Kätsyri, Jari; Ravaja, Niklas; Chanel, Guillaume; Henttonen, Pentti

2016-01-01

We investigated how technologically mediating two different components of emotion—communicative expression and physiological state—to group members affects physiological linkage and self-reported feelings in a small group during video viewing. In different conditions the availability of second screen text chat (communicative expression) and visualization of group level physiological heart rates and their dyadic linkage (physiology) was varied. Within this four person group two participants formed a physically co-located dyad and the other two were individually situated in two separate rooms. We found that text chat always increased heart rate synchrony but HR visualization only with non-co-located dyads. We also found that physiological linkage was strongly connected to self-reported social presence. The results encourage further exploration of the possibilities of sharing group member's physiological components of emotion by technological means to enhance mediated communication and strengthen social presence. PMID:26903913

Alcohol and Group Formation: A Multimodal Investigation of the Effects of Alcohol on Emotion and Social Bonding

PubMed Central

Sayette, Michael A.; Creswell, Kasey G.; Dimoff, John D.; Fairbairn, Catharine E.; Cohn, Jeffrey F.; Heckman, Bryan W.; Kirchner, Thomas R.; Levine, John M.; Moreland, Richard L.

2017-01-01

We integrated research on emotion and on small groups to address a fundamental and enduring question facing alcohol researchers: What are the specific mechanisms that underlie the reinforcing effects of drinking? In one of the largest alcohol-administration studies yet conducted, we employed a novel group-formation paradigm to evaluate the socioemotional effects of alcohol. Seven hundred twenty social drinkers (360 male, 360 female) were assembled into groups of 3 unacquainted persons each and given a moderate dose of an alcoholic, placebo, or control beverage, which they consumed over 36 min. These groups’ social interactions were video recorded, and the duration and sequence of interaction partners’ facial and speech behaviors were systematically coded (e.g., using the Facial Action Coding System). Alcohol consumption enhanced individual- and group-level behaviors associated with positive affect, reduced individual-level behaviors associated with negative affect, and elevated self-reported bonding. Our results indicate that alcohol facilitates bonding during group formation. Assessing nonverbal responses in social contexts offers new directions for evaluating the effects of alcohol. PMID:22760882

Networking: Addressing Urban Students' Self-Esteem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Randolf; Turner, Thomas M.

1997-01-01

Describes Network in the Schools (NIS), a project to enhance teens' academic achievement and self-esteem, which uses small group classroom discussions regarding self-affirmation, social concerns, self-improvement, and reflection, and meetings for group sharing and self-expression. Presents findings that the program results in enhanced parent…

Exploring health-related quality of life and social functioning in adolescents with inflammatory bowel diseases after attending camp oasis and participating in a Facebook group.

PubMed

Plevinsky, Jill M; Greenley, Rachel N

2014-09-01

Youth with inflammatory bowel diseases are at risk for impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and problems with social functioning. This study examined the impact of attending Camp Oasis (a disease-specific weeklong camp experience) on the HRQoL and social functioning of youth with inflammatory bowel diseases. Additionally, the study collected pilot data on whether a postcamp Facebook group contributed to maintenance or enhancement of these factors. Twenty-one youth ages 14 to 17 years who attended Camp Oasis and were Facebook users participated. HRQoL and social functioning (i.e., social support and social connectedness) were assessed through validated youth-report questionnaires at precamp, postcamp, and post-Facebook group. The Facebook group was 8 weeks in duration and encouraged campers to continue interacting in a private, protected setting. Analyses of effect sizes (i.e., Cohen's d) indicated medium and statistically significant increases in HRQoL from precamp to postcamp (d = 0.40) and small increases in social functioning (d = 0.15-0.24). Additional improvements in social functioning were seen from postcamp to post-Facebook group (d = 0.21-0.32), and overall improvements were observed in all domains (d = 0.17-0.52). Findings replicated those of previous research in documenting the value of Camp Oasis on enhancing HRQoL. Both the camp experience and the Facebook group contributed to improvements in youth social functioning. Thus, supplementing the camp experience with membership in an online community may enhance social functioning in adolescents with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Perceptions of problem-based learning (PBL) group effectiveness in a socially-culturally diverse medical student population.

PubMed

Singaram, V S; Dolmans, D H J M; Lachman, N; van der Vleuten, C P M

2008-07-01

A key aspect of the success of a PBL curriculum is the effective implementation of its small group tutorials. Diversity among students participating in tutorials may affect the effectiveness of the tutorials and may require different implementation strategies. To determine how students from diverse backgrounds perceive the effectiveness of the processes and content of the PBL tutorials. This study also aims to explore the relationship between students' perceptions of their PBL tutorials and their gender, age, language, prior educational training, and secondary schooling. Data were survey results from 244 first-year student-respondents at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to verify scale constructs in the questionnaire. Relationships between independent and dependent variables were investigated in an analysis of variance. The average scores for the items measured varied between 3.3 and 3.8 (scale value 1 indicated negative regard and 5 indicated positive regard). Among process measures, approximately two-thirds of students felt that learning in a group was neither frustrating nor stressful and that they enjoyed learning how to work with students from different social and cultural backgrounds. Among content measures, 80% of the students felt that they learned to work successfully with students from different social and cultural groups and 77% felt that they benefited from the input of other group members. Mean ratings on these measures did not vary with students' gender, age, first language, prior educational training, and the types of schools they had previously attended. Medical students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, regardless of their backgrounds, generally have positive perceptions of small group learning. These findings support previous studies in highlighting the role that small group tutorials can play in overcoming cultural barriers and promoting unity and collaborative learning within diverse student groups.

Exogenous testosterone decreases men's personal distance in a social threat context.

PubMed

Wagels, Lisa; Radke, Sina; Goerlich, Katharina Sophia; Habel, Ute; Votinov, Mikhail

2017-04-01

Testosterone can motivate human approach and avoidance behavior. Specifically, the conscious recognition of and implicit reaction to angry facial expressions is influenced by testosterone. The study tested whether exogenous testosterone modulates the personal distance (PD) humans prefer in a social threat context. 82 healthy male participants underwent either transdermal testosterone (testosterone group) or placebo application (placebo group). Each participant performed a computerized stop-distance task before (T1) and 3.5h after (T2) treatment, during which they indicated how closely they would approach a human, animal or virtual character with varying emotional expression. Men's PD towards humans and animals varied as a function of their emotional expression. In the testosterone group, a pre-post comparison indicated that the administration of 50mg testosterone was associated with a small but significant reduction of men's PD towards aggressive individuals. Men in the placebo group did not change the initially chosen PD after placebo application independent of the condition. However comparing the testosterone and placebo group after testosterone administration did not reveal significant differences. While the behavioral effect was small and only observed as within-group effect it was repeatedly and selectively shown for men's PD choices towards an angry woman, angry man and angry dog in the testosterone group. In line with the literature, our findings in young men support the influential role of exogenous testosterone on male's approach behavior during social confrontations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Opinion dynamics within a virtual small group: the stubbornness effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guazzini, Andrea; Cini, Alessandro; Bagnoli, Franco; Ramasco, José

2015-09-01

The modeling of opinion dynamics is social systems has attracted a good deal of attention in the last decade. Even though based on intuition and observation, the mechanisms behind many of these models need solid empirical grounding. In this work, we investigate the relation among subjective variables (such as the personality), the dynamics of the affinity network dynamics, the communication patterns emerging throughout the social interactions and the opinions dynamics in a series of experiments with five small groups of ten people each. In order to ignite the discussion, the polemic topic of animal experimentation was proposed. The groups essentially polarized in two factions with a set of stubborn individuals (those not changing their opinions in time) playing the role of anchors. Our results suggest that the different layers present in the group dynamics (i.e., individual level, group dynamics and meso-communication) are deeply intermingled, specifically the stubbornness effect appears to be related to the dynamical features of the network topologies, and only in an undirected way to the personality of the participants.

Influence of Chronic Social Defeat Stress on Digestive System Functioning in Rats.

PubMed

Toyoda, Atsushi; Iio, Wataru; Matsukawa, Noriko; Tsukahara, Takamitsu

2015-01-01

Mental disorders are caused by chronic psychosocial stress, and can cause various symptoms related to the digestive system. We focused on the conjugation of intestinal absorptive and enzymatic mechanisms between chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model rats and healthy controls to obtain general biochemical data about the intestine of the model in this study. The small intestine was divided into three regions: proximal (PI), middle (MI), and distal (DI); mRNA expression associated with a nutrient absorption, glucose absorption activity, and activities of the digestive enzymes such as maltase, sucrase and lactase was measured. Expression of both sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (Sglt1) and glucose transporter 2 gene tended to be higher in the stress group compared to the control group in PI. Glucose absorption was also higher in PI of the CSDS group. Sglt1 and peptide transporter 1 gene expressions in the CSDS group were significantly higher than those in the control group in DI. Furthermore, in PI, expression of the aquaporin 1 gene was significantly higher in the CSDS group compared to the control group. Thus, absorption of some nutrients might be higher in the small intestine of the CSDS rat.

Single Mothers, the Underclass, and Social Policy. CDE Working Paper 88-30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLanahan, Sara; Garfinkel, Irv

Although the vast majority of single mothers do not fit the description of an underclass, there is a small group of predominantly black single mothers concentrated in northern urban ghettos that is persistently weakly attached to the labor force, socially isolated, and reproducing itself. Although welfare programs are necessary for those who are…

Role-Taking in Small Book-Discussion Groups by First-Grade Boys in a Single-Gender School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Das, Sudarshana

2010-01-01

Gender and achievement is controversial. Social and cultural concerns about who boys are and who they should become is tied closely to how both coeducational and single-gender schools function, and how they approach literacy issues. Currently, there is little understanding of social and cultural influences on students' experiences with discourse…

A Multi-Component Social Skills Intervention for Children with Asperger Syndrome: The Junior Detective Training Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaumont, Renae; Sofronoff, Kate

2008-01-01

Background: The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a new multi-component social skills intervention for children with Asperger syndrome (AS): The Junior Detective Training Program. This 7-week program included a computer game, small group sessions, parent training sessions and teacher handouts. Method: Forty-nine children with AS were…

Efficacy of nursing interventions in reducing social and occupational disabilities among patients with neurosis.

PubMed

Nagarajaiah; Jothimani, G; Parthasarathi, R; Reddemma, K; Giri, A T S

2012-01-01

Individuals suffering from neurosis suffer from social and occupational disabilities similar to that of psychoses. Though understanding of disabilities in neurosis is essential in management of the clients, the relevant interventional studies are very limited. The present study attempted to evaluate the effect of nursing interventions in reducing social and occupational disabilities in neurotic patients. Sixty neurotic patients diagnosed as per ICD 9 criteria were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups followed by pre-assessment by Groningen social disability schedule. Of the 10 sessions of nursing intervention, 3 were individual sessions with clients, 5 with clients and family members and 2 with small group of clients with similar problems; nursing intervention group and non-nursing intervention group received the routine drug treatment at rural community mental health centre, NIMHANS, Bengaluru. The post-assessment was carried out first, second, and the third month followed by the nursing intervention. The findings revealed statistically significant reduction in social and occupational disabilities. A community-based psychosocial intervention led by community health nurses catering to the needs of neurotic patients is indicated by the results.

The Effect of Cognitive Therapy on Structural Social Capital: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial Among Sexual Violence Survivors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

PubMed Central

Bolton, Paul A.; Annan, Jeannie; Kaysen, Debra; Robinette, Katie; Cetinoglu, Talita; Wachter, Karin; Bass, Judith K.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated changes in social capital following group-based cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for female survivors of sexual violence. Methods. We compared CPT with individual support in a cluster-randomized trial in villages in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Local psychosocial assistants delivered the interventions from April through July 2011. We evaluated differences between CPT and individual support conditions for structural social capital (i.e., time spent with nonkin social network, group membership and participation, and the size of financial and instrumental support networks) and emotional support seeking. We analyzed intervention effects with longitudinal random effects models. Results. We obtained small to medium effect size differences for 2 study outcomes. Women in the CPT villages increased group membership and participation at 6-month follow-up and emotional support seeking after the intervention compared with women in the individual support villages. Conclusions. Results support the efficacy of group CPT to increase dimensions of social capital among survivors of sexual violence in a low-income conflict-affected context. PMID:25033113

Group-Level Analysis on Multiplayer Game Collaboration: How Do the Individuals Shape the Group Interaction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bluemink, Johanna; Hamalainen, Raija; Manninen, Tony; Jarvela, Sanna

2010-01-01

In this study, the aim was to examine how small-group collaboration is shaped by individuals interacting in a virtual multiplayer game. The data were collected from a design experiment in which six randomly divided groups of four university students played a voice-enhanced game lasting about 1 h. The "eScape" game was a social action adventure…

The co-evolution of social institutions, demography, and large-scale human cooperation.

PubMed

Powers, Simon T; Lehmann, Laurent

2013-11-01

Human cooperation is typically coordinated by institutions, which determine the outcome structure of the social interactions individuals engage in. Explaining the Neolithic transition from small- to large-scale societies involves understanding how these institutions co-evolve with demography. We study this using a demographically explicit model of institution formation in a patch-structured population. Each patch supports both social and asocial niches. Social individuals create an institution, at a cost to themselves, by negotiating how much of the costly public good provided by cooperators is invested into sanctioning defectors. The remainder of their public good is invested in technology that increases carrying capacity, such as irrigation systems. We show that social individuals can invade a population of asocials, and form institutions that support high levels of cooperation. We then demonstrate conditions where the co-evolution of cooperation, institutions, and demographic carrying capacity creates a transition from small- to large-scale social groups. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Consciousness Raising and Christian Worship as Small Group Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Gary

Consciousness raising movements and charismatic Christian worship display an extraordinary degree of rhetorical similarity. This four-part paper outlines the likenesses of the two groups, indicates where they differ, and focuses on the social and political dimensions of consciousness raising. The first section lists the following similarities…

Classroom Groups in Theory and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boydell, Deanne

1979-01-01

This article examines some British classroom studies and raises further research questions on small group instruction (SGI) as a teaching tool. Considered are teachers' use of SGI; its efficacy for cognitive, language, and social development; and student-to-student interaction patterns in relation to seating, sex, and ability mix. (SJL)

Children's Use of Analogy during Collaborative Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Tzu-Jung; Anderson, Richard C.; Hummel, John E.; Jadallah, May; Miller, Brian W.; Nguyen-Jahiel, Kim; Morris, Joshua A.; Kuo, Li-Jen; Kim, Il-Hee; Wu, Xiaoying; Dong, Ting

2012-01-01

This microgenetic study examined social influences on children's development of analogical reasoning during peer-led small-group discussions of stories about controversial issues. A total of 277 analogies were identified among 7,215 child turns for speaking during 54 discussions from 18 discussion groups in 6 fourth-grade classrooms (N = 120; age…

Small School Ritual and Parent Involvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushnell, Mary

This paper examines the ritual socialization of parents into a school community. Rituals may be mundane or sacred and typically involve actions that have transformative potential. In the context of groups, rituals may serve the purposes of identifying and constructing group identity, maintaining cohesion, and constructing and communicating values.…

The highest-ranking rooster has priority to announce the break of dawn

PubMed Central

Shimmura, Tsuyoshi; Ohashi, Shosei; Yoshimura, Takashi

2015-01-01

The “cock-a-doodle-doo” crowing of roosters, which symbolizes the break of dawn in many cultures, is controlled by the circadian clock. When one rooster announces the break of dawn, others in the vicinity immediately follow. Chickens are highly social animals, and they develop a linear and fixed hierarchy in small groups. We found that when chickens were housed in small groups, the top-ranking rooster determined the timing of predawn crowing. Specifically, the top-ranking rooster always started to crow first, followed by its subordinates, in descending order of social rank. When the top-ranking rooster was physically removed from a group, the second-ranking rooster initiated crowing. The presence of a dominant rooster significantly reduced the number of predawn crows in subordinates. However, the number of crows induced by external stimuli was independent of social rank, confirming that subordinates have the ability to crow. Although the timing of subordinates’ predawn crowing was strongly dependent on that of the top-ranking rooster, free-running periods of body temperature rhythms differed among individuals, and crowing rhythm did not entrain to a crowing sound stimulus. These results indicate that in a group situation, the top-ranking rooster has priority to announce the break of dawn, and that subordinate roosters are patient enough to wait for the top-ranking rooster’s first crow every morning and thus compromise their circadian clock for social reasons. PMID:26203594

Individual and small group interactions in learning to teach with a hypermedia case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Mi-Lee Ahn

The purpose of this study was to investigate the similarities and differences of individual and small group preservice teachers' interactions with a hypermedia case. Preservice teachers' interactions with a hypermedia case were defined in terms of their (1) goals and perception of accomplishments of the goals, (2) use of features of the hypermedia case, and (3) types of questions and conflicts raised. Two individuals and two small groups of three preservice teachers participated by interacting with the hypermedia case which was developed to illustrate conceptual change science teaching in an elementary classroom. Most of the previous studies in this area have addressed large group use of hypermedia cases, and this study attempted to address the gap in the literature related to different social contexts, individuals and small groups, from the constructivist perspective. The assumptions of symbolic interactionism guided data collection from think-alouds and interviews. These multiple sources of data were used to understand the participants' construction of knowledge; data were analyzed and interpreted by a process of analytic induction. The major assertion was that the preservice teachers perceived the hypermedia case to be like a tool to link theory and practice of teaching. Three sub-assertions, and several supporting categories, also emerged from the data. These findings indicated that group learning experiences with the hypermedia case were more valuable than those of individuals. In general, preservice teachers benefited from learning how to teach with the hypermedia case in both settings. However, the individuals were not as satisfied as those in small groups, and the members of small groups interacted more actively with the hypermedia case as well as with the peers. The results of this study suggest that effective use of hypermedia cases takes place in a community of learners where the learners share the context and can draw upon the resources afforded by the technology as well as each other. Implications for teacher educators' use of hypermedia cases in different social contexts, and the development and effective use of hypermedia cases are presented as well as the suggestions for the future studies.

Social studying and learning among medical students: a scoping review.

PubMed

Keren, Daniela; Lockyer, Jocelyn; Ellaway, Rachel H

2017-10-01

Medical students study in social groups, which influence their learning, but few studies have investigated the characteristics of study groups and the impacts they have on students' learning. A scoping review was conducted on the topic of informal social studying and learning within medical education with the aim of appraising what is known regarding medical student attitudes to group study, the impact of group study on participants, and the methods that have been employed to study this. Using Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review principles, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched, along with hand-searching and a targeted search of the grey literature; 18 peer reviewed and 17 grey literature records were included. Thematic conceptual analysis identified a number of themes, including: the nature of group study; the utility and value of group studying including social learning facilitating student engagement, social learning as a source of motivation and accountability, and social learning as a source of wellbeing; and student preferences related to group studying, including its homophilic nature, transgressiveness, and effectiveness. Despite these emerging factors, the evidence base for this phenomenon is small. The findings in this scoping review demonstrate a clear role for social interaction outside of the classroom, and encourage us to consider the factors in student networking, and the implications of this on medical students' academics. We also highlight areas in need of future research to allow us to better situate informal social learning within medical education and to enable educators to support this phenomenon.

Adult sex ratios and partner scarcity among hunter-gatherers: implications for dispersal patterns and the evolution of human sociality.

PubMed

Kramer, Karen L; Schacht, Ryan; Bell, Adrian

2017-09-19

Small populations are susceptible to high genetic loads and random fluctuations in birth and death rates. While these selective forces can adversely affect their viability, small populations persist across taxa. Here, we investigate the resilience of small groups to demographic uncertainty, and specifically to fluctuations in adult sex ratio (ASR), partner availability and dispersal patterns. Using 25 years of demographic data for two Savannah Pumé groups of South American hunter-gatherers, we show that in small human populations: (i) ASRs fluctuate substantially from year to year, but do not consistently trend in a sex-biased direction; (ii) the primary driver of local variation in partner availability is stochasticity in the sex ratio at maturity; and (iii) dispersal outside of the group is an important behavioural means to mediate locally constrained mating options. To then simulate conditions under which dispersal outside of the local group may have evolved, we develop two mathematical models. Model results predict that if the ASR is biased, the globally rarer sex should disperse. The model's utility is then evaluated by applying our empirical data to this central prediction. The results are consistent with the observed hunter-gatherer pattern of variation in the sex that disperses. Together, these findings offer an alternative explanation to resource provisioning for the evolution of traits central to human sociality (e.g. flexible dispersal, bilocal post-marital residence and cooperation across local groups). We argue that in small populations, looking outside of one's local group is necessary to find a mate and that, motivated by ASR imbalance, the alliances formed to facilitate the movement of partners are an important foundation for the human-typical pattern of network formation across local groups.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Communally breeding bats use physiological and behavioural adjustments to optimise daily energy expenditure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pretzlaff, Iris; Kerth, Gerald; Dausmann, Kathrin H.

2010-04-01

Small endotherms must change roosting and thermoregulatory behaviour in response to changes in ambient conditions if they are to achieve positive energy balance. In social species, for example many bats, energy expenditure is influenced by environmental conditions, such as ambient temperature, and also by social thermoregulation. Direct measurements of daily fluctuations in metabolic rates in response to ambient and behavioural variables in the field have not been technologically feasible until recently. During different reproductive periods, we investigated the relationships between ambient temperature, group size and energy expenditure in wild maternity colonies of Bechstein’s bats ( Myotis bechsteinii). Bats used behavioural and physiological adjustments to regulate energy expenditure. Whether bats maintained normothermia or used torpor, the number of bats in the roosts as well changed with reproductive status and ambient temperature. During pregnancy and lactation, bats remained mostly normothermic and daily group sizes were relatively large, presumably to participate in the energetic benefits of social thermoregulation. In contrast, smaller groups were formed on days when bats used torpor, which occurred mostly during the post-lactation period. Thus, we were able to demonstrate on wild animals under natural conditions the significance of behavioural and physiological flexibility for optimal thermoregulatory behaviour in small endotherms.

Interaction location outweighs the competitive advantage of numerical superiority in Cebus capucinus intergroup contests.

PubMed

Crofoot, Margaret C; Gilby, Ian C; Wikelski, Martin C; Kays, Roland W

2008-01-15

Numerical superiority confers a competitive advantage during contests among animal groups, shaping patterns of resource access, and, by extension, fitness. However, relative group size does not always determine the winner of intergroup contests. Smaller, presumably weaker social groups often defeat their larger neighbors, but how and when they are able to do so remains poorly understood. Models of competition between individuals suggest that location may influence contest outcome. However, because of the logistical difficulties of studying intergroup interactions, previous studies have been unable to determine how contest location and group size interact to shape relationships among groups. We address this question by using an automated radio telemetry system to study intergroup interactions among six capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus) social groups of varying sizes. We find that the odds of winning increase with relative group size; one additional group member increases the odds of winning an interaction by 10%. However, this effect is not uniform across space; with each 100 m that a group moves away from the center of its home range, its odds of winning an interaction decrease by 31%. We demonstrate that contest outcome depends on an interaction between group size and location, such that small groups can defeat much larger groups near the center of their home range. The tendency of resident groups to win contests may help explain how small groups persist in areas with intense intergroup competition.

Understanding Online Health Groups for Depression: Social Network and Linguistic Perspectives

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Mental health problems have become increasingly prevalent in the past decade. With the advance of Web 2.0 technologies, social media present a novel platform for Web users to form online health groups. Members of online health groups discuss health-related issues and mutually help one another by anonymously revealing their mental conditions, sharing personal experiences, exchanging health information, and providing suggestions and support. The conversations in online health groups contain valuable information to facilitate the understanding of their mutual help behaviors and their mental health problems. Objective We aimed to characterize the conversations in a major online health group for major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in a popular Chinese social media platform. In particular, we intended to explain how Web users discuss depression-related issues from the perspective of the social networks and linguistic patterns revealed by the members’ conversations. Methods Social network analysis and linguistic analysis were employed to characterize the social structure and linguistic patterns, respectively. Furthermore, we integrated both perspectives to exploit the hidden relations between them. Results We found an intensive use of self-focus words and negative affect words. In general, group members used a higher proportion of negative affect words than positive affect words. The social network of the MDD group for depression possessed small-world and scale-free properties, with a much higher reciprocity ratio and clustering coefficient value as compared to the networks of other social media platforms and classic network models. We observed a number of interesting relationships, either strong correlations or convergent trends, between the topological properties and linguistic properties of the MDD group members. Conclusions (1) The MDD group members have the characteristics of self-preoccupation and negative thought content, according to Beck’s cognitive theory of depression; (2) the social structure of the MDD group is much stickier than those of other social media groups, indicating the tendency of mutual communications and efficient spread of information in the MDD group; and (3) the linguistic patterns of MDD members are associated with their topological positions in the social network. PMID:26966078

Understanding Online Health Groups for Depression: Social Network and Linguistic Perspectives.

PubMed

Xu, Ronghua; Zhang, Qingpeng

2016-03-10

Mental health problems have become increasingly prevalent in the past decade. With the advance of Web 2.0 technologies, social media present a novel platform for Web users to form online health groups. Members of online health groups discuss health-related issues and mutually help one another by anonymously revealing their mental conditions, sharing personal experiences, exchanging health information, and providing suggestions and support. The conversations in online health groups contain valuable information to facilitate the understanding of their mutual help behaviors and their mental health problems. We aimed to characterize the conversations in a major online health group for major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in a popular Chinese social media platform. In particular, we intended to explain how Web users discuss depression-related issues from the perspective of the social networks and linguistic patterns revealed by the members' conversations. Social network analysis and linguistic analysis were employed to characterize the social structure and linguistic patterns, respectively. Furthermore, we integrated both perspectives to exploit the hidden relations between them. We found an intensive use of self-focus words and negative affect words. In general, group members used a higher proportion of negative affect words than positive affect words. The social network of the MDD group for depression possessed small-world and scale-free properties, with a much higher reciprocity ratio and clustering coefficient value as compared to the networks of other social media platforms and classic network models. We observed a number of interesting relationships, either strong correlations or convergent trends, between the topological properties and linguistic properties of the MDD group members. (1) The MDD group members have the characteristics of self-preoccupation and negative thought content, according to Beck's cognitive theory of depression; (2) the social structure of the MDD group is much stickier than those of other social media groups, indicating the tendency of mutual communications and efficient spread of information in the MDD group; and (3) the linguistic patterns of MDD members are associated with their topological positions in the social network.

Social inclusion and relationship satisfaction of patients with a severe mental illness.

PubMed

Koenders, Jitske F; de Mooij, Liselotte D; Dekker, Jack M; Kikkert, Martijn

2017-12-01

Research suggests that patients with a severe mental illness (SMI) are among the most social excluded in society. However, comparisons of social network composition and relationship satisfaction between SMI patients and a control group are rare. Our aim was to compare differences in size, satisfaction and composition of the social network between patients with SMI and a control group. Potential sociodemographic and clinical risk factors in relation to social network size in SMI patients were explored. The sample consisted of a control group ( N = 949) and SMI patients ( N = 211) who were under treatment in Dutch mental health care institutions. In these groups, network size, relationship satisfaction, sociodemographic and clinical (patients only) characteristics were assessed. Social network size was 2.5 times lower in SMI patients, which was also reflected in a lower relationship satisfaction. The composition of the social network of SMI patients differs from that of controls: patients' network seems to consist of a smaller part of friends. Different risk factors were associated with the impoverishment of the social network of family, friends and acquaintances of patients with SMI. SMI patients have very small networks compared to controls. This may be a problem, given the ongoing emphasis on outpatient treatment of SMI patients and self-dependence. This outcome advocates for more attention to social isolation of SMI patients and involvement of family in the treatment and aftercare of SMI patients.

The Bogota Connection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodale, Thomas L.

1977-01-01

This is a report on the experiences of a small group of Canadian students who spent nine months living in Bogota, Columbia, studying recreational activities and social problems in the city and the surrounding countryside. (JD)

Teachers Observe to Learn: Differences in Social Behavior of Toddlers and Preschoolers in Same-Age and Multiage Groupings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logue, Mary Ellin

2006-01-01

This article presents an action research conducted by a group of teachers comparing multiage with same-age interactions of children, especially among toddlers. The research involving 31 children ranging in age from two through five-and-a-half was conducted under optimal conditions, with small groups, low teacher-child ratios, and highly trained…

Effectiveness of cognitive remediation and emotion skills training (CREST) for anorexia nervosa in group format: a naturalistic pilot study.

PubMed

Tchanturia, Kate; Doris, Eli; Fleming, Caroline

2014-05-01

This study aims to evaluate a novel and brief skills-based therapy for inpatients with anorexia nervosa, which addressed 'cold' and 'hot' cognitions in group format. Adult inpatients with anorexia nervosa participated in the cognitive remediation and emotion skills training groups. Participants who attended all group sessions completed patient satisfaction and self-report questionnaires. Analysis of the data showed that social anhedonia (measured by the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale) decreased significantly between pre- and post-interventions, with small effect size (d=0.39). Motivation (perceived 'importance to change' and 'ability to change') was found to have increased with small effect sizes (d=0.23 and d=0.16), but these changes did not reach statistical significance. The cognitive remediation and emotion skills training group had positive feedback from both the patients and therapists delivering this structured intervention. Improved strategies are needed both in supporting inpatients to tolerate the group therapy setting and in helping them to develop the skills necessary for participation. Further larger-scale research in this area is needed to consolidate these findings. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Vigilance-avoidance and disengagement are differentially associated with fear and avoidant behaviors in social anxiety.

PubMed

Evans, Travis C; Walukevich, Katherine A; Britton, Jennifer C

2016-07-15

Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) often exhibit preferential attention for social threat, demonstrating abnormal orientation to threat (i.e., vigilance-avoidance) and/or difficulty disengaging from threat. However, no research has compared the relationship between attention indices (i.e., vigilance-avoidance, difficulty disengaging from threat) and characteristic features of the disorder such as fear during social situations (social fear) and avoidant behaviors (social avoidance). To address this issue, seventy adults (19.29±1.47 years, 33 females) were separated into low (n=37) or high (n=33) socially anxious groups using clinical cutoff scores on the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). Participants in both groups completed a dot-probe task with congruent, incongruent, and neutral trials to obtain measures of vigilance-avoidance and difficulty disengaging. Using linear regression, we examined the associations each attention index shared with self-reported social fear and social avoidance. Exclusively in the high anxious group, greater vigilance towards threat was associated with higher self-reported social fear, but not with social avoidance. However, difficulty disengaging was not associated with either social measure. In the low anxiety group, no relationships between attention indices and either social measure emerged. Future research with clinical samples is necessary to replicate and extend these findings. The small sample size studied may have limited our ability to detect other smaller effects. Indices of attention bias may contribute differently to the etiology and maintenance of SAD, which offers important implications for novel treatments that target attention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis and Visualization of Relations in eLearning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dráždilová, Pavla; Obadi, Gamila; Slaninová, Kateřina; Martinovič, Jan; Snášel, Václav

The popularity of eLearning systems is growing rapidly; this growth is enabled by the consecutive development in Internet and multimedia technologies. Web-based education became wide spread in the past few years. Various types of learning management systems facilitate development of Web-based courses. Users of these courses form social networks through the different activities performed by them. This chapter focuses on searching the latent social networks in eLearning systems data. These data consist of students activity records wherein latent ties among actors are embedded. The social network studied in this chapter is represented by groups of students who have similar contacts and interact in similar social circles. Different methods of data clustering analysis can be applied to these groups, and the findings show the existence of latent ties among the group members. The second part of this chapter focuses on social network visualization. Graphical representation of social network can describe its structure very efficiently. It can enable social network analysts to determine the network degree of connectivity. Analysts can easily determine individuals with a small or large amount of relationships as well as the amount of independent groups in a given network. When applied to the field of eLearning, data visualization simplifies the process of monitoring the study activities of individuals or groups, as well as the planning of educational curriculum, the evaluation of study processes, etc.

The Fragility of Individual-Based Explanations of Social Hierarchies: A Test Using Animal Pecking Orders

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The standard approach in accounting for hierarchical differentiation in biology and the social sciences considers a hierarchy as a static distribution of individuals possessing differing amounts of some valued commodity, assumes that the hierarchy is generated by micro-level processes involving individuals, and attempts to reverse engineer the processes that produced the hierarchy. However, sufficient experimental and analytical results are available to evaluate this standard approach in the case of animal dominance hierarchies (pecking orders). Our evaluation using evidence from hierarchy formation in small groups of both hens and cichlid fish reveals significant deficiencies in the three tenets of the standard approach in accounting for the organization of dominance hierarchies. In consequence, we suggest that a new approach is needed to explain the organization of pecking orders and, very possibly, by implication, for other kinds of social hierarchies. We develop an example of such an approach that considers dominance hierarchies to be dynamic networks, uses dynamic sequences of interaction (dynamic network motifs) to explain the organization of dominance hierarchies, and derives these dynamic sequences directly from observation of hierarchy formation. We test this dynamical explanation using computer simulation and find a good fit with actual dynamics of hierarchy formation in small groups of hens. We hypothesize that the same dynamic sequences are used in small groups of many other animal species forming pecking orders, and we discuss the data required to evaluate our hypothesis. Finally, we briefly consider how our dynamic approach may be generalized to other kinds of social hierarchies using the example of the distribution of empty gastropod (snail) shells occupied in populations of hermit crabs. PMID:27410230

The Role of Rural Communities in the Postsecondary Preparation of Low-Income Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alleman, Nathan F.; Holly, L. Neal

2014-01-01

In the past decade, rural education has been critiqued for contributing to brain drain and social stratification that saps the human, social, and economic resources of rural communities. This article, based on an investigation of six small rural school districts in the same state, offers an alternative view of the role of community groups and…

Male Teachers in Early Childhood Education: Self & Social Perceptions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaham, Dan

Noting that men make up only a small percentage of early childhood and day care educators, a study was conducted to assess male teachers' points of view and attitudes. The self- and social-perceptions of 5 male preschool teachers between the ages of 22 and 50 were determined through ethnographic interviews. It was found that, as a group, the male…

Control of social monogamy through aggression in a hermaphroditic shrimp

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction Sex allocation theory predicts that in small mating groups simultaneous hermaphroditism is the optimal form of gender expression. Under these conditions, male allocation is predicted to be very low and overall per-capita reproductive output maximal. This is particularly true for individuals that live in pairs, but monogamy is highly susceptible to cheating by both partners. However, certain conditions favour social monogamy in hermaphrodites. This study addresses the influence of group size on group stability and moulting cycles in singles, pairs, triplets and quartets of the socially monogamous shrimp Lysmata amboinensis, a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite. Results The effect of group size was very strong: Exactly one individual in each triplet and exactly two individuals in each quartet were killed in aggressive interactions, resulting in group sizes of two individuals. All killed individuals had just moulted. No mortality occurred in single and pair treatments. The number of moults in the surviving shrimp increased significantly after changing from triplets and quartets to pairs. Conclusion Social monogamy in L. amboinensis is reinforced by aggressive expulsion of supernumerous individuals. We suggest that the high risk of mortality in triplets and quartets results in suppression of moulting in groups larger than two individuals and that the feeding ecology of L. amboinensis favours social monogamy. PMID:22078746

Control of social monogamy through aggression in a hermaphroditic shrimp.

PubMed

Wong, Janine Wy; Michiels, Nico K

2011-11-11

Sex allocation theory predicts that in small mating groups simultaneous hermaphroditism is the optimal form of gender expression. Under these conditions, male allocation is predicted to be very low and overall per-capita reproductive output maximal. This is particularly true for individuals that live in pairs, but monogamy is highly susceptible to cheating by both partners. However, certain conditions favour social monogamy in hermaphrodites. This study addresses the influence of group size on group stability and moulting cycles in singles, pairs, triplets and quartets of the socially monogamous shrimp Lysmata amboinensis, a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite. The effect of group size was very strong: Exactly one individual in each triplet and exactly two individuals in each quartet were killed in aggressive interactions, resulting in group sizes of two individuals. All killed individuals had just moulted. No mortality occurred in single and pair treatments. The number of moults in the surviving shrimp increased significantly after changing from triplets and quartets to pairs. Social monogamy in L. amboinensis is reinforced by aggressive expulsion of supernumerous individuals. We suggest that the high risk of mortality in triplets and quartets results in suppression of moulting in groups larger than two individuals and that the feeding ecology of L. amboinensis favours social monogamy.

Karaoke therapy in the rehabilitation of mental patients.

PubMed

Leung, C M; Lee, G; Cheung, B; Kwong, E; Wing, Y K; Kan, C S; Lau, J

1998-04-01

To study the efficacy of karaoke singing and its implications in the rehabilitation of mental patients in Hong Kong Chinese. A double blind controlled trial was conducted over six weeks in a small sample of chronic schizophrenic patients matched in age, sex and duration of illness. The index group practised karaoke and the controlled group practised simple singing. Subjects were assessed in changes in mood and social interaction. No significant difference was detectable within the 2 groups. However, significant differences of anxiety and social interaction at the end of the third and sixth weeks respectively, were detectable between the 2 groups. Karaoke therapy may be more effective than simple singing in improving social interaction. There is preliminary evidence that it may be anxiety-provoking for unstable schizophrenic patients. More research is required for further elucidation of the characteristics of favourable candidates, optimal schedule and active components of the therapy.

``The sun is sleeping now'': Early learning about light and shadows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segal, Gilda; Cosgrove, Mark

1993-12-01

To keep intuitive knowledge fluid for an extended time, we wish to encourage young children to examine continuously those intuitive explanations for natural phenomena which later become hard wired, highly resistant to development or change. To assist this we designed a learning package which integrated three extensively researched educational strategies (cooperative learning, informal inquiry and familiar context) for children to explore their notions about the topic light. Children in a kindergarten class were encouraged to share their ideas about shadows and shadow formation with peers, as they took part in explorations of shadow formation inside and outside their classroom. Whole class discussions, small group conversations and final conversations between researcher and small groups provide insights into social and individual construction of knowledge, young children's abilities to be scientific and the social construction of gender.

Small Worlds Week: An online celebration of planetary science using social media to reach millions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, Louis

2015-11-01

In celebration of the many recent discoveries from New Horizons, Dawn, Rosetta, and Cassini, NASA launched Small Worlds Week, an online, social media driven outreach program leveraging the infrastructure of Sun-Earth Days that included a robust web design, exemplary education materials, hands-on fun activities, multimedia resources, science and career highlights, and a culminating social media event. Each day from July 6-9, a new class of solar system small worlds was featured on the website: Monday-comets, Tuesday-asteroids, Wednesday-icy moons, and Thursday-dwarf planets. Then on Friday, July 10, nine scientists from Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, and Lunar and Planetary Institute gathered online for four hours to answer questions from the public via Facebook and Twitter. Throughout the afternoon the scientists worked closely with a social media expert and several summer interns to reply to inquirers and to archive their chats. By all accounts, Small Worlds Week was a huge success with 37 million potential views of the social media Q&A posts. The group plans to improve and replicate the program during the school year with a more classroom focus, and then to build and extend the program to be held every year. For more information, visit http:// sunearthday.nasa.gov or catch us on Twitter, #nasasww.

Executive summary: the health and fitness benefits of regular participation in small-sided football games.

PubMed

Krustrup, P; Dvorak, J; Junge, A; Bangsbo, J

2010-04-01

The present special issue of Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports deals with health and fitness benefits of regular participation in small-sided football games. One review article and 13 original articles were the result of a 2-year multi-center study in Copenhagen and Zurich and include studies of different age groups analyzed from a physiological, medical, social and psychological perspective. The main groups investigated were middle-aged, former untrained, healthy men and women who were followed for up to 16 months. In addition, elderly, children and hypertensive patients were studied. A summary and interpretations of the main findings divided into an analysis of the physical demands during training of various groups and the effect of a period of training on performance, muscle adaptations and health profile follow. In addition, social and psychological effects on participation in recreational football are considered, the comparison of football training and endurance running is summarized and the effects of football practice on the elderly and children and youngsters are presented.

Homophily, Cultural Drift, and the Co-Evolution of Cultural Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Centola, Damon; Gonzalez-Avella, Juan Carlos; Eguiluz, Victor M.; San Miguel, Maxi

2007-01-01

Studies of cultural differentiation have shown that social mechanisms that normally lead to cultural convergence--homophily and influence--can also explain how distinct cultural groups can form. However, this emergent cultural diversity has proven to be unstable in the face of cultural drift--small errors or innovations that allow cultures to…

The Alliance in a Friendship Coaching Intervention for Parents of Children with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerner, Matthew D.; Mikami, Amori Yee; McLeod, Bryce D.

2011-01-01

The alliance between parent and therapist was observed in a group-based parent-training intervention to improve social competency among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The intervention, called Parental Friendship Coaching (PFC), was delivered to 32 parents in small groups as part of a randomized clinical trial. PFC…

Striving for group agency: threat to personal control increases the attractiveness of agentic groups.

PubMed

Stollberg, Janine; Fritsche, Immo; Bäcker, Anna

2015-01-01

When their sense of personal control is threatened people try to restore perceived control through the social self. We propose that it is the perceived agency of ingroups that provides the self with a sense of control. In three experiments, we for the first time tested the hypothesis that threat to personal control increases the attractiveness of being part or joining those groups that are perceived as coherent entities engaging in coordinated group goal pursuit (agentic groups) but not of those groups whose agency is perceived to be low. Consistent with this hypothesis we found in Study 1 (N = 93) that threat to personal control increased ingroup identification only with task groups, but not with less agentic types of ingroups that were made salient simultaneously. Furthermore, personal control threat increased a sense of collective control and support within the task group, mediated through task-group identification (indirect effects). Turning to groups people are not (yet) part of, Study 2 (N = 47) showed that personal control threat increased relative attractiveness ratings of small groups as possible future ingroups only when the relative agency of small groups was perceived to be high. Perceived group homogeneity or social power did not moderate the effect. Study 3 (N = 78) replicated the moderating role of perceived group agency for attractiveness ratings of entitative groups, whereas perceived group status did not moderate the effect. These findings extend previous research on group-based control, showing that perceived agency accounts for group-based responses to threatened control.

Community stress and social and technological change: a framework for interpreting the behavior of social movements and community action groups

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perry, R.W.; Schuller, C.R.; Lindell, M.K.

1980-06-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive examination of existing research on community organizations and community political systems. These findings will be integrated into a framework for understanding the variety of social and political responses which may be manifest in small communities facing the prospect of hosting a major nuclear facility. The principal focus is on the formation and behavior of social groups in communities, particularly politically oriented social movements or community action groups. This analysis is set on the context of a community experiencing social stress. Most of the discussion which follows is based on anmore » extrapolation from the large body of reseach literature on the topics in sociology, political science, and psychology. Chapter I examines the community political systems which are the arena in which local action groups will operate. Chapter II focuses on the internal conditions necessary for the formation and maintenance of community action groups. Chapter III reviews the research literature on the social environment of organizations in communities and the external conditions which are necessary to maintain organizations over time. Chapter IV develops a logic whereby the community consensus model can be adopted to particular social movement organizations and community actions groups. Chapter V examines changes in aspects of the environment which can be a function of the operation of movement organizations, and changes in the structure and tactics of movement organizations which appear to be a response to the environment.« less

Effects of online group exercises for older adults on physical, psychological and social wellbeing: a randomized pilot trial.

PubMed

Baez, Marcos; Khaghani Far, Iman; Ibarra, Francisco; Ferron, Michela; Didino, Daniele; Casati, Fabio

2017-01-01

Intervention programs to promote physical activity in older adults, either in group or home settings, have shown equivalent health outcomes but different results when considering adherence. Group-based interventions seem to achieve higher participation in the long-term. However, there are many factors that can make of group exercises a challenging setting for older adults. A major one, due to the heterogeneity of this particular population, is the difference in the level of skills. In this paper we report on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes of a technology-based intervention that enable online group exercises in older adults with different levels of skills. A total of 37 older adults between 65 and 87 years old followed a personalized exercise program based on the OTAGO program for fall prevention, for a period of eight weeks. Participants could join online group exercises using a tablet-based application. Participants were assigned either to the Control group, representing the traditional individual home-based training program, or the Social group, representing the online group exercising. Pre- and post- measurements were taken to analyze the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes. After the eight-weeks training program there were improvements in both the Social and Control groups in terms of physical outcomes, given the high level of adherence of both groups. Considering the baseline measures, however, the results suggest that while in the Control group fitter individuals tended to adhere more to the training, this was not the case for the Social group, where the initial level had no effect on adherence. For psychological outcomes there were improvements on both groups, regardless of the application used. There was no significant difference between groups in social wellbeing outcomes, both groups seeing a decrease in loneliness despite the presence of social features in the Social group. However, online social interactions have shown to be correlated to the decrease in loneliness in the Social group. The results indicate that technology-supported online group-exercising which conceals individual differences in physical skills is effective in motivating and enabling individuals who are less fit to train as much as fitter individuals. This not only indicates the feasibility of training together despite differences in physical skills but also suggests that online exercise might reduce the effect of skills on adherence in a social context. However, results from this pilot are limited to a small sample size and therefore are not conclusive. Longer term interventions with more participants are instead recommended to assess impacts on wellbeing and behavior change.

Small Worlds, Lifeworlds, and Information: The Ramifications of the Information Behaviour of Social Groups in Public Policy and the Public Sphere

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Gary; Jaeger, Paul T.

2008-01-01

Introduction: This paper attempts to build bridges between two sets of theoretical concepts related to information behaviour: the macro-level concepts of Jurgen Habermas related to lifeworlds and the micro-level concepts of Elfreda Chatman related to small worlds. Argument: Habermas and Chatman explored similar issues of information behaviour at…

Social and custodial needs of older adults in prison.

PubMed

Hayes, Adrian J; Burns, Alistair; Turnbull, Pauline; Shaw, Jenny J

2013-09-01

older prisoners are a fast-growing group but there is limited evidence for how well their needs are being met. to quantify the social and custodial needs of older prisoners and suggest improvements for service provision. cross-sectional study. twelve prisons holding adult males in North West England. two hundred and sixty-two prisoners; 97 aged between 50 and 59, 165 aged 60 and over. interview and case-note review for issues of social and custodial need and quality of life in prison, including Forensic Camberwell Assessment of Need and Lubben Scale for social networks. many had problems mixing with younger prisoners, accommodation and activities, and limited contact with friends and family. A small group had personal care needs which were not well managed in prison. older prisoners have distinct social and custodial needs which need to be addressed by a national strategy for their care and management.

The Evolution of Different Forms of Sociality: Behavioral Mechanisms and Eco-Evolutionary Feedback

PubMed Central

van der Post, Daniel J.; Verbrugge, Rineke; Hemelrijk, Charlotte K.

2015-01-01

Different forms of sociality have evolved via unique evolutionary trajectories. However, it remains unknown to what extent trajectories of social evolution depend on the specific characteristics of different species. Our approach to studying such trajectories is to use evolutionary case-studies, so that we can investigate how grouping co-evolves with a multitude of individual characteristics. Here we focus on anti-predator vigilance and foraging. We use an individual-based model, where behavioral mechanisms are specified, and costs and benefits are not predefined. We show that evolutionary changes in grouping alter selection pressures on vigilance, and vice versa. This eco-evolutionary feedback generates an evolutionary progression from “leader-follower” societies to “fission-fusion” societies, where cooperative vigilance in groups is maintained via a balance between within- and between-group selection. Group-level selection is generated from an assortment that arises spontaneously when vigilant and non-vigilant foragers have different grouping tendencies. The evolutionary maintenance of small groups, and cooperative vigilance in those groups, is therefore achieved simultaneously. The evolutionary phases, and the transitions between them, depend strongly on behavioral mechanisms. Thus, integrating behavioral mechanisms and eco-evolutionary feedback is critical for understanding what kinds of intermediate stages are involved during the evolution of particular forms of sociality. PMID:25629313

The evolution of different forms of sociality: behavioral mechanisms and eco-evolutionary feedback.

PubMed

van der Post, Daniel J; Verbrugge, Rineke; Hemelrijk, Charlotte K

2015-01-01

Different forms of sociality have evolved via unique evolutionary trajectories. However, it remains unknown to what extent trajectories of social evolution depend on the specific characteristics of different species. Our approach to studying such trajectories is to use evolutionary case-studies, so that we can investigate how grouping co-evolves with a multitude of individual characteristics. Here we focus on anti-predator vigilance and foraging. We use an individual-based model, where behavioral mechanisms are specified, and costs and benefits are not predefined. We show that evolutionary changes in grouping alter selection pressures on vigilance, and vice versa. This eco-evolutionary feedback generates an evolutionary progression from "leader-follower" societies to "fission-fusion" societies, where cooperative vigilance in groups is maintained via a balance between within- and between-group selection. Group-level selection is generated from an assortment that arises spontaneously when vigilant and non-vigilant foragers have different grouping tendencies. The evolutionary maintenance of small groups, and cooperative vigilance in those groups, is therefore achieved simultaneously. The evolutionary phases, and the transitions between them, depend strongly on behavioral mechanisms. Thus, integrating behavioral mechanisms and eco-evolutionary feedback is critical for understanding what kinds of intermediate stages are involved during the evolution of particular forms of sociality.

A Randomised Controlled Trial of Two Early Intervention Programs for Young Children with Autism: Centre-Based with Parent Program and Home-Based

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Jacqueline; Williams, Katrina; Carter, Mark; Evans, David; Parmenter, Trevor; Silove, Natalie; Clark, Trevor; Warren, Anthony

2011-01-01

This study compares outcomes of early intervention programs for young children with autism; an individualised home-based program (HB), a small group centre-based program for children combined with a parent training and support group (CB) and a non-treatment comparison group (WL). Outcome measures of interest include social and communication skill…

Peer Feedback Mediates the Impact of Self-Regulation Procedures on Strategy Use and Reading Comprehension in Reciprocal Teaching Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schünemann, Nina; Spörer, Nadine; Völlinger, Vanessa A.; Brunstein, Joachim C.

2017-01-01

The goal of this research was to highlight the role social regulatory processes play in making students' teamwork in reciprocal teaching (RT) groups (a classroom activity in which students take the teacher's role in small group reading sessions) effective. In addition to teamwork quality, we expected peer feedback to be a key factor in enhancing…

When Scientific Knowledge, Daily Life Experience, Epistemological and Social Considerations Intersect: Students' Argumentation in Group Discussions on a Socio-Scientific Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albe, Virginie

2008-01-01

Socio-scientific issues in class have been proposed in an effort to democratise science in society. A micro-ethnographic approach has been used to explore how students elaborate arguments on a socio-scientific controversy in the context of small group discussions. Several processes of group argumentation have been identified. Students' arguments…

Social learning strategies modify the effect of network structure on group performance.

PubMed

Barkoczi, Daniel; Galesic, Mirta

2016-10-07

The structure of communication networks is an important determinant of the capacity of teams, organizations and societies to solve policy, business and science problems. Yet, previous studies reached contradictory results about the relationship between network structure and performance, finding support for the superiority of both well-connected efficient and poorly connected inefficient network structures. Here we argue that understanding how communication networks affect group performance requires taking into consideration the social learning strategies of individual team members. We show that efficient networks outperform inefficient networks when individuals rely on conformity by copying the most frequent solution among their contacts. However, inefficient networks are superior when individuals follow the best member by copying the group member with the highest payoff. In addition, groups relying on conformity based on a small sample of others excel at complex tasks, while groups following the best member achieve greatest performance for simple tasks. Our findings reconcile contradictory results in the literature and have broad implications for the study of social learning across disciplines.

Social learning strategies modify the effect of network structure on group performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barkoczi, Daniel; Galesic, Mirta

2016-10-01

The structure of communication networks is an important determinant of the capacity of teams, organizations and societies to solve policy, business and science problems. Yet, previous studies reached contradictory results about the relationship between network structure and performance, finding support for the superiority of both well-connected efficient and poorly connected inefficient network structures. Here we argue that understanding how communication networks affect group performance requires taking into consideration the social learning strategies of individual team members. We show that efficient networks outperform inefficient networks when individuals rely on conformity by copying the most frequent solution among their contacts. However, inefficient networks are superior when individuals follow the best member by copying the group member with the highest payoff. In addition, groups relying on conformity based on a small sample of others excel at complex tasks, while groups following the best member achieve greatest performance for simple tasks. Our findings reconcile contradictory results in the literature and have broad implications for the study of social learning across disciplines.

Outcomes of a community-based HIV-prevention pilot programme for township men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa.

PubMed

Batist, Elizabeth; Brown, Benjamin; Scheibe, Andrew; Baral, Stefan D; Bekker, Linda-Gail

2013-12-02

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Cape Town's townships remain in need of targeted HIV-prevention services. In 2012, a pilot community-based HIV-prevention programme was implemented that aimed to reach MSM in five Cape Town townships, disseminate HIV-prevention information and supplies, and promote the use of condoms and HIV services. Convenience sampling was used to recruit self-identified MSM who were 18 years old or older in five Cape Town townships. The six-month pilot programme trained five community leaders who, along with staff, provided HIV-prevention information and supplies to MSM through small-group meetings, community-based social activities and inter-community events. After the completion of the pilot programme, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with a subset of conveniently sampled participants and with each of the community leaders. Qualitative data were then analyzed thematically. Overall, 98 mostly gay-identified black MSM consented to participate, 57 community-based activities were facilitated and 9 inter-community events were conducted. Following their enrollment, 60% (59/98) of participants attended at least one pilot activity. Of those participants, 47% (28/59) attended at least half of the scheduled activities. A total of 36 participants took part in FGDs, and five in-depth interviews were completed with community leaders. Participants reported gaining access to MSM-specific HIV-prevention information, condoms and water-based lubricant through the small-group meetings. Some participants described how their feelings of loneliness, social isolation, self-esteem and self-efficacy were improved after taking part. The social activities and group meetings were viable strategies for disseminating HIV-prevention information, condoms and water-based lubricant to MSM in this setting. Many MSM were also able to receive social support, reduce social isolation and improve their self-esteem. Further research is needed to explore factors affecting attendance and the sustainability of these activities. Perspectives of MSM who did not attend pilot activities regularly were not equally represented in the final qualitative interviews, which could bias the findings. The use of community-based activities and small-group meetings should be explored further as components to ongoing HIV-prevention interventions for MSM in this setting.

Grazing behaviour of sheep in a situation of conflict between feeding and social motivations.

PubMed

Dumont; Boissy

2000-06-23

We investigated how food preferences and social bonds interact to determine the choice of grazing location in sheep. Ewes of INRA 401 breed were grazed in plots in which taller areas, i.e. preferred feeding sites, were left to grow at 15 or 50 m from a socially attractive site, i.e. familiar ewes placed in a public pen at one end of the plot. Eight experimental ewes were tested either alone or in groups with one, three or six accompanying animals chosen amongst 20 other familiar ewes. We used a Latin square design, in which the eight treatments (two distancesxfour group sizes) were balanced in 8 measurement days. We recorded, in 20-min tests, the behaviour of the experimental ewes by focal sampling, and the location of each animal in the groups by scan sampling. Foraging location, dietary choices and vigilance behaviour of ewes were affected by both the distance between the group of public peers and the preferred feeding site, and the size of their own group. Our results suggest that a sheep will move whether alone or with a few peers to a preferred feeding site located close to the core of its social group. In a small sub-group, its frequency of vigilance behaviour increases, probably to maintain social contact with the rest of the group. Conversely, a sheep will not leave its group to reach a preferred feeding site located further away unless it is followed by several other peers.

Emergence of social cooperation in threshold public goods games with collective risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Fu, Feng; Wu, Te; Wang, Long

2009-07-01

In real situations, people are often faced with the option of voluntary contribution to achieve a collective goal, for example, building a dam or a fence, in order to avoid an unfavorable loss. Those who do not donate, however, can free ride on others’ sacrifices. As a result, cooperation is difficult to maintain, leading to an enduring collective-risk social dilemma. To address this issue, here we propose a simple yet effective theoretical model of threshold public goods game with collective risk and focus on the effect of risk on the emergence of social cooperation. To do this, we consider the population dynamics represented by replicator equation for two simplifying scenarios, respectively: one with fair sharers, who contribute the minimum average amount versus defectors and the other with altruists contributing more than average versus defectors. For both cases, we find that the dilemma is relieved in high-risk situations where cooperation is likely to persist and dominate defection in the population. Large initial endowment to individuals also encourages the risk-averse action, which means that, as compared to poor players (with small initial endowment), wealthy individuals (with large initial endowment) are more likely to cooperate in order to protect their private accounts. In addition, we show that small donation amount and small threshold (collective target) can encourage and sustain cooperation. Furthermore, for other parameters fixed, the impacts of group size act differently on the two scenarios because of distinct mechanisms: in the former case where the cost of cooperation depends on the group size, large size of group readily results in defection, while easily maintains cooperation in the latter case where the cost of cooperation is fixed irrespective of the group size. Our theoretical results of the replicator dynamics are in excellent agreement with the individual based simulation results.

Brief Report: Cognitive Control of Social and Nonsocial Visual Attention in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiCriscio, Antoinette Sabatino; Miller, Stephanie J.; Hanna, Eleanor K.; Kovac, Megan; Turner-Brown, Lauren; Sasson, Noah J.; Sapyta, Jeffrey; Troiani, Vanessa; Dichter, Gabriel S.

2016-01-01

Prosaccade and antisaccade errors in the context of social and nonsocial stimuli were investigated in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n = 19) a matched control sample (n = 19), and a small sample of youth with obsessive compulsive disorder (n = 9). Groups did not differ in error rates in the prosaccade condition for any stimulus…

An Evaluation of the Small Group Norms Challenging Model: Changing Substance Use Misperceptions in Five Urban High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ott, Carol H.; Doyle, Lynn H.

2005-01-01

According to social norms theory, when high school students overestimate the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) by their peers, they tend to use more themselves. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these over estimations (misperceptions) could be corrected through a similar age peer-to-peer interactive social norms…

Interpersonal, Nonverbal, and Small Group Communication: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," July through December 1979 (Vol. 40 Nos. 1 through 6).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 24 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: a social skills training program; facial kinesic correlates of terminal cancer patients; the relationships among indices of social cognition, motivation, and…

The importance of delineating networks by activity type in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Cedar Key, Florida.

PubMed

Gazda, Stefanie; Iyer, Swami; Killingback, Timothy; Connor, Richard; Brault, Solange

2015-03-01

Network analysis has proved to be a valuable tool for studying the behavioural patterns of complex social animals. Often such studies either do not distinguish between different behavioural states of the organisms or simply focus attention on a single behavioural state to the exclusion of all others. In either of these approaches it is impossible to ascertain how the behavioural patterns of individuals depend on the type of activity they are engaged in. Here we report on a network-based analysis of the behavioural associations in a population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Cedar Key, Florida. We consider three distinct behavioural states-socializing, travelling and foraging-and analyse the association networks corresponding to each activity. Moreover, in constructing the different activity networks we do not simply record a spatial association between two individuals as being either present or absent, but rather quantify the degree of any association, thus allowing us to construct weighted networks describing each activity. The results of these weighted activity networks indicate that networks can reveal detailed patterns of bottlenose dolphins at the population level; dolphins socialize in large groups with preferential associations; travel in small groups with preferential associates; and spread out to forage in very small, weakly connected groups. There is some overlap in the socialize and travel networks but little overlap between the forage and other networks. This indicates that the social bonds maintained in other activities are less important as they forage on dispersed, solitary prey. The overall network, not sorted by activity, does not accurately represent any of these patterns.

Socialized sub-groups in a temporary stable Raven flock?

PubMed Central

Braun, Anna; Walsdorff, Thomas; Fraser, Orlaith N.; Bugnyar, Thomas

2015-01-01

A complex social life serves as one of the main driving forces behind the evolution of higher cognitive abilities in vertebrates. In birds, however, data are primarily derived from captive animals, which strongly contrast with free-flying birds in terms of the number of interaction partners as well as available space. In captivity, Common Raven Corvus corax, nonbreeder groups show strong social bonds and complex tactical manoeuvring, whereas wild non-breeders are thought to resemble anonymous aggregations. Over 2 years, we observed a free-flying population of Ravens that visits a game park in the northern Alps. We here focus on the daily fission–fusion dynamics, individual spacing, and the influence of spacing on the birds’ agonistic and affiliative behaviour. The composition of marked Ravens in the local population changed slowly but constantly, although often remaining stable for several weeks. Birds only flocked for feeding, mobbing and roosting, and spent the rest of the day in loose aggregations, characterised by temporary small subgroups of 2–5 individuals. Aggression was high during crowd foraging but low outside of a feeding context. Affiliative behaviours, such as sitting within reaching distance, allo-preening and social play, were observed particularly in the small subgroups. These findings suggest that Raven aggregations are not as unstructured as previously thought. Birds may spend time and/or interact affilliatively with multiple individuals during the day. This, along with temporary stability in group composition, provides the opportunity for social relationships to develop, and enables the existence of socialised subgroups within free-flying Raven aggregations. PMID:25892747

The importance of delineating networks by activity type in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Cedar Key, Florida

PubMed Central

Gazda, Stefanie; Iyer, Swami; Killingback, Timothy; Connor, Richard; Brault, Solange

2015-01-01

Network analysis has proved to be a valuable tool for studying the behavioural patterns of complex social animals. Often such studies either do not distinguish between different behavioural states of the organisms or simply focus attention on a single behavioural state to the exclusion of all others. In either of these approaches it is impossible to ascertain how the behavioural patterns of individuals depend on the type of activity they are engaged in. Here we report on a network-based analysis of the behavioural associations in a population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Cedar Key, Florida. We consider three distinct behavioural states—socializing, travelling and foraging—and analyse the association networks corresponding to each activity. Moreover, in constructing the different activity networks we do not simply record a spatial association between two individuals as being either present or absent, but rather quantify the degree of any association, thus allowing us to construct weighted networks describing each activity. The results of these weighted activity networks indicate that networks can reveal detailed patterns of bottlenose dolphins at the population level; dolphins socialize in large groups with preferential associations; travel in small groups with preferential associates; and spread out to forage in very small, weakly connected groups. There is some overlap in the socialize and travel networks but little overlap between the forage and other networks. This indicates that the social bonds maintained in other activities are less important as they forage on dispersed, solitary prey. The overall network, not sorted by activity, does not accurately represent any of these patterns. PMID:26064611

Antarctic Space Analog Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palinkas, Lawrence A; Gunderson, E. K. Eric; Johnson, Jeffrey C.; Holland, Albert W.

1998-01-01

The primary aim of this project was to examine group dynamics and individual performance in extreme, isolated environments and identify human factors requirements for long-duration space missions using data collected in an analog environment. Specifically, we wished to determine: 1) the characteristics of social relations in small groups of individuals living and working together in extreme, isolated environments, and 2) the environmental, social and psychological determinants of performance effectiveness in such groups. These two issues were examined in six interrelated studies using data collected in small, isolated research stations in Antarctica from 1963 to the present. Results from these six studies indicated that behavior and performance on long-duration space flights is likely to be seasonal or cyclical, situational, social, and salutogenic in nature. The project responded to two NASA program emphases for FY 1997 as described in the NRA: 1) the primary emphasis of the Behavior and Performance Program on determining long-term individual and group performance responses to space, identifying critical factors affecting those responses and understanding underlying mechanisms involved in behavior and performance, and developing and using ground-based models and analogs for studying space-related behavior and performance; and 2) the emphasis of the Data Analysis Program on extended data analysis. Results from the study were used to develop recommendations for the design and development of pre-flight crew training and in-flight psychological countermeasures for long-duration manned space missions.

The effect of comorbid major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder on cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Fracalanza, Katie; McCabe, Randi E; Taylor, Valerie H; Antony, Martin M

2014-06-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) commonly co-occur in individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD), yet whether these comorbidities influence the outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for SAD is unclear. The present study examined the degree to which individuals with SAD and comorbid MDD (SAD+MDD; n=76), comorbid BD (SAD+BD; n=19), a comorbid anxiety disorder (SAD+ANX; n=27), or no comorbid diagnoses (SAD+NCO; n=41) benefitted from CBT for SAD. Individuals were screened using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and then completed the Social Phobia Inventory and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales before and after 12-weeks of group CBT for SAD. At pretreatment the SAD+MDD and SAD+BD groups reported higher social anxiety symptoms than the SAD+ANX and SAD+NCO groups. All groups reported large and significant improvement in social anxiety with CBT. However, at posttreatment the SAD+MDD and SAD+BD groups continued to have higher social anxiety symptoms than the SAD+NCO group, and the SAD+ANX group did not differ in social anxiety symptoms from any group. The sample also showed small and statistically significant improvement in depressive symptoms with CBT for SAD. Information about medication was not collected in the present study, and we did not assess the long-term effects of CBT. Our results suggest that CBT for SAD is an effective treatment even in the presence of comorbid mood disorders in the short-term, although extending the course of treatment may be helpful for this population and should be investigated in future research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceived discrimination and social networks among older African Americans and Caribbean blacks.

PubMed

Marshall, Gillian L; Rue, Tessa C

2012-01-01

The relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among older black American populations is poorly understood. Although a small number of studies have examined the relationship between stress and social support, few have examined the association between perceived discrimination, social networks, and depressive symptoms among a representative sample of older racial and ethnic groups. This study examines (a) the relationship between sociodemographic factors, perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms and (b) social networks as a potential moderator in the perceived discrimination and depressive symptom relationship between 2 groups of older black Americans. This was a cross-sectional study using data from the National Survey of American Life with a sample of older African Americans (N = 837) and Caribbean blacks (N = 271). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 12-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Linear regression analyses were used to predict depressive symptoms. The relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms was significant in both groups. Social networks contributed as a protective factor for depressive symptoms for both groups. However, there was no significant moderation effect. Results suggest that regardless of ethnic affiliation, the experience of perceived discrimination is similar in both groups and is a risk factor for depressive symptoms. Future research is needed in this area to better understand the associations between sociodemographic factors, perceived discrimination, social networks, and their impact on depressive symptoms.

Interaction location outweighs the competitive advantage of numerical superiority in Cebus capucinus intergroup contests

PubMed Central

Crofoot, Margaret C.; Gilby, Ian C.; Wikelski, Martin C.; Kays, Roland W.

2008-01-01

Numerical superiority confers a competitive advantage during contests among animal groups, shaping patterns of resource access, and, by extension, fitness. However, relative group size does not always determine the winner of intergroup contests. Smaller, presumably weaker social groups often defeat their larger neighbors, but how and when they are able to do so remains poorly understood. Models of competition between individuals suggest that location may influence contest outcome. However, because of the logistical difficulties of studying intergroup interactions, previous studies have been unable to determine how contest location and group size interact to shape relationships among groups. We address this question by using an automated radio telemetry system to study intergroup interactions among six capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus) social groups of varying sizes. We find that the odds of winning increase with relative group size; one additional group member increases the odds of winning an interaction by 10%. However, this effect is not uniform across space; with each 100 m that a group moves away from the center of its home range, its odds of winning an interaction decrease by 31%. We demonstrate that contest outcome depends on an interaction between group size and location, such that small groups can defeat much larger groups near the center of their home range. The tendency of resident groups to win contests may help explain how small groups persist in areas with intense intergroup competition. PMID:18184811

Patterns of social association in the franciscana, Pontoporia blainvillei

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wells, Randall S.; Bordino, Pablo; Douglas, David C.

2013-01-01

Little is known from living animals about the social patterns of the franciscana, Pontoporia blainvillei, a small dolphin inhabiting a narrow strip of coastal waters off Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. These dolphins tend to be found in small groups, typically composed of two or three individuals (Bordino et al. 1999). Throughout much of the species' range, franciscanas encounter artisanal gill nets (Praderi 1989, Corcuera et al. 1994, Bertozzi and Zerbini 2002, Bordino et al. 2002, Secchi et al. 2003). Entanglement in these nets results in the deaths of thousands of individuals each year, at levels that are likely unsustainable (Bordino and Albareda 2004, Cappozzo et al. 2007).

Social Networks and Welfare in Future Animal Management.

PubMed

Koene, Paul; Ipema, Bert

2014-03-17

It may become advantageous to keep human-managed animals in the social network groups to which they have adapted. Data concerning the social networks of farm animal species and their ancestors are scarce but essential to establishing the importance of a natural social network for farmed animal species. Social Network Analysis (SNA) facilitates the characterization of social networking at group, subgroup and individual levels. SNA is currently used for modeling the social behavior and management of wild animals and social welfare of zoo animals. It has been recognized for use with farm animals but has yet to be applied for management purposes. Currently, the main focus is on cattle, because in large groups (poultry), recording of individuals is expensive and the existence of social networks is uncertain due to on-farm restrictions. However, in many cases, a stable social network might be important to individual animal fitness, survival and welfare. For instance, when laying hens are not too densely housed, simple networks may be established. We describe here small social networks in horses, brown bears, laying hens and veal calves to illustrate the importance of measuring social networks among animals managed by humans. Emphasis is placed on the automatic measurement of identity, location, nearest neighbors and nearest neighbor distance for management purposes. It is concluded that social networks are important to the welfare of human-managed animal species and that welfare management based on automatic recordings will become available in the near future.

Online Self-Tracking Groups to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Small-Scale Study on Mechanisms of Group Effect on Behavior Change.

PubMed

Meng, Jingbo; Peng, Wei; Shin, Soo Yun; Chung, Minwoong

2017-03-06

Web-based interventions with a self-tracking component have been found to be effective in promoting adults' fruit and vegetable consumption. However, these interventions primarily focus on individual- rather than group-based self-tracking. The rise of social media technologies enables sharing and comparing self-tracking records in a group context. Therefore, we developed an online group-based self-tracking program to promote fruit and vegetable consumption. This study aims to examine (1) the effectiveness of online group-based self-tracking on fruit and vegetable consumption and (2) characteristics of online self-tracking groups that make the group more effective in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in early young adults. During a 4-week Web-based experiment, 111 college students self-tracked their fruit and vegetable consumption either individually (ie, the control group) or in an online group characterized by a 2 (demographic similarity: demographically similar vs demographically diverse) × 2 (social modeling: incremental change vs ideal change) experimental design. Each online group consisted of one focal participant and three confederates as group members or peers, who had their demographics and fruit and vegetable consumption manipulated to create the four intervention groups. Self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption were assessed using the Food Frequency Questionnaire at baseline and after the 4-week experiment. Participants who self-tracked their fruit and vegetable consumption collectively with other group members consumed more fruits and vegetables than participants who self-tracked individually (P=.01). The results did not show significant main effects of demographic similarity (P=.32) or types of social modeling (P=.48) in making self-tracking groups more effective in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption. However, additional analyses revealed the main effect of performance discrepancy (ie, difference in fruit and vegetable consumption between a focal participant and his/her group members during the experiment), such that participants who had a low performance discrepancy from other group members had greater fruit and vegetable consumption than participants who had a high performance discrepancy from other group members (P=.002). A mediation test showed that low performance discrepancy led to greater downward contrast (b=-0.78, 95% CI -2.44 to -0.15), which in turn led to greater fruit and vegetable consumption. Online self-tracking groups were more effective than self-tracking alone in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption for early young adults. Low performance discrepancy from other group members lead to downward contrast, which in turn increased participants' fruit and vegetable consumption over time. The study highlighted social comparison processes in online groups that allow for sharing personal health information. Lastly, given the small scale of this study, nonsignificant results with small effect sizes might be subject to bias. ©Jingbo Meng, Wei Peng, Soo Yun Shin, Minwoong Chung. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 06.03.2017.

How Big Is Good? The Case for Cross-Cutting Ties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raynes, Norma V.

1977-01-01

Ways to provide the social advantages of the small group home with those of the larger institution are being utilized at one community-based residence serving 40 profoundly and severely mentally retarded children. (DB)

Social partner discrimination based on sounds and scents in Asian small-clawed otters ( Aonyx cinereus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemasson, A.; Mikus, M.-A.; Blois-Heulin, C.; Lodé, T.

2013-03-01

Ability to discriminate familiar conspecifics is an essential competence in any group-living species, ensuring socio-spatial cohesion, but in many animals, such as mustelids, the relative importance of the different communicative modalities for discrimination is poorly understood. In otters, there is evidence of intra-specific variation in physical appearance and in feces chemical profile, but the potential for acoustic identity coding as well as for identity decoding in visual, acoustic and olfactive domains remains unexplored. We investigated the acoustic structure of contact calls in five captive groups of small-clawed otters and found that it is possible to reliably assign one particular call to a given adult male caller. Females discriminated between familiar and unfamiliar adult males based on their sound (playback) and smell (feces) but not based on their picture, suggesting abilities to memorize and use acoustic and olfactive signatures in their daily social life.

Preschool Daily Patterns of Physical Activity Driven by Location and Social Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechter, Chelsey R.; Rosenkranz, Richard R.; Fees, Bronwyn S.; Dzewaltowski, David A.

2017-01-01

Background: Preschool children are recommended to spend at least 15 minutes/hour (25% time) in light-to-vigorous physical activity (total physical activity, TPA). Preschool provider practices, such as whether children are put in small group or whole-group activities, are likely to affect children's TPA levels during preschool. The current study…

The Rugg Prototype for Democratic Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Ronald W.

2008-01-01

Harold O. Rugg was one of a small group of leaders of the Progressive Education Movement centered at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a leader among the Social Frontier group that emerged in the 1930s to argue that schools should play a stronger role in helping to reconstruct the society. He was the author of an innovative and best…

The Social Foundation of Team-Based Learning: Students Accountable to Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweet, Michael; Pelton-Sweet, Laura M.

2008-01-01

As one form of small group learning, team-based learning's (TBL's) unique sequence of individual and group work with immediate feedback enables and encourages students to engage course content and each other in remarkable ways. Specifically, TBL creates an environment where students can fulfill their human need to belong in the process of…

Integrating Social Studies and the Humanities through Drama: The Meaning of Tribe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geoghegan, Wendy

1989-01-01

Describes the use of drama to give meaning and understanding to a unit on Native Americans. Students worked in small groups or "tribes" to research cultural attributes, and then acted out tribal rituals and created costumes and artifacts. The group work and the active roleplaying helped students to develop a new understanding of…

Grouping Students at the Computer To Enhance the Study of British Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marr, Paula M.

2000-01-01

Describes a three-week project in an English classroom in which students in small, mixed-ability groups used PowerPoint to enhance a unit on British literature. Outlines the lesson itself and discusses its positive results, including peer-teaching and learning, improved student motivation to understand themes in poetry, positive socialization, and…

Using concurrent think-aloud and protocol analysis to explore student nurses' social learning information communication technology knowledge and skill development.

PubMed

Todhunter, Fern

2015-06-01

Observations obtained through concurrent think-aloud and protocol analysis offer new understanding about the influence of social learning on student nurses' acquisition of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge and skills. The software used provides a permanent record of the underpinning study method, events and analyses. The emerging themes reflect the dimensions of social engagement, and the characteristics of positive and negative reactions to ICT. The evidence shows that given the right conditions, stronger learners will support and guide their peers. To explore the use of concurrent think-aloud and protocol analysis as a method to examine how student nurses approach ICT. To identify the benefits and challenges of using observational technology to capture learning behaviours. To show the influence of small group arrangement and student interactions on their ICT knowledge and skills development. Previous studies examining social interaction between students show how they work together and respond to interactive problem solving. Social interaction has been shown to enhance skills in both ICT and collaborative decision making. Structured observational analysis using concurrent think-aloud and protocol analysis. Students displayed varying degrees of pastoral support and emotional need, leadership, reflection, suggestion and experimentation skills. Encouraging student nurses to work in small mixed ability groups can be conducive for social and ICT skill and knowledge development. Observational software gives a permanent record of the proceedings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Painful Times: The Emergence and Campaigning of Parents Against Injustice in 1980s Britain

PubMed Central

Crane, Jennifer

2015-01-01

In July 1985 Steve and Susan Amphlett established Parents Against Injustice (PAIN) to support and represent parents falsely accused of child abuse. The Amphletts ran the organization from their own home, and struggled to gain funding, before closing PAIN in 1999. PAIN was to an extent a reflection of the ‘new politics’ of identity and lifestyle, concurrent with the rise of New Social Movements, as falsely accused parents utilized communication technologies to make their experiences public, and to contact and support one another. At the same time, PAIN also sought to exert political influence through relatively traditional channels—contributing to public inquiries, encouraging their membership to write letters to Members of Parliament, and shaping media critique. Despite its small size, PAIN was able to act as an intermediary between parents and politicians, social workers, solicitors and physicians. PAIN represented, but also collated and shaped, parents’ experiences. The case study of PAIN suggests that small groups have been able to mediate between ‘public’ and ‘experts’, effectively working with both groups because of their ability to combine experience and professionalism. These groups have brought experiential knowledge into social policy, and more broadly shifted the roles and responsibilities accorded to children, families and parents. PMID:26502666

"Economic man" in cross-cultural perspective: behavioral experiments in 15 small-scale societies.

PubMed

Henrich, Joseph; Boyd, Robert; Bowles, Samuel; Camerer, Colin; Fehr, Ernst; Gintis, Herbert; McElreath, Richard; Alvard, Michael; Barr, Abigail; Ensminger, Jean; Henrich, Natalie Smith; Hill, Kim; Gil-White, Francisco; Gurven, Michael; Marlowe, Frank W; Patton, John Q; Tracer, David

2005-12-01

Researchers from across the social sciences have found consistent deviations from the predictions of the canonical model of self-interest in hundreds of experiments from around the world. This research, however, cannot determine whether the uniformity results from universal patterns of human behavior or from the limited cultural variation available among the university students used in virtually all prior experimental work. To address this, we undertook a cross-cultural study of behavior in ultimatum, public goods, and dictator games in a range of small-scale societies exhibiting a wide variety of economic and cultural conditions. We found, first, that the canonical model - based on self-interest - fails in all of the societies studied. Second, our data reveal substantially more behavioral variability across social groups than has been found in previous research. Third, group-level differences in economic organization and the structure of social interactions explain a substantial portion of the behavioral variation across societies: the higher the degree of market integration and the higher the payoffs to cooperation in everyday life, the greater the level of prosociality expressed in experimental games. Fourth, the available individual-level economic and demographic variables do not consistently explain game behavior, either within or across groups. Fifth, in many cases experimental play appears to reflect the common interactional patterns of everyday life.

Perspectives on Positioning, Interaction, and Learning in Small-Group Discussion: Possibilities for Extending the Analytic Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kittleson, Julie M.; Wilson, Rachel E.

2014-01-01

In this forum piece, we respond to Karin Due's study of social dynamics in groups of students in physics class and gender issues that play out in this context. We discuss two threads that appear in Due's paper: one pertains to patterns of talk within groups and how these patterns open up possibilities for learning, the other pertains to…

Paternal kin recognition in the high frequency / ultrasonic range in a solitary foraging mammal

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Kin selection is a driving force in the evolution of mammalian social complexity. Recognition of paternal kin using vocalizations occurs in taxa with cohesive, complex social groups. This is the first investigation of paternal kin recognition via vocalizations in a small-brained, solitary foraging mammal, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), a frequent model for ancestral primates. We analyzed the high frequency/ultrasonic male advertisement (courtship) call and alarm call. Results Multi-parametric analyses of the calls’ acoustic parameters and discriminant function analyses showed that advertisement calls, but not alarm calls, contain patrilineal signatures. Playback experiments controlling for familiarity showed that females paid more attention to advertisement calls from unrelated males than from their fathers. Reactions to alarm calls from unrelated males and fathers did not differ. Conclusions 1) Findings provide the first evidence of paternal kin recognition via vocalizations in a small-brained, solitarily foraging mammal. 2) High predation, small body size, and dispersed social systems may select for acoustic paternal kin recognition in the high frequency/ultrasonic ranges, thus limiting risks of inbreeding and eavesdropping by predators or conspecific competitors. 3) Paternal kin recognition via vocalizations in mammals is not dependent upon a large brain and high social complexity, but may already have been an integral part of the dispersed social networks from which more complex, kin-based sociality emerged. PMID:23198727

Small Traditional Human Communities Sustain Genomic Diversity over Microgeographic Scales despite Linguistic Isolation

PubMed Central

Cox, Murray P.; Hudjashov, Georgi; Sim, Andre; Savina, Olga; Karafet, Tatiana M.; Sudoyo, Herawati; Lansing, J. Stephen

2016-01-01

At least since the Neolithic, humans have largely lived in networks of small, traditional communities. Often socially isolated, these groups evolved distinct languages and cultures over microgeographic scales of just tens of kilometers. Population genetic theory tells us that genetic drift should act quickly in such isolated groups, thus raising the question: do networks of small human communities maintain levels of genetic diversity over microgeographic scales? This question can no longer be asked in most parts of the world, which have been heavily impacted by historical events that make traditional society structures the exception. However, such studies remain possible in parts of Island Southeast Asia and Oceania, where traditional ways of life are still practiced. We captured genome-wide genetic data, together with linguistic records, for a case–study system—eight villages distributed across Sumba, a small, remote island in eastern Indonesia. More than 4,000 years after these communities were established during the Neolithic period, most speak different languages and can be distinguished genetically. Yet their nuclear diversity is not reduced, instead being comparable to other, even much larger, regional groups. Modeling reveals a separation of time scales: while languages and culture can evolve quickly, creating social barriers, sporadic migration averaged over many generations is sufficient to keep villages linked genetically. This loosely-connected network structure, once the global norm and still extant on Sumba today, provides a living proxy to explore fine-scale genome dynamics in the sort of small traditional communities within which the most recent episodes of human evolution occurred. PMID:27274003

Behavioral Adjustment of Toddler and Preschool-Aged Children with Single-Suture Craniosynostosis*

PubMed Central

Kapp-Simon, Kathleen A; Collett, Brent R; Barr-Schinzel, Michael A; Cradock, Mary M; Buono, Lauren A; Pietila, Kristen E; Speltz, Matthew L

2012-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to confirm initial reports of elevated behavior problems in children with single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC), using multiple informants, longitudinal analyses and a control group. We hypothesized higher levels of maladjustment for children with SSC than comparison children, particularly at the older age and in selected areas of previously observed vulnerability: attention and social adjustment. Method A Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was completed when children were ~19 months by 436 mothers (219 with SSC) and 371 fathers (177 with SSC); and at ~37 months by 361 mothers (175 with SSC) and 303 fathers (142 with SSC). A minimum of one caregiver/teacher report was available for 169 of these children (74 with SSC) using the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (CTRF). Results Average CBCL/CTRF externalizing, internalizing and total scores for all informants were consistently higher (worse) for children with SSC than control group children, but most differences were small and statistically non-significant. No differences associated with suture site were found. At the oldest age point, both mothers and fathers (but not teachers) generated higher average scores for patients than for controls on scales measuring attention and social problems, with small to medium effects sizes (0.20 to 0.32). Conclusion On average toddlers/preschoolers with SSC show behavioral development that is largely indistinguishable from same-aged peers of similar socioeconomic background. The predictive significance of small group differences in attention and social adjustment will be assessed in a follow-up of this cohort at age 7. PMID:22929249

Striving for group agency: threat to personal control increases the attractiveness of agentic groups

PubMed Central

Stollberg, Janine; Fritsche, Immo; Bäcker, Anna

2015-01-01

When their sense of personal control is threatened people try to restore perceived control through the social self. We propose that it is the perceived agency of ingroups that provides the self with a sense of control. In three experiments, we for the first time tested the hypothesis that threat to personal control increases the attractiveness of being part or joining those groups that are perceived as coherent entities engaging in coordinated group goal pursuit (agentic groups) but not of those groups whose agency is perceived to be low. Consistent with this hypothesis we found in Study 1 (N = 93) that threat to personal control increased ingroup identification only with task groups, but not with less agentic types of ingroups that were made salient simultaneously. Furthermore, personal control threat increased a sense of collective control and support within the task group, mediated through task-group identification (indirect effects). Turning to groups people are not (yet) part of, Study 2 (N = 47) showed that personal control threat increased relative attractiveness ratings of small groups as possible future ingroups only when the relative agency of small groups was perceived to be high. Perceived group homogeneity or social power did not moderate the effect. Study 3 (N = 78) replicated the moderating role of perceived group agency for attractiveness ratings of entitative groups, whereas perceived group status did not moderate the effect. These findings extend previous research on group-based control, showing that perceived agency accounts for group-based responses to threatened control. PMID:26074832

Using Book Clubs to Enhance Social-Emotional and Academic Learning with Urban Adolescent Females of Color

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polleck, Jody N.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to elucidate how book clubs can be used as a forum to enhance students' social-emotional and academic learning. The author conducted a study in a small urban high school with 2 different book clubs: The younger group consisted of 2 African American 9th graders, 2 Latina 9th graders, and 1 African American 10th…

Universities, SMEs and Social Capital: Can You Get Too Much of a Good Thing? An Illustrative Analysis of One University's Knowledge Exchange Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Ian

2016-01-01

This article explores a university knowledge exchange programme for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owner-managers. Specifically, it considers why a programme designed to achieve growth in a group of SMEs through the creation of a network high in social capital may have become a constraint on the programme's effectiveness over a period of…

Effects of online group exercises for older adults on physical, psychological and social wellbeing: a randomized pilot trial

PubMed Central

Khaghani Far, Iman; Ibarra, Francisco; Ferron, Michela; Didino, Daniele; Casati, Fabio

2017-01-01

Background Intervention programs to promote physical activity in older adults, either in group or home settings, have shown equivalent health outcomes but different results when considering adherence. Group-based interventions seem to achieve higher participation in the long-term. However, there are many factors that can make of group exercises a challenging setting for older adults. A major one, due to the heterogeneity of this particular population, is the difference in the level of skills. In this paper we report on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes of a technology-based intervention that enable online group exercises in older adults with different levels of skills. Methods A total of 37 older adults between 65 and 87 years old followed a personalized exercise program based on the OTAGO program for fall prevention, for a period of eight weeks. Participants could join online group exercises using a tablet-based application. Participants were assigned either to the Control group, representing the traditional individual home-based training program, or the Social group, representing the online group exercising. Pre- and post- measurements were taken to analyze the physical, psychological and social wellbeing outcomes. Results After the eight-weeks training program there were improvements in both the Social and Control groups in terms of physical outcomes, given the high level of adherence of both groups. Considering the baseline measures, however, the results suggest that while in the Control group fitter individuals tended to adhere more to the training, this was not the case for the Social group, where the initial level had no effect on adherence. For psychological outcomes there were improvements on both groups, regardless of the application used. There was no significant difference between groups in social wellbeing outcomes, both groups seeing a decrease in loneliness despite the presence of social features in the Social group. However, online social interactions have shown to be correlated to the decrease in loneliness in the Social group. Conclusion The results indicate that technology-supported online group-exercising which conceals individual differences in physical skills is effective in motivating and enabling individuals who are less fit to train as much as fitter individuals. This not only indicates the feasibility of training together despite differences in physical skills but also suggests that online exercise might reduce the effect of skills on adherence in a social context. However, results from this pilot are limited to a small sample size and therefore are not conclusive. Longer term interventions with more participants are instead recommended to assess impacts on wellbeing and behavior change. PMID:28392983

Sexuality and the Developmentally Handicapped: Health Education Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Mary-Lou; Forchuk, Cheryl

1987-01-01

The article describes a sex education program for small groups of developmentally handicapped adolescents and young adults which includes information on and discussion of body parts, acceptable social behavior, assertiveness, birth control, and sexually transmitted diseases. (Author/JW)

Effect of self-efficacy and social support on adherence to antihypertensive drugs.

PubMed

Criswell, Thomas J; Weber, Cynthia A; Xu, Yinghui; Carter, Barry L

2010-05-01

To determine the relationship between poor adherence and self-efficacy or social support after a pharmacist intervention. Post-hoc analysis of data from two randomized controlled trials of physician-pharmacist collaborative interventions (6 and 9 mo, respectively) to improve blood pressure control. Eleven university-affiliated primary care clinics. Five hundred eighty-four patients (aged 21-85 yrs) with uncontrolled primary hypertension; 296 were in the intervention group and 288 were in the control group. Pharmacists provided intensified hypertension management and drug adherence counseling to patients in the intervention group. Social support and self-efficacy questionnaires were administered at baseline and end-of-study visits. Patient adherence was monitored by using the Morisky self-reported adherence questionnaire. Self-reported adherence scores improved significantly in the control group (p=0.0053) but not in the intervention group; however, adherence at baseline in both groups was high. There were small, but significant, improvements in self-efficacy (p<0.04) and social support (p<0.05) scores in the intervention group but not the control group at the end of the study. Social support and, to a lesser extent, self-efficacy improved as a function of duration of study participation (9-mo vs 6-mo intervention), regardless of whether the patient received the intervention. Blood pressure control in both groups improved significantly at the end of the study; however, mean blood pressure was significantly lower in the intervention group (129.7/76.6 mm Hg) compared with the control group (140.8/78.9 mm Hg; p<0.0001 for systolic, p=0.032 for diastolic). Social support and self-efficacy improved significantly in the intervention group at the end of the pharmacist intervention. Drug adherence was correlated with self-efficacy even though drug adherence did not improve significantly in the intervention group. The fact that social support and self-efficacy improved as a function of duration of study participation suggests that participation in a research study may have had a positive influence on these measures. Even though the changes in social support, self-efficacy, and drug adherence were modest, there was significantly better blood pressure control in the intervention group compared with the control group. These findings indicate that changes in drug adherence, self-efficacy, or social support probably played a minor role in the blood pressure outcomes in these studies.

Enhancing social media competitiveness of small businesses: insights from small pizzerias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Wu; Wang, Feng-Kwei; Zha, Shenghua

2014-07-01

Social media provide an online platform for enterprises to engage existing customers and attract new customers. Although social media can be easily set up at no cost, however, due to limited human and financial resources, many small businesses find it challenging to compete against large enterprises in social media use. While more and more small businesses have jumped on the bandwagon of social media in recent years, few studies investigated the social media strategies that can help small businesses to survive and even thrive against large competitors in the social media arena. Therefore, we studied 32 small pizzerias in a mid-size U.S. city in terms of their social media use for business. Our study found that small pizzerias emphasizing social media use on community relations and social responsibility tend to be more successful in attracting and engaging local customers. This study also sheds light on both effective strategies and successful practices of social media use by small pizzerias. The insights and recommendations identified from this study can help small businesses to enhance their social media competitiveness against large enterprises.

Social isolation: unit-based activities for impaired elders.

PubMed

Windriver, W

1993-03-01

Loneliness can lead to illness and death, and is such a painful experience that a resident may not verbalize it directly. Quality nursing care requires that problems of social isolation are identified and a plan developed for adequate intervention. Impaired residents will be more successful socially when they can access a variety of interesting activities in small groups where familiar staff take initiative and establish a rapport. Institutional nurses are in a unique position to request the structural and personnel changes necessary to bring creative activities to the nursing units of impaired elders.

The guided autobiography method: a learning experience.

PubMed

Thornton, James E

2008-01-01

This article discusses the proposition that learning is an unexplored feature of the guided autobiography method and its developmental exchange. Learning, conceptualized and explored as the embedded and embodied processes, is essential in narrative activities of the guided autobiography method leading to psychosocial development and growth in dynamic, temporary social groups. The article is organized in four sections and summary. The first section provides a brief overview of the guided autobiography method describing the interplay of learning and experiencing in temporary social groups. The second section offers a limited review on learning and experiencing as processes that are essential for development, growth, and change. The third section reviews the small group activities and the emergence of the "developmental exchange" in the guided autobiography method. Two theoretical constructs provide a conceptual foundation for the developmental exchange: a counterpart theory of aging as development and collaborative-situated group learning theory. The summary recaps the main ideas and issues that shape the guided autobiography method as learning and social experience using the theme, "Where to go from here."

Beyond one-size-fits-all: Tailoring diversity approaches to the representation of social groups.

PubMed

Apfelbaum, Evan P; Stephens, Nicole M; Reagans, Ray E

2016-10-01

When and why do organizational diversity approaches that highlight the importance of social group differences (vs. equality) help stigmatized groups succeed? We theorize that social group members' numerical representation in an organization, compared with the majority group, influences concerns about their distinctiveness, and consequently, whether diversity approaches are effective. We combine laboratory and field methods to evaluate this theory in a professional setting, in which White women are moderately represented and Black individuals are represented in very small numbers. We expect that focusing on differences (vs. equality) will lead to greater performance and persistence among White women, yet less among Black individuals. First, we demonstrate that Black individuals report greater representation-based concerns than White women (Study 1). Next, we observe that tailoring diversity approaches to these concerns yields greater performance and persistence (Studies 2 and 3). We then manipulate social groups' perceived representation and find that highlighting differences (vs. equality) is more effective when groups' representation is moderate, but less effective when groups' representation is very low (Study 4). Finally, we content-code the diversity statements of 151 major U.S. law firms and find that firms that emphasize differences have lower attrition rates among White women, whereas firms that emphasize equality have lower attrition rates among racial minorities (Study 5). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Population ecology, nonlinear dynamics, and social evolution. I. Associations among nonrelatives.

PubMed

Avilés, Leticia; Abbot, Patrick; Cutter, Asher D

2002-02-01

Using an individual-based and genetically explicit simulation model, we explore the evolution of sociality within a population-ecology and nonlinear-dynamics framework. Assuming that individual fitness is a unimodal function of group size and that cooperation may carry a relative fitness cost, we consider the evolution of one-generation breeding associations among nonrelatives. We explore how parameters such as the intrinsic rate of growth and group and global carrying capacities may influence social evolution and how social evolution may, in turn, influence and be influenced by emerging group-level and population-wide dynamics. We find that group living and cooperation evolve under a wide range of parameter values, even when cooperation is costly and the interactions can be defined as altruistic. Greater levels of cooperation, however, did evolve when cooperation carried a low or no relative fitness cost. Larger group carrying capacities allowed the evolution of larger groups but also resulted in lower cooperative tendencies. When the intrinsic rate of growth was not too small and control of the global population size was density dependent, the evolution of large cooperative tendencies resulted in dynamically unstable groups and populations. These results are consistent with the existence and typical group sizes of organisms ranging from the pleometrotic ants to the colonial birds and the global population outbreaks and crashes characteristic of organisms such as the migratory locusts and the tree-killing bark beetles.

When group membership gets personal: a theory of identity fusion.

PubMed

Swann, William B; Jetten, Jolanda; Gómez, Angel; Whitehouse, Harvey; Bastian, Brock

2012-07-01

Identity fusion is a relatively unexplored form of alignment with groups that entails a visceral feeling of oneness with the group. This feeling is associated with unusually porous, highly permeable borders between the personal and social self. These porous borders encourage people to channel their personal agency into group behavior, raising the possibility that the personal and social self will combine synergistically to motivate pro-group behavior. Furthermore, the strong personal as well as social identities possessed by highly fused persons cause them to recognize other group members not merely as members of the group but also as unique individuals, prompting the development of strong relational as well as collective ties within the group. In local fusion, people develop relational ties to members of relatively small groups (e.g., families or work teams) with whom they have personal relationships. In extended fusion, people project relational ties onto relatively large collectives composed of many individuals with whom they may have no personal relationships. The research literature indicates that measures of fusion are exceptionally strong predictors of extreme pro-group behavior. Moreover, fusion effects are amplified by augmenting individual agency, either directly (by increasing physiological arousal) or indirectly (by activating personal or social identities). The effects of fusion on pro-group actions are mediated by perceptions of arousal and invulnerability. Possible causes of identity fusion--ranging from relatively distal, evolutionary, and cultural influences to more proximal, contextual influences--are discussed. Finally, implications and future directions are considered. Copyright 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Characterizations of Social-Based and Self-Based Contexts Associated with Students' Awareness, Evaluation, and Regulation of Their Thinking during Small-Group Mathematical Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magiera, Marta T.; Zawojewski, Judith S.

2011-01-01

This exploratory study focused on characterizing problem-solving situations associated with spontaneous metacognitive activity. The results came from connected case studies of a group of 3 purposefully selected 9th-grade students working collaboratively on a series of 5 modeling problems. Students' descriptions of their own thinking during…

Predicting future conflict between team-members with parameter-free models of social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rovira-Asenjo, Núria; Gumí, Tània; Sales-Pardo, Marta; Guimerà, Roger

2013-06-01

Despite the well-documented benefits of working in teams, teamwork also results in communication, coordination and management costs, and may lead to personal conflict between team members. In a context where teams play an increasingly important role, it is of major importance to understand conflict and to develop diagnostic tools to avert it. Here, we investigate empirically whether it is possible to quantitatively predict future conflict in small teams using parameter-free models of social network structure. We analyze data of conflict appearance and resolution between 86 team members in 16 small teams, all working in a real project for nine consecutive months. We find that group-based models of complex networks successfully anticipate conflict in small teams whereas micro-based models of structural balance, which have been traditionally used to model conflict, do not.

Asymmetrical social mach bands: exaggeration of social identities on the more esteemed side of group borders.

PubMed

Rozin, Paul; Scott, Sydney E; Zickgraf, Hana F; Ahn, Flora; Jiang, Hong

2014-10-01

Perceptual processes generally enhance borders, because of their high information value. Mach bands are an example in vision. In the social world, borders are also of special significance; one side of a border is generally more esteemed or valued than the other. We claim that entities (individuals, groups) that are just over the border on the positive side tend to exaggerate their membership on the positive side (asymmetrical social Mach bands). We demonstrate this by showing that (a) master's-degree universities use the word university to describe themselves more than major graduate universities do, (b) small international airports use the word international to describe themselves more than major airports do, and (c) University of Pennsylvania students, who are affiliated with a "marginal" Ivy League school, use the word Ivy to describe their school more than Harvard students do. © The Author(s) 2014.

Influence of social mixing and group size on skin lesions and mounting in organic entire male pigs.

PubMed

Thomsen, R; Edwards, S A; Rousing, T; Labouriau, R; Sørensen, J T

2016-07-01

Alternatives to surgical castration are needed, due to stress and pain caused by castration of male pigs. One alternative is production of entire male pigs. However, changed behaviour of entire males compared with castrated males might adversely affect the welfare of entire males and changes in management procedures and production system might be needed. Elements from the organic pig production system might be beneficial in this aspect. The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of grouping strategy including social mixing and group size on levels of mounting behaviour and skin lesions, hypothesising that procedures that disrupt the social stability (e.g. regrouping) will have a larger negative effect in small groups compared with large groups. Approximately 1600 organic entire male pigs of the breed (Landrace×Yorkshire)×Duroc were reared in parallel in five organic herds, distributed across four batches in a 2×2 factorial design in order to test the influence of social mixing (presence or absence of social mixing at relocation) and group size (15 and 30 animals). Animals were able to socialise with piglets from other litters during the lactation period, and were all mixed across litters at weaning. A second mixing occurred at insertion to fattening pens for pigs being regrouped. Counting of skin lesions (1348 or 1124 pigs) and registration of mounting behaviour (1434 or 1258 pigs) were done on two occasions during the experimental period. No interactive effects were found between social mixing and group size on either skin lesions or mounting frequency. Herd differences were found for both mounting frequency and number of skin lesions. No association between skin lesions and mounting were revealed. Social mixing and group size were shown as interacting effects with herds on mounting frequency (P<0.0001), but with no consistent pattern across all herds. In addition, no effect of social mixing was found on mean number of skin lesions, but more lesions were observed in large groups (P<0.036). This could indicate that keeping entire male pigs in groups of 30 animals as compared with smaller groups of 15 may marginally decrease the welfare of these animals.

Kinship and similarity in residency status structure female social networks in black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus vellerosus).

PubMed

Wikberg, Eva C; Ting, Nelson; Sicotte, Pascale

2014-03-01

Kinship shapes female social networks in many primate populations in which females remain in their natal group to breed. In contrast, it is unclear to which extent kinship affects the social networks in populations with female dispersal. Female Colobus vellerosus show routine facultative dispersal (i.e., some females remain philopatric and others disperse). This dispersal pattern allowed us to evaluate if facultative dispersed females form social networks shaped by an attraction to kin, to social partners with a high resource holding potential, or to similar social partners in terms of maturational stage, dominance rank, and residency status. During 2008 and 2009, we collected behavioral data via focal and ad libitum sampling of 61 females residing in eight groups at Boabeng-Fiema, Ghana. We determined kinship based on partial pedigrees and genotypes at 17 short tandem repeat loci. Kinship influenced coalition and affiliation networks in three groups consisting of long-term resident females with access to a relatively high number of female kin. In contrast, similar residency status was more important than kinship in structuring the affiliation network in one of two groups that contained recent female immigrants. In populations with female dispersal, the occurrence of kin structured social networks may not only depend on the kin composition of groups but also on how long the female kin have resided together. We found no consistent support for females biasing affiliation toward partners with high resource holding potential, possibly due to low levels of contest competition and small inter-individual differences in resource holding potential. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Student nurses' attitudes to vulnerable groups: a study examining the impact of a social inclusion module.

PubMed

Wray, Jane; Walker, Liz; Fell, Benedict; Benedict

2008-05-01

Front line health care professionals have a responsibility to ensure that excluded groups and vulnerable people have equitable access to health care services. This obligation is stated explicitly in the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Professional Conduct (2004). Consequently, educationalists involved in the delivery of nurse education have sought to promote the principles of socially inclusive and anti-oppressive practice throughout the curriculum. This quantitative study, conducted with a group of nursing and midwifery university students, aimed to examine student attitudes prior to and on completion of a module on social inclusion/exclusion. The data demonstrated that the majority of students surveyed held views that were generally positive and inclusive. Yet, a small group of respondents held stereotypical views potentially compromising their ability to provide health care. This study identified important gaps within the current curriculum and the need for educators in the field of Health and Social Care to concentrate efforts throughout the curriculum on challenging stereotypical views and attitudes rather than assuming that students can understand the complex concepts of social inclusion in a stand alone module. The students who took part in the study generally held positive views and values and the module was to some extent able to shape their perspective on vulnerable people.

The race to save lives: demonstrating the use of social media for search and rescue operations.

PubMed

Simon, Tomer; Adini, Bruria; El-Hadid, Mohammed; Goldberg, Avishay; Aharonson-Daniel, Limor

2014-11-06

Utilizing social media in an emergency can enhance abilities to locate and evacuate casualties more rapidly and effectively, and can contribute towards saving lives following a disaster, through better coordination and collaboration between search and rescue teams. An exercise was conducted in order to test a standard operating procedure (SOP) designed to leverage social media use in response to an earthquake, and study whether social media can improve joint Israeli-Jordanian search and rescue operations following a regional earthquake. First responders from both Jordan and Israel were divided into two mixed groups of eight people each, representing joint (Israeli-Jordanian) EMS teams. Simulated patients were dispersed throughout the Ben-Gurion University Campus. The first search and rescue team used conventional methods, while the second team also used social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) to leverage search and rescue operations. Eighteen EMS and medical professionals from Israel and Jordan, which are members of the Emergency Response Development and Strategy Forum working group, participated in the exercise. The social media team found significantly more mock casualties, 21 out of 22 (95.45%) while the no-media team found only 19 out of 22 (86.36%). Fourteen patients (63.63%) were found by the social media team earlier than the no-media team. The differences between the two groups were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test, and evacuation proved to be significantly quicker in the group that had access to social media. The differences between the three injury severities groups' extraction times in each group were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test for variance. Injury severity influenced the evacuation times in the social media team but no such difference was noted in the no-media team. Utilizing social media in an emergency situation enables to locate and evacuate casualties more rapidly and effectively. Social media can contribute towards saving lives during a disaster, in national and bi-national circumstances. Due to the small numbers in the groups, this finding requires further verification on a larger study cohort.

Mobile drama in an instrumented museum: inducing group conversation via coordinated narratives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callaway, Charles; Stock, Oliviero; Dekoven, Elyon; Noy, Kinneret; Citron, Yael; Dobrin, Yael

2012-03-01

Museum visits can be more enjoyable to small groups if they can be both social and educational experiences. One very rewarding aspect of a visit, especially those involving small groups such as families, is the unmediated group discussion that can ensue during a shared cultural experience. We present a situated, mobile museum system that delivers an hour-long drama to museum visitors. It perceives and analyzes group behavior, uses the result to dynamically deliver coordinated dramatic narrative presentations about the nearby museum exhibit, with the expected result of stimulating group discussion. To accomplish this, our drama-based presentations contain small, complementary differences in the content delivered to each participant, leveraging the narrative tension/release cycle of drama to naturally lead visitors to fill in missing pieces by interacting with friends, thus initiating a conversation. We present two evaluations for these story variations, one in a closed, non-mobile environment, and the other a formative evaluation to gauge how well the methodology used in the non-mobile evaluation performs in evaluating the fully implemented system in a real museum environment.

Educational interventions targeted at minors in situations of grave social vulnerability and their families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de La Caba Collado, Mariangeles; Bartau Rojas, Isabel

2010-10-01

The aim of this article is to outline and assess an educational intervention programme targeted at improving the skills of families and the personal and social development of children living in situations of grave social vulnerability. The sample comprised 10 families during the first phase of the intervention and six during the second. The design, intervention and assessment process of this study was carried out in two phases over a period of a year and a half. For both phases, three different groups—of men/fathers, women/mothers and children—were established. Study variables (parenting skills and children's personal and social development) were evaluated before and after the intervention in every group, as well as during the entire process. The results, taking into account the improvements reported by all the participants (social workers, group monitors, fathers, mothers, children) show that inter-professional involvement and coordination at all phases of the intervention is vital in order to achieve small but significant improvements.

Social projection to ingroups and outgroups: a review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Robbins, Jordan M; Krueger, Joachim I

2005-01-01

Social projection is the tendency to expect similarities between oneself and others. A review of the literature and a meta-analysis reveal that projection is stronger when people make judgments about ingroups than when they make judgments about outgroups. Analysis of moderator variables further reveals that ingroup projection is stronger for laboratory groups than for real social categories. The mode of analysis (i.e., nomothetic vs. idiographic) and the order of judgments (i.e., self or group judged first) have no discernable effects. Outgroup projection is positive, but small in size. Together, these findings support the view that projection can serve as an egocentric heuristic for inductive reasoning. The greater strength of ingroup projection can contribute to ingroup-favoritism, perceptions of ingroup homogeneity, and cooperation with ingroup members.

Shared social and emotional activities within adolescent romantic and non-romantic sexual relationships.

PubMed

Williams, Lela Rankin; Russell, Stephen T

2013-05-01

Typically, "non-romantic" sexual relationships are assumed to be casual; however, the emotional and social distinctions between romantic and non-romantic contexts are not well understood, particularly in adolescence. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) was used to compare shared emotional (e.g., telling partner that they love her/him) and social (e.g., going out in a group) activities within romantic and non-romantic sexual relationships. Adolescents who reported exclusively romantic sexual relationships (n = 1,891) shared more emotional, but not social, activities with their partners than adolescents who were in non-romantic sexual relationships (n = 315; small effect size, r = .07-.13), akin to adolescents who experienced both relationship types (n = 519; small-to-medium effect size, r = .18-.38). Girls shared more emotional and social activities with their partners than boys when in romantic relationships (small effect size, r = .06-.10); there were no significant gender differences within non-romantic sexual relationships. Findings suggest that gendered scripts remain for sexual relationships that are romantic but not for those that are non-romantic. Notably, for the majority of adolescents, non-romantic relationships still held many emotional and social dimensions typical of romantic relationships and differences between relationship types were small. Although non-romantic relationships were less intimate than romantic sexual relationships, there was remarkable heterogeneity within this relationship type. Caution is advised when working with adolescents engaged in "casual" sexual relationships. Understanding the complexity of adolescent sexual relationships is critical for the advancement of effective sex education programming.

Mental exercising through simple socializing: social interaction promotes general cognitive functioning.

PubMed

Ybarra, Oscar; Burnstein, Eugene; Winkielman, Piotr; Keller, Matthew C; Manis, Melvin; Chan, Emily; Rodriguez, Joel

2008-02-01

Social interaction is a central feature of people's life and engages a variety of cognitive resources. Thus, social interaction should facilitate general cognitive functioning. Previous studies suggest such a link, but they used special populations (e.g., elderly with cognitive impairment), measured social interaction indirectly (e.g., via marital status), and only assessed effects of extended interaction in correlational designs. Here the relation between mental functioning and direct indicators of social interaction was examined in a younger and healthier population. Study 1 using survey methodology found a positive relationship between social interaction, assessed via amount of actual social contact, and cognitive functioning in people from three age groups including younger adults. Study 2 using an experimental design found that a small amount of social interaction (10 min) can facilitate cognitive performance. The findings are discussed in the context of the benefits social relationships have for so many aspects of people's lives.

The social essentials of learning: an experimental investigation of collaborative problem solving and knowledge construction in mathematics classrooms in Australia and China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Man Ching Esther; Clarke, David; Cao, Yiming

2018-03-01

Interactive problem solving and learning are priorities in contemporary education, but these complex processes have proved difficult to research. This project addresses the question "How do we optimise social interaction for the promotion of learning in a mathematics classroom?" Employing the logic of multi-theoretic research design, this project uses the newly built Science of Learning Research Classroom (ARC-SR120300015) at The University of Melbourne and equivalent facilities in China to investigate classroom learning and social interactions, focusing on collaborative small group problem solving as a way to make the social aspects of learning visible. In Australia and China, intact classes of local year 7 students with their usual teacher will be brought into the research classroom facilities with built-in video cameras and audio recording equipment to participate in purposefully designed activities in mathematics. The students will undertake a sequence of tasks in the social units of individual, pair, small group (typically four students) and whole class. The conditions for student collaborative problem solving and learning will be manipulated so that student and teacher contributions to that learning process can be distinguished. Parallel and comparative analyses will identify culture-specific interactive patterns and provide the basis for hypotheses about the learning characteristics underlying collaborative problem solving performance documented in the research classrooms in each country. The ultimate goals of the project are to generate, develop and test more sophisticated hypotheses for the optimisation of social interaction in the mathematics classroom in the interest of improving learning and, particularly, student collaborative problem solving.

Small farmers and deforestation in Amazonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brondízio, Eduardo S.; Cak, Anthony; Caldas, Marcellus M.; Mena, Carlos; Bilsborrow, Richard; Futemma, Celia T.; Ludewigs, Thomas; Moran, Emilio F.; Batistella, Mateus

This chapter discusses the relationship between small farmers' land use and deforestation, with particular attention paid to the past 30 years of Amazonian colonization in Brazil and Ecuador. Our analysis calls attention to common features uniting different social groups as small farmers (e.g., social identity, access to land and resources, technology, market, and credit), as well as the variability between small farmers in terms of time in the region (from native populations to recent colonists), contribution to regional deforestation, types of land use systems. At a regional level, small farmers contribute to the majority of deforestation events, but are responsible for only a fraction of the total deforested area in Amazonia. We discuss three misconceptions that have been used to define small farmers and their contribution to the regional economy, development, and deforestation: (1) small farmers have backward land use systems associated with low productivity and extensive deforestation and subsistence production, (2) small farmers contribute to Amazonian deforestation as much as large farmers, and (3) small farmers, particularly colonist farmers, follow an inexorable path of deforestation unless curbed by government action. We conclude the chapter discussing their growing regional importance and the need for more inclusive public policies concerning infrastructure and services and valorization of resources produced in rural areas of Amazonia.

“I Don’t Know What Fun Is”: Examining the Intersection of Social Capital, Social Networks, and Social Recovery

PubMed Central

Boeri, Miriam; Gardner, Megan; Gerken, Erin; Ross, Melissa; Wheeler, Jack

2016-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how people with problematic drug use access positive social capital. Social capital is defined as relations that provide valuable resources to individuals through participation in social networks. People with low socioeconomic status remain at a disadvantage for acquiring positive social capital, a component of recovery capital. The concept of social recovery emphasises the relational processes of recovery. Design/methodology/approach In-depth life history data were collected from 29 individuals who used heroin, cocaine, crack, or methamphetamine for at least five years, have less than a high school education, and unstable employment and housing. Qualitative data were coded for social networks accessed throughout the life course, distinguished by bonding, bridging and linking social capital. Findings Social networks included drug treatment programs; non-drug-using family and friends; religious/spiritual groups; workplace networks, and social clubs/activities. Bonding and/or bridging social capital were acquired through treatment, family and friends, religious/spiritual groups, workplaces, and social clubs. Linking social capital was not acquired through any social networks available, and many barriers to accessing mainstream social networks were found. Limitations This is a small study conducted in the US. Social implications A greater focus on social recovery is needed to achieve sustained recovery for individuals lacking access to and engagement in mainstream social networks. Practical implications Social recovery is proposed as an analytical tool as well as for developing prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies. PMID:27668008

Estimating the extent and structure of trade in horticultural orchids via social media.

PubMed

Hinsley, Amy; Lee, Tamsin E; Harrison, Joseph R; Roberts, David L

2016-10-01

The wildlife trade is a lucrative industry involving thousands of animal and plant species. The increasing use of the internet for both legal and illegal wildlife trade is well documented, but there is evidence that trade may be emerging on new online technologies such as social media. Using the orchid trade as a case study, we conducted the first systematic survey of wildlife trade on an international social-media website. We focused on themed forums (groups), where people with similar interests can interact by uploading images or text (posts) that are visible to other group members. We used social-network analysis to examine the ties between 150 of these orchid-themed groups to determine the structure of the network. We found 4 communities of closely linked groups based around shared language. Most trade occurred in a community that consisted of English-speaking and Southeast Asian groups. In addition to the network analysis, we randomly sampled 30 groups from the whole network to assess the prevalence of trade in cultivated and wild plants. Of 55,805 posts recorded over 12 weeks, 8.9% contained plants for sale, and 22-46% of these posts pertained to wild-collected orchids. Although total numbers of posts about trade were relatively small, the large proportion of posts advertising wild orchids for sale supports calls for better monitoring of social media for trade in wild-collected plants. © 2016 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Small group gender ratios impact biology class performance and peer evaluations.

PubMed

Sullivan, Lauren L; Ballen, Cissy J; Cotner, Sehoya

2018-01-01

Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Evidence suggests the microclimate of the classroom is an important factor influencing female course grades and interest, which encourages retention of women in STEM fields. Here, we test whether the gender composition of small (8-9 person) learning groups impacts course performance, sense of social belonging, and intragroup peer evaluations of intellectual contributions. Across two undergraduate active learning courses in introductory biology, we manipulated the classroom microclimate by varying the gender ratios of learning groups, ranging from 0% female to 100% female. We found that as the percent of women in groups increased, so did overall course performance for all students, regardless of gender. Additionally, women assigned higher peer- evaluations in groups with more women than groups with less women. Our work demonstrates an added benefit of the retention of women in STEM: increased performance for all, and positive peer perceptions for women.

Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum.

PubMed

Flook, Lisa; Goldberg, Simon B; Pinger, Laura; Davidson, Richard J

2015-01-01

Self-regulatory abilities are robust predictors of important outcomes across the life span, yet they are rarely taught explicitly in school. Using a randomized controlled design, the present study investigated the effects of a 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (KC) delivered in a public school setting on executive function, self-regulation, and prosocial behavior in a sample of 68 preschool children. The KC intervention group showed greater improvements in social competence and earned higher report card grades in domains of learning, health, and social-emotional development, whereas the control group exhibited more selfish behavior over time. Interpretation of effect sizes overall indicate small to medium effects favoring the KC group on measures of cognitive flexibility and delay of gratification. Baseline functioning was found to moderate treatment effects with KC children initially lower in social competence and executive functioning demonstrating larger gains in social competence relative to the control group. These findings, observed over a relatively short intervention period, support the promise of this program for promoting self-regulation and prosocial behavior in young children. They also support the need for future investigation of program implementation across diverse settings.

"Role magnets"? An empirical investigation of popularity trajectories for life-course persistent individuals during adolescence.

PubMed

Young, Jacob T N

2014-01-01

Recent scholarship has focused on the role of social status in peer groups to explain the fact that delinquency is disproportionately committed during adolescence. Yet, the precise mechanism linking adolescence, social status, and antisocial behavior is not well understood. Dual-taxonomy postulates a testable mechanism that links the sudden increase in risky behavior among adolescents to the social magnetism of a small group of persistently antisocial individuals, referred to here as the "role magnet" hypothesis. Using semi-parametric group-based trajectory modeling and growth-curve modeling, this study provides the first test of this hypothesis by examining physical violence and popularity trajectories for 1,845 male respondents age 11-32 from a nationally representative sample (54 % non-Hispanic White; 21 % non-Hispanic African American; 17 % Hispanic; 8 % Asian). Individuals assigned to a "chronic violence" trajectory group showed consistently lower average levels of popularity from 11 to 19. But, these same individuals experienced increases in popularity during early adolescence and subsequent declines in late adolescence. These findings are linked to current research examining social status as a mechanism generating antisocial behavior during adolescence and the consequences of delayed entry into adult roles.

The hidden medical school: a longitudinal study of how social networks form, and how they relate to academic performance.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Potts, Henry W W; Patel, Shalini; McManus, I Chris

2012-01-01

UK medical schools typically have over 300 students per year, making it impossible for students to know all the others well. This longitudinal cohort study measured the formation of medical student social networks and their relationship to grades. In November 2009, 215/317 (68%) Year 2 UCL medical students reported their friendships with others in their year, by questionnaire. Multiple regression assessed the relationship between friendships, exam results and background variables (obtained from student records), with permutation testing to assess statistical significance. Students of the same sex, the same ethnic group, and in the same tutor and small groups (to which they were randomly assigned at the start of medical school) were socially closer. Taking into account absolute difference in Year 1 grades, Year 2 pairs who were socially closer in November 2009 had more similar May 2010 grades. Individual student variables did not predict similarity in 2010 grades after taking friendships into account. The results suggest that medical students chose friends of the same sex and ethnic group as themselves; but random allocation of students to tutor groups also influenced friendships. Most importantly, friendships related to subsequent exam performance, suggesting friendship may influence learning.

Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based kindness curriculum

PubMed Central

Flook, Lisa; Goldberg, Simon B.; Pinger, Laura; Davidson, Richard J.

2015-01-01

Self-regulatory abilities are robust predictors of important outcomes across the lifespan, yet they are rarely taught explicitly in school. Using a randomized controlled design, the present study investigated the effects of a 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum (KC) delivered in a public school setting on executive function, self-regulation, and prosocial behavior in a sample of 68 preschool children. The KC intervention group showed greater improvements in social competence and earned higher report card grades in domains of learning, health, and social-emotional development, whereas the control group exhibited more selfish behavior over time. Interpretation of effect sizes overall indicate small to medium effects favoring the KC group on measures of cognitive flexibility and delay of gratification . Baseline functioning was found to moderate treatment effects with KC children initially lower in social competence and executive functioning demonstrating larger gains in social competence relative to the control group. These findings, observed over a relatively short intervention period, support the promise of this program for promoting self-regulation and prosocial behavior in young children. They also support the need for future investigation of program implementation across diverse settings. PMID:25383689

Social functioning and autonomic nervous system sensitivity across vocal and musical emotion in Williams syndrome and autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Järvinen, Anna; Ng, Rowena; Crivelli, Davide; Neumann, Dirk; Arnold, Andrew J; Woo-VonHoogenstyn, Nicholas; Lai, Philip; Trauner, Doris; Bellugi, Ursula

2016-01-01

Both Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with unusual auditory phenotypes with respect to processing vocal and musical stimuli, which may be shaped by the atypical social profiles that characterize the syndromes. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity to vocal and musical emotional stimuli was examined in 12 children with WS, 17 children with ASD, and 20 typically developing (TD) children, and related to their level of social functioning. The results of this small-scale study showed that after controlling for between-group differences in cognitive ability, all groups showed similar emotion identification performance across conditions. Additionally, in ASD, lower autonomic reactivity to human voice, and in TD, to musical emotion, was related to more normal social functioning. Compared to TD, both clinical groups showed increased arousal to vocalizations. A further result highlighted uniquely increased arousal to music in WS, contrasted with a decrease in arousal in ASD and TD. The ASD and WS groups exhibited arousal patterns suggestive of diminished habituation to the auditory stimuli. The results are discussed in the context of the clinical presentation of WS and ASD. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Flowing together: a longitudinal study of collective efficacy and collective flow among workgroups.

PubMed

Salanova, Marisa; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Alma M; Schaufeli, Wilmar B; Cifre, Eva

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to extend the Channel Model of Flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975, 1990) at the collective level (workgroups) by including collective efficacy beliefs as a predictor of collective flow based on the Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1997, 2001). A two-wave longitudinal lab study was conducted with 250 participants working in 52 small groups. Longitudinal results from Structural Equation Modeling with data aggregated at the group level showed, as expected, that collective efficacy beliefs predict collective flow over time, both being related reciprocally. Findings and their theoretical and practical implications in the light of Social Cognitive Theory are discussed.

"I Don't Know What Fun Is": Examining the Intersection of Social Capital, Social Networks, and Social Recovery.

PubMed

Boeri, Miriam; Gardner, Megan; Gerken, Erin; Ross, Melissa; Wheeler, Jack

The purpose of this paper is to understand how people with problematic drug use access positive social capital. Social capital is defined as relations that provide valuable resources to individuals through participation in social networks. People with low socioeconomic status remain at a disadvantage for acquiring positive social capital, a component of recovery capital. The concept of social recovery emphasises the relational processes of recovery. In-depth life history data were collected from 29 individuals who used heroin, cocaine, crack, or methamphetamine for at least five years, have less than a high school education, and unstable employment and housing. Qualitative data were coded for social networks accessed throughout the life course, distinguished by bonding, bridging and linking social capital. Social networks included drug treatment programs; non-drug-using family and friends; religious/spiritual groups; workplace networks, and social clubs/activities. Bonding and/or bridging social capital were acquired through treatment, family and friends, religious/spiritual groups, workplaces, and social clubs. Linking social capital was not acquired through any social networks available, and many barriers to accessing mainstream social networks were found. This is a small study conducted in the US. A greater focus on social recovery is needed to achieve sustained recovery for individuals lacking access to and engagement in mainstream social networks. Social recovery is proposed as an analytical tool as well as for developing prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies.

Molecular systematics and origin of sociality in mongooses (Herpestidae, Carnivora).

PubMed

Veron, Géraldine; Colyn, Marc; Dunham, Amy E; Taylor, Peter; Gaubert, Philippe

2004-03-01

The Herpestidae are small terrestrial carnivores comprising 18 African and Asian genera, currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Galidiinae. The aim of this work was to resolve intra-familial relationships and to test the origin of sociality in the group. For this purpose we analysed sequences of the complete cytochrome b gene for 18 species of Herpestidae. The results showed that the mongooses were split into three clades: (1) the Malagasy taxa (Galidiinae and Cryptoprocta), (2) the true social mongooses and (3) the solitary mongooses, each group being also supported by morphological and chromosomal data. Our results suggested unexpected phylogenetic relationships: (1) the genus Cynictis is included in the solitary mongoose clade, (2) the genera Liberiictis and Mungos are sister-group, and (3) the genus Herpestes is polyphyletic. We examined the evolution of the sociality in mongooses by combining behavioural traits with the cytochrome b data. Some of the behavioural traits provided good synapomorphies for characterizing the social species clade, showing the potential benefit of using such characters in phylogeny. The mapping of ecological and behavioural features resulted in hypothesizing solitary behavior and life in forest as the conditions at the base of the mongoose clade.

Rhythmic displays of female gibbons offer insight into the origin of dance.

PubMed

Fan, Peng-Fei; Ma, Chang-Yong; Garber, Paul A; Zhang, Wen; Fei, Han-Lan; Xiao, Wen

2016-09-30

Dance is a universal art form practiced by all human societies and has many functions including sexual attraction, social cohesion, and the therapeutic release of energy. Dance also has been reported in a small number of non-human primate species, in particular apes. However, its function has not been systematically evaluated. We observed 357 intentional, rhythmic, and nonverbal dance displays performed by four adult female cao vit gibbons (Nomascus nasutus) residing in four polygynous groups during 3000 h of observation in Bangliang, Guangxi, China. Females used dance to solicit copulations, as well as to promote a social bond with the group's lone adult male. In addition, this display appears to represent a form of non-aggressive competition among adult females living in the same group. We found that a female who had a weaker social relationship with the breeding male increased her social and sexual access to the male by an increase in dancing frequency. Given that gibbons dance in various behavioral contexts, and appears to serve several important social and sexual functions, a greater understanding of this form of gestural communication offers an instructive model for examining the origin and evolution of dance in humans and other apes.

Qualitative Differences Between Learning Environments Using Videos in Small Groups and Whole Class Discussions: A Preliminary Study in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, Ashleigh; Sharma, Manjula D.; Muller, Derek A.

2009-08-01

Interactivity, group learning and student engagement are accepted as key features of social constructivist learning theories. The challenge is to understand the interplay between such features in different learning environments. This study focused on the qualitative differences between two interventions—small-groups and whole-class discussions. In both interventions, three short video slices on the abstract topic ‘the physics of superconductivity’ were interspersed with the different discussion styles. The video slices are based on the Bruner stages. Twenty-nine first year university physics students completed a pre-test, underwent the intervention and completed a post-test. The remainder of the data were collected from student drawings, video recordings, observer notes and facilitator feedback. Results indicate that the use of the video slices in both interventions were successful in changing students’ understandings of superconductivity. However, the small groups treatment tended to facilitate questioning, meaning-making and subsequent changes of ideas more so than the whole class discussions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Enhancing behavioral science education at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

PubMed

Post, Douglas M; Stone, Linda C; Knutson, Douglas J; Gutierrez, Tamara L; Sari, Firuzan; Hudson, William A

2008-01-01

The social and behavioral sciences play key roles in patient health outcomes. Given this reality, successful development of social and behavioral science curricula in medical education is critically important to the quality of patients' lives and the effectiveness of health care delivery systems. The Institute of Medicine, in a recent report, recommended that medical schools enhance their curricula in these areas and identified four institutions as "exemplars" of social and behavioral science education. The authors describe an ongoing curriculum development and improvement process that produced one such exemplary program at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. The authors provide a historical perspective on behavioral science education, discuss issues that led to curricular change, and describe the principles and processes used to implement reform. Critical factors underlying positive change are addressed: increase active learning, recruit a core group of small-group facilitators who are primary care physicians, diversify teaching methods, support student-directed educational initiatives, enhance student-teacher relationships, centralize course administration, obtain funding, implement a faculty development program, and apply curriculum quality improvement methods. Outcome data from evaluations completed by both students and small-group physician faculty are presented, and future directions regarding further revision are outlined. The authors believe that the strategies they describe can be applied at other institutions and assist behavioral science educators who may experience the challenges typically encountered in this important field of medical education.

Awe, the diminished self, and collective engagement: Universals and cultural variations in the small self.

PubMed

Bai, Yang; Maruskin, Laura A; Chen, Serena; Gordon, Amie M; Stellar, Jennifer E; McNeil, Galen D; Peng, Kaiping; Keltner, Dacher

2017-08-01

Awe has been theorized as a collective emotion, one that enables individuals to integrate into social collectives. In keeping with this theorizing, we propose that awe diminishes the sense of self and shifts attention away from individual interests and concerns. In testing this hypothesis across 6 studies (N = 2137), we first validate pictorial and verbal measures of the small self; we then document that daily, in vivo, and lab experiences of awe, but not other positive emotions, diminish the sense of the self. These findings were observed across collectivist and individualistic cultures, but also varied across cultures in magnitude and content. Evidence from the last 2 studies showed that the influence of awe upon the small self accounted for increases in collective engagement, fitting with claims that awe promotes integration into social groups. Discussion focused on how the small self might mediate the effects of awe on collective cognition and behavior, the need to study more negatively valenced varieties of awe, and other potential cultural variations of the small self. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Autonomous Learner Model Resource Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betts, George T.; Carey, Robin J.; Kapushion, Blanche M.

2016-01-01

"Autonomous Learner Model Resource Book" includes activities and strategies to support the development of autonomous learners. More than 40 activities are included, all geared to the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development of students. Teachers may use these activities and strategies with the entire class, small groups, or…

Socioeconomic impact of photovoltaic power at Schuchuli, Arizona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahr, D.; Garrett, B. G.; Chrisman, C.

1980-01-01

The social and economic impact of photovoltaic power on a small, remote native American village is studied. Village history, group life, energy use in general, and the use of photovoltaic-powered appliances are discussed. No significant impacts due to the photovoltaic power system were observed.

LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY PRACTICE BY SMALL SCALE RIVER CONSERVATION GROUPS. (R826600)

EPA Science Inventory

River_¯floodplain systems, and riparian forests in particular, offer physical contributions to human society such as flood mitigation and the maintenance of water quality, social benefits including the opportunity for recreation and solitude, as well as numerous...

Lead in bone II: skeletal-lead content as an indicator of lifetime lead ingestion and the social correlates in an archaeological population

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aufderheide, A.C.; Neiman, F.D.; Wittmers, L.E. Jr.

1981-07-01

Measurements of skeletal-lead content (by atomic absorption spectroscopy) were made for 16 individuals recovered from a Colonial (1670-1730) plantation cemetery in Virginia. Archaeological and historical evidence allowed the identification of two social groups (plantation proprietors and laborers) within this small population, each with vastly different estimated lifetime lead exposure, reflecting different living conditions. Measured bone-lead levels confirmed these differences. The character of plantation social organization proved a more important determinant of skeletal-lead content in the individuals studied than age, sex or race.

The relation of severe malnutrition in infancy to the intelligence of school children with differing life histories.

PubMed

Richardson, S A

1976-01-01

The IQ's of Jamaican boys aged 6-10 were associated significantly with the presence or absence of severe malnutrition in infancy, with height at time of IQ testing, and with a measure of the boys' social background. A multiple correlation coefficient of 0.674 was obtained between IQ and the three factors. Social background contributed 0.294 of the variance, height 0.112, and severe malnutrition 0.049. The two extreme groups of boys, i.e., those malnourished, small at follow-up, and with unfavorable social backgrounds and those not malnourished, tall at follow-up, and with favorable social backgrounds had average IQ's of 49.4 and 74.9, respectively (from Table 5). Only two of the boys in the most advantaged group had IQ scores that overlapped with the most disadvantaged group. Boys with severe malnutrition in infancy, but who are tall at follow-up and have a favorable social background have an average IQ 11 points higher than boys who did not experience severe malnutrition, but who are short at follow-up and have a unfavorable social background. The difference in IQ between boys who did and did not experience severe malnutrition in infancy varies under different conditions of height and social background when those are held constant for both groups. Under the most favorable conditions of being tall and having an advantageous social history the average IQ of the malnourtished boys in only 2 points lower than those not malnourished. Unde the most unfavorable conditions of short stature and a disadvantageous social background the IQ of the malnourished boys is 9 points lower than those not malnourished (Table 6 and Fig. 1).

New Frontiers in Heart Rate Variability and Social Coherence Research: Techniques, Technologies, and Implications for Improving Group Dynamics and Outcomes.

PubMed

McCraty, Rollin

2017-01-01

Concepts embraced by the term coherence have been identified as central to fields such as quantum physics, physiology, and social science. There are different types of coherence, although the term always implies a harmonious relationship, correlations and connections between the various parts of a system. A specific measure derived from heart rate variability (HRV) provides a measure of physiological coherence. Another type of coherence, social coherence, relates to the harmonious alignment between couples or pairs, family units, small groups, or larger organizations in which a network of relationships exists among individuals who share common interests and objectives. A high degree of social coherence is reflected by stable and harmonious relationships, which allows for the efficient flow and utilization of energy and communication required for optimal collective cohesion and action. Social coherence requires that group members are attuned and are emotionally connected with each other, and that the group's emotional energy is organized and regulated by the group as a whole. A number of studies are reviewed which have explored various types of synchronization in infants, pairs and groups, indicating that feelings of cooperation, trust, compassion and increased prosocial behaviors depends largely on the establishment of a spontaneous synchronization of various physiological rhythms between individuals. This article discusses a new application using HRV monitoring in social coherence research and the importance of physiological synchronization in group developmental processes and dynamics. Building on the extensive body of research showing that providing feedback of HRV coherence level at the individual level can improve self-regulation, we suggest the following hypotheses: (1) providing feedback of individual and collective HRV coherence and the degree of heart rhythm synchronization will increase group coherence, and heart rhythm synchronization among group members. (2) Training in techniques to increase group coherence and heart rhythm synchronization will correlate with increased prosocial behaviors, such as kindness and cooperation among individuals, improved communication, and decreases in social discord and adversarial interactions. (3) Biomagnetic fields produced by the heart may be a primary mechanism in mediating HRV synchronization among group members. Data supporting each of the hypothesis is discussed.

Health and social inequities in Malta.

PubMed

Agius, F

1990-01-01

This paper focuses on the sources that are thought to lead to the genesis of health and social inequity in a small island community. It is largely a descriptive exposition, the main aim of which is to introduce the topic in Malta. Small size is the key geographical factor. This fact is dwelt upon to stress that although there are differences, say, between the two inhabitable islands, such differences are very small. Social homogeneity and an almost indiscernible urban-rural difference are strong factors that reduce any tendency for regional inequities. Socio-cultural factors in Malta are largely determined by family life and its relation with the established church. The traditional Catholic way of life is depicted as gradually giving way to a more secular lifestyle. Politics is represented as the prime factor for causing division within the this society. This is not without reason since this factor has taken over the other cause of division, namely parochialism. Political factors determine the distribution of resources including health resources. The important economic factors are that there are no great differences between the high income and the low income groups. However, due importance must always be given to the subterranean economy. The health profile is that of a developed country with low infant mortality and a long life expectancy. Infectious diseases have been on the decline and their persistence is usually linked to areas that have remained underdeveloped. The disadvantaged groups identified are the chronically unemployed, single mothers, possibly a section of the migrant population and the elderly.

Role of women in population.

PubMed

Srivasdava, T N

Population control through voluntary adoption of family planning is emphasized in India's family planning policy. The 1981 census figures have not shown an arresting rate of population growth. The social and attitudinal barriers to promoting the concept of the small family are great where men and women are not exposed to new ideas. The target groups for family planning include the 75% of the population residing in rural areas. The literacy rate for women in rural areas in 1971 was 18.69. Motivation is difficult unless supported by systematic education. Women play an important role in the determination of family size. Participation in social and economic activities may help to promote small family size by meeting the necessary conditions of emotional and social fulfillment of women outside the family context. Adquate education for women in rural as well as urban areas can elucidate alternatives to childbearing and enable women to appreciate the need for and use of contraception. Employment opportunities enhance women's familial decision making power through the acquisition of an alternative social and economic role, which may help them to adopt birth control practices, space their children, and limit family size. Motivational schemes may change the attitudes of a small number of families, however, greater gains could be achieved through an investment in women's education and employment.

Towards a common framework for assessing the activity and associations of groups who sexually abuse children

PubMed Central

Cockbain, Ella; Brayley, Helen; Sullivan, Joe

2013-01-01

Extensive social psychological research emphasises the importance of groups in shaping individuals’ thoughts and actions. Within the child sexual abuse (CSA) literature criminal organisation has been largely overlooked, with some key exceptions. This research was a novel collaboration between academia and the UK's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). Starting from the premise that the group is, in itself, a form of social situation affecting abuse, it offers the first systematic situational analysis of CSA groups. In-depth behavioural data from a small sample of convicted CSA group-offenders (n = 3) were analysed qualitatively to identify factors and processes underpinning CSA groups’ activities and associations: group formation, evolution, identity and resources. The results emphasise CSA groups’ variability, fluidity and dynamism. The foundations of a general framework are proposed for researching and assessing CSA groups and designing effective interventions. It is hoped that this work will stimulate discussion and development in this long-neglected area of CSA, helping to build a coherent knowledge-base. PMID:26494978

Social and natural sciences differ in their research strategies, adapted to work for different knowledge landscapes.

PubMed

Jaffe, Klaus

2014-01-01

Do different fields of knowledge require different research strategies? A numerical model exploring different virtual knowledge landscapes, revealed two diverging optimal search strategies. Trend following is maximized when the popularity of new discoveries determine the number of individuals researching it. This strategy works best when many researchers explore few large areas of knowledge. In contrast, individuals or small groups of researchers are better in discovering small bits of information in dispersed knowledge landscapes. Bibliometric data of scientific publications showed a continuous bipolar distribution of these strategies, ranging from natural sciences, with highly cited publications in journals containing a large number of articles, to the social sciences, with rarely cited publications in many journals containing a small number of articles. The natural sciences seem to adapt their research strategies to landscapes with large concentrated knowledge clusters, whereas social sciences seem to have adapted to search in landscapes with many small isolated knowledge clusters. Similar bipolar distributions were obtained when comparing levels of insularity estimated by indicators of international collaboration and levels of country-self citations: researchers in academic areas with many journals such as social sciences, arts and humanities, were the most isolated, and that was true in different regions of the world. The work shows that quantitative measures estimating differences between academic disciplines improve our understanding of different research strategies, eventually helping interdisciplinary research and may be also help improve science policies worldwide.

Anatomy and histology as socially networked learning environments: some preliminary findings.

PubMed

Hafferty, Frederic W; Castellani, Brian; Hafferty, Philip K; Pawlina, Wojciech

2013-09-01

An exploratory study to better understand the "networked" life of the medical school as a learning environment. In a recent academic year, the authors gathered data during two six-week blocks of a sequential histology and anatomy course at a U.S. medical college. An eight-item questionnaire captured different dimensions of student interactions. The student cohort/network was 48 first-year medical students. Using social network analysis (SNA), the authors focused on (1) the initial structure and the evolution of informal class networks over time, (2) how informal class networks compare to formal in-class small-group assignments in influencing student information gathering, and (3) how peer assignment of professionalism role model status is shaped more by informal than formal ties. In examining these latter two issues, the authors explored not only how formal group assignment persisted over time but also how it functioned to prevent the tendency for groupings based on gender or ethnicity. The study revealed an evolving dynamic between the formal small-group learning structure of the course blocks and the emergence of informal student networks. For example, whereas formal group membership did influence in-class questions and did prevent formation of groups of like gender and ethnicity, outside-class questions and professionalism were influenced more by informal group ties where gender and, to a much lesser extent, ethnicity influence student information gathering. The richness of these preliminary findings suggests that SNA may be a useful tool in examining an array of medical student learning encounters.

Personal Trust Increases Cooperation beyond General Trust

PubMed Central

Acedo-Carmona, Cristina; Gomila, Antoni

2014-01-01

In this paper we present a new methodology which, while allowing for anonymous interaction, it also makes possible to compare decisions of cooperating or defecting when playing games within a group, according to whether or not players personally trust each other. The design thus goes beyond standard approaches to the role of trust in fostering cooperation, which is restricted to general trust. It also allows considering the role of the topology of the social network involved may play in the level of cooperation found. The results of this work support the idea that personal trust promotes cooperation beyond the level of general trust. We also found that this effect carries over to the whole group, making it more cohesive, but that higher levels of cohesion rely on a particular topology. As a conclusion, we hypothesize that personal trust is a psychological mechanism evolved to make human social life possible in the small groups our ancestors lived in, and that this mechanism persists and plays a role in sustaining cooperation and social cohesion. PMID:25144539

Ascaroside expression in Caenorhabditis elegans is strongly dependent on diet and developmental stage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A group of small signaling molecules called ascarosides, associated with dauer formation, male attraction and social behavior in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, are shown to be regulated by developmental stage and environmental factors. The concentration of dauer-inducing ascaroside, ascr#2, i...

Delineating Concept Meanings: The Case of Terrorism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleg, Milton; Mahlios, Marc

1990-01-01

Presents a teacher-initiated model for reaching class consensus on the meaning of confusing or interchangeable concepts in social studies classrooms. Illustrates the model by delineating terrorism. Shows procedural steps that involve students in self and small group interviews where definitions are clarified until consensus is reached. Suggests…

Black Female Faculty Success and Early Career Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Tamara Bertrand; Osborne-Lampkin, La'Tara

2013-01-01

In recent years, a number of Black female junior scholars have participated in an early career professional development program designed to address socialization issues through individual and small group mentoring. This descriptive qualitative study investigated scholars' perceptions of the importance and effectiveness of a research…

New Frontiers in Heart Rate Variability and Social Coherence Research: Techniques, Technologies, and Implications for Improving Group Dynamics and Outcomes

PubMed Central

McCraty, Rollin

2017-01-01

Concepts embraced by the term coherence have been identified as central to fields such as quantum physics, physiology, and social science. There are different types of coherence, although the term always implies a harmonious relationship, correlations and connections between the various parts of a system. A specific measure derived from heart rate variability (HRV) provides a measure of physiological coherence. Another type of coherence, social coherence, relates to the harmonious alignment between couples or pairs, family units, small groups, or larger organizations in which a network of relationships exists among individuals who share common interests and objectives. A high degree of social coherence is reflected by stable and harmonious relationships, which allows for the efficient flow and utilization of energy and communication required for optimal collective cohesion and action. Social coherence requires that group members are attuned and are emotionally connected with each other, and that the group’s emotional energy is organized and regulated by the group as a whole. A number of studies are reviewed which have explored various types of synchronization in infants, pairs and groups, indicating that feelings of cooperation, trust, compassion and increased prosocial behaviors depends largely on the establishment of a spontaneous synchronization of various physiological rhythms between individuals. This article discusses a new application using HRV monitoring in social coherence research and the importance of physiological synchronization in group developmental processes and dynamics. Building on the extensive body of research showing that providing feedback of HRV coherence level at the individual level can improve self-regulation, we suggest the following hypotheses: (1) providing feedback of individual and collective HRV coherence and the degree of heart rhythm synchronization will increase group coherence, and heart rhythm synchronization among group members. (2) Training in techniques to increase group coherence and heart rhythm synchronization will correlate with increased prosocial behaviors, such as kindness and cooperation among individuals, improved communication, and decreases in social discord and adversarial interactions. (3) Biomagnetic fields produced by the heart may be a primary mechanism in mediating HRV synchronization among group members. Data supporting each of the hypothesis is discussed. PMID:29075623

An Empirical Examination of the Factors Affecting Collective Action, Social Capital, and Group Development in Third Sector Organizations: A Longitudinal Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Roderick L.

2008-01-01

User-centered design methodologies have gained increasing attention as a way to support the goals of small groups in a variety of use contexts. A central tenet of user-centered design is the direct participation of actual or potential users in the design process. As user participation becomes more prevalent, it becomes increasingly important to…

Numbering questionnaires had no impact on the response rate and only a slight influence on the response content of a patient safety culture survey: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Kundig, François; Staines, Anthony; Kinge, Thompson; Perneger, Thomas V

2011-11-01

In self-completed surveys, anonymous questionnaires are sometimes numbered so as to avoid sending reminders to initial nonrespondents. This number may be perceived as a threat to confidentiality by some respondents, which may reduce the response rate, or cause social desirability bias. In this study, we evaluated whether using nonnumbered vs. numbered questionnaires influenced the response rate and the response content. During a patient safety culture survey, we randomized participants into two groups: one received an anonymous nonnumbered questionnaire and the other a numbered questionnaire. We compared the survey response rates and distributions of the responses for the 42-questionnaire items across the two groups. Response rates were similar in the two groups (nonnumbered, 75.2%; numbered, 72.8%; difference, 2.4%; P=0.28). Five of the 42 questions had statistically significant differences in distributions, but these differences were small. Unexpectedly, in all five instances, the patient safety culture ratings were more favorable in the nonnumbered group. Numbering of mailed questionnaires had no impact on the response rate. Numbering influenced significantly the response content of several items, but these differences were small and ran against the hypothesis of social desirability bias. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Impact of a Computer-Based Activity Program on the Social Functioning of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Dickinson, Kathleen; Place, Maurice

2016-06-01

Problems with social functioning are a major area of difficulty for children with autism. Such problems have the potential to exert a negative influence on several aspects of the children's functioning, including their ability to access education. This study looked to examine if a computer-based activity program could improve the social functioning of these children. Using a pooled subject design, 100 children with autistic spectrum disorder were randomly allocated, controlling where possible for age and gender, to either an intervention or a control group. The children in the intervention group were encouraged to use the Nintendo (Kyoto, Japan) Wii™ and the software package "Mario & Sonic at the Olympics" in addition to their routine school physical education classes over a 9-month period. The control group attended only the routine physical education classes. After 1 year, analysis of the changes in the scores of teacher-completed measures of social functioning showed that boys in the intervention group had made statistically significant improvement in their functioning when compared with controls. The number of girls in the study was too small for any change to reach statistical significance. This type of intervention appears to have potential as a mechanism to produce improvement in the social functioning, at least of boys, as part of a physical education program.

Social competence and collaborative guided inquiry science activities: Experiences of students with learning disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Jennifer Anne

This thesis presents a qualitative investigation of the effects of social competence on the participation of students with learning disabilities (LD) in the science learning processes associated with collaborative, guided inquiry learning. An inclusive Grade 2 classroom provided the setting for the study. Detailed classroom observations were the primary source of data. In addition, the researcher conducted two interviews with the teacher, and collected samples of students' written work. The purpose of the research was to investigate: (a) How do teachers and peers mediate the participation of students with LD in collaborative, guided inquiry science activities, (b) What learning processes do students with LD participate in during collaborative, guided inquiry science activities, and (c) What components of social competence support and constrain the participation of students with LD during collaborative, guided inquiry science activities? The findings of the study suggest five key ideas for research and teaching in collaborative, guided inquiry science in inclusive classrooms. First, using a variety of collaborative learning formats (whole-class, small-group, and pairs) creates more opportunities for the successful participation of diverse students with LD. Second, creating an inclusive community where students feel accepted and valued may enhance the academic and social success of students with LD. Third, careful selection of partners for students with LD is important for a positive learning experience. Students with LD should be partnered with academically successful, socially competent peers; also, this study suggested that students with LD experience more success working collaboratively in pairs rather than in small groups. Fourth, a variety of strategies are needed to promote active participation and positive social interactions for students with and without LD during collaborative, guided inquiry learning. Fifth, adopting a general approach to teaching collaborative inquiry that crosses curriculum borders may enhance success of inclusive teaching practices.

Genetic population structure and relatedness in the narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata), a social Malagasy carnivore with sexual segregation.

PubMed

Schneider, Tilman C; Kappeler, Peter M; Pozzi, Luca

2016-06-01

Information on the genetic structure of animal populations can allow inferences about mechanisms shaping their social organization, dispersal, and mating system. The mongooses (Herpestidae) include some of the best-studied mammalian systems in this respect, but much less is known about their closest relatives, the Malagasy carnivores (Eupleridae), even though some of them exhibit unusual association patterns. We investigated the genetic structure of the Malagasy narrow-striped mongoose ( Mungotictis decemlineata ), a small forest-dwelling gregarious carnivore exhibiting sexual segregation. Based on mtDNA and microsatellite analyses, we determined population-wide haplotype structure and sex-specific and within-group relatedness. Furthermore, we analyzed parentage and sibship relationships and the level of reproductive skew. We found a matrilinear population structure, with several neighboring female units sharing identical haplotypes. Within-group female relatedness was significantly higher than expected by chance in the majority of units. Haplotype diversity of males was significantly higher than in females, indicating male-biased dispersal. Relatedness within the majority of male associations did not differ from random, not proving any kin-directed benefits of male sociality in this case. We found indications for a mildly promiscuous mating system without monopolization of females by males, and low levels of reproductive skew in both sexes based on parentages of emergent young. Low relatedness within breeding pairs confirmed immigration by males and suggested similarities with patterns in social mongooses, providing a starting point for further investigations of mate choice and female control of reproduction and the connected behavioral mechanisms. Our study contributes to the understanding of the determinants of male sociality in carnivores as well as the mechanisms of female competition in species with small social units.

Social challenges and supports from the perspective of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities.

PubMed

Müller, Eve; Schuler, Adriana; Yates, Gregory B

2008-03-01

The study describes the perspectives of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities (ASDs) regarding social challenges and supports. Eighteen adults with ASDs were individually interviewed. They were asked to describe their experiences navigating their social worlds, and recommend effective social supports and strategies for improving social connectedness. Qualitative analyses of the interview transcripts revealed a number of common experiences including a profound sense of isolation, difficulty initiating social interactions, challenges relating to communication, longing for greater intimacy, desire to contribute to one's community, and effort to develop greater social/self-awareness. Commonly recommended social supports included external supports (e.g. activities based on shared interests, highly structured or scripted social activities, and small groups or dyads); communication supports (e.g. alternative modes of communication, explicit communication, and instruction in interpreting and using social cues); and self-initiated strategies for handling social anxiety (e.g. creative/improvisational outlets, physical activity, spiritual practice/organized religion, and time spent alone).

Group benefit associated with polymorphic trichromacy in a Malagasy primate (Propithecus verreauxi)

PubMed Central

Veilleux, Carrie C.; Scarry, Clara J.; Di Fiore, Anthony; Kirk, E. Christopher; Bolnick, Deborah A.; Lewis, Rebecca J.

2016-01-01

In some primate lineages, polymorphisms in the X-linked M/LWS opsin gene have produced intraspecific variation in color vision. In these species, heterozygous females exhibit trichromacy, while males and homozygous females exhibit dichromacy. The evolutionary persistence of these polymorphisms suggests that balancing selection maintains color vision variation, possibly through a ‘trichromat advantage’ in detecting yellow/orange/red foods against foliage. We identified genetic evidence of polymorphic trichromacy in a population of Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) at Kirindy Mitea National Park in Madagascar, and explored effects of color vision on reproductive success and feeding behavior using nine years of morphological, demographic, and feeding data. We found that trichromats and dichromats residing in social groups with trichromats exhibit higher body mass indices than individuals in dichromat-only groups. Additionally, individuals in a trichromat social group devoted significantly more time to fruit feeding and had longer fruit feeding bouts than individuals in dichromat-only groups. We hypothesize that, due to small, cohesive sifaka social groups, a trichromat advantage in detecting productive fruit patches during the energetically stressful dry season also benefits dichromats in a trichromat’s group. Our results offer the first support for the ‘mutual benefit of association’ hypothesis regarding the maintenance of polymorphic trichromacy in primates. PMID:27910919

Outcome Expectancy as a Predictor of Treatment Response in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Public Speaking Fears Within Social Anxiety Disorder

PubMed Central

Price, Matthew; Anderson, Page L.

2012-01-01

Outcome expectancy, the extent that clients anticipate benefiting from therapy, is theorized to be an important predictor of treatment response for cognitive–behavioral therapy. However, there is a relatively small body of empirical research on outcome expectancy and the treatment of social anxiety disorder. This literature, which has examined the association mostly in group-based interventions, has yielded mixed findings. The current study sought to further evaluate the effect of outcome expectancy as a predictor of treatment response for public-speaking fears across both individual virtual reality and group-based cognitive– behavioral therapies. The findings supported outcome expectancy as a predictor of the rate of change in public-speaking anxiety during both individual virtual reality exposure therapy and group cognitive– behavioral therapy. Furthermore, there was no evidence to suggest that the impact of outcome expectancy differed across virtual reality or group treatments. PMID:21967073

Social dilemmas in an online social network: The structure and evolution of cooperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Feng; Chen, Xiaojie; Liu, Lianghuan; Wang, Long

2007-11-01

We investigate two paradigms for studying the evolution of cooperation—Prisoner's Dilemma and Snowdrift game in an online friendship network, obtained from a social networking site. By structural analysis, it is revealed that the empirical social network has small-world and scale-free properties. Besides, it exhibits assortative mixing pattern. Then, we study the evolutionary version of the two types of games on it. It is found that cooperation is substantially promoted with small values of game matrix parameters in both games. Whereas the competent cooperators induced by the underlying network of contacts will be dramatically inhibited with increasing values of the game parameters. Further, we explore the role of assortativity in evolution of cooperation by random edge rewiring. We find that increasing amount of assortativity will to a certain extent diminish the cooperation level. We also show that connected large hubs are capable of maintaining cooperation. The evolution of cooperation on empirical networks is influenced by various network effects in a combined manner, compared with that on model networks. Our results can help understand the cooperative behaviors in human groups and society.

Music Performance As an Experimental Approach to Hyperscanning Studies

PubMed Central

Acquadro, Michaël A. S.; Congedo, Marco; De Riddeer, Dirk

2016-01-01

Humans are fundamentally social and tend to create emergent organizations when interacting with each other; from dyads to families, small groups, large groups, societies, and civilizations. The study of the neuronal substrate of human social behavior is currently gaining momentum in the young field of social neuroscience. Hyperscanning is a neuroimaging technique by which we can study two or more brains simultaneously while participants interact with each other. The aim of this article is to discuss several factors that we deem important in designing hyperscanning experiments. We first review hyperscanning studies performed by means of electroencephalography (EEG) that have been relying on a continuous interaction paradigm. Then, we provide arguments for favoring ecological paradigms, for studying the emotional component of social interactions and for performing longitudinal studies, the last two aspects being largely neglected so far in the hyperscanning literature despite their paramount importance in social sciences. Based on these premises, we argue that music performance is a suitable experimental setting for hyperscanning and that for such studies EEG is an appropriate choice as neuroimaging modality. PMID:27252641

Efficacy of group social skills interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Gates, Jacquelyn A.; Kang, Erin; Lerner, Matthew D.

2017-01-01

Group-based social skills interventions (GSSIs) are widely used for treating social competence among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but their efficacy is unclear. Previous meta-analysis of the literature on well-designed trials of GSSIs is limited in size and scope, collapsing across highly heterogeneous sources (parents; youths; teachers; observers; behavioral tasks). The current meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) was conducted to ascertain overall effectiveness of GSSIs and differences by reporting sources. Nineteen RCTs met inclusion criteria. Results show that overall positive aggregate effects were medium (g = 0.51, p < 0.001). Effects were large for self-report (g = 0.92, p < 0.001), medium for task-based measures (g = 0.58, p < 0.001), small for parent- and observer-report (g = 0.47 and 0.40, respectively, p < 0.001), and nonsignificant for teacher-report (p = 0.11). Moderation analyses of self-report revealed the effect was wholly attributable to youth reporting that they learned about skilled social behaviors (social knowledge; g = 1.15, p < 0.01), but not that they enacted them (social performance; g = 0.28, p = 0.31). Social skills interventions presently appear modestly effective for youth with ASD, but may not generalize to school settings or self-reported social behavior. PMID:28130983

The Effects of Sex and Size on Status Ranking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosbie, Paul V.

1979-01-01

Sex, body size, several sociocultural variables, and status rank were measured in mixed-sex small groups. The intervening sociocultural variables explained some but not all of the interrelationships. Results underscore the empirical vulnerability of social-psychological explanations of sex-role behavior and signal the need for further research.…

Cultivating Agents of Change in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Janelle M.; Langhout, Regina Day

2011-01-01

This ethnographic study examines how one first grade teacher uses an alternative, artist-focused curriculum to develop a critical consciousness in her students to work toward social change. A framework incorporating critical multicultural education and Lewin's theory of small groups is applied to assess how the use of a multicultural curriculum…

Early Years Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching through Multiple Metaphors and Multimodality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mildenhall, Paula

2015-01-01

Recent research findings indicate that using multiple metaphors in multimodal learning experiences are effective teaching approaches in early years mathematics. Using a social semiotic lens this paper reports on eight early years teachers' perceptions of this approach whilst engaging in a small collaborative professional learning group. This group…

Learning from a Wiki Way of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Kelly L.; Reynolds, Nina

2015-01-01

There is a growing need to design learning experiences in higher education that develop collaborative and mediated social writing practices. A wiki way of learning addresses these needs. This paper reports findings from a case study involving 58 postgraduate students who in small groups participated over eight weeks in a mediated collaborative…

Intragroup Processes and Teamwork within a Successful Chamber Choir

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirrane, Melrona; O'Connor, Cliodhna; Dunne, Ann-Marie; Moriarty, Patricia

2017-01-01

Despite the ubiquity of choirs across time and cultures, relatively little is known about the internal dynamics of these social systems. This article examines the group processes involved in a small European chamber choir. The research adopted a mixed-methods qualitative approach that combined individual interviews (n = 13) with ethnographic…

Pedagogical Encounters, Graduate Teaching Assistants, and Decolonial Feminist Commitments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Meredith

2014-01-01

This study examines the pedagogical experiences of fourteen graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) across academic disciplines at a large private university in the Northeastern US. The participants in this study represent a small, focused group of GTAs who hold progressive social justice commitments and share pedagogical philosophies anchored in…

Providing Social Support for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Minority PhD Students in the Biomedical Sciences: A Career Coaching Model

PubMed Central

Williams, Simon N.; Thakore, Bhoomi K.; McGee, Richard

2017-01-01

Improvement in the proportion of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (URMs) in academic positions has been unsatisfactory. Although this is a complex problem, one key issue is that graduate students often rely on research mentors for career-related support, the effectiveness of which can be variable. We present results from a novel academic career “coaching” intervention, one aim of which was to provide supplementary social support for PhD students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Coaching was delivered both within small groups and on an individual basis, with a diverse group of coaches and students coming from many universities. Coaches were provided with additional diversity training. Ninety-six semistructured interviews with 33 URM students over 3 years were analyzed using a qualitative framework approach. For most of the URM PhD students, coaching provided social support in the form of emotional, informational, and appraisal support. Coaching groups provided a noncompetitive environment and “community of support” within which students were able to learn from one another’s experiences and discuss negative and stressful experiences related to their graduate school, lab, or career plans. This coached peer group model is capable of providing the social support that many URM students do not find at their home universities. PMID:29196425

Dynamics of Alliance Formation and the Egalitarian Revolution

PubMed Central

Gavrilets, Sergey; Duenez-Guzman, Edgar A.; Vose, Michael D.

2008-01-01

Background Arguably the most influential force in human history is the formation of social coalitions and alliances (i.e., long-lasting coalitions) and their impact on individual power. Understanding the dynamics of alliance formation and its consequences for biological, social, and cultural evolution is a formidable theoretical challenge. In most great ape species, coalitions occur at individual and group levels and among both kin and non-kin. Nonetheless, ape societies remain essentially hierarchical, and coalitions rarely weaken social inequality. In contrast, human hunter-gatherers show a remarkable tendency to egalitarianism, and human coalitions and alliances occur not only among individuals and groups, but also among groups of groups. These observations suggest that the evolutionary dynamics of human coalitions can only be understood in the context of social networks and cognitive evolution. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, we develop a stochastic model describing the emergence of networks of allies resulting from within-group competition for status or mates between individuals utilizing dyadic information. The model shows that alliances often emerge in a phase transition-like fashion if the group size, awareness, aggressiveness, and persuasiveness of individuals are large and the decay rate of individual affinities is small. With cultural inheritance of social networks, a single leveling alliance including all group members can emerge in several generations. Conclusions/Significance We propose a simple and flexible theoretical approach for studying the dynamics of alliance emergence applicable where game-theoretic methods are not practical. Our approach is both scalable and expandable. It is scalable in that it can be generalized to larger groups, or groups of groups. It is expandable in that it allows for inclusion of additional factors such as behavioral, genetic, social, and cultural features. Our results suggest that a rapid transition from a hierarchical society of great apes to an egalitarian society of hunter-gatherers (often referred to as “egalitarian revolution”) could indeed follow an increase in human cognitive abilities. The establishment of stable group-wide egalitarian alliances creates conditions promoting the origin of cultural norms favoring the group interests over those of individuals. PMID:18827928

A Behavioral Taxonomy of Loneliness in Humans and Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

PubMed Central

Capitanio, John P.; Hawkley, Louise C.; Cole, Steven W.; Cacioppo, John T.

2014-01-01

Social relationships endow health and fitness benefits, but considerable variation exists in the extent to which individuals form and maintain salutary social relationships. The mental and physical health effects of social bonds are more strongly related to perceived isolation (loneliness) than to objective social network characteristics. We sought to develop an animal model to facilitate the experimental analysis of the development of, and the behavioral and biological consequences of, loneliness. In Study 1, using a population-based sample of older adults, we examined how loneliness was influenced both by social network size and by the extent to which individuals believed that their daily social interactions reflected their own choice. Results revealed three distinct clusters of individuals: (i) individuals with large networks who believed they had high choice were lowest in loneliness, (ii) individuals with small social networks who believed they had low choice were highest in loneliness, and (iii) the remaining two groups were intermediate and equivalent in loneliness. In Study 2, a similar three-group structure was identified in two separate samples of adult male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) living in large social groups: (i) those high in sociability who had complex social interaction with a broad range of social partners (putatively low in loneliness), (ii) those low in sociability who showed tentative interactions with certain classes of social partners (putatively high in loneliness), and (iii) those low in sociability who interacted overall at low levels with a broad range of social partners (putatively low or intermediate in loneliness). This taxonomy in monkeys was validated in subsequent experimental social probe studies. These results suggest that, in highly social nonhuman primate species, some animals may show a mismatch between social interest and social attainment that could serve as a useful animal model for experimental and mechanistic studies of loneliness. PMID:25354040

How do Small Groups Promote Behaviour Change? An Integrative Conceptual Review of Explanatory Mechanisms.

PubMed

Borek, Aleksandra J; Abraham, Charles

2018-03-01

Small groups are used to promote health, well-being, and personal change by altering members' perceptions, beliefs, expectations, and behaviour patterns. An extensive cross-disciplinary literature has articulated and tested theories explaining how such groups develop, function, and facilitate change. Yet these theoretical understandings are rarely applied in the development, description, and evaluation of health-promotion, group-based, behaviour-change interventions. Medline database, library catalogues, search engines, specific journals and reference lists were searched for relevant texts. Texts were reviewed for explanatory concepts or theories describing change processes in groups, which were integrated into the developing conceptual structure. This was designed to be a parsimonious conceptual framework that could be applied to design and delivery. Five categories of interacting processes and concepts were identified and defined: (1) group development processes, (2) dynamic group processes, (3) social change processes, (4) personal change processes, and (5) group design and operating parameters. Each of these categories encompasses a variety of theorised mechanisms explaining individual change in small groups. The final conceptual model, together with the design issues and practical recommendations derived from it, provides a practical basis for linking research and theory explaining group functioning to optimal design of group-based, behaviour-change interventions. © 2018 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Applied Psychology.

Effects of child health on parents' social capital.

PubMed

Schultz, Jennifer; Corman, Hope; Noonan, Kelly; Reichman, Nancy E

2009-07-01

This paper adds to the literature on social capital and health by testing whether an exogenous shock in the health of a family member (a new baby) affects the family's investment in social capital. It also contributes to a small but growing literature on the effects of children's health on family resources and provides information about associations between health and social capital in a socioeconomically disadvantaged population. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study, a longitudinal survey of about 5000 births to mostly unwed parents in 20 U.S. cities during the years 1998-2000. Both parents were interviewed at the time of the birth and then again one and three years later. The infants' medical records from the birth hospitalization were reviewed, and poor infant health was characterized to reflect serious and random health problems that were present at birth. Social interactions, reported at three years, include the parents' participation in church groups, service clubs, political organizations, community groups, and organizations working with children; regular religious attendance; and visiting relatives with the child. Education, employment, wages, and sociodemographic characteristics are included in the analyses. The results suggest that infant health shocks do not affect the parents' social interactions.

A worksite intervention to enhance social cognitive theory constructs to promote exercise adherence.

PubMed

Hallam, J; Petosa, R

1998-01-01

The results suggest social cognitive theory variables associated with the adoption of exercise are changeable in a brief worksite intervention. Self-regulation techniques and outcome-expectancy value improved, but self-efficacy did not improve for the treatment group. One possible explanation is, the intervention did not adequately address the ability to overcome barriers to exercise faced by participants in the intervention. Another explanation may be the effect of experiencing the barriers to exercise faced by subjects during the first 4 weeks of a self-regulated exercise program. Before engaging in exercise, the participants had a perceived level of confidence to overcome barriers to exercise. Once faced with real barriers to exercise, the subjects may have reevaluated their ability to overcome these barriers. It is interesting that the comparison group reported small decreases in all social cognitive theory variables measured in this study. The comparison group received a program of assessment, instruction, and access to facilities that is common to many worksite-based fitness promotion programs. Clearly, this approach did not have a favorable impact on psychosocial variables associated with exercise adherence. These results may be explained by a reevaluation of beliefs and perceived capabilities to exercise, once faced with the real experiences and barriers related to the adoption of an exercise program. The small decreases in social cognitive theory variables in the comparison group may explain high dropout rates in many fitness center programs and warrant further study. Health promotion specialists at the worksite need intervention programs that are safe, effective, and efficient for their employees. This intervention was based in the classroom, and no exercise was performed during class. This is appealing to employees who do not have access to shower facilities at the worksite. Moreover, in many interventions, subjects exercise during class and have limited time to learn specific skills to help them adopt and maintain exercise outside the structure of the intervention. Having established favorable changes in social cognitive theory constructs attributable to the intervention, a follow-up study should be conducted to determine the extent to which these changes predict adherence to regular exercise. These studies would establish the causal linkages between social cognitive theory constructs and regular exercise. There were specific limitations, and the results should be interpreted cautiously. The sample size was relatively small, although similar to other exercise intervention research reviewed by Dishman. Another limitation of the sample was no random assignment to treatment or comparison group. The results apply only to the subjects who volunteered for this study. The measure of outcome-expectancy value is the most vulnerable of those used to measure outcome expectations and outcome expectancies. It is possible that the results of the study would be substantially altered if a better measure were available. The data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. It was assumed the subjects would provide accurate information, but reliance on self-reported data introduces potential sources of error.

Small group gender ratios impact biology class performance and peer evaluations

PubMed Central

Cotner, Sehoya

2018-01-01

Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Evidence suggests the microclimate of the classroom is an important factor influencing female course grades and interest, which encourages retention of women in STEM fields. Here, we test whether the gender composition of small (8–9 person) learning groups impacts course performance, sense of social belonging, and intragroup peer evaluations of intellectual contributions. Across two undergraduate active learning courses in introductory biology, we manipulated the classroom microclimate by varying the gender ratios of learning groups, ranging from 0% female to 100% female. We found that as the percent of women in groups increased, so did overall course performance for all students, regardless of gender. Additionally, women assigned higher peer- evaluations in groups with more women than groups with less women. Our work demonstrates an added benefit of the retention of women in STEM: increased performance for all, and positive peer perceptions for women. PMID:29614091

Changes in the dominance hierarchy of captive female Japanese macaques as a consequence of merging two previously established groups.

PubMed

Anderson, Emily J; Weladji, Robert B; Paré, Patrick

2016-11-01

Dominance hierarchies play an important role in reducing competition and aggression in social animals. In zoos, changes in group composition are often required due to management protocols, but these changes may have long lasting effects on dominance hierarchies, and, consequently, the wellbeing of the animals. We studied the changes in the female dominance hierarchy that occurred both during and after the formation of a group of 10 adult Japanese macaques at the Zoo de Granby by combining members from two previously established groups. There was no significant correlation between individual ranks in the old groups (groups A and B) and their ranks in the new group (group AB), indicating a significant change in the hierarchy. Alliances between kin appeared to be important in determining rank; when the sister of the dominant female was removed from group AB, the hierarchy changed significantly a second time. The average standardized rank of individuals added later in the formation process of group AB was not different from those added earlier. Ranks in the group AB did correlate with age of individual at the beginning of the field season, but not at the end, after the shift in hierarchy occurred. Zoo management must be aware of the consequences small changes in a social group can have when removing and transferring individuals in both primates and in other social species. Zoo Biol. 35:505-512, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Class relations and all-cause mortality: a test of Wright's social class scheme using the Barcelona 2000 Health Interview Survey.

PubMed

Muntaner, Carles; Borrell, Carme; Solà, Judit; Marí-Dell'Olmo, Marc; Chung, Haejoo; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Benach, Joan; Rocha, Kátia B; Ng, Edwin

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to test the effects of neo-Marxian social class and potential mediators such as labor market position, work organization, material deprivation, and health behaviors on all-cause mortality. The authors use longitudinal data from the Barcelona 2000 Health Interview Survey (N=7526), with follow-up interviews through the municipal census in 2008 (95.97% response rate). Using data on relations of property, organizational power, and education, the study groups social classes according to Wright's scheme: capitalists, petit bourgeoisie, managers, supervisors, and skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled workers. Findings indicate that social class, measured as relations of control over productive assets, is an important predictor of mortality among working-class men but not women. Workers (hazard ratio = 1.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.35) but also managers and small employers had a higher risk of death compared with capitalists. The extensive use of conventional gradient measures of social stratification has neglected sociological measures of social class conceptualized as relations of control over productive assets. This concept is capable of explaining how social inequalities are generated. To confirm the protective effect of the capitalist class position and the "contradictory class location hypothesis," additional efforts are needed to properly measure class among low-level supervisors, capitalists, managers, and small employers.

Capitalists, managers, professionals and mortality: findings from the Barcelona social class and all cause mortality longitudinal study.

PubMed

Muntaner, Carles; Borrell, Carme; Solà, Judit; Marì-Dell'olmo, Marc; Chung, Haejoo; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Benach, Joan; Noh, Samuel

2009-11-01

To examine the effects of Neo-Marxian social class (i.e. measured as relations of control over productive assets) and potential mediators such as labour-market position, work organization, material deprivation and health behaviours upon mortality in Barcelona, Spain. Longitudinal data from the Barcelona 2000 Health Interview Survey (n = 7526) with follow-up interviews through the municipal census in 2008 (95.97% response rate) were used. Using data on relations of property, organizational power, and education, social classes were grouped according to Wright's scheme: capitalists, petit bourgeoisie, managers, supervisors, and skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers. Social class, measured as relations of control over productive assets, is an important predictor of mortality among working-class positions for men but not for women. Workers (hazard ratio 1.60, 95% confidence interval 1.10-2.35), managers and small employers had a higher risk of death than capitalists. The extensive use of conventional gradient measures of social stratification has neglected sociological measurements of social class conceptualized as relations of control over productive assets. This concept is capable of explaining how social inequalities are generated. To confirm the protective effect of the capitalist class position and the ''contradictory class location hypothesis'', additional efforts are needed to properly measure class among low-level supervisors, capitalists, managers, and small employers.

Pathological jealousy: romantic relationship characteristics, emotional and personality aspects, and social adjustment.

PubMed

Costa, Andrea Lorenada; Sophia, Eglacy C; Sanches, Cíntia; Tavares, Hermano; Zilberman, Monica L

2015-03-15

The aim of this study was to identify romantic relationship characteristics, emotional and personality aspects and social adjustment in subjects with pathological jealousy (PJ) and to compare them to control group. The participants, 32 individuals with PJ and 31 healthy volunteers completed measures of jealousy intensity, attachment type, love and relationship styles, personality, impulsivity, aggressiveness and social adjustment. Socio-demographic profiles were also obtained. Participants with PJ were significantly older than the control group, but no other important socio-demographic differences were observed. Participants with PJ were significantly more jealous and were predominately categorized with anxious-ambivalent attachment type, and Mania love style. They presented with elevated novelty seeking and harm avoidance, low self-directedness and cooperativeness, high levels of impulsivity and trait anxiety, and poor social adjustment. Multivariate analysis showed that jealousy intensity and trait anxiety were the variables that best distinguished participants with PJ from the control group. This study was limited by the cross-sectional design and relatively small sample size. PJ presents a particular pattern of attachment, love style, and personality structure, and deserves further attention as a specific potential disorder of the romantic bonding. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health Vlogs as Social Support for Chronic Illness Management.

PubMed

Huh, Jina; Liu, Leslie S; Neogi, Tina; Inkpen, Kori; Pratt, Wanda

2014-08-01

Studies have shown positive impact of video blogs (vlogs) on patient education. However, we know little on how patient-initiated vlogs shape the relationships among vloggers and viewers. We qualitatively analyzed 72 vlogs on YouTube by users diagnosed with HIV, diabetes, or cancer and 1,274 comments posted to the vlogs to understand viewers' perspectives on the vlogs. We found that the unique video medium allowed intense and enriched personal and contextual disclosure to the viewers, leading to strong community-building activities and social support among vloggers and commenters, both informationally and emotionally. Furthermore, the unique communication structure of the vlogs allowed ad hoc small groups to form, which showed different group behavior than typical text-based social media, such as online communities. We provide implications to the Health Care Industry (HCI) community on how future technologies for health vlogs could be designed to further support chronic illness management.

Health Vlogs as Social Support for Chronic Illness Management

PubMed Central

HUH, JINA; LIU, LESLIE S.; NEOGI, TINA; INKPEN, KORI; PRATT, WANDA

2015-01-01

Studies have shown positive impact of video blogs (vlogs) on patient education. However, we know little on how patient-initiated vlogs shape the relationships among vloggers and viewers. We qualitatively analyzed 72 vlogs on YouTube by users diagnosed with HIV, diabetes, or cancer and 1,274 comments posted to the vlogs to understand viewers’ perspectives on the vlogs. We found that the unique video medium allowed intense and enriched personal and contextual disclosure to the viewers, leading to strong community-building activities and social support among vloggers and commenters, both informationally and emotionally. Furthermore, the unique communication structure of the vlogs allowed ad hoc small groups to form, which showed different group behavior than typical text-based social media, such as online communities. We provide implications to the Health Care Industry (HCI) community on how future technologies for health vlogs could be designed to further support chronic illness management. PMID:26146474

Optimal Distinctiveness Signals Membership Trust.

PubMed

Leonardelli, Geoffrey J; Loyd, Denise Lewin

2016-07-01

According to optimal distinctiveness theory, sufficiently small minority groups are associated with greater membership trust, even among members otherwise unknown, because the groups are seen as optimally distinctive. This article elaborates on the prediction's motivational and cognitive processes and tests whether sufficiently small minorities (defined by relative size; for example, 20%) are associated with greater membership trust relative to mere minorities (45%), and whether such trust is a function of optimal distinctiveness. Two experiments, examining observers' perceptions of minority and majority groups and using minimal groups and (in Experiment 2) a trust game, revealed greater membership trust in minorities than majorities. In Experiment 2, participants also preferred joining minorities over more powerful majorities. Both effects occurred only when minorities were 20% rather than 45%. In both studies, perceptions of optimal distinctiveness mediated effects. Discussion focuses on the value of relative size and optimal distinctiveness, and when membership trust manifests. © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

The Flipped Journal Club.

PubMed

Bounds, Richard; Boone, Stephen

2018-01-01

Educators struggle to develop a journal club format that promotes active participation from all levels of trainees. The explosion of social media compels residencies to incorporate the evaluation and application of these resources into evidence-based practice. We sought to design an innovative "flipped journal club" to achieve greater effectiveness in meeting goals and objectives among residents and faculty. Each journal club is focused on a specific clinical question based on a landmark article, a background article, and a podcast or blog post. With the "flipped" model, residents are assigned to prepare an in-depth discussion of one of these works based on their level of training. At journal club, trainees break into small groups and discuss their assigned readings with faculty facilitation. Following the small-group discussions, all participants convene to summarize key points. In redesigning our journal club, we sought to achieve specific educational outcomes, and improve participant engagement and overall impressions. Sixty-one residents at our emergency medicine program participated in the flipped journal club during the 2015-2016 academic year, with supervision by core faculty. Program evaluation for the flipped journal club was performed using an anonymous survey, with response rates of 70% and 56% for residents and faculty, respectively. Overall, 95% of resident respondents and 100% of faculty respondents preferred the flipped format. The "flipped journal club" hinges upon well-selected articles, incorporation of social media, and small-group discussions. This format engages all residents, holds learners accountable, and encourages greater participation among residents and faculty.

Measuring social interaction in music ensembles

PubMed Central

D'Ausilio, Alessandro; Badino, Leonardo; Camurri, Antonio; Fadiga, Luciano

2016-01-01

Music ensembles are an ideal test-bed for quantitative analysis of social interaction. Music is an inherently social activity, and music ensembles offer a broad variety of scenarios which are particularly suitable for investigation. Small ensembles, such as string quartets, are deemed a significant example of self-managed teams, where all musicians contribute equally to a task. In bigger ensembles, such as orchestras, the relationship between a leader (the conductor) and a group of followers (the musicians) clearly emerges. This paper presents an overview of recent research on social interaction in music ensembles with a particular focus on (i) studies from cognitive neuroscience; and (ii) studies adopting a computational approach for carrying out automatic quantitative analysis of ensemble music performances. PMID:27069054

Measuring social interaction in music ensembles.

PubMed

Volpe, Gualtiero; D'Ausilio, Alessandro; Badino, Leonardo; Camurri, Antonio; Fadiga, Luciano

2016-05-05

Music ensembles are an ideal test-bed for quantitative analysis of social interaction. Music is an inherently social activity, and music ensembles offer a broad variety of scenarios which are particularly suitable for investigation. Small ensembles, such as string quartets, are deemed a significant example of self-managed teams, where all musicians contribute equally to a task. In bigger ensembles, such as orchestras, the relationship between a leader (the conductor) and a group of followers (the musicians) clearly emerges. This paper presents an overview of recent research on social interaction in music ensembles with a particular focus on (i) studies from cognitive neuroscience; and (ii) studies adopting a computational approach for carrying out automatic quantitative analysis of ensemble music performances. © 2016 The Author(s).

Discrete modes of social information processing predict individual behavior of fish in a group

PubMed Central

Harpaz, Roy; Tkačik, Gašper

2017-01-01

Individual computations and social interactions underlying collective behavior in groups of animals are of great ethological, behavioral, and theoretical interest. While complex individual behaviors have successfully been parsed into small dictionaries of stereotyped behavioral modes, studies of collective behavior largely ignored these findings; instead, their focus was on inferring single, mode-independent social interaction rules that reproduced macroscopic and often qualitative features of group behavior. Here, we bring these two approaches together to predict individual swimming patterns of adult zebrafish in a group. We show that fish alternate between an “active” mode, in which they are sensitive to the swimming patterns of conspecifics, and a “passive” mode, where they ignore them. Using a model that accounts for these two modes explicitly, we predict behaviors of individual fish with high accuracy, outperforming previous approaches that assumed a single continuous computation by individuals and simple metric or topological weighing of neighbors’ behavior. At the group level, switching between active and passive modes is uncorrelated among fish, but correlated directional swimming behavior still emerges. Our quantitative approach for studying complex, multimodal individual behavior jointly with emergent group behavior is readily extensible to additional behavioral modes and their neural correlates as well as to other species. PMID:28874581

Religious Fragmentation, Social Identity and Conflict: Evidence from an Artefactual Field Experiment in India

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

We examine the impact of religious identity and village-level religious fragmentation on behavior in Tullock contests. We report on a series of two-player Tullock contest experiments conducted on a sample of 516 Hindu and Muslim participants in rural West Bengal, India. Our treatments are the identity of the two players and the degree of religious fragmentation in the village where subjects reside. Our main finding is that the effect of social identity is small and inconsistent across the two religious groups in our study. While we find small but statistically significant results in line with our hypotheses in the Hindu sample, we find no statistically significant effects in the Muslim sample. This is in contrast to evidence from Chakravarty et al. (2016), who report significant differences in cooperation levels in prisoners’ dilemma and stag hunt games, both in terms of village composition and identity. We attribute this to the fact that social identity may have a more powerful effect on cooperation than on conflict. PMID:27768713

Social penalty promotes cooperation in a cooperative society.

PubMed

Ito, Hiromu; Yoshimura, Jin

2015-08-04

Why cooperation is well developed in human society is an unsolved question in biological and human sciences. Vast studies in game theory have revealed that in non-cooperative games selfish behavior generally dominates over cooperation and cooperation can be evolved only under very limited conditions. These studies ask the origin of cooperation; whether cooperation can evolve in a group of selfish individuals. In this paper, instead of asking the origin of cooperation, we consider the enhancement of cooperation in a small already cooperative society. We ask whether cooperative behavior is further promoted in a small cooperative society in which social penalty is devised. We analyze hawk-dove game and prisoner's dilemma introducing social penalty. We then expand it for non-cooperative games in general. The results indicate that cooperation is universally favored if penalty is further imposed. We discuss the current result in terms of the moral, laws, rules and regulations in a society, e.g., criminology and traffic violation.

Religious Fragmentation, Social Identity and Conflict: Evidence from an Artefactual Field Experiment in India.

PubMed

Chakravarty, Surajeet; Fonseca, Miguel A; Ghosh, Sudeep; Marjit, Sugata

2016-01-01

We examine the impact of religious identity and village-level religious fragmentation on behavior in Tullock contests. We report on a series of two-player Tullock contest experiments conducted on a sample of 516 Hindu and Muslim participants in rural West Bengal, India. Our treatments are the identity of the two players and the degree of religious fragmentation in the village where subjects reside. Our main finding is that the effect of social identity is small and inconsistent across the two religious groups in our study. While we find small but statistically significant results in line with our hypotheses in the Hindu sample, we find no statistically significant effects in the Muslim sample. This is in contrast to evidence from Chakravarty et al. (2016), who report significant differences in cooperation levels in prisoners' dilemma and stag hunt games, both in terms of village composition and identity. We attribute this to the fact that social identity may have a more powerful effect on cooperation than on conflict.

Social penalty promotes cooperation in a cooperative society

PubMed Central

Ito, Hiromu; Yoshimura, Jin

2015-01-01

Why cooperation is well developed in human society is an unsolved question in biological and human sciences. Vast studies in game theory have revealed that in non-cooperative games selfish behavior generally dominates over cooperation and cooperation can be evolved only under very limited conditions. These studies ask the origin of cooperation; whether cooperation can evolve in a group of selfish individuals. In this paper, instead of asking the origin of cooperation, we consider the enhancement of cooperation in a small already cooperative society. We ask whether cooperative behavior is further promoted in a small cooperative society in which social penalty is devised. We analyze hawk-dove game and prisoner’s dilemma introducing social penalty. We then expand it for non-cooperative games in general. The results indicate that cooperation is universally favored if penalty is further imposed. We discuss the current result in terms of the moral, laws, rules and regulations in a society, e.g., criminology and traffic violation. PMID:26238521

Early social cognition in three cultural contexts.

PubMed

Callaghan, Tara; Moll, Henrike; Rakoczy, Hannes; Warneken, Felix; Liszkowski, Ulf; Behne, Tanya; Tomasello, Michael

2011-08-01

The influence of culture on cognitive development is well established for school age and older children. But almost nothing is known about how different parenting and socialization practices in different cultures affect infants' and young children's earliest emerging cognitive and social-cognitive skills. In the current monograph, we report a series of eight studies in which we systematically assessed the social-cognitive skills of 1- to 3-year-old children in three diverse cultural settings. One group of children was from a Western, middle-class cultural setting in rural Canada and the other two groups were from traditional, small-scale cultural settings in rural Peru and India.In a first group of studies, we assessed 1-year-old children's most basic social-cognitive skills for understanding the intentions and attention of others: imitation, helping, gaze following, and communicative pointing.Children's performance in these tasks was mostly similar across cultural settings. In a second group of studies, we assessed 1-year-old children's skills in participating in interactive episodes of collaboration and joint attention.Again in these studies the general finding was one of cross-cultural similarity. In a final pair of studies, we assessed 2- to 3-year-old children's skills within two symbolic systems (pretense and pictorial). Here we found that the Canadian children who had much more experience with such symbols showed skills at an earlier age.Our overall conclusion is that young children in all cultural settings get sufficient amounts of the right kinds of social experience to develop their most basic social-cognitive skills for interacting with others and participating in culture at around the same age. In contrast, children's acquisition of more culturally specific skills for use in practices involving artifacts and symbols is more dependent on specific learning experiences.

The area level association between suicide, deprivation, social fragmentation and population density in the Republic of Ireland: a national study.

PubMed

O'Farrell, I B; Corcoran, P; Perry, I J

2016-06-01

Numerous studies have examined the ecological relationship between suicide and area level determinants such as deprivation and social fragmentation. In Ireland, there is considerable geographic variation in the rates of suicide. However, there is a dearth of Irish studies investigating the geographic variability of suicide. The Irish Central Statistics Office (CSO) provided data relating to all deaths by suicide and deaths of undetermined intent that occurred from 2009 to 2011. Negative binomial regression was used to examine the relationship between area level suicide rates and measures of deprivation, social fragmentation and population density that were taken from the 2011 National Census. Overall deprivation had the strongest independent effect on small-area rates of suicide, with the most deprived areas showing the greatest risk of suicide (risk ratio = 2.1; 95 % CI 1.70-2.52). Low population density (rurality) was associated with an increased risk suicide in males across both age groups and among females in the older 40-64-year age group. Conversely, a weak association between high population density (urbanicity) and increased suicide risk was found among females in the 15-39-year age group. Associations with social fragmentation only became apparent in the sub group analysis. Social fragmentation was associated with an elevated risk of suicide in the older 40-64 age group, with this effect being most pronounced among females. The findings of this study demonstrate marked geographical inequalities in the distribution of suicide in Ireland and highlight the importance of targeting suicide prevention resources in the most deprived areas.

Improving community development by linking agriculture, nutrition and education: design of a randomised trial of "home-grown" school feeding in Mali.

PubMed

Masset, Edoardo; Gelli, Aulo

2013-02-21

Providing food through schools has well documented effects in terms of the education, health and nutrition of school children. However, there is limited evidence in terms of the benefits of providing a reliable market for small-holder farmers through "home-grown" school feeding approaches. This study aims to evaluate the impact of school feeding programmes sourced from small-holder farmers on small-holder food security, as well as on school children's education, health and nutrition in Mali. In addition, this study will examine the links between social accountability and programme performance. This is a field experiment planned around the scale-up of the national school feeding programme, involving 116 primary schools in 58 communities in food insecure areas of Mali. The randomly assigned interventions are: 1) a school feeding programme group, including schools and villages where the standard government programme is implemented; 2) a "home-grown" school feeding and social accountability group, including schools and villages where the programme is implemented in addition to training of community based organisations and local government; and 3) the control group, including schools and household from villages where the intervention will be delayed by at least two years, preferably without informing schools and households. Primary outcomes include small-holder farmer income, school participation and learning, and community involvement in the programme. Other outcomes include nutritional status and diet-diversity. The evaluation will follow a mixed method approach, including household, school and village level surveys as well as focus group discussions with small-holder farmers, school children, parents and community members. The impact evaluation will be incorporated within the national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system strengthening activities that are currently underway in Mali. Baselines surveys are planned for 2012. A monthly process monitoring visits, spot checks and quarterly reporting will be undertaken as part of the regular programme monitoring activities. Evaluation surveys are planned for 2014. National governments in sub-Saharan Africa have demonstrated strong leadership in the response to the recent food and financial crises by scaling-up school feeding programmes. "Home-grown" school feeding programmes have the potential to link the increased demand for school feeding goods and services to community-based stakeholders, including small-holder farmers and women's groups. Alongside assessing the more traditional benefits to school children, this evaluation will be the first to examine the impact of linking school food service provision to small-holder farmer income, as well as the link between community level engagement and programme performance. ISRCTN76705891.

The Effects of Waiting for Treatment: A Meta-Analysis of Waitlist Control Groups in Randomized Controlled Trials for Social Anxiety Disorder.

PubMed

Steinert, Christiane; Stadter, Katja; Stark, Rudolf; Leichsenring, Falk

2017-05-01

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a highly prevalent mental disorder. However, little is known about how SAD changes in subjects who do not receive treatment. Waitlist control groups (WLCGs) are frequently included in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of mental disorders. Data from WLCGs are of value as they provide information on the untreated short-term course of a disorder and may serve as disorder-specific norms of change (benchmarks) against which treatment outcomes of SAD can be compared. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis focusing on the effects occurring in WLCGs of RCTs for SAD. Our study was conducted along the PRISMA guidelines. Thirty RCTs (total n = 2460) comprising 30 WLCGs and 47 treatment groups were included. Mean waiting time was 10.6 weeks. The pooled effect of waiting on SAD measures was g = 0.128 (95% CI: 0.057-0.199). Effects regarding other forms of anxiety, depression and functioning were of similarly small size. In contrast, change in the treatment groups was large, both within (g = 0.887) and between groups (g = 0.860). Our results show that for SAD, changes occurring in WLCGs of RCTs are small. The findings may serve as benchmarks in pilot studies of a new treatment or as an additional comparison in studies comparing two active treatments. For psychotherapy research in general, the small effect sizes found in WLCGs confirm that testing a treatment against a waiting list is not a very strict test. Further research on WLCGs in specific mental disorders is required, for example examining the expectancies of patients randomized to waiting. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. In clinical practice, patients suffering from a mental disorder often have to wait for treatment. By analyzing data from waitlist control groups we can gain estimates of symptom change that occur during waiting. It could be seen that waiting for treatment only results in a negligible effect. Thus, in the short-term (i.e., 10.6 weeks) time is no healer in social anxiety disorder. Our results are similar to previous meta-analyses on the effects of waiting in other disorders, e.g., depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The conflict of social norms may cause the collapse of cooperation: indirect reciprocity with opposing attitudes towards in-group favoritism.

PubMed

Matsuo, Tadasu; Jusup, Marko; Iwasa, Yoh

2014-04-07

Indirect reciprocity is a cooperation maintaining mechanism based on the social evaluation of players. Here, we consider the case of a group in which two social norms with opposing attitudes towards in-group favoritism are mixed. One norm, called Bushido (the way of warriors), regards cooperation with outsiders as betrayal, whereas the second norm, called Shonindo (the way of merchants), regards cooperation with outsiders as desirable. Each member of the group, irrespective of being a Bushido or a Shonindo player, is evaluated in two different ways and assigned two different labels: "ally" or "enemy" according to the Bushido evaluation; "good" or "bad" according to the Shonindo evaluation. These labels change in response to the action taken (cooperation or defection) when acting as a donor, as well as the label attached to the recipient. In addition to Bushido players, who cooperate with an ally and defect from an enemy, and Shonindo players, who cooperate with a good recipient and defect from a bad recipient, the group contains a third kind of players--unconditional defectors. The fractions of the three types of players follow the replicator dynamics. If the probability of interacting with outsiders is small, and if the cost-to-benefit ratio of cooperation is low, we observe several important patterns. Each social norm is able to maintain a high level of cooperation when dominant. Bushido and Shonindo players evaluate each other unfavorably and engage in a severe conflict. In the end, only one norm permeates the whole group driving the other to the extinction. When both social norms are equally effective, a rare occurrence of unconditional defectors may lead to a successful invasion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contemporary Religious Conflicts and Religious Education in the Republic of Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Chongsuh

2007-01-01

The Republic of (South) Korea is a multi-religious society. Naturally, large- or small-scale conflicts arise between religious groups. Moreover, inter-religious troubles related to the educational system, such as educational ideologies, textbook content and forced chapel attendance, have often caused social conflicts. Most of the problems derive…

Virtual Seminars and Their Impact on the Role of the Teaching Staff.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jelfs, Anne; Colbourn, Chris

2002-01-01

Discusses current demands on teaching staff in United Kingdom higher education and the impact these demands have when teaching through electronic resources. Topics include collaborative small-group learning; transferable skills; nontraditional students; the role of the tutor; social theories of education; and a case study of virtual seminars for…

76 FR 6803 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-08

....gov . Name of Committee: AIDS and Related Research Integrated Review Group; Behavioral and Social... Panel; Small Business: Orthopedic and Skeletal Biology. Date: March 21, 2011. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m... Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333...

Between Self and Horde: The School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkes, T. Elijah

2010-01-01

For millions of years, human beings evolved and then lived in small social groupings that were intergenerational, with simple divisions of labor, oriented to common tasks and values. It was a limited existence in many ways, but there was community and continuity. And now, very suddenly in evolutionary time, we have built the teeming cities and…

Study Abroad: Enhanced Learning Experience in Cultural Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaoko, Japheth

2010-01-01

This paper examines how a study abroad experiential learning course in diversity provided a cultural immersion experience for a group of social work students from a small private university in central Kentucky. The students participated in a three-week international education experience in Kenya and reported this experience helped them become more…

Collaborative Note-Taking: The Impact of Cloud Computing on Classroom Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orndorff, Harold N., III.

2015-01-01

This article presents the early findings of an experimental design to see if students perform better when taking collaborative notes in small groups as compared to students who use traditional notes. Students are increasingly bringing electronic devices into social science classrooms. Few instructors have attempted robustly and systematically to…

Preparing Social Justice Oriented Teachers: The Potential Role of Action Research in the PDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodman, Stephanie L.; Lai, Kerri; Campet, Melissa; Cavallero-Lotocki, Renee; Hopkins, Aaron; Onidi, Christine

2014-01-01

Deliberate investigation into practice is an essential of the National Association for Professional Development Schools' defining elements of a Professional Development School (PDS). This article reports on the pilot efforts of one PDS as it initiated deliberate investigation through action research with a small group of teacher candidates. The…

Exploring Team-Based Learning at a State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leisey, Monica; Mulcare, Dan; Comeford, Lorrie; Kudrimoti, Sanjay

2014-01-01

A small group of faculty at Salem State University representing the disciplines of Chemistry, Finance, Geography, Political Science, and Social Work implemented a Team-Based Learning (TBL) model in their courses to explore its efficacy for increasing student engagement. Surveys were used to collect pre- and post-data from students to determine the…

A Discussion Project on High School Adolescents' Perceptions of the Relationship between Students and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Ronald J.

1976-01-01

Describes a small group discussion project involving students and teachers in two large white suburban high schools. The project's intention was to focus discussion on the social quality of the relationship between students and teachers, and to assess the impact of the discussions on student perceptions. (Author/RK)

Effects of an Emotional Literacy Intervention for Students Identified with Bullying Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowler, Claire; Frederickson, Norah

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of a 12-week, small group emotional literacy (EL) intervention in reducing bullying behaviour in school was evaluated. Participants were 50 primary school pupils identified through peer nomination as engaging in bullying behaviours. The intervention was implemented in schools already engaged with a universal social and emotional…

Focused Group Interviews as an Innovative Quanti-Qualitative Methodology (QQM): Integrating Quantitative Elements into a Qualitative Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grim, Brian J.; Harmon, Alison H.; Gromis, Judy C.

2006-01-01

There is a sharp divide between quantitative and qualitative methodologies in the social sciences. We investigate an innovative way to bridge this gap that incorporates quantitative techniques into a qualitative method, the "quanti-qualitative method" (QQM). Specifically, our research utilized small survey questionnaires and experiment-like…

Are Teen Delinquency Abstainers Social Introverts?: A Test of Moffitt's Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xiaojin; Adams, Michele

2010-01-01

Prior research has identified a small group of adolescents who completely refrain from delinquent behavior. Researchers have hypothesized that these adolescents may be excluded from normative peer activities and are thus insulated from delinquent peer role models. A central argument in Moffitt's account of delinquency abstention, for example, is…

Boys' Talk: Television, Masculinity and Media Education. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckingham, David

Drawn from a much more extensive research project about children and television, this study examined the social processes through which the meanings of television are established and negotiated. A series of small group interviews with boys aged between 8 and 12 years were conducted. Two series of interviews focused on the cartoon television series…

Reducing Substance Abuse Risk Factors among Children through a Teacher as Facilitator Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Robert J.; And Others

1993-01-01

Teachers as Facilitators (TAF) program used teachers as leaders of small groups that promoted social, emotional, and academic development of children at high risk for substance abuse. Found that school personnel were capable of accurately identifying and referring students; TAF program was effective in improving students' perceived academic…

Purpose and Perceptions of Family Social Location among Rural Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shamah, Devora; MacTavish, Katherine A.

2018-01-01

Purpose is a concept receiving increasing attention in the developmental sciences. Making sense of your place in the world and finding meaning--a process fundamental to purpose--support positive development in adolescence and beyond. Using traditional ethnographic strategies, this article examines the development of purpose among a small group of…

Nuclear Nomads: Finding a New Island

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratliffe, Katherine T.

2018-01-01

This qualitative study describes a small community of people in Hawai'i who were affiliated with Enewetak, an atoll exposed to nuclear testing by the United States after World War II. Pattern matching is used to compare their social and educational conditions to those of other involuntary migrant groups across the world. The Enewetak community is…

The Social Construction of Authority among Peers and Its Implications for Collaborative Mathematics Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langer-Osuna, Jennifer M.

2016-01-01

This article describes a study of how students construct relations of authority during dyadic mathematical work and how teachers' interactions with students during small group conferences affect subsequent student dynamics. Drawing on the influence framework (Engle, Langer-Osuna, & McKinney de Royston, 2014), I examined interactions when…

Nonassertive Mothers, Aggressive Teens: Toughlove as a Community Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klug, Wayne

A process study was conducted in two phases to measure the effects of whether a mother's participation in a Toughlove program improved her child's behavior. During phase 1, small-group Toughlove meetings were used for observation and then were tape-recorded and transcribed. Transcriptions were coded to identify instances of social support;…

Standing in the Hallway Improves Students' Understanding of Conformity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Timothy J.; Haubner, Richard R.; Bodle, James H.

2013-01-01

To help beginning psychology students understand how they are influenced by social pressures to conform, we developed a demonstration designed to elicit their conformity to a small group of students standing in the hallway before class. Results showed the demonstration increased students' recognition of their own tendency to conform, knowledge of…

Adolescent Perceptions of the National Lottery and Scratchcards: A Qualitative Study Using Group Interviews.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Richard T. A.; Griffiths, Mark D.

2002-01-01

Recent research has shown that a small but significant minority of youth engage in illegal lottery and scratchcard gambling. This study examines the perceptions of such adolescents. Results revealed many salient themes including winning money, socialization, different forms of excitement associated with these activities, control, and awareness of…

Interdisciplinary Studies as Nexus: Crossing Discipline Borders into the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Laurel S.

At Norwalk Community College in Norwalk, Connecticut, a small group of faculty created three interdisciplinary courses with the belief that they would assist students in developing more finely honed critical thinking skills. One course is in the hard sciences, another in the social sciences, and another in the humanities. This paper discusses the…

How do small groups make decisions? : A theoretical framework to inform the implementation and study of clinical competency committees.

PubMed

Chahine, Saad; Cristancho, Sayra; Padgett, Jessica; Lingard, Lorelei

2017-06-01

In the competency-based medical education (CBME) approach, clinical competency committees are responsible for making decisions about trainees' competence. However, we currently lack a theoretical model for group decision-making to inform this emerging assessment phenomenon. This paper proposes an organizing framework to study and guide the decision-making processes of clinical competency committees.This is an explanatory, non-exhaustive review, tailored to identify relevant theoretical and evidence-based papers related to small group decision-making. The search was conducted using Google Scholar, Web of Science, MEDLINE, ERIC, and PsycINFO for relevant literature. Using a thematic analysis, two researchers (SC & JP) met four times between April-June 2016 to consolidate the literature included in this review.Three theoretical orientations towards group decision-making emerged from the review: schema, constructivist, and social influence. Schema orientations focus on how groups use algorithms for decision-making. Constructivist orientations focus on how groups construct their shared understanding. Social influence orientations focus on how individual members influence the group's perspective on a decision. Moderators of decision-making relevant to all orientations include: guidelines, stressors, authority, and leadership.Clinical competency committees are the mechanisms by which groups of clinicians will be in charge of interpreting multiple assessment data points and coming to a shared decision about trainee competence. The way in which these committees make decisions can have huge implications for trainee progression and, ultimately, patient care. Therefore, there is a pressing need to build the science of how such group decision-making works in practice. This synthesis suggests a preliminary organizing framework that can be used in the implementation and study of clinical competency committees.

The first shall be last: Selection-driven minority becomes majority

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crokidakis, Nuno; de Oliveira, Paulo Murilo Castro

2014-09-01

Street demonstrations occur across the world. In Rio de Janeiro, in June/July 2013, they reach beyond one million people. A wrathful reader of O Globo, a leading newspaper in the same city, published a letter (Ferreira (2011) [10]) where many social questions are stated and answered Yes or No. These million people of street demonstrations share opinion consensus about a similar set of social issues. But they did not reach this consensus within such a huge numbered meeting. Earlier, they have met in diverse small groups where some of them could be convinced to change their mind by other few fellows. Suddenly, a macroscopic consensus emerges. Many other big manifestations are widespread all over the world in recent times, and are supposed to remain in the future. The interesting questions are: (1) How a binary-option opinion distributed among some population evolves in time, through local changes that occurred within small-group meetings? and (2) Is there some natural selection rule acting upon? Here, we address these questions through an agent-based model.

Leadership in Mammalian Societies: Emergence, Distribution, Power, and Payoff.

PubMed

Smith, Jennifer E; Gavrilets, Sergey; Mulder, Monique Borgerhoff; Hooper, Paul L; Mouden, Claire El; Nettle, Daniel; Hauert, Christoph; Hill, Kim; Perry, Susan; Pusey, Anne E; van Vugt, Mark; Smith, Eric Alden

2016-01-01

Leadership is an active area of research in both the biological and social sciences. This review provides a transdisciplinary synthesis of biological and social-science views of leadership from an evolutionary perspective, and examines patterns of leadership in a set of small-scale human and non-human mammalian societies. We review empirical and theoretical work on leadership in four domains: movement, food acquisition, within-group conflict mediation, and between-group interactions. We categorize patterns of variation in leadership in five dimensions: distribution (across individuals), emergence (achieved versus inherited), power, relative payoff to leadership, and generality (across domains). We find that human leadership exhibits commonalities with and differences from the broader mammalian pattern, raising interesting theoretical and empirical issues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Autonomy, competence, and social relatedness in task interest within project-based education.

PubMed

Minnaert, Alexander; Boekaerts, Monique; de Brabander, Cornelis

2007-10-01

To prepare students for instructive collaboration, it is necessary to have insight into students' psychological needs and interest development. The framework of self-determination theory was used to conduct a field experiment involving 114 students in vocational education. These students followed a practical business course which required they work in small learning groups. During the course, students were asked to complete the Quality of Working in Groups Instrument, an online measure of how strong autonomy, competence, social relatedness, and task interest are fulfilled. SEM showed that students' psychological needs were jointly and uniquely related to task interest over time. The significance of this on-line test for the assessment of interest within project-based education is discussed.

Innovation, imitation, and problem-solving in a networked group.

PubMed

Wisdom, Thomas N; Goldstone, Robert L

2011-04-01

We implemented a problem-solving task in which groups of participants simultaneously played a simple innovation game in a complex problem space, with score feedback provided after each of a number of rounds. Each participant in a group was allowed to view and imitate the guesses of others during the game. The results showed the use of social learning strategies previously studied in other species, and demonstrated benefits of social learning and nonlinear effects of group size on strategy and performance. Rather than simply encouraging conformity, groups provided information to each individual about the distribution of useful innovations in the problem space. Imitation facilitated innovation rather than displacing it, because the former allowed good solutions to be propagated and preserved for further cumulative innovations in the group. Participants generally improved their solutions through the use of fairly conservative strategies, such as changing only a small portion of one's solution at a time, and tending to imitate solutions similar to one's own. Changes in these strategies over time had the effect of making solutions increasingly entrenched, both at individual and group levels. These results showed evidence of nonlinear dynamics in the decentralization of innovation, the emergence of group phenomena from complex interactions of individual efforts, stigmergy in the use of social information, and dynamic tradeoffs between exploration and exploitation of solutions. These results also support the idea that innovation and creativity can be recognized at the group level even when group members are generally cautious and imitative.

Cochrane review: social skills groups for people aged 6 to 21 with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

PubMed

Reichow, Brian; Steiner, Amanda M; Volkmar, Fred

2013-03-07

Since autism was first described, major difficulties in social interaction have been a defining feature of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Social skills groups are a common intervention for individuals with ASD. Although a frequently recommended practice, the few studies that have addressed the efficacy of social skills groups have shown mixed results. To determine the effectiveness of social skills groups for improving social competence, social communication, and quality of life for people with ASD who are six to 21 years of age. We searched the following databases in December 2011: CENTRAL (2011 Issue 4), MEDLINE (1948 to November Week 3, 2011), EMBASE (1980 to Week 50, 2011), PsycINFO (1887 to December Week 2, 2011), CINAHL (1937 to current), ERIC (1966 to current), Sociological Abstracts (1952 to current), OCLC WorldCat (12 December 2011), Social Science Citation Index (1970 to 16 December 2011), and the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (20 December 2011). We also searched the reference lists of published papers. Randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing treatment (social skills groups) with a control group who were not receiving the treatment for participants aged six to 21 years with ASD. The control group could be no intervention, wait list, or treatment as usual. Outcomes sought were standardized measures of social competence, social communication, quality of life, emotion recognition, and any other specific behaviors. Two review authors independently selected and appraised studies for inclusion and assessed the risk of bias in each included study. All outcome data were continuous and standardized mean difference effect sizes (ES) with small sample correction were calculated. We conducted random-effects meta-analysis where possible. We included five RCTs evaluating the effects of social skills groups in 196 participants with ASD aged 6 to 21 years old. The results show there is some evidence that social skills groups improve overall social competence (ES = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16 to 0.78, P = 0.003) and friendship quality (ES = 0.41, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.81, P = 0.04) for this population. No differences were found between treatment and control groups in relation to emotional recognition (ES = 0.34, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.88, P = 0.21) assessed in two studies or social communication as related to the understanding of idioms (ES = 0.05, 95% CI -0.63 to 0.72, P = 0.89), which was assessed in only one study. Two additional quality of life outcomes were evaluated, with results of single studies suggesting decreases in loneliness (ES = -0.66, 95% CI -1.15 to -0.17) but no effect on child or parental depression. No adverse events were reported. Given the nature of the intervention and the selected outcome measures, the risk of performance and detection bias are high. There is limited generalizability from the studies as they were all conducted in the US; they focused mainly on children aged 7 to 12, and the participants were all of average or above average intelligence. There is some evidence that social skills groups can improve social competence for some children and adolescents with ASD. More research is needed to draw more robust conclusions, especially with respect to improvements in quality of life. Copyright © 2013 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Social skills groups for people aged 6 to 21 with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

PubMed

Reichow, Brian; Steiner, Amanda M; Volkmar, Fred

2012-07-11

Since autism was first described, major difficulties in social interaction have been a defining feature of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Social skills groups are a common intervention for individuals with ASD. Although a frequently recommended practice, the few studies that have addressed the efficacy of social skills groups have shown mixed results. To determine the effectiveness of social skills groups for improving social competence, social communication, and quality of life for people with ASD who are six to 21 years of age. We searched the following databases in December 2011: CENTRAL (2011 Issue 4), MEDLINE (1948 to November Week 3, 2011), EMBASE (1980 to Week 50, 2011), PsycINFO (1887 to December Week 2, 2011), CINAHL (1937 to current), ERIC (1966 to current), Sociological Abstracts (1952 to current), OCLC WorldCat (12 December 2011), Social Science Citation Index (1970 to 16 December 2011), and the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (20 December 2011). We also searched the reference lists of published papers. Randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing treatment (social skills groups) with a control group who were not receiving the treatment for participants aged six to 21 years with ASD. The control group could be no intervention, wait list, or treatment as usual. Outcomes sought were standardized measures of social competence, social communication, quality of life, emotion recognition, and any other specific behaviors. Two review authors independently selected and appraised studies for inclusion and assessed the risk of bias in each included study. All outcome data were continuous and standardized mean difference effect sizes (ES) with small sample correction were calculated. We conducted random-effects meta-analysis where possible. We included five RCTs evaluating the effects of social skills groups in 196 participants with ASD aged 6 to 21 years old. The results show there is some evidence that social skills groups improve overall social competence (ES = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16 to 0.78, P = 0.003) and friendship quality (ES = 0.41, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.81, P = 0.04) for this population. No differences were found between treatment and control groups in relation to emotional recognition (ES = 0.34, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.88, P = 0.21) assessed in two studies or social communication as related to the understanding of idioms (ES = 0.05, 95% CI -0.63 to 0.72, P = 0.89), which was assessed in only one study. Two additional quality of life outcomes were evaluated, with results of single studies suggesting decreases in loneliness (ES = -0.66, 95% CI -1.15 to -0.17) but no effect on child or parental depression. No adverse events were reported.Given the nature of the intervention and the selected outcome measures, the risk of performance and detection bias are high. There is limited generalizability from the studies as they were all conducted in the US; they focused mainly on children aged 7 to 12, and the participants were all of average or above average intelligence. There is some evidence that social skills groups can improve social competence for some children and adolescents with ASD. More research is needed to draw more robust conclusions, especially with respect to improvements in quality of life.

Efficacy of group social skills interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gates, Jacquelyn A; Kang, Erin; Lerner, Matthew D

2017-03-01

Group-based social skills interventions (GSSIs) are widely used for treating social competence among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but their efficacy is unclear. Previous meta-analysis of the literature on well-designed trials of GSSIs is limited in size and scope, collapsing across highly heterogeneous sources (parents; youths; teachers; observers; behavioral tasks). The current meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) was conducted to ascertain overall effectiveness of GSSIs and differences by reporting sources. Nineteen RCTs met inclusion criteria. Results show that overall positive aggregate effects were medium (g=0.51, p<0.001). Effects were large for self-report (g=0.92, p<0.001), medium for task-based measures (g=0.58, p<0.001), small for parent- and observer-report (g=0.47 and 0.40, respectively, p<0.001), and nonsignificant for teacher-report (p=0.11). Moderation analyses of self-report revealed the effect was wholly attributable to youth reporting that they learned about skilled social behaviors (social knowledge; g=1.15, p<0.01), but not that they enacted them (social performance; g=0.28, p=0.31). Social skills interventions presently appear modestly effective for youth with ASD, but may not generalize to school settings or self-reported social behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social Network, Social Support, and Risk of Incident Stroke: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

PubMed Central

Nagayoshi, Mako; Everson-Rose, Susan A.; Iso, Hiroyasu; Mosley, Thomas H.; Rose, Kathryn M.; Lutsey, Pamela L.

2014-01-01

Background and Purpose Having a small social network and lack of social support have been associated with incident coronary heart disease, however epidemiologic evidence for incident stroke is limited. We assessed the longitudinal association of a small social network and lack of social support with risk of incident stroke, and evaluated whether the association was partly mediated by vital exhaustion and inflammation. Methods The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study measured social network and social support in 13,686 men and women (mean, 57±5.7 years, 56% female, 24% black; 76% white) without a history of stroke. Social network was assessed by the 10-item Lubben Social Network Scale, and social support by a 16-item Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-Short Form (ISEL-SF). Results Over a median follow-up of 18.6-years, 905 incident strokes occurred. Relative to participants with a large social network, those with a small social network had a higher risk of stroke [HR (95% CI): 1.44 (1.02–2.04)] after adjustment for demographics, socioeconomic variables and marital status, behavioral risk factors and major stroke risk factors. Vital exhaustion, but not inflammation, partly mediated the association between a small social network and incident stroke. Social support was unrelated to incident stroke. Conclusions In this sample of US community-dwelling men and women, having a small social network was associated with excess risk of incident stroke. As with other cardiovascular conditions, having a small social network may be associated with a modestly increased risk of incident stroke. PMID:25139878

Social network, social support, and risk of incident stroke: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

PubMed

Nagayoshi, Mako; Everson-Rose, Susan A; Iso, Hiroyasu; Mosley, Thomas H; Rose, Kathryn M; Lutsey, Pamela L

2014-10-01

Having a small social network and lack of social support have been associated with incident coronary heart disease; however, epidemiological evidence for incident stroke is limited. We assessed the longitudinal association of a small social network and lack of social support with risk of incident stroke and evaluated whether the association was partly mediated by vital exhaustion and inflammation. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study measured social network and social support in 13 686 men and women (mean, 57 years; 56% women; 24% black; 76% white) without a history of stroke. Social network was assessed by the 10-item Lubben Social Network Scale and social support by a 16-item Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-Short Form. During a median follow-up of 18.6 years, 905 incident strokes occurred. Relative to participants with a large social network, those with a small social network had a higher risk of stroke (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.44 [1.02-2.04]) after adjustment for demographics, socioeconomic variables, marital status, behavioral risk factors, and major stroke risk factors. Vital exhaustion, but not inflammation, partly mediated the association between a small social network and incident stroke. Social support was unrelated to incident stroke. In this sample of US community-dwelling men and women, having a small social network was associated with excess risk of incident stroke. As with other cardiovascular conditions, having a small social network may be associated with a modestly increased risk of incident stroke. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Social structure of a semi-free ranging group of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx): a social network analysis.

PubMed

Bret, Céline; Sueur, Cédric; Ngoubangoye, Barthélémy; Verrier, Delphine; Deneubourg, Jean-Louis; Petit, Odile

2013-01-01

The difficulty involved in following mandrills in the wild means that very little is known about social structure in this species. Most studies initially considered mandrill groups to be an aggregation of one-male/multifemale units, with males occupying central positions in a structure similar to those observed in the majority of baboon species. However, a recent study hypothesized that mandrills form stable groups with only two or three permanent males, and that females occupy more central positions than males within these groups. We used social network analysis methods to examine how a semi-free ranging group of 19 mandrills is structured. We recorded all dyads of individuals that were in contact as a measure of association. The betweenness and the eigenvector centrality for each individual were calculated and correlated to kinship, age and dominance. Finally, we performed a resilience analysis by simulating the removal of individuals displaying the highest betweenness and eigenvector centrality values. We found that related dyads were more frequently associated than unrelated dyads. Moreover, our results showed that the cumulative distribution of individual betweenness and eigenvector centrality followed a power function, which is characteristic of scale-free networks. This property showed that some group members, mostly females, occupied a highly central position. Finally, the resilience analysis showed that the removal of the two most central females split the network into small subgroups and increased the network diameter. Critically, this study confirms that females appear to occupy more central positions than males in mandrill groups. Consequently, these females appear to be crucial for group cohesion and probably play a pivotal role in this species.

Social Structure of a Semi-Free Ranging Group of Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx): A Social Network Analysis

PubMed Central

Bret, Céline; Sueur, Cédric; Ngoubangoye, Barthélémy; Verrier, Delphine; Deneubourg, Jean-Louis; Petit, Odile

2013-01-01

The difficulty involved in following mandrills in the wild means that very little is known about social structure in this species. Most studies initially considered mandrill groups to be an aggregation of one-male/multifemale units, with males occupying central positions in a structure similar to those observed in the majority of baboon species. However, a recent study hypothesized that mandrills form stable groups with only two or three permanent males, and that females occupy more central positions than males within these groups. We used social network analysis methods to examine how a semi-free ranging group of 19 mandrills is structured. We recorded all dyads of individuals that were in contact as a measure of association. The betweenness and the eigenvector centrality for each individual were calculated and correlated to kinship, age and dominance. Finally, we performed a resilience analysis by simulating the removal of individuals displaying the highest betweenness and eigenvector centrality values. We found that related dyads were more frequently associated than unrelated dyads. Moreover, our results showed that the cumulative distribution of individual betweenness and eigenvector centrality followed a power function, which is characteristic of scale-free networks. This property showed that some group members, mostly females, occupied a highly central position. Finally, the resilience analysis showed that the removal of the two most central females split the network into small subgroups and increased the network diameter. Critically, this study confirms that females appear to occupy more central positions than males in mandrill groups. Consequently, these females appear to be crucial for group cohesion and probably play a pivotal role in this species. PMID:24340074

Activity and social factors affect cohesion among individuals in female Japanese macaques: A simultaneous focal-follow study.

PubMed

Nishikawa, Mari; Suzuki, Mariko; Sprague, David S

2014-07-01

Understanding cohesion among individuals within a group is necessary to reveal the social system of group-living primates. Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) are female-philopatric primates that reside in social groups. We investigated whether individual activity and social factors can affect spatio-temporal cohesion in wild female Japanese macaques. We conducted behavioral observation on a group, which contained 38 individuals and ranged over ca. 60 ha during the study period. Two observers carried out simultaneous focal-animal sampling of adult female pairs during full-day follows using global positioning system which enabled us to quantify interindividual distances (IIDs), group members within visual range (i.e., visual unit), and separation duration beyond visual range as indicators of cohesion among individuals. We found considerable variation in spatio-temporal group cohesion. The overall mean IID was 99.9 m (range = 0-618.2 m). The percentage of IIDs within visual range was 23.1%, within auditory range was 59.8%, and beyond auditory range was 17.1%. IIDs varied with activity; they were shorter during grooming and resting, and longer during foraging and traveling. Low-ranking females showed less cohesion than high-ranking ones. Kin females stayed nearly always within audible range. The macaques were weakly cohesive with small mean visual unit size (3.15 counting only adults, 5.99 counting all individuals). Both-sex units were the most frequently observed visual unit type when they were grooming/resting. Conversely, female units were the most frequently observed visual unit type when they were foraging. The overall mean visual separation duration was 25.7 min (range = 3-513 min). Separation duration was associated with dominance rank. These results suggest that Japanese macaques regulate cohesion among individuals depending on their activity and on social relationships; they were separated to adapt food distribution and aggregated to maintain social interactions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Micro‐provision of Social Care Support for Marginalized Communities – Filling the Gap or Building Bridges to the Mainstream?

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Abstract As English social care services reconstruct themselves in response to the personalization agenda, there is increased interest in the contribution of micro‐providers – very small community‐based organizations, which can work directly with individuals. These micro‐providers are assumed to be able to cater for the ‘seldom heard’ groups which have been marginalized within mainstream social care services. This article reviews recent literature from the UK published in peer‐reviewed journals from 2000 to 2013 on support provision for people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. It considers the marginalising dynamics in mainstream, statutory social care support provision, and how far local community, specialist or small‐scale services are responding to unmet need for support and advice among marginalized groups. The review found that there is a tradition of compensatory self‐organization, use of informal networks and a mobilization of social capital for all these groups in response to marginalization from mainstream, statutory services. This requires recognition and nurturing in ways that do not stifle its unique nature. Specialist and community‐based micro‐providers can contribute to a wider range of choices for people who feel larger, mainstream services are not suitable or accessible. However, the types of compensatory activity identified in the research need recognition and investment, and its existence does not imply that the mainstream should not address marginalization. PMID:27840462

Courtesy stigma: a hidden health concern among front-line service providers to sex workers.

PubMed

Phillips, Rachel; Benoit, Cecilia; Hallgrimsdottir, Helga; Vallance, Kate

2012-06-01

Courtesy stigma, also referred to as 'stigma by association', involves public disapproval evoked as a consequence of associating with a stigmatised individual or group. While a small number of sociological studies have shown how courtesy stigma limits the social support and social opportunities available to family members of stigmatised individuals, there is a paucity of research examining courtesy stigma among the large network of people who provide health and social services to stigmatised groups. This article presents results from a mixed methods study of the workplace experiences of a purposive sample of workers in a non-profit organisation providing services to sex workers in Canada. The findings demonstrate that courtesy stigma plays a role in workplace health as it shapes both the workplace environment, including the range of resources made available to staff to carry out their work activities, as well as staff perceptions of others' support. At the same time, it was evident that some workers were more vulnerable to courtesy stigma than others depending on their social location. We discuss these results in light of the existing literature on courtesy stigma and conclude that it is an under-studied determinant of workplace health among care providers serving socially denigrated groups. © 2011 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2011 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Micro enterprise initiative in water sector and poverty reduction .

PubMed

Jose, T K

2003-01-01

The author reports on the Kerala model for water sector development, broadly adopted as a role model for poverty reduction and build up of social capital. It is a community based organisation with its focus on facilitating a stable income to the poor, and composed of a People's Plan Campaign, the Kudumbashree (women-based poverty eradication programme), with grassroot level neighbourhood groups, federated into an area development society. It promotes savings and credit channelling, capacity building and entrepreneurship development. Activities include awareness raising on water conservation and hygiene, utilization of student power, promotion of small, cheap and low technology projects that people can understand and undertake (small reservoirs, tanks, rainwater harvesting structures, water meters), as well as microenterprises, and training of women-based repair groups.

Aerobic exercise for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: A cost-utility analysis based on the Active Women trial.

PubMed

Goranitis, Ilias; Bellanca, Leana; Daley, Amanda J; Thomas, Adele; Stokes-Lampard, Helen; Roalfe, Andrea K; Jowett, Sue

2017-01-01

To compare the cost-utility of two exercise interventions relative to a control group for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. Economic evaluation taking a UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective and a societal perspective. Primary care. Peri- and postmenopausal women who have not used hormone therapy in the past 3 months and experience ≥ 5 episodes of vasomotor symptoms daily. An individual and a social support-based exercise intervention were evaluated. The former (Exercise-DVD), aimed to prompt exercise with purpose-designed DVD and written materials, whereas the latter (Exercise-Social support) with community exercise social support groups. Costs and outcomes associated with these interventions were compared to those of a control group, who could only have an exercise consultation. An incremental cost-utility analysis was undertaken using bootstrapping to account for the uncertainty around cost-effectiveness point-estimates. Cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Data for 261 women were available for analysis. Exercise-DVD was the most expensive and least effective intervention. Exercise-Social support was £52 (CIs: £18 to £86) and £18 (CIs: -£68 to £105) more expensive per woman than the control group at 6 and 12 months post-randomisation and led to 0.006 (CIs: -0.002 to 0.014) and 0.013 (CIs: -0.01 to 0.036) more QALYs, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £8,940 and £1,413 per QALY gained respectively. Exercise-Social support had 80%-90% probability of being cost-effective in the UK context. A societal perspective of analysis and a complete-case analysis led to similar findings. Exercise-Social support resulted in a small gain in health-related quality of life at a marginal additional cost in a context where broader wellbeing and long-term gains associated with exercise and social participation were not captured. Community exercise social support groups are very likely to be cost-effective in the management of vasomotor menopausal symptoms.

Aerobic exercise for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: A cost-utility analysis based on the Active Women trial

PubMed Central

Goranitis, Ilias; Bellanca, Leana; Daley, Amanda J.; Thomas, Adele; Stokes-Lampard, Helen; Roalfe, Andrea K.

2017-01-01

Objective To compare the cost-utility of two exercise interventions relative to a control group for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. Design Economic evaluation taking a UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective and a societal perspective. Setting Primary care. Population Peri- and postmenopausal women who have not used hormone therapy in the past 3 months and experience ≥ 5 episodes of vasomotor symptoms daily. Methods An individual and a social support-based exercise intervention were evaluated. The former (Exercise-DVD), aimed to prompt exercise with purpose-designed DVD and written materials, whereas the latter (Exercise-Social support) with community exercise social support groups. Costs and outcomes associated with these interventions were compared to those of a control group, who could only have an exercise consultation. An incremental cost-utility analysis was undertaken using bootstrapping to account for the uncertainty around cost-effectiveness point-estimates. Main outcome measure Cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Results Data for 261 women were available for analysis. Exercise-DVD was the most expensive and least effective intervention. Exercise-Social support was £52 (CIs: £18 to £86) and £18 (CIs: -£68 to £105) more expensive per woman than the control group at 6 and 12 months post-randomisation and led to 0.006 (CIs: -0.002 to 0.014) and 0.013 (CIs: -0.01 to 0.036) more QALYs, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £8,940 and £1,413 per QALY gained respectively. Exercise-Social support had 80%-90% probability of being cost-effective in the UK context. A societal perspective of analysis and a complete-case analysis led to similar findings. Conclusions Exercise-Social support resulted in a small gain in health-related quality of life at a marginal additional cost in a context where broader wellbeing and long-term gains associated with exercise and social participation were not captured. Community exercise social support groups are very likely to be cost-effective in the management of vasomotor menopausal symptoms. PMID:28949974

Eco-bio-social research on dengue in Asia: a multicountry study on ecosystem and community-based approaches for the control of dengue vectors in urban and peri-urban Asia.

PubMed

Sommerfeld, Johannes; Kroeger, Axel

2012-12-01

This article provides an overview of methods and cross-site insights of a 5-year research and capacity building initiative conducted between 2006 and 2011 in six countries of South Asia (India, Sri Lanka) and South-East Asia (Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand).The initiative managed an interdisciplinary investigation of ecological, biological, and social (i.e., eco-bio-social) dimensions of dengue in urban and peri-urban areas, and developed community-based interventions aimed at reducing dengue vector breeding and viral transmission. The multicountry study comprised interdisciplinary research groups from six leading Asian research institutions. The groups conducted a detailed situation analysis to identify and characterize local eco-bio-social conditions, and formed a community-of-practice for EcoHealth research where group partners disseminated results and collaboratively developed site-specific intervention tools for vector-borne diseases. In sites where water containers produced more than 70% of Aedes pupae, interventions ranged from mechanical lid covers for containers to biological control. Where small discarded containers presented the main problem, groups experimented with solid waste management, composting and recycling schemes. Many intervention tools were locally produced and all tools were implemented through community partnership strategies. All sites developed socially and culturally appropriate health education materials. The study also mobilised and empowered women's, students' and community groups and at several sites organized new volunteer groups for environmental health. The initiative's programmes showed significant impact on vector densities in some sites. Other sites showed varying effect - partially attributable to the 'contamination' of control groups - yet led to significant outcomes at the community level where local groups united around broad interests in environmental hygiene and sanitation. The programme's findings are relevant for defining efficient, effective and ecologically sound vector control interventions based on local evidence and in accordance with WHO's strategy for integrated vector management.

Eco-bio-social research on dengue in Asia: a multicountry study on ecosystem and community-based approaches for the control of dengue vectors in urban and peri-urban Asia

PubMed Central

Sommerfeld, Johannes; Kroeger, Axel

2012-01-01

This article provides an overview of methods and cross-site insights of a 5-year research and capacity building initiative conducted between 2006 and 2011 in six countries of South Asia (India, Sri Lanka) and South-East Asia (Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand).The initiative managed an interdisciplinary investigation of ecological, biological, and social (i.e., eco-bio-social) dimensions of dengue in urban and peri-urban areas, and developed community-based interventions aimed at reducing dengue vector breeding and viral transmission. The multicountry study comprised interdisciplinary research groups from six leading Asian research institutions. The groups conducted a detailed situation analysis to identify and characterize local eco-bio-social conditions, and formed a community-of-practice for EcoHealth research where group partners disseminated results and collaboratively developed site-specific intervention tools for vector-borne diseases. In sites where water containers produced more than 70% of Aedes pupae, interventions ranged from mechanical lid covers for containers to biological control. Where small discarded containers presented the main problem, groups experimented with solid waste management, composting and recycling schemes. Many intervention tools were locally produced and all tools were implemented through community partnership strategies. All sites developed socially and culturally appropriate health education materials. The study also mobilised and empowered women’s, students’ and community groups and at several sites organized new volunteer groups for environmental health. The initiative’s programmes showed significant impact on vector densities in some sites. Other sites showed varying effect — partially attributable to the ‘contamination’ of control groups — yet led to significant outcomes at the community level where local groups united around broad interests in environmental hygiene and sanitation. The programme’s findings are relevant for defining efficient, effective and ecologically sound vector control interventions based on local evidence and in accordance with WHO’s strategy for integrated vector management. PMID:23318234

Factors associated with the course of symptoms in bipolar disorder during a 1-year follow-up: depression vs. sub-threshold mixed state.

PubMed

Mazza, Marianna; Mandelli, Laura; Zaninotto, Leonardo; Nicola, Marco Di; Martinotti, Giovanni; Harnic, Desiree; Bruschi, Angelo; Catalano, Valeria; Tedeschi, Daniela; Colombo, Roberto; Bria, Pietro; Serretti, Alessandro; Janiri, Luigi

2011-12-01

Mixed mood states, even in their sub-threshold forms, may significantly affect the course and outcome of bipolar disorder (BD). To compare two samples of BD patients presenting a major depressive episode and a sub-threshold mixed state in terms of global functioning, clinical outcome, social adjustment and quality of life during a 1-year follow-up. The sample was composed by 90 subjects (Group 1, D) clinically diagnosed with a major depressive episode and 41 patients (Group 2, Mx) for a sub-threshold mixed state. All patients were administered with a pharmacological treatment and evaluated for depressive, anxious and manic symptoms by common rating scales. Further evaluations included a global assessment of severity and functioning, social adjustment and quality of life. All evaluations were performed at baseline and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. The two groups were no different for baseline as well as improvement in global severity and functioning. Though clearly different for symptoms severity, the amount of change of depressive and anxiety symptoms was also no different. Manic symptoms showed instead a trend to persist over time in group 2, whereas a slight increase of manic symptoms was observed in group 1, especially after 6 months of treatment. Moreover, in group 1, some manic symptoms were also detected at the Young Mania Rating Scale (n = 24, 26.6%). Finally, improvement in quality of life and social adjustment was similar in the two groups, though a small trend toward a faster improvement in social adjustment in group 1. Sub-threshold mixed states have a substantial impact on global functioning, social adjustment and subjective well-being, similarly to that of acute phases, or at least major depression. In particular, mixed features, even in their sub-threshold forms, tend to be persistent over time. Finally, manic symptoms may be still often underestimated in depressive episodes, even in patients for BD.

Roosting, social organization and the annual cycle in a Kenya population of the bat Pipistrellus nanus

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Shea, Thomas J.

1980-01-01

The tiny (3.1–3.8 g) vespcrtilionid bat Pipistrellus nanus was studied in Kenya palm-thatched roofs from May 1973 to July 1974. Roosting social organization and related activities and behavior are described. ♂♂ held diurnal roosting territories where ♀♀ gathered in small and compositionally labile groups, attracted to the most vocal ♂♂. Annual variation in population-wide aspects of social organization follows predictable seasonal changes in climate and predator abundance. Variability between individuals follows a common mammalian pattern: high male competition for ♀, variance in presumed male reproductive success, and a mating system resembling one based on resource defense polygyny. Social organization in this population contrasts with that known from studies of other P. nanus populations.

Social Networks and Welfare in Future Animal Management

PubMed Central

Koene, Paul; Ipema, Bert

2014-01-01

Simple Summary Living in a stable social environment is important to animals. Animal species have developed social behaviors and rules of approach and avoidance of conspecifics in order to co-exist. Animal species are kept or domesticated without explicit regard for their inherent social behavior and rules. Examples of social structures are provided for four species kept and managed by humans. This information is important for the welfare management of these species. In the near future, automatic measurement of social structures will provide a tool for daily welfare management together with nearest neighbor information. Abstract It may become advantageous to keep human-managed animals in the social network groups to which they have adapted. Data concerning the social networks of farm animal species and their ancestors are scarce but essential to establishing the importance of a natural social network for farmed animal species. Social Network Analysis (SNA) facilitates the characterization of social networking at group, subgroup and individual levels. SNA is currently used for modeling the social behavior and management of wild animals and social welfare of zoo animals. It has been recognized for use with farm animals but has yet to be applied for management purposes. Currently, the main focus is on cattle, because in large groups (poultry), recording of individuals is expensive and the existence of social networks is uncertain due to on-farm restrictions. However, in many cases, a stable social network might be important to individual animal fitness, survival and welfare. For instance, when laying hens are not too densely housed, simple networks may be established. We describe here small social networks in horses, brown bears, laying hens and veal calves to illustrate the importance of measuring social networks among animals managed by humans. Emphasis is placed on the automatic measurement of identity, location, nearest neighbors and nearest neighbor distance for management purposes. It is concluded that social networks are important to the welfare of human-managed animal species and that welfare management based on automatic recordings will become available in the near future. PMID:26479886

Influence of network topology on cooperative problem-solving systems.

PubMed

Fontanari, José F; Rodrigues, Francisco A

2016-09-01

The idea of a collective intelligence behind the complex natural structures built by organisms suggests that the organization of social networks is selected so as to optimize problem-solving competence at the group level. Here we study the influence of the social network topology on the performance of a group of agents whose task is to locate the global maxima of NK fitness landscapes. Agents cooperate by broadcasting messages informing on their fitness and use this information to imitate the fittest agent in their influence networks. In the case those messages convey accurate information on the proximity of the solution (i.e., for smooth fitness landscapes), we find that high connectivity as well as centralization boosts the group performance. For rugged landscapes, however, these characteristics are beneficial for small groups only. For large groups, it is advantageous to slow down the information transmission through the network to avoid local maximum traps. Long-range links and modularity have marginal effects on the performance of the group, except for a very narrow region of the model parameters.

The alliance in a friendship coaching intervention for parents of children with ADHD.

PubMed

Lerner, Matthew D; Mikami, Amori Yee; McLeod, Bryce D

2011-09-01

The alliance between parent and therapist was observed in a group-based parent-training intervention to improve social competency among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The intervention, called Parental Friendship Coaching (PFC), was delivered to 32 parents in small groups as part of a randomized clinical trial. PFC was delivered in eight, 90-minute sessions to parents; there was no child treatment component. Observed parent-therapist alliance recorded among 27 of the parents was measured using the Therapy Process Observational Coding System--Alliance scale (TPOCS-A; McLeod, 2005). Early alliance and change in alliance over time predicted improvements in several parenting behaviors and child outcomes, including peer sociometrics in a lab-based playgroup. These preliminary findings lend support to the importance of examining the parent-therapist alliance in parent-training groups for youth social and behavioral problems. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Alliance in a Friendship Coaching Intervention for Parents of Children With ADHD

PubMed Central

Lerner, Matthew D.; Mikami, Amori Yee; McLeod, Bryce D.

2012-01-01

The alliance between parent and therapist was observed in a group-based parent-training intervention to improve social competency among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The intervention, called Parental Friendship Coaching (PFC), was delivered to 32 parents in small groups as part of a randomized clinical trial. PFC was delivered in eight, 90-minute sessions to parents; there was no child treatment component. Observed parent–therapist alliance recorded among 27 of the parents was measured using the Therapy Process Observational Coding System—Alliance scale (TPOCS-A; McLeod, 2005). Early alliance and change in alliance over time predicted improvements in several parenting behaviors and child outcomes, including peer sociometrics in a lab-based playgroup. These preliminary findings lend support to the importance of examining the parent–therapist alliance in parent-training groups for youth social and behavioral problems. PMID:21658527

Rhythmic displays of female gibbons offer insight into the origin of dance

PubMed Central

Fan, Peng-Fei; Ma, Chang-Yong; Garber, Paul A.; Zhang, Wen; Fei, Han-Lan; Xiao, Wen

2016-01-01

Dance is a universal art form practiced by all human societies and has many functions including sexual attraction, social cohesion, and the therapeutic release of energy. Dance also has been reported in a small number of non-human primate species, in particular apes. However, its function has not been systematically evaluated. We observed 357 intentional, rhythmic, and nonverbal dance displays performed by four adult female cao vit gibbons (Nomascus nasutus) residing in four polygynous groups during 3000 h of observation in Bangliang, Guangxi, China. Females used dance to solicit copulations, as well as to promote a social bond with the group’s lone adult male. In addition, this display appears to represent a form of non-aggressive competition among adult females living in the same group. We found that a female who had a weaker social relationship with the breeding male increased her social and sexual access to the male by an increase in dancing frequency. Given that gibbons dance in various behavioral contexts, and appears to serve several important social and sexual functions, a greater understanding of this form of gestural communication offers an instructive model for examining the origin and evolution of dance in humans and other apes. PMID:27687686

Maternal stress, social support and preschool children's intelligence.

PubMed

Slykerman, R F; Thompson, J M D; Pryor, J E; Becroft, D M O; Robinson, E; Clark, P M; Wild, C J; Mitchell, E A

2005-10-01

Despite some research suggesting maternal stress may be associated with cognitive impairment in preschool children, there has been little direct investigation of the association between maternal stress, social support and children's intelligence. To determine whether maternal stress and social support during pregnancy and during the child's early years of life are associated with the intelligence test performance of preschool children. Five hundred and fifty European mothers and children enrolled in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study at birth were interviewed when the child was 3 1/2 years of age. All children were full term gestation and approximately half the sample were small for gestational age at birth (SGA = birthweight < or = 10th percentile). The cognitive ability of children aged 3 1/2 years was assessed using the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale 4th Edition. In the total sample, maternal stress and lack of social support during pregnancy were significantly associated with lower intelligence test scores of children. In the group of SGA children, maternal stress post pregnancy was significantly associated with lower intelligence test scores in children. There is evidence that for some children the presence of good social support for mothers may reduce the negative effects of maternal stress on children's cognitive development. Maternal stress and lack of social support appear to be associated with lower intelligence test scores of preschool children. Social support may attenuate some of the negative effects of maternal stress on intelligence in children born small for gestational age.

Chimpanzees prioritise social information over pre-existing behaviours in a group context but not in dyads.

PubMed

Watson, Stuart K; Lambeth, Susan P; Schapiro, Steven J; Whiten, Andrew

2018-05-01

How animal communities arrive at homogeneous behavioural preferences is a central question for studies of cultural evolution. Here, we investigated whether chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) would relinquish a pre-existing behaviour to adopt an alternative demonstrated by an overwhelming majority of group mates; in other words, whether chimpanzees behave in a conformist manner. In each of five groups of chimpanzees (N = 37), one individual was trained on one method of opening a two-action puzzle box to obtain food, while the remaining individuals learned the alternative method. Over 5 h of open access to the apparatus in a group context, it was found that 4/5 'minority' individuals explored the majority method and three of these used this new method in the majority of trials. Those that switched did so after observing only a small subset of their group, thereby not matching conventional definitions of conformity. In a further 'Dyad' condition, six pairs of chimpanzees were trained on alternative methods and then given access to the task together. Only one of these individuals ever switched method. The number of observations that individuals in the minority and Dyad individuals made of their untrained method was not found to influence whether or not they themselves switched to use it. In a final 'Asocial' condition, individuals (N = 10) did not receive social information and did not deviate from their first-learned method. We argue that these results demonstrate an important influence of social context upon prioritisation of social information over pre-existing methods, which can result in group homogeneity of behaviour.

Social relationship difficulties in autism and reactive attachment disorder: Improving diagnostic validity through structured assessment.

PubMed

Davidson, Claire; O'Hare, Anne; Mactaggart, Fiona; Green, Jonathan; Young, David; Gillberg, Christopher; Minnis, Helen

2015-05-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) versus Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a common diagnostic challenge for clinicians due to overlapping difficulties with social relationships. RAD is associated with neglect or maltreatment whereas ASD is not: accurate differential diagnosis is therefore critical. Very little research has investigated the relationship between the two, and it is unknown if standardised measures are able to discriminate between ASD and RAD. The current study aimed to address these issues. Fifty eight children with ASD, and no history of maltreatment, were group matched on age with 67 children with RAD. Group profiles on multi-informant measures of RAD were investigated and group differences explored. Discriminant function analysis determined assessment features that best discriminated between the two groups. Although, according to parent report, children with ASD presented with significantly fewer indiscriminate friendliness behaviours compared to the RAD group (p<0.001), 36 children with ASD appeared to meet core RAD criteria. However, structured observation clearly demonstrated that features were indicative of ASD and not RAD for all but 1 of these 36 children. Children with RAD and children with ASD may demonstrate similar social relationship difficulties but there appears to be a difference in the social quality of the interactions between the groups. In most cases it was possible to differentiate between children with ASD and children with RAD via structured observation. Nevertheless, for a small proportion of children with ASD, particularly those whose difficulties may be more subtle, our current standardised measures, including structured observation, may not be effective in differentiating RAD from ASD. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of Child Health on Parents’ Social Capital”

PubMed Central

Schultz, Jennifer; Corman, Hope; Noonan, Kelly; Reichman, Nancy E

2009-01-01

This paper adds to the literature on social capital and health by testing whether an exogenous shock in the health of a family member (a new baby) affects the family’s investment in social capital. It also contributes to a small but growing literature on the effects of children’s health on family resources and provides information about associations between health and social capital in a socioeconomically disadvantaged population. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study, a longitudinal survey of about 5,000 births to mostly unwed parents in 20 U.S. cities during the years 1998–2000. Both parents were interviewed at the time of the birth and then again one and three years later. The infants’ medical records from the birth hospitalization were reviewed, and poor infant health was characterized to reflect serious and random health problems that were present at birth. Social interactions, reported at three years, include the parents’ participation in church groups, service clubs, political organizations, community groups, and organizations working with children; regular religious attendance; and visiting relatives with the child. Education, employment, wages, and sociodemographic characteristics are included in the analyses. The results suggest that infant health shocks do not affect the parents’ social interactions. PMID:19443093

Group involvement and self-rated health among the Japanese elderly: an examination of bonding and bridging social capital

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To date, only a small amount of research on bonding/bridging social capital has separately examined their effects on health though they have been thought to have differential effects on health outcomes. By using a large population-based sample of elderly Japanese people, we sought to investigate the association between bonding and bridging social capital and self-rated health for men and women separately. Methods In August 2010, questionnaires were sent to all residents aged ≥65 years in three municipalities in Okayama prefecture (n = 21232), and 13929 questionnaires were returned (response rate: 65.6%). Social capital was measured from survey responses to questions on participation in six different types of groups: a) the elderly club or sports/hobby/culture circle; b) alumni association; c) political campaign club; d) citizen’s group or environmental preservation activity; e) community association; and f) religious organization. Participant perception of group homogeneity (gender, age, and previous occupation) was used to divide social capital into bonding or bridging. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for poor self-rated health were calculated. Results A total of 11146 subjects (4441 men and 6705 women) were available for the analysis. Among men, bonding and bridging social capital were inversely associated with poor self-rated health (high bonding social capital; OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.31–0.99; high bridging social capital; OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48–0.81) after adjusting for age, educational attainment, smoking status, frequency of alcohol consumption, overweight, living arrangements, and type-D personality. The beneficial effect among women was more likely limited to bonding social capital (high bonding social capital; OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12–1.00), and the association between bridging social capital and self-rated health was less clear (high bridging social capital; OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.44–1.07). Conclusions Bonding/bridging social capital could have differential associations with self-rated health among the Japanese elderly depending on the individual’s sex. Considering the lack of consensus on how to measure bonding and bridging social capital, however, we need to carefully assess the generalizability of our findings. Further research is warranted to identify health-relevant dimensions of social capital in different cultural or economic settings. PMID:24341568

Outcome expectancy as a predictor of treatment response in cognitive behavioral therapy for public speaking fears within social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Price, Matthew; Anderson, Page L

2012-06-01

Outcome expectancy, the extent that clients anticipate benefiting from therapy, is theorized to be an important predictor of treatment response for cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, there is a relatively small body of empirical research on outcome expectancy and the treatment of social anxiety disorder. This literature, which has examined the association mostly in group-based interventions, has yielded mixed findings. The current study sought to further evaluate the effect of outcome expectancy as a predictor of treatment response for public-speaking fears across both individual virtual reality and group-based cognitive-behavioral therapies. The findings supported outcome expectancy as a predictor of the rate of change in public-speaking anxiety during both individual virtual reality exposure therapy and group cognitive-behavioral therapy. Furthermore, there was no evidence to suggest that the impact of outcome expectancy differed across virtual reality or group treatments. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

[The dispensary observation of patients with chronic nonspecific lung diseases who work in a dust-producing industry with a high radionuclide level as a consequence of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].

PubMed

Mal'tsev, V I; Kolpakov, M Iu; Iakobchuk, A V; Golovko, V A

1992-08-01

Patients working at a small mining institution and suffering of chronic unspecific pulmonary diseases due to high dust and radionuclide contamination levels were examined. Four groups of dispensarization were singled out with the purpose of differential treatment for each group. Such treatment including also antiaggregant agents, nitro-drugs resulted in a good medico-social effect within 2 years.

Cross-Cultural Study of Cognitive and Metacognitive Processes during Math Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cozza, Barbara; Oreshkina, Maria

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was: (a) to explore the cognitive and metacognitive processes of mathematics problem-solving discourse of 10-year-old students in Russia, Spain, Hungary, and the United States; and (b) to explore the patterns of social interactions during small group work. Data were analyzed using a cognitive/metacognitive…

This Glorious Mud Pile (Rocky River Valley). Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabbage, Mary Ellen

This student text focuses on the social and geological history of a river basin. In addition to background information, the text includes student worksheets for 12 field trip stops in Ohio's Rocky River Valley. Material is designed to support a full-day field trip during which students work in small groups. Also included are a geological…

The Multigrade Classroom: A Resource Handbook for Small, Rural Schools. Book 2: Classroom Organization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Susan, Ed.

In multigrade instruction, children of at least a 2-year grade span and diverse ability levels are grouped in a single classroom and share experiences involving intellectual, academic, and social skills. "The Multigrade Classroom" is a seven-book series that provides an overview of current research on multigrade instruction, identifies key issues…

Transporting Students into Thin Air: Using Science to Enhance Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bricker, Patricia; Rogowski, Nick; Hedt, Melissa; Rolfe, Nadeen

2010-01-01

The "Into Thin Air" unit, based on the book by Jon Krakauer, was designed as an interdisciplinary unit for a small group of academically gifted sixth-grade students. It included hands-on, minds-on activities that would immerse students in the scientific, social, and personal struggles people face while attempting to climb the world's tallest…

The Power of Peer Mentoring in Enabling a Diverse and Inclusive Environment in a Chemical Engineering Graduate Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bôas Fávero, Cláudio Vilas; Moran, Shannon; Eniola-Adefeso, Omolola

2018-01-01

The Chemical Engineering graduate program at the University of Michigan implemented a peer mentoring program for PhD students, with the goal of fostering department inclusivity and improved academic outcomes through facilitated social and academic activities in diverse, small groups. In this article, we detail the peer mentoring program…

Teaching First-Aid Skills to Students with Moderate Handicaps in Small Group Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gast, David L.; And Others

1992-01-01

Task analysis and backward chaining were used to teach four young adults with moderate mental disabilities basic first aid skills for simulated cuts, burns, and insect bites. Following training, students were able to apply skills to a nonhandicapped peer. Maintenance probes at 1 to 18 weeks posttraining indicated mixed results. Social validation…

Our Dancing Daughters: "The Queen, Little Miss Sunshine," and Dysfunctional Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Bernard

2007-01-01

Local cultures survive when they are successfully passed to new generations in spite of the many oppressions and seductions delivered by surrounding cultures--dominant, variant, and deviant. The groups that use those small cultural systems must be organized in a way that assures that passage, and organization of any important social activity means…

Training for Social and Health Care Personnel--Curriculum Development, Evaluation and Conducting a Pilot Test. Administrator's and Participant's Manuals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

These participant and administrator manuals are designed for a seminar on alcohol and safety. This seminar is intended to be a small-group, intensive planning session dealing with the problems of handling people charged with drinking-driving offenses. The participants should be enforcement, judicial, presentence, prosecution, probation,…

What Has "Harry Potter" Done for Me? Children's Reflections on Their "'Potter' Experience"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempster, Steve; Oliver, Alice; Sunderland, Jane; Thistlethwaite, Joanne

2016-01-01

This article reports findings from a small-scale focus-group study funded by the British Academy. Drawing on Herbert Marsh and Richard Shavelson's notion of "Academic Self-Concept" and David Barton and Mary Hamilton's view of literacy as context-specific social practices, the authors examine what young British "Harry Potter"…

Developing Outdoor and Adventurous Activities for Co-Existence and Reconciliation in Israel: An Anglo-German Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stidder, Gary; Haasner, Adrian

2007-01-01

Conflict resolution between different social groups is an issue that has continued to gain high profile news coverage both nationally and in a global context. In this respect, it has been shown that carefully designed and managed physical activity programmes can make a small but nonetheless invaluable contribution to reconciliation and…

The Social Organization of the Computer Underground

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

colleagues, with only small groups approaching peer relationships. 14 . SUBJECT TERMS HACK, Computer Underground 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 16. PRICE CODE 17...between individuals involved in a common activity (pp. 13- 14 ). Assessing the degree and manner in which the...criminalized over the past several years . Hackers, and the "danger" that they present in our computer dependent

How Does a Cowboy Make Money? Using Student Curiosities to Further Elementary School Inquiries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitlock, Annie McMahon; Brugar, Kristy A.

2017-01-01

This article explores examples of student-initiated inquiries (in Grades 1 and 5) and the opportunities and challenges with engaging in them. To explore these student-initiated inquiries, we use the "C3 Framework" Inquiry Arc (National Council for the Social Studies, 2013) and Harvey and Daniels's (2009) Small-Group Inquiry Model to…

Boldness by habituation and social interactions: a model.

PubMed

Oosten, Johanneke E; Magnhagen, Carin; Hemelrijk, Charlotte K

2010-04-01

Most studies of animal personality attribute personality to genetic traits. But a recent study by Magnhagen and Staffan (Behav Ecol Sociobiol 57:295-303, 2005) on young perch in small groups showed that boldness, a central personality trait, is also shaped by social interactions and by previous experience. The authors measured boldness by recording the duration that an individual spent near a predator and the speed with which it fed there. They found that duration near the predator increased over time and was higher the higher the average boldness of other group members. In addition, the feeding rate of shy individuals was reduced if other members of the same group were bold. The authors supposed that these behavioral dynamics were caused by genetic differences, social interactions, and habituation to the predator. However, they did not quantify exactly how this could happen. In the present study, we therefore use an agent-based model to investigate whether these three factors may explain the empirical findings. We choose an agent-based model because this type of model is especially suited to study the relation between behavior at an individual level and behavioral dynamics at a group level. In our model, individuals were either hiding in vegetation or feeding near a predator, whereby their behavior was affected by habituation and by two social mechanisms: social facilitation to approach the predator and competition over food. We show that even if we start the model with identical individuals, these three mechanisms were sufficient to reproduce the behavioral dynamics of the empirical study, including the consistent differences among individuals. Moreover, if we start the model with individuals that already differ in boldness, the behavioral dynamics produced remained the same. Our results indicate the importance of previous experience and social interactions when studying animal personality empirically.

Reflective practice as a tool to teach digital professionalism.

PubMed

Kung, Justin W; Eisenberg, Ronald L; Slanetz, Priscilla J

2012-11-01

Digital professionalism is increasingly being integrated into postgraduate medical education. We developed a small-group, reflective practice-based session incorporating radiology-specific cases to heighten residents' awareness about digital professionalism. Case-based, radiology-specific scenarios were created for a small-group, reflective practice-based session on digital professionalism. Anonymous pre- and postsession surveys evaluating residents' use of social media and their thoughts about the session were administered to the radiology residents. Twenty-five of 38 (66%) residents responded to the presession survey with 40% (10/25) reporting daily social media use; 50% (12/24) witnessing an unprofessional posting on Facebook; and 8% (2/25) posting something unprofessional themselves. Of the 21 residents who attended the session, 13 (62%) responded to the postsession survey. Residents reported that the session added to their understanding of professionalism 3.92, 95% CI (3.57-4.27). As a result of the session, residents stated that they were more aware of protecting patient privacy and confidentiality on social media sites 3.92, 95% CI (3.47-4.37), and would take a more active role in ensuring professional use of social media as it relates to patient care 4.00, 95% CI (3.66-4.34). Residents favorably viewed the reflective case-based session on digital professionalism as a means to be more aware of ways to avoid unprofessional interactions on the internet. Our results suggest that such reflective sessions are an effective method to educate residents on key concepts regarding digital professionalism. Copyright © 2012 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Flipped Journal Club

PubMed Central

Bounds, Richard; Boone, Stephen

2018-01-01

Introduction Educators struggle to develop a journal club format that promotes active participation from all levels of trainees. The explosion of social media compels residencies to incorporate the evaluation and application of these resources into evidence-based practice. We sought to design an innovative “flipped journal club” to achieve greater effectiveness in meeting goals and objectives among residents and faculty. Methods Each journal club is focused on a specific clinical question based on a landmark article, a background article, and a podcast or blog post. With the “flipped” model, residents are assigned to prepare an in-depth discussion of one of these works based on their level of training. At journal club, trainees break into small groups and discuss their assigned readings with faculty facilitation. Following the small-group discussions, all participants convene to summarize key points. In redesigning our journal club, we sought to achieve specific educational outcomes, and improve participant engagement and overall impressions. Results Sixty-one residents at our emergency medicine program participated in the flipped journal club during the 2015–2016 academic year, with supervision by core faculty. Program evaluation for the flipped journal club was performed using an anonymous survey, with response rates of 70% and 56% for residents and faculty, respectively. Overall, 95% of resident respondents and 100% of faculty respondents preferred the flipped format. Conclusion The “flipped journal club” hinges upon well-selected articles, incorporation of social media, and small-group discussions. This format engages all residents, holds learners accountable, and encourages greater participation among residents and faculty. PMID:29383052

Is cooperation viable in mobile organisms? Simple Walk Away rule favors the evolution of cooperation in groups

PubMed Central

Aktipis, C. Athena

2011-01-01

The evolution of cooperation through partner choice mechanisms is often thought to involve relatively complex cognitive abilities. Using agent-based simulations I model a simple partner choice rule, the ‘Walk Away’ rule, where individuals stay in groups that provide higher returns (by virtue of having more cooperators), and ‘Walk Away’ from groups providing low returns. Implementing this conditional movement rule in a public goods game leads to a number of interesting findings: 1) cooperators have a selective advantage when thresholds are high, corresponding to low tolerance for defectors, 2) high thresholds lead to high initial rates of movement and low final rates of movement (after selection), and 3) as cooperation is selected, the population undergoes a spatial transition from high migration (and a many small and ephemeral groups) to low migration (and large and stable groups). These results suggest that the very simple ‘Walk Away’ rule of leaving uncooperative groups can favor the evolution of cooperation, and that cooperation can evolve in populations in which individuals are able to move in response to local social conditions. A diverse array of organisms are able to leave degraded physical or social environments. The ubiquitous nature of conditional movement suggests that ‘Walk Away’ dynamics may play an important role in the evolution of social behavior in both cognitively complex and cognitively simple organisms. PMID:21666771

[Importance of genetics for health inequalities].

PubMed

Mielck, Andreas; Rogowski, W

2007-02-01

In Germany it has rarely been assessed in a systematic way, if and how genetic disposition and genetic testing are linked to health inequality. The paper aims to be a contribution towards closing this gap. In a first step, it is pointed out that the discussion about potential links between genetic causes of social inequalities has concentrated on issues such as body height and intelligence. It is stressed that, of course, social status is mainly determined socially and not genetically. In the second step, medical benefits of genetic testing are discussed. It can be assumed that low status groups are using these tests less often than high status groups, and that they are less capable of interpreting the results. Tests that can have a positive effect on health could thus lead to an increase of health inequalities. However, empirical studies for testing these hypotheses are hardly available. In the third step, the question is raised whether genetic information could lead to social discrimination (e.g. concerning health insurance, life insurance or employer). According to the current empirical literature, to date, this risk is (still) rather small. Thus, it is stressed that more research is needed, and that already today there is some need for intervention (e.g. concerning equal access to genetic testing, better information of low status groups).

A Comparison of Web-based and Small-Group Palliative and End-of-Life Care Curricula: A Quasi-Randomized Controlled Study at One Institution

PubMed Central

Day, Frank C.; Srinivasan, Malathi; Der-Martirosian, Claudia; Griffin, Erin; Hoffman, Jerome R.; Wilkes, Michael S.

2014-01-01

Purpose Few studies have compared the effect of web-based eLearning versus small-group learning on medical student outcomes. Palliative and end-of-life (PEOL) education is ideal for this comparison, given uneven access to PEOL experts and content nationally. Method In 2010, the authors enrolled all third-year medical students at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine into a quasi-randomized controlled trial of web-based interactive education (eDoctoring) compared to small-group education (Doctoring) on PEOL clinical content over two months. All students participated in three 3-hour PEOL sessions with similar content. Outcomes included a 24-item PEOL-specific self-efficacy scale with three domains (diagnosis/treatment [Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92, CI: 0.91–0.93], communication/prognosis [alpha = 0.95; CI: 0.93–0.96], and social impact/self-care [alpha = 0.91; CI: 0.88–0.92]); eight knowledge items; ten curricular advantage/disadvantages, and curricular satisfaction (both students and faculty). Results Students were randomly assigned to web-based eDoctoring (n = 48) or small-group Doctoring (n = 71) curricula. Self-efficacy and knowledge improved equivalently between groups: e.g., prognosis self-efficacy, 19%; knowledge, 10–42%. Student and faculty ratings of the web-based eDoctoring curriculum and the small group Doctoring curriculum were equivalent for most goals, and overall satisfaction was equivalent for each, with a trend towards decreased eDoctoring student satisfaction. Conclusions Findings showed equivalent gains in self-efficacy and knowledge between students participating in a web-based PEOL curriculum, in comparison to students learning similar content in a small-group format. Web-based curricula can standardize content presentation when local teaching expertise is limited, but may lead to decreased user satisfaction. PMID:25539518

Changes in Small Town Social Capital and Civic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besser, Terry L.

2009-01-01

Small towns are often depicted as places with many interpersonal relationships and generalized trust, or high social capital. Social capital is a resource which towns can use to solve problems and improve the local quality of life. In this paper, I determined if social capital and civic engagements have declined in small towns in the U.S. Midwest…

Gascoyne Growers Market: a sustainable health promotion activity developed in partnership with the community.

PubMed

Payet, Jennifer; Gilles, Marisa; Howat, Peter

2005-10-01

To explore the social, health and economic impact of a farmers' market on a small rural community in the north of Western Australia. Qualitative and quantitative research using a random structured intercept survey, and focus group interviews around four domains of social capital: economic impact, governance and capacity building, healthy public places and social and civic participation. The Gascoyne Growers Markets in Carnarvon. One hundred consumers and 28 market stallholders. Consumers demonstrated community pride and an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption since they commenced shopping at the markets. The stallholders appear to have gained economically, professionally and socially from the market experience. The Gascoyne Growers Markets demonstrate a sustainable health promotion activity developed in partnership with the community. It has contributed to the local economy, providing local quality fruit and vegetables directly to the community while also increasing social capital and creating a healthy public space.

Ethics in Evaluating a Sociotechnical Intervention With Socially Isolated Older Adults.

PubMed

Waycott, Jenny; Morgans, Amee; Pedell, Sonja; Ozanne, Elizabeth; Vetere, Frank; Kulik, Lars; Davis, Hilary

2015-11-01

The purpose of this article is to consider how ethical principles can inform the effective design and implementation of technology-based interventions that aim to promote the well-being of socially isolated older adults. We evaluated a new iPad application with small groups of older adults. In this article, we reflect on the ethical issues encountered at each stage of the research process. Drawing on the ethical principles of beneficence, research merit and integrity, justice, and respect, we identify key issues to consider in the future design and implementation of social isolation interventions that use new technologies. Key issues include (a) providing sufficient support to facilitate ongoing social interactions, (b) managing older adults' expectations, (c) providing encouragement without coercion, and (d) responding to individual needs. We conclude that it is important to report on ethical challenges incurred when evaluating social isolation interventions to inform future research in this important area. © The Author(s) 2015.

Enhancing target variance in personality impressions: highlighting the person in person perception.

PubMed

Paulhus, D L; Reynolds, S

1995-12-01

D. A. Kenny (1994) estimated the components of personality rating variance to be 15, 20, and 20% for target, rater, and relationship, respectively. To enhance trait variance and minimize rater variance, we designed a series of studies of personality perception in discussion groups (N = 79, 58, and 59). After completing a Big Five questionnaire, participants met 7 times in small groups. After Meetings 1 and 7, group members rated each other. By applying the Social Relations Model (D. A. Kenny and L. La Voie, 1984) to each Big Five dimension at each point in time, we were able to evaluate 6 rating effects as well as rating validity. Among the findings were that (a) target variance was the largest component (almost 30%), whereas rater variance was small (less than 11%); (b) rating validity improved significantly with acquaintance, although target variance did not; and (c) no reciprocity was found, but projection was significant for Agreeableness.

The impact of social context on learning and cognitive demands for interactive virtual human simulations

PubMed Central

Lyons, Rebecca; Johnson, Teresa R.; Khalil, Mohammed K.

2014-01-01

Interactive virtual human (IVH) simulations offer a novel method for training skills involving person-to-person interactions. This article examines the effectiveness of an IVH simulation for teaching medical students to assess rare cranial nerve abnormalities in both individual and small-group learning contexts. Individual (n = 26) and small-group (n = 30) interaction with the IVH system was manipulated to examine the influence on learning, learner engagement, perceived cognitive demands of the learning task, and instructional efficiency. Results suggested the IVH activity was an equally effective and engaging instructional tool in both learning structures, despite learners in the group learning contexts having to share hands-on access to the simulation interface. Participants in both conditions demonstrated a significant increase in declarative knowledge post-training. Operation of the IVH simulation technology imposed moderate cognitive demand but did not exceed the demands of the task content or appear to impede learning. PMID:24883241

Punishment sustains large-scale cooperation in prestate warfare

PubMed Central

Mathew, Sarah; Boyd, Robert

2011-01-01

Understanding cooperation and punishment in small-scale societies is crucial for explaining the origins of human cooperation. We studied warfare among the Turkana, a politically uncentralized, egalitarian, nomadic pastoral society in East Africa. Based on a representative sample of 88 recent raids, we show that the Turkana sustain costly cooperation in combat at a remarkably large scale, at least in part, through punishment of free-riders. Raiding parties comprised several hundred warriors and participants are not kin or day-to-day interactants. Warriors incur substantial risk of death and produce collective benefits. Cowardice and desertions occur, and are punished by community-imposed sanctions, including collective corporal punishment and fines. Furthermore, Turkana norms governing warfare benefit the ethnolinguistic group, a population of a half-million people, at the expense of smaller social groupings. These results challenge current views that punishment is unimportant in small-scale societies and that human cooperation evolved in small groups of kin and familiar individuals. Instead, these results suggest that cooperation at the larger scale of ethnolinguistic units enforced by third-party sanctions could have a deep evolutionary history in the human species. PMID:21670285

Effectiveness of an intervention at construction worksites on work engagement, social support, physical workload, and need for recovery: results from a cluster randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To prolong sustainable healthy working lives of construction workers, a worksite prevention program was developed which aimed to improve the health and work ability of construction workers. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of this program on social support at work, work engagement, physical workload and need for recovery. Methods Fifteen departments from six construction companies participated in this cluster randomized controlled trial; 8 departments (n=171 workers) were randomized to an intervention group and 7 departments (n=122 workers) to a control group. The intervention consisted of two individual training sessions of a physical therapist to lower the physical workload, a Rest-Break tool to improve the balance between work and recovery, and two empowerment training sessions to increase the influence of the construction workers at the worksite. Data on work engagement, social support at work, physical workload, and need for recovery were collected at baseline, and at three, six and 12 months after the start of the intervention using questionnaires. Results No differences between the intervention and control group were found for work engagement, social support at work, and need for recovery. At 6 months follow-up, the control group reported a small but statistically significant reduction of physical workload. Conclusion The intervention neither improved social support nor work engagement, nor was it effective in reducing the physical workload and need for recovery among construction workers. Trial registration NTR1278 PMID:23171354

Reduced emotional empathy in adults with subclinical ADHD: evidence from the empathy and systemizing quotient.

PubMed

Groen, Y; den Heijer, A E; Fuermaier, A B M; Althaus, M; Tucha, O

2018-06-01

Studies in children with ADHD suggest impairments in social cognitive functions, whereas studies in adults with ADHD are scarce and inconclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between ADHD traits and self-reported social cognitive style in a sample of adults from the general population. For this purpose, a community sample of 685 adults filled out online self-report questionnaires about ADHD symptoms (ADHD Rating Scale, ARS), social cognitive functioning and friendships. The Empathy Quotient (EQ) with the subscales Cognitive Empathy (CE), Emotional Empathy (EE) and Social Skills (SS), and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ) were included for measuring social cognitive style and the Friendship Questionnaire (FQ) for the quality of friendships. Participants who met the DSM-5 criteria on the ARS ('subclinical ADHD'; n = 56) were compared regarding their social cognitive functioning scores with a control group (n = 56) that was matched for age, sex and student status. With small effect sizes, the subclinical ADHD group showed reduced EE scores on the EQ and a more male social cognitive profile. This result was not influenced by sex or ADHD subtype. This study points to a relationship between traits of ADHD and the emotional aspect of empathy, whereas more complex aspects of empathy were unrelated. These findings should be corroborated in clinical patients with ADHD, employing neuropsychological tests rather than self-report questionnaires.

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers live longer in small than in large colonies

PubMed Central

Rueppell, Olav; Kaftanouglu, Osman; Page, Robert E.

2009-01-01

Social insect colonies are highly integrated units that can be regarded in some respects as superorganisms, with colony size and individuals analogous to body size and cells in unitary organisms. In both, unitary organisms and superorganisms, the relation between body/colony size and lifespan of the constituent units (cells/individuals) is important for understanding systemic aging but remains to be explored. Therefore, this study compared the life-history and longevity of individual honey bee workers between a large and a small colony social environment. We found that individuals in large colonies were consistently shorter lived than individuals in small colonies. This experimental effect occurred in both principal life history phases of honey bee workers, the in-hive and the foraging stage, independently of the age of the workers at their transition between the two. Nevertheless, this age of first foraging was a key determinant of worker longevity, in accordance with previous studies. The large colonies raised more brood, built more comb, and foraged at higher rates. Our results do not comply with the idea that social group size has a positive effect on individual longevity. Instead, our findings suggest that large and small colonies follow different demographic growth trajectories, trading off longevity of individuals for overall colony growth. Similarly, multi-cellular organisms might sacrifice maintenance and repair of their individual constituent cells for enhanced metabolic activity and organismal growth, leading to the widely-observed negative correlation between longevity and body size within species. PMID:19389467

Greater Internet use is not associated with faster growth in political polarization among US demographic groups

PubMed Central

Boxell, Levi; Gentzkow, Matthew; Shapiro, Jesse M.

2017-01-01

We combine eight previously proposed measures to construct an index of political polarization among US adults. We find that polarization has increased the most among the demographic groups least likely to use the Internet and social media. Our overall index and all but one of the individual measures show greater increases for those older than 65 than for those aged 18–39. A linear model estimated at the age-group level implies that the Internet explains a small share of the recent growth in polarization. PMID:28928150

Framing effects: behavioral dynamics and neural basis.

PubMed

Zheng, Hongming; Wang, X T; Zhu, Liqi

2010-09-01

This study examined the neural basis of framing effects using life-death decision problems framed either positively in terms of lives saved or negatively in terms of lives lost in large group and small group contexts. Using functional MRI we found differential brain activations to the verbal and social cues embedded in the choice problems. In large group contexts, framing effects were significant where participants were more risk seeking under the negative (loss) framing than under the positive (gain) framing. This behavioral difference in risk preference was mainly regulated by the activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus, including the homologue of the Broca's area. In contrast, framing effects diminished in small group contexts while the insula and parietal lobe in the right hemisphere were distinctively activated, suggesting an important role of emotion in switching choice preference from an indecisive mode to a more consistent risk-taking inclination, governed by a kith-and-kin decision rationality. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory rhesus macaque social housing and social changes: Implications for research.

PubMed

Hannibal, Darcy L; Bliss-Moreau, Eliza; Vandeleest, Jessica; McCowan, Brenda; Capitanio, John

2017-01-01

Macaque species, specifically rhesus (Macaca mulatta), are the most common nonhuman primates (NHPs) used in biomedical research due to their suitability as a model of high priority diseases (e.g., HIV, obesity, cognitive aging), cost effective breeding and housing compared to most other NHPs, and close evolutionary relationship to humans. With this close evolutionary relationship, however, is a shared adaptation for a socially stimulating environment, without which both their welfare and suitability as a research model are compromised. While outdoor social group housing provides the best approximation of a social environment that matches the macaque behavioral biology in the wild, this is not always possible at all facilities, where animals may be housed indoors in small groups, in pairs, or alone. Further, animals may experience many housing changes in their lifetime depending on project needs, changes in social status, management needs, or health concerns. Here, we review the evidence for the physiological and health effects of social housing changes and the potential impacts on research outcomes for studies using macaques, particularly rhesus. We situate our review in the context of increasing regulatory pressure for research facilities to both house NHPs socially and mitigate trauma from social aggression. To meet these regulatory requirements and further refine the macaque model for research, significant advances must be made in our understanding and management of rhesus macaque social housing, particularly pair-housing since it is the most common social housing configuration for macaques while on research projects. Because most NHPs are adapted for sociality, a social context is likely important for improving repeatability, reproducibility, and external validity of primate biomedical research. Am. J. Primatol. 79:e22528, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Developmental trajectories of aggression, prosocial behavior, and social-cognitive problem solving in emerging adolescents with clinically elevated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms.

PubMed

Kofler, Michael J; Larsen, Ross; Sarver, Dustin E; Tolan, Patrick H

2015-11-01

Middle school is a critical yet understudied period of social behavioral risks and opportunities that may be particularly difficult for emerging adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) given their childhood social difficulties. Relatively few ADHD studies have examined social behavior and social-cognitive problem solving beyond the elementary years, or examined aspects of positive (prosocial) behavior. The current study examined how middle school students with clinically elevated ADHD symptoms differ from their non-ADHD peers on baseline (6th grade) and age-related changes in prosocial and aggressive behavior, and the extent to which social-cognitive problem solving strategies mediate these relations. Emerging adolescents with (n = 178) and without (n = 3,806) clinically elevated, teacher-reported ADHD-combined symptoms were compared longitudinally across 6th through 8th grades using parallel process latent growth curve modeling, accounting for student demographic characteristics, oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms, deviant peer association, school climate, and parental monitoring. Sixth graders with elevated ADHD symptoms engaged in somewhat fewer prosocial behaviors (d = -0.44) and more aggressive behavior (d = 0.20) relative to their peers. These small social behavioral deficits decreased but were not normalized across the middle school years. Contrary to hypotheses, social-cognitive problem solving was not impaired in the ADHD group after accounting for co-occurring ODD symptoms and did not mediate the association between ADHD and social behavior during the middle school years. ADHD and social-cognitive problem solving contributed independently to social behavior, both in 6th grade and across the middle school years; the influence of social-cognitive problem solving on social behavior was highly similar for the ADHD and non-ADHD groups. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Laboratory Rhesus Macaque Social Housing and Social Changes: Implications for Research

PubMed Central

Hannibal, Darcy L; Bliss-Moreau, Eliza; Vandeleest, Jessica; McCowan, Brenda; Capitanio, John

2017-01-01

Macaque species, specifically rhesus (Macaca mulatta), are the most common nonhuman primates (NHPs) used in biomedical research due to their suitability as a model of high priority diseases (e.g., HIV, obesity, cognitive aging), cost effective breeding and housing compared to most other NHPs, and close evolutionary relationship to humans. With this close evolutionary relationship, however, is a shared adaptation for a socially stimulating environment, without which both their welfare and suitability as a research model are compromised. While outdoor social group housing provides the best approximation of a social environment that matches the macaque behavioral biology in the wild, this is not always possible at all facilities, where animals may be housed indoors in small groups, in pairs, or alone. Further, animals may experience many housing changes in their lifetime depending on project needs, changes in social status, management needs, or health concerns. Here we review the evidence for the physiological and health effects of social housing changes and the potential impacts on research outcomes for studies using macaques, particularly rhesus. We situate our review in the context of increasing regulatory pressure for research facilities to both house NHPs socially and mitigate trauma from social aggression. To meet these regulatory requirements and further refine the macaque model for research, significant advances must be made in our understanding and management of rhesus macaque social housing, particularly pair-housing since it is the most common social housing configuration for macaques while on research projects. Because most NHPs are adapted for sociality, a social context is likely important for improving repeatability, reproducibility, and external validity of primate biomedical research. PMID:26848542

Conversational behaviour of children with Asperger syndrome and conduct disorder.

PubMed

Adams, Catherine; Green, Jonathan; Gilchrist, Anne; Cox, Anthony

2002-07-01

Social communication problems in individuals who have Asperger syndrome constitute one of the most significant problems in the syndrome. This study makes a systematic analysis of the difficulties demonstrated with the use of language (pragmatics) in adolescents who have Asperger syndrome. Recent advances in discourse analysis were applied to conversational samples from a group of children with Asperger syndrome and a matched control group of children with severe conduct disorder. Two types of conversation were sampled from each group, differing in emotional content. The results showed that in these contexts children with Asperger syndrome were no more verbose as a group than controls, though they showed a tendency to talk more in more emotion-based conversations. Children with Asperger syndrome, as a group, performed similarly to control subjects in ability to respond to questions and comments. However, they were more likely to show responses which were problematic in both types of conversation. In addition, individuals with Asperger syndrome showed more problems in general conversation than during more emotionally and socially loaded topics. The group with Asperger syndrome was found to contain a small number of individuals with extreme verbosity but this was not a reliable characteristic of the group as a whole.

Improving community development by linking agriculture, nutrition and education: design of a randomised trial of “home-grown” school feeding in Mali

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Providing food through schools has well documented effects in terms of the education, health and nutrition of school children. However, there is limited evidence in terms of the benefits of providing a reliable market for small-holder farmers through “home-grown” school feeding approaches. This study aims to evaluate the impact of school feeding programmes sourced from small-holder farmers on small-holder food security, as well as on school children’s education, health and nutrition in Mali. In addition, this study will examine the links between social accountability and programme performance. Design This is a field experiment planned around the scale-up of the national school feeding programme, involving 116 primary schools in 58 communities in food insecure areas of Mali. The randomly assigned interventions are: 1) a school feeding programme group, including schools and villages where the standard government programme is implemented; 2) a “home-grown” school feeding and social accountability group, including schools and villages where the programme is implemented in addition to training of community based organisations and local government; and 3) the control group, including schools and household from villages where the intervention will be delayed by at least two years, preferably without informing schools and households. Primary outcomes include small-holder farmer income, school participation and learning, and community involvement in the programme. Other outcomes include nutritional status and diet-diversity. The evaluation will follow a mixed method approach, including household, school and village level surveys as well as focus group discussions with small-holder farmers, school children, parents and community members. The impact evaluation will be incorporated within the national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system strengthening activities that are currently underway in Mali. Baselines surveys are planned for 2012. A monthly process monitoring visits, spot checks and quarterly reporting will be undertaken as part of the regular programme monitoring activities. Evaluation surveys are planned for 2014. Discussion National governments in sub-Saharan Africa have demonstrated strong leadership in the response to the recent food and financial crises by scaling-up school feeding programmes. “Home-grown” school feeding programmes have the potential to link the increased demand for school feeding goods and services to community-based stakeholders, including small-holder farmers and women’s groups. Alongside assessing the more traditional benefits to school children, this evaluation will be the first to examine the impact of linking school food service provision to small-holder farmer income, as well as the link between community level engagement and programme performance. Trial registration ISRCTN76705891 PMID:23433395

Resilience and challenges of marine social-ecological systems under complex and interconnected drivers.

PubMed

Villasante, Sebastián; Macho, Gonzalo; Antelo, Manel; Rodríguez-González, David; Kaiser, Michel J

2013-12-01

In this paper, we summarize the contributions made by an interdisciplinary group of researchers from different disciplines (biology, ecology, economics, and law) that deal with key dimensions of marine social-ecological systems. Particularly, the local and global seafood provision; the feasibility and management of marine protected areas; the use of marine ecosystem services; the institutional dimension in European fisheries, and the affordable models for providing scientific advice to small-scale fisheries. This Special Issue presents key findings from selected case studies around the world available to educators, policy makers, and the technical community. Together, these papers show that a range of diverse ecological, economic, social, and institutional components often mutually interact at spatial and temporal scales, which evidence that managing marine social-ecological systems needs a continuous adaptability to navigate into new governance systems.

A quasi-randomized feasibility pilot study of specific treatments to improve emotion recognition and mental-state reasoning impairments in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Marsh, Pamela Jane; Polito, Vince; Singh, Subba; Coltheart, Max; Langdon, Robyn; Harris, Anthony W

2016-10-24

Impaired ability to make inferences about what another person might think or feel (i.e., social cognition impairment) is recognised as a core feature of schizophrenia and a key determinant of the poor social functioning that characterizes this illness. The development of treatments to target social cognitive impairments as a causal factor of impaired functioning in schizophrenia is of high priority. In this study, we investigated the acceptability, feasibility, and limited efficacy of 2 programs targeted at specific domains of social cognition in schizophrenia: "SoCog" Mental-State Reasoning Training (SoCog-MSRT) and "SoCog" Emotion Recognition Training (SoCog-ERT). Thirty-one participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were allocated to either SoCog-MSRT (n = 19) or SoCog-ERT (n = 12). Treatment comprised 12 twice-weekly sessions for 6 weeks. Participants underwent assessments of social cognition, neurocognition and symptoms at baseline, post-training and 3-months after completing training. Attendance at training sessions was high with an average of 89.29 % attendance in the SoCog-MSRT groups and 85.42 % in the SoCog-ERT groups. Participants also reported the 2 programs as enjoyable and beneficial. Both SoCog-MSRT and SoCog-ERT groups showed increased scores on a false belief reasoning task and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test. The SoCog-MSRT group also showed reduced personalising attributional biases in a small number of participants, while the SoCog-ERT group showed improved emotion recognition. The results are promising and support the feasibility and acceptability of the 2 SoCog programs as well as limited efficacy to improve social cognitive abilities in schizophrenia. There is also some evidence that skills for the recognition of basic facial expressions need specific training. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000978763 . Retrospectively registered 3/09/2013.

Increases in New Social Network Ties are Associated with Increased Cohesion among Intervention Participants

PubMed Central

Gesell, Sabina B.; Barkin, Shari L.; Sommer, Evan C.; Thompson, Jessica R.; Valente, Thomas W.

2016-01-01

Objective Many behavior change programs are delivered in group settings to manage implementation costs and to foster support and interactions among group members to facilitate behavior change. Understanding the group dynamics that evolve in group settings (e.g., weight management, Alcoholics Anonymous) is important, yet rarely measured. This paper examined the relationship between social network ties and group cohesion in a group-based intervention to prevent obesity in children. Method The data reported are process measures from an ongoing community-based randomized controlled trial. 305 parents with a child (3-6 years) at risk of developing obesity were assigned to an intervention that taught parents healthy lifestyles. Parents met weekly for 12 weeks in small consistent groups. Two measures were collected at weeks 3 and 6: a social network survey (people in the group with whom one discusses healthy lifestyles); and the validated Perceived Cohesion Scale (Bollen & Hoyle, 1990). We used lagged random and fixed effects regression models to analyze the data. Results Cohesion increased from 6.51 to 6.71 (t=4.4, p<0.01). Network nominations tended to increase over the 3-week period in each network. In the combined discussion and advice network, the number of nominations increased from 1.76 to 1.95 (z=2.59, p<0.01). Cohesion at week 3 was the strongest predictor of cohesion at week 6 (b=0.55, p<0.01). Number of new network nominations at week 6 was positively related to cohesion at week 6 (b=0.06, p<.01). In sum, being able to name new network contacts was associated with feelings of cohesion. Conclusion This is the first study to demonstrate how network changes affect perceived group cohesion within a behavioral intervention. Given that many behavioral interventions occur in group settings, intentionally building new social networks could be promising to augment desired outcomes. PMID:26286298

Linking social capital and mortality in the elderly: a Swedish national cohort study.

PubMed

Sundquist, Kristina; Hamano, Tsuyoshi; Li, Xinjun; Kawakami, Naomi; Shiwaku, Kuninori; Sundquist, Jan

2014-07-01

Our objective was to examine the association between neighborhood linking social capital (a concept describing the amount of trust between individuals and societal institutions) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the elderly. The entire Swedish population aged 65+, a total of 1,517,336 men and women, was followed from 1 January 2002 until death, emigration, or the end of the study on 31 December 2010. Small geographic units were used to define neighborhoods. The definition of linking social capital was based on neighborhood voting participation rates, categorized into three groups. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and between-neighborhood variance in three different models. The results showed an overall association between linking social capital and all-cause mortality. The significant OR of 1.53 in the group with low linking social capital decreased, but remained significant (OR=1.27), after accounting for age, sex, family income, marital status, country of birth, education level, and region of residence. There were also significant associations between linking social capital and cause-specific mortality in coronary heart disease, psychiatric disorders, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, type 2 diabetes, and suicide. There are associations between low linking social capital and mortality from chronic disorders and suicide in the elderly population. Community support for elderly people living in neighborhoods with low levels of linking social capital may need to be strengthened. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

a New Dynamic Community Model for Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhe-Ming; Wu, Zhen; Guo, Shi-Ze; Chen, Zhe; Song, Guang-Hua

2014-09-01

In this paper, based on the phenomenon that individuals join into and jump from the organizations in the society, we propose a dynamic community model to construct social networks. Two parameters are adopted in our model, one is the communication rate Pa that denotes the connection strength in the organization and the other is the turnover rate Pb, that stands for the frequency of jumping among the organizations. Based on simulations, we analyze not only the degree distribution, the clustering coefficient, the average distance and the network diameter but also the group distribution which is closely related to their community structure. Moreover, we discover that the networks generated by the proposed model possess the small-world property and can well reproduce the networks of social contacts.

The Social Functioning of Siblings of Children With Cancer: A Multi-Informant Investigation

PubMed Central

Stanley, Caroline; Conroy, Rowena; Long, Kristin A.; Fairclough, Diane L.; Kazak, Anne E.; Noll, Robert B.

2015-01-01

Objective This study examined social functioning among siblings of children with cancer. Method A case–control design was applied to school- and home-based data from multiple informants (peers, teachers, mothers, and self). Social reputation and peer acceptance within the classroom was compared for 87 siblings (aged 8–16 years) and 256 demographically matched peers. Self-perceptions of peer relationships and parent-reported social competence were examined among 67 siblings and 67 matched comparisons.  Results Peer reports (N = 1,633) indicated no differences between siblings and comparisons for social reputation, number of friendships, reciprocated friendships, or peer acceptance. Self-reported prosocial behavior and teacher-reported likability were higher for siblings than comparisons. Self-reported loneliness, friendship quality, and perceived social support did not differ between groups. Mothers reported less involvement in activities and poorer school performance for siblings than comparisons. Conclusions Peer relationships of siblings of children with cancer are similar to classmates, though they experience small decrements in activity participation and school performance. PMID:25256156

Peer interactions and academic engagement of youth with developmental disabilities in inclusive middle and high school classrooms.

PubMed

Carter, Erik W; Sisco, Lynn G; Brown, Lissa; Brickham, Dana; Al-Khabbaz, Zainab A

2008-11-01

We examined the peer interactions and academic engagement of 23 middle and high school students with developmental disabilities within inclusive academic and elective classrooms. The extent to which students with and without disabilities interacted socially was highly variable and influenced by instructional format, the proximity of general and special educators, and curricular area. Peer interactions occurred more often within small group instructional formats, when students were not receiving direct support from a paraprofessional or special educator, and in elective courses. Academic engagement also varied, with higher levels evidenced during one-to-one or small group instruction and when in proximity of general or special educators. Implications for designing effective support strategies for students with autism and/or intellectual disability within general education classrooms are discussed.

Small-Group Technology-Assisted Instruction: Virtual Teacher and Robot Peer for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Saadatzi, Mohammad Nasser; Pennington, Robert C; Welch, Karla C; Graham, James H

2018-06-20

The authors combined virtual reality technology and social robotics to develop a tutoring system that resembled a small-group arrangement. This tutoring system featured a virtual teacher instructing sight words, and included a humanoid robot emulating a peer. The authors used a multiple-probe design across word sets to evaluate the effects of the instructional package on the explicit acquisition and vicarious learning of sight words instructed to three children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the robot peer. Results indicated that participants acquired, maintained, and generalized 100% of the words explicitly instructed to them, made fewer errors while learning the words common between them and the robot peer, and vicariously learned 94% of the words solely instructed to the robot.

Social competence and learning difficulties: Teacher perceptions.

PubMed

Wight, Megan; Chapparo, Christine

2008-12-01

Social competence has been linked to children's classroom performance with three out of four children with learning difficulties reported to have problems with social skills. Social participation remains a predominant childhood occupation and a key indicator of school performance. Occupational therapists work with teachers to accurately assess the social performance of children in context and to provide targeted intervention. There is limited research about what teachers perceive are the specific nature of social difficulties experienced by children with learning difficulties in the classroom. This study investigated teacher perceptions of the social competence of a small sample of Australian boys with learning difficulties within the classroom context. The Teacher Skillstreaming Checklist was used to investigate teacher perceptions of the social abilities of 21 primary school aged boys with learning difficulties compared to a control group. A correlational analysis was used to examine the relationship. The study identified that the boys with learning difficulties were perceived by their teachers as having poorer social performance across multiple domains when compared to their typically developing peers. Implications of these findings are that children's social performance may negatively impact learning and classroom participation and that for some children, social competence should be a focus of occupational therapy assessment and treatment.

White matter hyperintensities associated with small vessel disease impair social cognition beside attention and memory.

PubMed

Kynast, Jana; Lampe, Leonie; Luck, Tobias; Frisch, Stefan; Arelin, Katrin; Hoffmann, Karl-Titus; Loeffler, Markus; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G; Villringer, Arno; Schroeter, Matthias L

2018-06-01

Age-related white matter hyperintensities (WMH) are a manifestation of white matter damage seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They are related to vascular risk factors and cognitive impairment. This study investigated the cognitive profile at different stages of WMH in a large community-dwelling sample; 849 subjects aged 21 to 79 years were classified on the 4-stage Fazekas scale according to hyperintense lesions seen on individual T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI scans. The evaluation of cognitive functioning included seven domains of cognitive performance and five domains of subjective impairment, as proposed by the DSM-5. For the first time, the impact of age-related WMH on Theory of Mind was investigated. Differences between Fazekas groups were analyzed non-parametrically and effect sizes were computed. Effect sizes revealed a slight overall cognitive decline in Fazekas groups 1 and 2 relative to healthy subjects. Fazekas group 3 presented substantial decline in social cognition, attention and memory, although characterized by a high inter-individual variability. WMH groups reported subjective cognitive decline. We demonstrate that extensive WMH are associated with specific impairment in attention, memory, social cognition, and subjective cognitive performance. The detailed neuropsychological characterization of WMH offers new therapeutic possibilities for those affected by vascular cognitive decline.

Transportability of imagery-enhanced CBT for social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

McEvoy, Peter M; Erceg-Hurn, David M; Barber, Kevin C; Dupasquier, Jessica R; Moscovitch, David A

2018-07-01

Pilot and open trials suggest that imagery-enhanced group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is highly effective for social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, before being considered reliable and generalisable, the effects of the intervention need to be replicated by clinicians in a setting that is independent of the protocol developers. The current study compared outcomes from clients with a principal diagnosis of SAD at the Australian clinic where the protocol was developed (n = 123) to those from an independent Canadian clinic (n = 46) to investigate whether the large effects would generalise. Trainee clinicians from the independent clinic ran the groups using the treatment protocol without any input from its developers. The treatment involved 12 2-h group sessions plus a one-month follow-up. Treatment retention was comparable across both clinics (74% vs. 78%, ≥9/12 sessions) and the between-site effect size was very small and non-significant on the primary outcome (social interaction anxiety, d = 0.09, p = .752). Within-group effect sizes were very large in both settings (ds = 2.05 vs. 2.19), and a substantial minority (41%-44%) achieved clinically significant improvement at follow-up. Replication of treatment effects within an independent clinic and with trainee clinicians increases confidence that outcomes are generalisable. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"What I believe is true": Belief-confirming reasoning bias in social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Vroling, Maartje S; Glashouwer, Klaske A; Lange, Wolf-Gero; Allart-van Dam, Esther; de Jong, Peter J

2016-12-01

Research shows that people tend to consider believable conclusions as valid and unbelievable conclusions as invalid (belief bias). When applied to anxiogenic beliefs, this belief bias could well hinder the correction of dysfunctional convictions. Previous work has shown that high socially anxious students indeed display such fear-confirming, belief biased, reasoning. A critical next question is whether these findings translate to a clinical population of people with social anxiety disorder (SAD). We test whether (i) patients with SAD show belief bias with regard to SAD-relevant themes, (ii) this belief bias is specific for SAD patients or can also be found in panic disorder (PD) patients, (iii) differential belief bias effects in SAD are restricted to social anxiety concerns or are also evident in the context of reasoning with neutral themes. 45 SAD patients, 24 PD patients, and 45 non-symptomatic controls (NSCs) completed a syllogistic belief bias task with SAD-relevant and neutral content. SAD patients displayed belief bias for social anxiety related materials, while the PD group and the NSC group did not. Yet, the difference between SAD and PD was not significant. All groups showed similar belief bias effects for neutral content. Content of the belief bias task was not tailored to idiosyncratic beliefs. The study lacked power to detect medium or small differences. SAD patients showed concern-congruent belief biased interference effects when judging the logical validity of social anxiety relevant syllogisms. Such concern-relevant belief bias may contribute to the persistence of anxiogenic beliefs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coming to America: The Influence of College-Themed Movies on Perceptions of International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Brian

2013-01-01

Films represent a powerful medium for shaping and informing perceptions of a wide range of social structures and institutions, including higher education. Colleges and universities in the United States have been the subject or setting of dozens of films. The purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of a small group of films released in…

The Effect of Social Grounding on Collaboration in a Computer-Mediated Small Group Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahern, Terence C.; Thomas, Julie A.; Tallent-Runnels, Mary K.; Lan, William Y.; Cooper, Sandra; Lu, Xiaoming; Cyrus, Jacqui

2006-01-01

There is a tremendous amount of pressure on educators to incorporate highly advanced computer-mediated communication (CMC) into the classroom, but the research shows that this is not an easy task. Part of the difficulty learners experience within current network applications is a lack of support from the design of the software for the development…

The Language of Ideas and the Language of Display: Reconceptualizing "Academic Language" in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunch, George C.

2014-01-01

Introducing a distinction between language of ideas and language of display as a means of reconceptualizing what counts as "academic" language, I examine one brief stretch of talk by a small group of linguistically diverse 7th grade students in a U.S. mainstream social studies classroom designed to maximize academic and language…

All Beer and Skittles? A Qualitative Pilot Study of the Role of Alcohol in University College Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Clarissa

2012-01-01

This paper reports the results of a small qualitative pilot study on the role of alcohol in college life, undertaken at three residential colleges at an Australian university. Focus groups (involving 43 students aged between 17 and 23 years) investigated participants' views of the social functions of alcohol in the residential college environment.…

Exploring the World of Sports. Linking Fiction to Nonfiction. Literature Bridges to Social Studies Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Phyllis J.

This book is designed to help elementary teachers plan an integrated unit of study involving sports. It links popular fiction titles on the topic of sports to related nonfiction titles that will fascinate young readers and build their knowledge across the curriculum. The book includes suggestions for individual, small group, and large group…

The Multigrade Classroom: A Resource Handbook for Small, Rural Schools. Book 1: Review of the Research on Multigrade Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vincent, Susan, Ed.

In multigrade instruction, children of at least a 2-year grade span and diverse ability levels are grouped in a single classroom and share experiences involving intellectual, academic, and social skills. "The Multigrade Classroom" is a seven-book series that provides an overview of current research on multigrade instruction, identifies…

The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longitudinal Studies. Research Report #55

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catterall, James S.

2012-01-01

This report examines the academic and civic behavior outcomes of teenagers and young adults who have engaged deeply with the arts in or out of school. In several small-group studies, children and teenagers who participated in arts education programs have shown more positive academic and social outcomes in comparison to students who did not…

Classroom Use of Multimedia-Supported Predict--Observe--Explain Tasks in a Social Constructivist Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearney, Matthew

2004-01-01

This paper focuses on the use of multimedia-based predict--observe--explain (POE) tasks to facilitate small group learning conversations. Although the tasks were given to pairs of students as a diagnostic tool to elicit their pre-instructional physics conceptions, they also provided a peer learning opportunity for students. The study adopted a…

Emotional Expressiveness during Peer Conflicts: A Predictor of Social Maladjustment among High-Risk Preschoolers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Alison L.; Olson, Sheryl L.

This study examined the relationship of individual differences in peer sociometric status and teacher ratings of disruptive behavior, and preschool boys' emotion displays during conflicts with mixed-sex peers. Sixty 4- and 5-year-old boys from low-income families were videotaped with a small group of classmates in a Head Start preschool classroom.…

Community College Mentors: The Development and Uses of Cultural and Social Capital to Interrupt Marginalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debro, Karl G.

2012-01-01

The topic of this study is a community college mentoring program, connecting small groups of students with a campus employee. The mentoring program was a feature in a pilot AVID student success class. Specifically, this study attempts to answer the following questions: How do AVID College Mentors develop genuine relationships with their Mentees?…

Volunteer English as a Second Language Instructional Program for Non-English Speaking Adults. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catholic Social Services, Harrisburg, PA.

The primary goal of a multi-purpose project was to utilize both Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and Laubach Literacy Action (LLA) in training volunteers to teach English to refugees. Catholic Social Services trained 163 volunteers who were placed in adult basic education (ABE) classes, small group instruction settings, and one-to-one tutoring…

Inferred Paternity and Male Reproductive Success in a Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Population.

PubMed

Ford, Michael J; Hanson, M Bradley; Hempelmann, Jennifer A; Ayres, Katherine L; Emmons, Candice K; Schorr, Gregory S; Baird, Robin W; Balcomb, Kenneth C; Wasser, Samuel K; Parsons, Kim M; Balcomb-Bartok, Kelly

2011-01-01

We used data from 78 individuals at 26 microsatellite loci to infer parental and sibling relationships within a community of fish-eating ("resident") eastern North Pacific killer whales (Orcinus orca). Paternity analysis involving 15 mother/calf pairs and 8 potential fathers and whole-pedigree analysis of the entire sample produced consistent results. The variance in male reproductive success was greater than expected by chance and similar to that of other aquatic mammals. Although the number of confirmed paternities was small, reproductive success appeared to increase with male age and size. We found no evidence that males from outside this small population sired any of the sampled individuals. In contrast to previous results in a different population, many offspring were the result of matings within the same "pod" (long-term social group). Despite this pattern of breeding within social groups, we found no evidence of offspring produced by matings between close relatives, and the average internal relatedness of individuals was significantly less than expected if mating were random. The population's estimated effective size was <30 or about 1/3 of the current census size. Patterns of allele frequency variation were consistent with a population bottleneck.

Effect of neighbourhood deprivation and social cohesion on mental health inequality: a multilevel population-based longitudinal study.

PubMed

Fone, D; White, J; Farewell, D; Kelly, M; John, G; Lloyd, K; Williams, G; Dunstan, F

2014-08-01

The common mental disorders (CMDs) of anxiety and depression are the most common form of poor mental health in the general population. Evidence from the small number of previous cohort studies on the role of neighbourhood factors in mental health is inconclusive. We tested the hypothesis that high levels of neighbourhood social cohesion modify an adverse association between change in individual mental health and neighbourhood deprivation. We carried out a longitudinal multilevel analysis using data from the Caerphilly Health and Social Needs Cohort Study with a 7-year follow-up (n = 4426; age range 18-74 years at baseline). Neighbourhood deprivation and neighbourhood social cohesion were assessed at baseline and change in mental health between follow-up and baseline was assessed using the five-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5). Residence in the most deprived neighbourhoods was negatively associated with change in mental health, after adjusting for baseline individual socio-economic risk factors and transitions in life events. This negative effect was significantly reduced in high social cohesion neighbourhoods. The predicted change in mental health score was calculated for the 10th and 90th centiles of the household low-income distribution. The difference between them was -2.8 in the low social cohesion group and 1.1 in the high cohesion group. The difference between the groups was 3.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2-7.6]. The public health burden of poor mental health and mental health inequality could potentially be reduced by strengthening social cohesion in deprived neighbourhoods. This offers a mechanism to address the adverse effect of neighbourhood deprivation on population mental health.

Mapping the social impacts of small dams: The case of Thailand's Ing River basin.

PubMed

Fung, Zali; Pomun, Teerapong; Charles, Katrina J; Kirchherr, Julian

2018-05-24

The social impacts of large dams have been studied extensively. However, small dams' social impacts have been largely neglected by the academic community. Our paper addresses this gap. We examine the social impacts of multiple small dams in one upstream and one downstream village in Thailand's Ing River basin. Our research is based on semi-structured interviews with beneficiaries, government and NGOs. We argue that small dams' social impacts are multi-faceted and unequal. The dams were perceived to reduce fish abundance and provide flood mitigation benefits. Furthermore, the dams enabled increased access to irrigation water for upstream farmers, who re-appropriated water via the dams at the expense of those downstream. The small dams thus engendered water allocation conflicts. Many scholars, practitioners and environmentalists argue that small dams are a benign alternative to large dams. However, the results of our research mandate caution regarding this claim.

Evaluating a cognitive/ecological program for the prevention of aggression among urban children.

PubMed

Huesmann, L R; Maxwell, C D; Eron, L; Dahlberg, L L; Guerra, N G; Tolan, P H; VanAcker, R; Henry, D

1996-01-01

The Metropolitan Area Child Study (MACS) is a multifaceted school- and family-based intervention and evaluation study designed to prevent and understand the development of aggressive behavior. The multifaceted interventions are grounded in combined social-cognitive and ecologic theories. Social-cognitive theories contend that cognitive scripts, attributions, and beliefs acquired early in life mediate the effects of ecological factors that influence the development of antisocial behavior. Prevention programs aimed at these cognitions must address multiple dimensions of the child's environment including family, peer, school, and community. The program has three levels of intervention delivered in two-year segments: (1) Level 1: a general enhancement classroom intervention that stresses culturally sensitive student and teacher interaction involving instructional and classroom management strategies and a social-cognitive curriculum that mitigates aggressive development; (2) Level 2: intensive small-group sessions designed to change children's cognitions and enhance peer relationship skills for at-risk children added to the general classroom enhancement program; and (3) Level 3: a one-year family relationship intervention that stresses parenting skill building and emotional responsiveness in family interactions added to the general enhancement and small-group training conditions. Sixteen Chicago-area schools are randomly assigned (four each) to a control group or one of the three intervention levels. Individual child assessment, peer assessments, classroom behavioral observations, and archival data are collected before the interventions begin, during the interventions, at the end of each intervention, and at a follow-up point. The pretests indicate that the children on average have higher levels of aggression than found nationally and elevated clinical levels of other psychopathologies. Across the four intervention levels there are no significant differences in ethnic composition, socio-economic status (SES), aggressive behavior, and normative beliefs about aggression.

Characteristics of small areas with high rates of hospital-treated self-harm: deprived, fragmented and urban or just close to hospital? A national registry study.

PubMed

O'Farrell, I B; Corcoran, P; Perry, I J

2015-02-01

Previous research has shown an inconsistent relationship between the spatial distribution of hospital treated self-harm and area-level factors such as deprivation and social fragmentation. However, many of these studies have been confined to urban centres, with few focusing on rural settings and even fewer studies carried out at a national level. Furthermore, no previous research has investigated if travel time to hospital services can explain the area-level variation in the incidence of hospital treated self-harm. From 2009 to 2011, the Irish National Registry of Deliberate Self Harm collected data on self-harm presentations to all hospital emergency departments in the country. The Registry uses standard methods of case ascertainment and also geocodes patient addresses to small area geographical level. Negative binomial regression was used to explore the ecological relationship between area-level self-harm rates and various area-level factors. Deprivation, social fragmentation and population density had a positive linear association with self-harm, with deprivation having the strongest independent effect. Furthermore, self-harm incidence was found to be elevated in areas that had shorter journey times to hospital. However, while this association became attenuated after controlling for other area-level factors it still remained statistically significant. A subgroup analysis examining the effect of travel time on specific methods of self-harm, found that this effect was most marked for self-harm acts involving minor self-cutting. Self-harm incidence was influenced by proximity to hospital services, population density and social fragmentation; however, the strongest area-level predictor of self-harm was deprivation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Sociogenetic structure, kin associations and bonding in delphinids.

PubMed

Möller, Luciana M

2012-02-01

Social systems are the outcomes of natural and sexual selection on individuals' efforts to maximize reproductive success. Ecological conditions, life history, demography traits and social aspects have been recognized as important factors shaping social systems. Delphinids show a wide range of social structures and large variation in life history traits and inhabit several aquatic environments. They are therefore an excellent group in which to investigate the interplay of ecological and intrinsic factors on the evolution of mammalian social systems in these environments. Here I synthetize results from genetic studies on dispersal patterns, genetic relatedness, kin associations and mating patterns and combine with ecological, life history and phylogenetic data to predict the formation of kin associations and bonding in these animals. I show that environment type impacts upon dispersal tendencies, with small delphinids generally exhibiting female-biased philopatry in inshore waters and bisexual dispersal in coastal and pelagic waters. When female philopatry occurs, they develop moderate social bonds with related females. Male bonding occurs in species with small male-biased sexual size dimorphism and male-biased operational sex ratio, and it is independent of dispersal tendencies. By contrast, large delphinids, which live in coastal and pelagic waters, show bisexual philopatry and live in matrilineal societies. I propose that sexual conflict favoured the formation of these stable societies and in turn facilitated the development of kin-biased behaviours. Studies on populations of the same species inhabiting disparate environments, and of less related species living in similar habitats, would contribute towards a comprehensive framework for the evolution of delphinid social systems. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Weakening of Kin Ties: Exploring the Need for Life-World Led Interventions

PubMed Central

Schout, Gert; de Jong, Gideon

2018-01-01

The protective features that families and wider social relationships can have are required to meet the demands of life in contemporary Western societies. Choice and detraditionalization, however; impede this source of solidarity. Family Group Conferencing (FGC) and other life-world led interventions have the potential to strengthen primary groups. This paper explores the need for such a social intervention, using insights from sociological and philosophical theories and empirical findings from a case study of the research project ‘FGC in mental health’. This need is understandable considering the weakening of kin ties, the poor qualities of state agencies to mobilise self-care and informal care, its capacity to produce a shift of power from public to private spheres and its capacity to mitigate the co-isolation of individuals, families and communities. A life-world led intervention like FGC with a specific and modest ambition contributes to small-scale solidarity. This ambition is not inclined to establish a broad social cohesion within society but to restore; in terms of the German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk; immunity (protection) and solidarity in primary groups, and consequently, resolve issues with those (family, neighbours, colleagues) who share a sphere (a situation, a process, a fate). PMID:29370135

The Weakening of Kin Ties: Exploring the Need for Life-World Led Interventions.

PubMed

Schout, Gert; de Jong, Gideon

2018-01-25

The protective features that families and wider social relationships can have are required to meet the demands of life in contemporary Western societies. Choice and detraditionalization, however; impede this source of solidarity. Family Group Conferencing (FGC) and other life-world led interventions have the potential to strengthen primary groups. This paper explores the need for such a social intervention, using insights from sociological and philosophical theories and empirical findings from a case study of the research project 'FGC in mental health'. This need is understandable considering the weakening of kin ties, the poor qualities of state agencies to mobilise self-care and informal care, its capacity to produce a shift of power from public to private spheres and its capacity to mitigate the co-isolation of individuals, families and communities. A life-world led intervention like FGC with a specific and modest ambition contributes to small-scale solidarity. This ambition is not inclined to establish a broad social cohesion within society but to restore; in terms of the German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk; immunity (protection) and solidarity in primary groups, and consequently, resolve issues with those (family, neighbours, colleagues) who share a sphere (a situation, a process, a fate).

Perceptions of cardiovascular health in underserved communities.

PubMed

Bryant, Lucinda L; Chin, Nancy P; Cottrell, Lesley A; Duckles, Joyce M; Fernandez, I Diana; Garces, D Marcela; Keyserling, Thomas C; McMilin, Colleen R; Peters, Karen E; Samuel-Hodge, Carmen D; Tu, Shin-Ping; Vu, Maihan B; Fitzpatrick, Annette L

2010-03-01

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths and illnesses in US adults, and the prevalence is disproportionately high in underserved populations. In this study, we assessed respondents' understanding of context-specific differences in knowledge and perceptions of disease, risk, and prevention in 6 underserved communities, with the longer-term goal of developing appropriate interventions. Thirty-nine small-group sessions and 14 interviews yielded data from 318 adults. Each site's researchers coded, analyzed, and extracted key themes from local data. Investigators from all sites synthesized results and identified common themes and differences. Themes clustered in 3 areas (barriers to cardiovascular health, constraints related to multiple roles, and suggestions for effective communications and programs). Barriers spanned individual, social and cultural, and environmental levels; women in particular cited multiple roles (eg, competing demands, lack of self-care). Programmatic suggestions included the following: personal, interactive, social context; information in language that people use; activities built around cultural values and interests; and community orientation. In addition, respondents preferred health-related information from trusted groups (eg, AARP), health care providers (but with noticeable differences of opinion), family and friends, and printed materials. Interventions to decrease barriers to cardiovascular health are needed; these strategies should include family and community context, small groups, interactive methods, culturally sensitive materials, and trusted information sources. New-immigrant communities need culturally and linguistically tailored education before receiving more substantive interventions.

Population education for young adults: making the small family desirable.

PubMed

Butt, H

1972-01-01

The approach to population control has been almost totally clinical in India so far. A new program of population education which is broader than the clinical appeal is needed. The major target population in India would be illiterates and those with a small amount of education. Within this target population different groups would have to be treated differently. Division would be between illiterates and literates, between urban and rural populations, and between male and female groups. Family planning must be related to other aspects of life, e.g., the health and well-being of the mother and other children in the family. Sex and social education must be presented together. Basic values cannot be changed. Smaller families will eventually change the values. By concentrating on the basic value of survival of the family, the best method to effect this can be shown to be better care of fewer c hildren rather than proliferation of many children. Education should concentrate on the individual and on economic reasons for limiting family size. Once the idea of limiting family size is accepted, it remains to be shown that methods for doing this are available, safe, and religiously and socially acceptable. The message needs constant repetition. Group education would be least expensive. Population education could be presented by incorporating it into other socioeconomic contexts such as reading classes for the illiterates and mathematics classes for the basic literates.

Pain neurophysiology education for the management of individuals with chronic low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Clarke, Clare Louise; Ryan, Cormac Gerard; Martin, Denis J

2011-12-01

Pain neurophysiology education (PNE) is a form of education for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the evidence for PNE in the management of pateints with CLBP. A literature search of MEDLINE, CINAHL and AMED was performed from 1996(01)-2010(09). RCT appraisal and synthesis was assessed using the Cochrane Back Review Group (CBRG) guidelines. The main outcome measures were pain, physical-function, psychological-function, and social-function. Two moderate quality RCTs (n=122) were included in the final review. According to the CBRG criteria there was very low quality evidence that PNE is beneficial for pain, physical-function, psychological-function, and social-function. Meta-analysis found PNE produced statistically significant but clinically small improvements in short-term pain of 5mm (0, 10.0mm) [mean difference (95%CI)] on the 100mm VAS. This review was limited by the small number of studies (n=2) that met the inclusion criteria and by the fact that both studies were produced by the same group that published the PNE manual. These factors contributed to the relatively low grading of the evidence. There is a need for more studies investigating PNE by different research groups to support early promising findings. Until then firm clinical recommendations cannot be made. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harm reduction theory: Users culture, micro-social indigenous harm reduction, and the self-organization and outside-organizing of users’ groups

PubMed Central

Friedman, Samuel R.; de Jong, Wouter; Rossi, Diana; Touzé, Graciela; Rockwell, Russell; Jarlais, Don C Des; Elovich, Richard

2007-01-01

This paper discusses the user side of harm reduction, focusing to some extent on the early responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in each of four sets of localities—New York City, Rotterdam, Buenos Aires, and sites in Central Asia. Using available qualitative and quantitative information, we present a series of vignettes about user activities in four different localities in behalf of reducing drug-related harm. Some of these activities have been micro-social (small group) activities; others have been conducted by formal organizations of users that the users organised at their own initiative. In spite of the limitations of the methodology, the data suggest that users’ activities have helped limit HIV spread. These activities are shaped by broader social contexts, such as the extent to which drug scenes are integrated with broader social networks and the way the political and economic systems impinge on drug users’ lives. Drug users are active agents in their own individual and collective behalf, and in helping to protect wider communities. Harm reduction activities and research should take note of and draw upon both the micro-social and formal organizations of users. Finally, both researchers and policy makers should help develop ways to enable and support both micro-social and formally organized action by users PMID:17689353

Heterogeneous activity causes a nonlinear increase in the group energy use of ant workers isolated from queen and brood.

PubMed

Ferral, Nolan; Holloway, Kyara; Li, Mingzhong; Yin, Zhaozheng; Hou, Chen

2018-06-01

Increasing evidence has shown that the energy use of ant colonies increases sublinearly with colony size so that large colonies consume less per capita energy than small colonies. It has been postulated that social environment (e.g., in the presence of queen and brood) is critical for the sublinear group energetics, and a few studies of ant workers isolated from queens and brood observed linear relationships between group energetics and size. In this paper, we hypothesize that the sublinear energetics arise from the heterogeneity of activity in ant groups, that is, large groups have relatively more inactive members than small groups. We further hypothesize that the energy use of ant worker groups that are allowed to move freely increases more slowly than the group size even if they are isolated from queen and brood. Previous studies only provided indirect evidence for these hypotheses due to technical difficulties. In this study, we applied the automated behavioral monitoring and respirometry simultaneously on isolated worker groups for long time periods, and analyzed the image with the state-of-the-art algorithms. Our results show that when activity was not confined, large groups had lower per capita energy use, a lower percentage of active members, and lower average walking speed than small groups; while locomotion was confined, however, the per capita energy use was a constant regardless of the group size. The quantitative analysis shows a direct link between variation in group energy use and the activity level of ant workers when isolated from queen and brood. © 2016 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Collaborative Irrationality, Akrasia, and Groupthink: Social Disruptions of Emotion Regulation

PubMed Central

Szanto, Thomas

2017-01-01

The present paper proposes an integrative account of social forms of practical irrationality and corresponding disruptions of individual and group-level emotion regulation (ER). I will especially focus on disruptions in ER by means of collaborative agential and doxastic akrasia. I begin by distinguishing mutual, communal and collaborative forms of akrasia. Such a taxonomy seems all the more needed as, rather surprisingly, in the face of huge philosophical interest in analysing the possibility, structure, and mechanisms of individual practical irrationality, with very little exception, there are no comparable accounts of social and collaborative cases. However, I believe that, if it is true that individual akrasia is, in the long run, harmful for those who entertain it, this is even more so in social contexts. I will illustrate this point by drawing on various small group settings, and explore a number of socio-psychological mechanisms underlying collaborative irrationality, in particular groupthink. Specifically, I suggest that in collaborative cases there is what I call a spiraling of practical irrationality at play. I will argue that this is typically correlated and indeed partly due to biases in individual members’ affect control and eventually the group’s with whom the members identify. PMID:29867617

Understanding the gender gap: Social cognitive changes during an introductory stem course.

PubMed

Hardin, Erin E; Longhurst, Melanie O

2016-03-01

Despite robust support for the basic theoretical model of social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) and predictions that, for example, increases (or declines) in self-efficacy would lead to subsequent increases (or declines) in interest, there has been surprisingly little longitudinal research that has directly examined the extent to which members of different groups (e.g., women and men) actually do experience changes in critical social-cognitive variables over time early in their curricula in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Knowing the extent to which such changes occur in typical introductory undergraduate courses is important for targeting interventions to increase persistence of underrepresented groups in STEM. We measured social-cognitive-career-theory-relevant variables near the middle and at the end of the 1st semester of a gateway introductory chemistry course and found that women had lower STEM self-efficacy, coping self-efficacy, and STEM interest than did men, even after controlling for actual course performance. Although there were no detrimental changes across the semester for women or men, men experienced a small but significant increase in their perceived support for pursuing a STEM degree, whereas women did not. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Impacts of marine protected areas on fishing communities.

PubMed

Mascia, Michael B; Claus, C Anne; Naidoo, Robin

2010-10-01

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a popular conservation strategy, but their impacts on human welfare are poorly understood. To inform future research and policy decisions, we reviewed the scientific literature to assess MPA impacts on five indicators of human welfare: food security, resource rights, employment, community organization, and income. Following MPA establishment, food security generally remained stable or increased in older and smaller MPAs. The ability of most fishing groups to govern MPA resources changed. Increased resource rights were positively correlated with MPA zoning and compliance with MPA regulations. Small sample sizes precluded statistical tests of the impacts of MPAs on employment, community organization, and income. Our results demonstrate that MPAs shape the social well-being and political power of fishing communities; impacts (positive and negative) vary within and among social groups; and social impacts are correlated with some--but not all--commonly hypothesized explanatory factors. Accordingly, MPAs may represent a viable strategy for enhancing food security and empowering local communities, but current practices negatively affect at least a minority of fishers. To inform policy making, further research must better document and explain variation in the positive and negative social impacts of MPAs. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Long-term effects of neonatal medial temporal ablations on socioemotional behavior in monkeys

PubMed Central

Málková, Ludise; Mishkin, Mortimer; Suomi, Stephen J.; Bachevalier, Jocelyne

2010-01-01

Socioemotional abnormalities, including low levels of social interaction and high levels of self-directed activity, were reported when rhesus monkeys with neonatal ablations of either the medial temporal lobe (AH) or the inferior temporal cortex (TE) were paired with unoperated peers at two and six months of age, though these abnormalities were more severe in the AH group (Bachevalier et al., 2001). As they reached adulthood (Experiment 1), the same monkeys were re-evaluated in the same dyads and their reactivity to novel toys, social status, and reactions to separation from age-matched peers were also assessed. Group TE now showed few if any of the abnormal behaviors observed when they were infants. By contrast, Group AH continued to display low levels of social interaction, high levels of self-directed activity and submissive behavior, and reduced responses to separation, although they reacted normally to novel toys. To determine whether this degree of socioemotional impairment was less severe than that produced by the same damage in adulthood, we assessed dyadic social interactions of monkeys raised until adulthood in laboratory conditions similar to those of the earlier groups and then given the AH ablation (Experiment 2). Two months postoperatively these adult-lesioned monkeys showed a small reduction in social interactions that became more pronounced six months postoperatively, yet remained less severe than that seen in the infant-lesioned monkeys. Also, except for an increase in food and water consumption throughout this 6-month period, they showed no other socioemotional effects. The finding that neonatal AH lesions produce more severe socioemotional disturbances than the same lesion in adulthood is the reverse of the effect commonly reported for other cognitive functions after cerebral damage. PMID:21133531

Measuring the impact of an alternative approach to school bullying.

PubMed

Domino, Meg

2013-06-01

National estimates of middle school bullying approximate 40%, making it the leading form of school violence. Meta-analysis of conventional anti-bullying efforts have shown mixed results, averaging small reductions in bullying behavior. Social-Emotional Learning and Positive Youth Development provide a theory-driven alternative for approaching bullying and victimization by strengthening social competencies that reduce related youth risk behaviors. A sample of 7th grade students (N = 323) participated in Take the Lead (TTL); a 16-session curriculum designed to build social competencies of all participants. Data were coded and collected using a pretest/posttest time-lag control group cohort study design. Participants self-reported bully and victim behaviors using the Peer Relations Questionnaire. Extracted data were assessed for changes in bullying and victim behaviors, from pretest to posttest, between groups and sexes. Participants in TTL reported significant reductions in bullying (p < .001), and victimization (p < .001), from pretest to posttest, and compared to controls (p < .001). Findings remained consistent between sexes (p < .001). Control groups experienced increases in bully and victim behaviors during the same time period, which were significantly reduced following participation in TTL (p < .001). Identifying intervention alternatives to address bullying behaviors must remain a research priority. This study supports the application of theory-driven SEL and PYD constructs within a curriculum designed to improve social competencies of all students. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Dialogue as a tool for meaning making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruni, Angela Suzanne Dudley

In order to empower citizens to analyze the effects, risk, and value of science, a knowledge of scientific concepts is necessary (Mejlgaard, 2009). The formal educational system plays a role in this endeavor (Gil-Perez & Vilches, 2005). One proposed constructivist practice is the use of social learning activities using verbalized, shared cognition among learners. In an effort to investigate the effects of verbally shared cognition, this project sought to determine if social learning opportunities affect the mastery of content in gateway biology courses and to identify the types of dialogue students engage in during cognitive collaboration. Fifty-seven students enrolled in a small southern community college were randomly assigned into treatment groups for each of nine units of instruction. The treatment variable was participation in verbalized social learning activities. Treatment differences based on a pretest/posttest design were analyzed using various statistical methods and recorded student discussions were analyzed for characteristics of talk based on a model developed by Mercer. Findings support the use of social learning activities as a way to improve content knowledge. Students in the treatment group had higher posttest and gain scores than those in the control group, with statistical significance reached in some cases. Types of talk were examined to support the constructivist method of learning. Findings support the use of non-confrontational talk as the vector of meaning making within the classroom.

An intensive social cognitive program (can do treatment) in people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis and low disability: a randomized controlled trial protocol.

PubMed

Jongen, Peter Joseph; Heerings, Marco; Ruimschotel, Rob; Hussaarts, Astrid; Evers, Silvia; Duyverman, Lotte; Valkenburg-Vissers, Joyce; Cornelissen, Job; Bos, Michel; van Droffelaar, Maarten; Lemmens, Wim A; Donders, Rogier; van der Zande, Anneke; Visser, Leo H

2016-05-28

In people with multiple sclerosis (MS) disabilities and limitations may negatively affect self-efficacy. Lowered self-efficacy has been associated with decreases in health-related quality of life, physical activity and cognitive performance. In an explorative observational study we found that a 3-day intensive social cognitive program (Can Do Treatment [CDT]) with the participation of support partners was followed by substantial increases in self-efficacy control and health-related quality of life 6 months after treatment in those people with MS who had relapsing remitting disease and low disability. CDT is a sociologically oriented approach, its goal is to uncover and promote existing capabilities, and the notion "stressor" is the central concept. CDT's components are plenary group sessions, small group sessions, consultations, a theatre evening, and start of the day with a joint activity. The small group sessions form the actual training. Depending on their individual goals the participants join the training groups 'Body', 'Feeling' or 'Life', to work out their aims and to reduce their stressors. The multidisciplinary team includes a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, neurologist, specialized MS nurse, physiotherapist, dance therapist, and a person with MS. To evaluate the (cost)effectiveness of CDT in persons with relapsing remitting MS and low disability we perform a single-centre, randomized controlled trial in 140 patients, with or without support partners. The primary outcome is self-efficacy control. The secondary outcomes are self-efficacy function, health-related quality of life, autonomy and participation, anxiety, depression, cost effectiveness and cost utility. The tertiary outcome is care-related strain to support partners. Outcomes are assessed at baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 months after CDT. This randomized controlled trial will adequately evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of a 3-day intensive social cognitive program in people with relapsing remitting MS and low disability, with self-efficacy control as primary outcome. Application number: 22444.

Virtual reality exposure in the treatment of social phobia.

PubMed

Klinger, Evelyne; Légeron, Patrick; Roy, Stéphane; Chemin, Isabelle; Lauer, Françoise; Nugues, Pierre

2004-01-01

Social phobia is one of the most frequent psychiatric disorders and is accessible to two forms of scientifically validated treatments: anti-depressant drugs and cognitive-behavioral therapies. Graded exposure to feared social situations (either in vivo or by imagining the situations) is fundamental to obtain an improvement of the anxious symptoms. Virtual reality (VR) may be an alternative to these standard exposure techniques and seems to bring significant advantages by allowing exposures to numerous and varied situations. Moreover studies have shown that human subjects are appropriately sensitive to virtual environments. This chapter reports the definition of a VR-based clinical protocol and a study to treat social phobia using virtual reality techniques. The virtual environments used in the treatment reproduce four situations that social phobics feel the most threatening: performance, intimacy, scrutiny and assertiveness. With the help of the therapist, the patient learns adapted cognitions and behaviors when coping with social situations, with the aim of reducing her or his anxiety in the corresponding real life situations. Some studies have been carried out using virtual reality in the treatment of fear of public speaking, which is only a small part of the symptomatology of most of social phobic patients. The novelty of our work is to address a larger group of situations that the phobic patients experience with high anxiety. In our protocol, the efficacy of the virtual reality treatment is compared to well established and well validated group cognitive-behavioral treatment.

One in the Dance: Musical Correlates of Group Synchrony in a Real-World Club Environment

PubMed Central

Ellamil, Melissa; Berson, Joshua; Wong, Jen; Buckley, Louis; Margulies, Daniel S.

2016-01-01

Previous research on interpersonal synchrony has mainly investigated small groups in isolated laboratory settings, which may not fully reflect the complex and dynamic interactions of real-life social situations. The present study expands on this by examining group synchrony across a large number of individuals in a naturalistic environment. Smartphone acceleration measures were recorded from participants during a music set in a dance club and assessed to identify how group movement synchrony covaried with various features of the music. In an evaluation of different preprocessing and analysis methods, giving more weight to front-back movement provided the most sensitive and reliable measure of group synchrony. During the club music set, group synchrony of torso movement was most strongly associated with pulsations that approximate walking rhythm (100–150 beats per minute). Songs with higher real-world play counts were also correlated with greater group synchrony. Group synchrony thus appears to be constrained by familiarity of the movement (walking action and rhythm) and of the music (song popularity). These findings from a real-world, large-scale social and musical setting can guide the development of methods for capturing and examining collective experiences in the laboratory and for effectively linking them to synchrony across people in daily life. PMID:27764167

Group cohesion in foraging meerkats: follow the moving 'vocal hot spot'.

PubMed

Gall, Gabriella E C; Manser, Marta B

2017-04-01

Group coordination, when 'on the move' or when visibility is low, is a challenge faced by many social living animals. While some animals manage to maintain cohesion solely through visual contact, the mechanism of group cohesion through other modes of communication, a necessity when visual contact is reduced, is not yet understood. Meerkats ( Suricata suricatta ), a small, social carnivore, forage as a cohesive group while moving continuously. While foraging, they frequently emit 'close calls', soft close-range contact calls. Variations in their call rates based on their local environment, coupled with individual movement, produce a dynamic acoustic landscape with a moving 'vocal hotspot' of the highest calling activity. We investigated whether meerkats follow such a vocal hotspot by playing back close calls of multiple individuals to foraging meerkats from the front and back edge of the group simultaneously. These two artificially induced vocal hotspots caused the group to spatially elongate and split into two subgroups. We conclude that meerkats use the emergent dynamic call pattern of the group to adjust their movement direction and maintain cohesion. Our study describes a highly flexible mechanism for the maintenance of group cohesion through vocal communication, for mobile species in habitats with low visibility and where movement decisions need to be adjusted continuously to changing environmental conditions.

One in the Dance: Musical Correlates of Group Synchrony in a Real-World Club Environment.

PubMed

Ellamil, Melissa; Berson, Joshua; Wong, Jen; Buckley, Louis; Margulies, Daniel S

2016-01-01

Previous research on interpersonal synchrony has mainly investigated small groups in isolated laboratory settings, which may not fully reflect the complex and dynamic interactions of real-life social situations. The present study expands on this by examining group synchrony across a large number of individuals in a naturalistic environment. Smartphone acceleration measures were recorded from participants during a music set in a dance club and assessed to identify how group movement synchrony covaried with various features of the music. In an evaluation of different preprocessing and analysis methods, giving more weight to front-back movement provided the most sensitive and reliable measure of group synchrony. During the club music set, group synchrony of torso movement was most strongly associated with pulsations that approximate walking rhythm (100-150 beats per minute). Songs with higher real-world play counts were also correlated with greater group synchrony. Group synchrony thus appears to be constrained by familiarity of the movement (walking action and rhythm) and of the music (song popularity). These findings from a real-world, large-scale social and musical setting can guide the development of methods for capturing and examining collective experiences in the laboratory and for effectively linking them to synchrony across people in daily life.

Social Planning for Small Cities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyers, James

Derived mainly from publications by the League of California Cities, this guide to social planning for small cities presents the following: (1) social planning definitions; (2) a checklist of social planning concerns (provision for: adequate income and economic opportunity; optimal environmental conditions for basic material needs; optimal health…

Effectiveness of a community-based program for suicide prevention among elders with early-stage dementia: A controlled observational study.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Pill; Yang, Jinhyang

The purpose of this study was to develop a small-group-focused suicide prevention program for elders with early-stage dementia and to assess its effects. This was a quasi-experimental study with a control group pretest-posttest design. A total of 62 elders diagnosed with early-stage dementia who were receiving care services at nine daycare centers in J City Korea participated in this study. The experimental group participated in the suicide prevention program twice a week for 5 weeks with a pretest and two posttests The developed suicide prevention program had a significant effect on the perceived health status, social support, depression, and suicidal ideation of elders with early-stage dementia. Nurses should integrate risk factors such as depression and protective factors such as health status and social support into a suicide prevention program. This community-based program in geriatric nursing practice can be effective in preventing suicide among elders with early-stage dementia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rise of an alternative majority against opinion leaders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucci, K.; González-Avella, J. C.; Cosenza, M. G.

2016-03-01

We investigate the role of opinion leaders or influentials in the collective behavior of a social system. Opinion leaders are characterized by their unidirectional influence on other agents. We employ a model based on Axelrod's dynamics for cultural interaction among social agents that allows for non-interacting states. We find three collective phases in the space of parameters of the system, given by the fraction of opinion leaders and a quantity representing the number of available states: one ordered phase having the state imposed by the leaders; another nontrivial ordered phase consisting of a majority group in a state orthogonal or alternative to that of the opinion leaders, and a disordered phase, where many small groups coexist. We show that the spontaneous rise of an alternative group in the presence of opinion leaders depends on the existence of a minimum number of long-range connections in the underlying network. This phenomenon challenges the common idea that influentials are fundamental to propagation processes in society, such as the formation of public opinion.

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Work Groups and Teams: A Reflection.

PubMed

Kozlowski, Steve W J

2018-03-01

Teamwork has been at the core of human accomplishment across the millennia, and it was a focus of social psychological inquiry on small group behavior for nearly half a century. However, as organizations world-wide reorganized work around teams over the past two decades, the nature of teamwork and factors influencing it became a central focus of research in organizational psychology and management. In this article, I reflect on the impetus, strategy, key features, and scientific contribution of "Enhancing the Effectiveness of Work Groups and Teams," by Kozlowski and Ilgen, a review monograph published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest in 2006.

Ranking of small scale proposals for water system repair using the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shakib-Manesh, T.E.; Hirvonen, K.O.; Jalava, K.J.

2014-11-15

Environmental impacts of small scale projects are often assessed poorly, or not assessed at all. This paper examines the usability of the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) as a tool to prioritize project proposals for small scale water restoration projects in relation to proposals' potential to improve the environment. The RIAM scoring system was used to assess and rank the proposals based on their environmental impacts, the costs of the projects to repair the harmful impacts, and the size of human population living around the sites. A four-member assessment group (The expert panel) gave the RIAM-scores to the proposals. Themore » assumed impacts of the studied projects at the Eastern Finland water systems were divided into the ecological and social impacts. The more detailed assessment categories of the ecological impacts in this study were impacts on landscape, natural state, and limnology. The social impact categories were impacts to recreational use of the area, fishing, industry, population, and economy. These impacts were scored according to their geographical and social significance, their magnitude of change, their character, permanence, reversibility, and cumulativeness. The RIAM method proved to be an appropriate and recommendable method for the small-scale assessment and prioritizing of project proposals. If the assessments are well documented, the RIAM can be a method for easy assessing and comparison of the various kinds of projects. In the studied project proposals there were no big surprises in the results: the best ranks were received by the projects, which were assumed to return watersheds toward their original state.« less

Fascination and Social Togetherness-Discussions about Spice Smoking on a Swedish Internet Forum.

PubMed

Kjellgren, Anette; Henningsson, Helena; Soussan, Christophe

2013-01-01

Spice is a smoking mixture containing synthetic cannabinoids with psychoactive effects similar to herbal cannabis. It is sold on the Internet and has become popular among young people. The purpose of the present study was to investigate experiences of intoxication induced by Spice, as described on a Swedish internet-based discussion forum. A systematic search yielded 40 reports, which were analyzed using phenomenological method. A total of 7 themes (composed of 27 categories) emerged from the analysis: 1. Spice use as social ritual; 2. Social secretiveness; 3. Intoxication remarks; 4. Well-being and elation; 5. Altered perception of reality; 6. Fears and coping; 7. Unpleasant physical effects. The results show that smoking was a social activity mostly carried out in small peer-groups, and that the substances induced strong intoxication with both positive and negative effects. Despite fears and unpleasant effects, the intoxication was often considered fascinating and rewarding.

Fascination and Social Togetherness—Discussions about Spice Smoking on a Swedish Internet Forum

PubMed Central

Kjellgren, Anette; Henningsson, Helena; Soussan, Christophe

2013-01-01

Spice is a smoking mixture containing synthetic cannabinoids with psychoactive effects similar to herbal cannabis. It is sold on the Internet and has become popular among young people. The purpose of the present study was to investigate experiences of intoxication induced by Spice, as described on a Swedish internet-based discussion forum. A systematic search yielded 40 reports, which were analyzed using phenomenological method. A total of 7 themes (composed of 27 categories) emerged from the analysis: 1. Spice use as social ritual; 2. Social secretiveness; 3. Intoxication remarks; 4. Well-being and elation; 5. Altered perception of reality; 6. Fears and coping; 7. Unpleasant physical effects. The results show that smoking was a social activity mostly carried out in small peer-groups, and that the substances induced strong intoxication with both positive and negative effects. Despite fears and unpleasant effects, the intoxication was often considered fascinating and rewarding. PMID:24324336

Labour migration and HIV epidemics in Africa.

PubMed

Decosas, J

1998-10-01

The profile of HIV infection in West Africa is linked to the regional pattern of labor migration. Areas of high HIV prevalence correspond closely to the destination and recruitment points of migrant workers. This correlation suggests that mobile populations have characteristics that make them more susceptible to HIV epidemics. The most plausible explanatory variables for the association of migration and epidemic HIV are deprived living conditions, disruption of social support, and dysfunctional social organization. Migration creates chronic gender imbalances in the reproductive age group. The general excess of females in the recruitment areas and excess of males at the destination erodes traditional community norms of behavior. Health service provision, including health education and condom marketing, does not address these key social factors. Small improvements in the physical and social environment of migrants and their communities of origin may result in greater benefits than any targeted service provision.

Internet comments as a barometer of public opinion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oster, Elad; Gilad, Erez; Feigel, Alexander

2015-07-01

A new method is developed to estimate social influence in Internet communities that follow a specific developing news story. The technique stems from mean-field treatment of magnetic systems and provides a measure for community stability, such as the potential of a small perturbation to culminate in a phase-transition-like phenomenon. Three real cases of developing news stories from CNN news website are analyzed. Continuous dynamics of social influence together with time is observed together with a significant increase of social influence after the announcement of important information, such as the jury decision in a legal case. This work makes it possible to estimate the size of a group that can change the opinion of the entire population. We argue that Internet comments may predict the level of social response similar to a barometer that predicts the intensity of a coming storm in still calm environment.

Exploring Stigma by Association among Front-Line Care Providers Serving Sex Workers

PubMed Central

Phillips, Rachel; Benoit, Cecilia

2013-01-01

Stigma by association, also referred to as “courtesy stigma,” involves public disapproval evoked as a consequence of associating with stigmatized persons. While a small number of sociological studies have shown how stigma by association limits the social support and social opportunities available to family members, there is a paucity of research examining this phenomenon among the large network of persons who provide health and social services to stigmatized groups. This paper presents results from a primarily qualitative study of the work-place experiences of a purposive sample of staff from an organization providing services to sex workers. The findings suggest that stigma by association has an impact on staff health because it shapes both the workplace environment as well as staff perceptions of others' support. At the same time, it is evident that some staff, owing to their more advantaged social location, are better able to manage courtesy stigma than others. PMID:24289946

Compendium of Budget Accounts. Fiscal Year 1998.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-04-01

18,1995). 5The function and subfunction classification system is a way of grouping budgetary resources according to the national need addressed. The...account title. For example, the National Institutes of Health account title within the Department of Health and Human Services includes 24 separate budget... National Aeronautics and Space Administration 94 Office of Personnel Manageme:nt 95 Small Business Administration 96 Social Security Administration 97

The Self, the Spirit and the Social Being: The Formation of Adolescent Identity within Community--Wesley College at Clunes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Doug; McDonough, Sharon

Wesley College, a private urban secondary school, operates a campus in the small, rural town of Clunes, Victoria (Australia), where ninth-grade students can spend a term in a community-based, experientially-derived curriculum to enhance their sense of self and community. Students are accommodated in houses of eight as single-sex groups and are…

A Review of Potential Moderating Factors in the Stress-Performance Relationship

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

accuracy in small groups. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 27, 119-134. Ivancevich , J. M. & Donnelly, J. H. (1975). Relation of organizational...structure to job satisfaction, anxiety- stress, and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 20, 272-280. Ivancevich , J. M. & Matteson, M. T...of Personality and Social Psychology, L7, 378-389. Lyons , T. F. (1971). Role clarity, need for clarity, satisfaction, tension, and withdrawal

Fine-scale genetic structure and cryptic associations reveal evidence of kin-based sociality in the African forest elephant.

PubMed

Schuttler, Stephanie G; Philbrick, Jessica A; Jeffery, Kathryn J; Eggert, Lori S

2014-01-01

Spatial patterns of relatedness within animal populations are important in the evolution of mating and social systems, and have the potential to reveal information on species that are difficult to observe in the wild. This study examines the fine-scale genetic structure and connectivity of groups within African forest elephants, Loxodonta cyclotis, which are often difficult to observe due to forest habitat. We tested the hypothesis that genetic similarity will decline with increasing geographic distance, as we expect kin to be in closer proximity, using spatial autocorrelation analyses and Tau K(r) tests. Associations between individuals were investigated through a non-invasive genetic capture-recapture approach using network models, and were predicted to be more extensive than the small groups found in observational studies, similar to fission-fusion sociality found in African savanna (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) species. Dung samples were collected in Lopé National Park, Gabon in 2008 and 2010 and genotyped at 10 microsatellite loci, genetically sexed, and sequenced at the mitochondrial DNA control region. We conducted analyses on samples collected at three different temporal scales: a day, within six-day sampling sessions, and within each year. Spatial autocorrelation and Tau K(r) tests revealed genetic structure, but results were weak and inconsistent between sampling sessions. Positive spatial autocorrelation was found in distance classes of 0-5 km, and was strongest for the single day session. Despite weak genetic structure, individuals within groups were significantly more related to each other than to individuals between groups. Social networks revealed some components to have large, extensive groups of up to 22 individuals, and most groups were composed of individuals of the same matriline. Although fine-scale population genetic structure was weak, forest elephants are typically found in groups consisting of kin and based on matrilines, with some individuals having more associates than observed from group sizes alone.

The dawn of science-based moral reasoning.

PubMed

Baschetti, Riccardo

2007-01-01

In 1998, Edward O. Wilson discussed the biological basis of morality, pointed out that the analysis of its material origins should enable us to fashion a wise ethical consensus, and predicted the dawn of science-based moral reasoning. This article testifies that his prediction was right. Morality, being based on altruism and collaboration, evolved as a socially advantageous biological phenomenon aimed at ensuring the survival of our species, which was structured in small groups at high risk of extinction for the 99.5% of its existence. In the last 0.5%, the advent of agriculture resulted in a demographic explosion that impaired human beings' moral discernment, because the socially detrimental consequences of immoral actions, which had been recognised and condemned promptly in small groups consisting of a few tens of members, were diluted among millions of untouched individuals, thereby becoming less easily recognisable. Nowadays, to test the supposed morality of individual actions and government policies, we should use reason or, in doubtful cases, mathematical modelling to determine their predictable effects on the survival of small theoretical communities. Unless we untenably claim that the unlikelihood of extinction of today's immense societies entitles us to overturn the meaning of morality, all actions and policies that would cause the extinction of small communities should be regarded as indisputably immoral. This article also presents some examples of science-based moral arguments showing the immorality of restrictions and bans on research with human embryonic stem cells and demonstrates that the old concept of the "naturalistic fallacy", which philosophers frequently invoke to dismiss any scientific approach to morality, is no longer tenable, because it increasingly emerges to be a proof of what may well be defined the "philosophical fallacy".

Individual and group meaning-making in an urban third grade classroom: Red fog, cold cans, and seeping vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Southerland, Sherry; Kittleson, Julie; Settlage, John; Lanier, Kimberly

2005-11-01

We examined third graders' understandings of condensation using an expanded notion of the Emergent Perspective, a reflexive consideration of individual and group meaning-making situated in the culture of the classroom. Data were collected from two small groups of students in an inquiry-based, urban classroom during a unit on the water cycle. Measures included conceptual pre-/posttests, interviews, written work, and discourse analyses of a science lesson. Although we identified the supportive role of the teacher's explicit assessments of children's ideas, within the small groups, the force that most potently shaped meaning-making was students' persuasive power, which was in part influenced by the rhetorical moves employed. Specifically, students' evaluative comments (a type of rhetorical move) about contributions of other group members seemed to be particularly persuasive in these groups. Evaluative comments, apart from students' academic status, were shown to be an important influence in not only social knowledge production but also in individual internalization. Our explanation focuses on the particular discursive practices as intellectual resources of urban students, but we are also mindful of the cognitive complexity of the material and the developmental abilities of the students.

Understanding stable bi-female grouping in gibbons: feeding competition and reproductive success.

PubMed

Fan, Peng-Fei; Bartlett, Thad Q; Fei, Han-Lan; Ma, Chang-Yong; Zhang, Wen

2015-01-01

Species of the order Primates are highly gregarious with most species living in permanent heterosexual social groups. According to theory in socioecology maximum social group size is limited by rates of intra-group feeding competition and associated increases in travel costs. Unlike other hylobatids, which are predominantly pair living, cao vit gibbons (Nomascus nasutus), and two other species of crested gibbon (Nomascus spp.) living in northern seasonal forest, regularly exhibit larger bi-female groups. To better understand the ability of northern gibbons to live in stable bi-female groups, we examined food distribution, feeding competition and reproductive success over a period of six years in a small cao vit gibbon population at Bangliang, Guangxi, China. In general, we found weak evidences for within-group contest or scramble competition in our two study groups, which we attribute to high spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the distribution of their important food species. Nevertheless, the larger of the two groups studied increased feeding time and group spread during lean periods, factors that may limit cao vit gibbon group size to a maximum of two breeding females. Relative to tropical pair-living gibbons, there is no evidence that cao vit gibbons travel farther or spend more time feeding, but they did consume more leaves and buds and less fruit and figs. Despite their highly folivorous diet, the average inter-birth interval is comparable to tropical gibbon populations, and the survival rate of infants and juveniles in our study groups is high. Cao vit gibbons do not suffer obvious costs in terms of feeding competition and reproductive success by living in bi-female groups, but within-group feeding competition may determine the upper the limit of cao vit gibbon group size to a maximum of two breeding females. These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that bi-female grouping can be a stable grouping pattern of gibbons in certain habitats and further emphasize the flexibility of gibbon social organization.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Herbert, James D.; Gaudiano, Brandon A.; Rheingold, Alyssa A.; Moitra, Ethan; Myers, Valerie H.; Dalrymple, Kristy L.; Brandsma, Lynn L.

2010-01-01

Early identification and treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is critical to prevent development of a chronic course of symptoms, persistent functional impairment, and progressive psychiatric comorbidity. A small but growing literature supports the effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders, including SAD, in adolescence. The present randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of group vs. individual CBT for adolescents with generalized SAD in relation to an educational/supportive psychotherapy that did not contain specific CBT elements. All three treatments were associated with significant reductions in symptoms and functional impairment, and in improved social skills. No differences between treatments emerged on measures of symptoms, but the CBT conditions demonstrated greater gains on behavioral measures. The implications of the findings are discussed. PMID:18653310