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Publication date: 19 October 2012

Will Kalkhoff, Shane R. Thye and Edward J. Lawler

This volume begins with two chapters that draw on evolutionary sociology to advance our understanding of interpersonal processes and their role in social organization. In “The…

Abstract

This volume begins with two chapters that draw on evolutionary sociology to advance our understanding of interpersonal processes and their role in social organization. In “The Biology and Neurology of Group Processes,” Jonathan H. Turner and Alexandra Maryanski draw on three areas of evolutionary sociology (cladistic analysis, comparative neuroanatomy, and ecological analysis) to show how understanding the selection pressures acting on the brain over millions of years can help us get a better grasp on the biologically based capacities and propensities that are involved in group processes such as role-taking and role-making. An improved understanding of these processes means better explanations of how humans create, sustain, and change social structures and culture – topics that lie at the core of sociological inquiry. At the same time, Turner and Maryanski's chapter will give sociologists much to think about and debate, as one of the main conclusions of their argument is that neurology explains human capacities to develop non-kin groups more than culture. The next chapter entitled “Sacrifice, Gratitude, and Obligation: Serial Reciprocity in Early Christianity,” by Richard Machalek and Michael W. Martin, may be seen as giving more equal explanatory weight to culture and biology in a theoretical analysis that combines a focus on cognitive processes (historically unique meanings and ideas) with evolutionary sociological insights about emotions in order to generate better explanations of complex socio-historical developments. Specifically, Machalek and Martin extend Rodney Stark's analysis of how ideas contributed to the rise of Christianity by showing how the evolved features of human emotionality related to “paying it forward” (or serial reciprocity in more formal terms) may have also played an important role in this historical process. Both chapters provide excellent examples of the value of combining multiple theoretical perspectives and paying attention to the interplay of social and biological forces.

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Biosociology and Neurosociology
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-257-8

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Book part
Publication date: 19 October 2012

Jonathan H. Turner and Alexandra Maryanski

Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to bring data to suggest that group processes have a biological base, lodged in human neurology as it evolved over the last 7 million…

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to bring data to suggest that group processes have a biological base, lodged in human neurology as it evolved over the last 7 million years.

Design/methodology/approach – The method for discovering the neurological basis of group processes is labelled evolutionary sociology, and this method revolves around: (1) cladistic analysis of traits of distant ancestors to humans and the great apes, with whom humans share a very high proportion of genes, (2) comparative neurology between the great apes and humans that can inform us about how the brains of humans were rewired from the structures shared by the last common ancestor to humans and apes, and (3) ecological analysis of the habitats and niches that generated selection pressures on the neurology of apes and hominins.

Findings – A key finding is that most of the interpersonal processes that drive group processes are neurologically based and evolved before the brain among hominins was sufficiently large to generate systems of symbols organized in cultural texts remotely near the human measure. There is, then, good reason to study the neurological basis of behavior because neurology explains more about the dynamics of interpersonal behavior than does culture, which was a very late arrival to the hominin line.

Research implications – One implication of these findings is that social scientific analysis of interpersonal processes and group dynamics can no longer assume that groups are solely a constructed process, mediated by culture and social structure. There were powerful selection pressures during the course of hominin evolution to increase hominin sociality and especially group formation, which required considerable rewiring of the basic ape brain. Since groups are not “natural” to apes in general and even to an evolved ape-like humans, it is important to discover how humans ever became group-organizing animals. The answer resides in the dramatic enhancing of emotions in hominins and humans, which shifts attention away from the neocortex to the older subcortical areas of the brain. Once this shift is made, theorizing and research, as well as public views on human sociality, need to be recast as, first, an evolved biological trait and, only second, as a most tenuous and fragile of a big-brained animal using language and culture to construct its social world.

Originality/value – The value of this kind of analysis is to liberate sociology and the social sciences in general from simplistic views that, because humans have language and can use language to construct culture and social structures, the underlying biology and neurology of human action is not relevant to understanding the social world. Indeed, just the opposite is the case: to the extent that social scientists insist upon a social constructionists research agenda, they will fail to conceptualize and perform research on more fundamental forces in the social world, including group dynamics.

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Biosociology and Neurosociology
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-257-8

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Article
Publication date: 25 November 2014

Alexandra Turner, Lata Gautam, Colleen Moore and Michael Cole

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the changing use of language concerning the drug Ecstasy and their potential consequences over the last ten years.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the changing use of language concerning the drug Ecstasy and their potential consequences over the last ten years.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used metadata analysis of different resource types to assess the changing frequency with which the terms Ecstasy and MDMA occur.

Findings

Since 2011 there has been an increase in the use of the term “MDMA” relative to “Ecstasy”. The prevalence of the term MDMA is higher than that of Ecstasy in both academic literature and web based information resources. This is also found in the public's own use of the terms. The shift from one term to the other highlights the lack of uniformity in the way Ecstasy and MDMA are reported. This underlines the need for clarity and consistency in reporting this substance so that correct information is disseminated for use by the general public, law enforcement agencies and healthcare professionals.

Originality/value

This paper establishes a time line for when the term MDMA began to be used which has not yet been reported on. It compares the relative frequency of the use of the terms Ecstasy and MDMA over time illustrating a change in use and language and whether Ecstasy is still an appropriate term to use.

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Drugs and Alcohol Today, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1745-9265

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Book part
Publication date: 12 October 2012

Heinz-Jürgen Niedenzu

Purpose – This contribution draws on the processually proceeding historico-genetic theory developed by Günter Dux, in order to reconstruct the emergence of normativity as a…

Abstract

Purpose – This contribution draws on the processually proceeding historico-genetic theory developed by Günter Dux, in order to reconstruct the emergence of normativity as a central mode of human social organization from nonnormatively ordered prehuman societies.

Design/methodology/approach – In the first step, some of the most important premises and core arguments of historico-genetic theory are being explicated, as well as its conception of society. These are then illustrated with reference to the socio-genesis of normativity and of morality as a special kind of normativity. The chapter concludes with an attempt to evaluate the productiveness of historico-genetically oriented explanations.

Findings – According to sociological accounts, only human beings are able to develop mentally construed sociocultural forms and worlds, which are mediated through thought and language, and stabilized and secured by means of normativity. For the modern, natural scientifically shaped antimetaphysical understanding of the world, however, the normative constitution of human social forms of cultural organization as a distinguishing mark of the conditio humana can only be understood as a successor organization to a natural-historical precursor.

Originality/value – This chapter introduces the theoretical perspective of contemporary German social theorist Günter Dux to English-speaking readers, and provides a critical assessment of his work.

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Theorizing Modern Society as a Dynamic Process
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-034-5

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Mad Muse: The Mental Illness Memoir in a Writer's Life and Work
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78973-810-0

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Article
Publication date: 16 August 2019

Shelley Peacock, Meridith Burles, Alexandra Hodson, Maha Kumaran, Rhoda MacRae, Cindy Peternelj-Taylor and Lorraine Holtslander

The number of prisoners over 55 years is increasing and many are at risk of developing dementia. This has generated new responsibilities for prisons to provide health and social…

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Abstract

Purpose

The number of prisoners over 55 years is increasing and many are at risk of developing dementia. This has generated new responsibilities for prisons to provide health and social care for older persons. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the existing research literature regarding the phenomenon of the health and social care needs of older persons living with dementia in correctional settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an integrative review method based on Whittemore and Knafl, the inclusion criteria for the review are: articles written in English; a focus on some form of dementia and/or older persons with discussion of dementia; to be set in a correctional context (correctional facility, prison and jail); be derived from a published peer-reviewed journal or unpublished dissertation/thesis; and be a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods study. Based on those criteria, a search strategy was developed and executed by a health sciences librarian in the following databases: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsychINFO, Proquest Nursing and Allied Health and Web of Science; searches were completed up to April 2019. After data were extracted from included studies, synthesis of findings involved an iterative process where thematic analysis was facilitated by Braun and Clarke’s approach.

Findings

Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Key findings of the eight studies include recognition of dementia as a concern for correctional populations, dementia-related screening and programming for older persons and recommendations for improved screening and care practices. Most significant is the paucity of research available on this topic. Implications for research are discussed.

Originality/value

This paper identified and synthesizes the limited existing international research on the health and social care needs of older persons with dementia living in correctional settings. Although existing research is scant, this review highlights the need for increased awareness of dementia as a concern among older persons living in correctional settings. As well, the review findings emphasize that enhanced screening and interventions, particularly tailored approaches, are imperative to support those living with dementia in correctional settings.

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International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

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Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 March 2022

Meabh Bonham-Corcoran, Alexandra Armstrong, Amy O’Briain, Amy Cassidy and Niall Turner

This review aims to identify the commonly used nature-based therapies, the cohorts that benefit from these interventions, and the potential environmental impact of nature-based…

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Abstract

Purpose

This review aims to identify the commonly used nature-based therapies, the cohorts that benefit from these interventions, and the potential environmental impact of nature-based therapies.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrative review methodology was taken. The literature was analysed and synthesised through thematic analysis.

Findings

Three themes emerged from the analysis: categories of nature-based therapies; benefits of nature-based therapies; and the gains from nature-based therapies are not universal. Evidence of physiological, psychological, social, vocational and quality of life benefits from participation in nature-based therapies was evident in the literature. However, there was insufficient empirical evidence of the benefits for the environment.

Practical implications

Occupational therapists assist populations across the life course. Consequentially, they can be found working in a diverse range of clinical contexts. This review asserts that nature-based therapies could be a positive addition in many of these contexts. Further, while engagement in activities in natural environments is frequently used by occupational therapists practicing within institution environments, there is evidence to support its use in community service models and potentially in public health strategies.

Originality/value

This integrative review brings together evidence on a diverse range of nature-based therapies, cohorts, associated benefits and factors that influence these. The lack of empirical evidence on the benefits of nature-based therapies for the environment is acknowledged as a gap in the literature

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Irish Journal of Occupational Therapy, vol. 50 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-8819

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Book part
Publication date: 3 September 2019

Jeffrey Berman

Abstract

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Mad Muse: The Mental Illness Memoir in a Writer's Life and Work
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78973-810-0

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Article
Publication date: 14 January 2019

KerryAnn O’Meara, Gudrun Nyunt, Lindsey Templeton and Alexandra Kuvaeva

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role faculty learning communities (FLCs), a common ADVANCE intervention, play in retention and advancement; and the ways in which FLC…

737

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role faculty learning communities (FLCs), a common ADVANCE intervention, play in retention and advancement; and the ways in which FLC spaces foster professional interactions that are transformative and support the careers of women, underrepresented minority (URM) and non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty in research universities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed a mixed methods case study approach set at a large, research-intensive institution, which had received an NSF ADVANCE grant to focus on issues of gender equity in the retention and advancement of STEM faculty. Land Grant University implemented retention and advancement efforts campus-wide rather than only in STEM areas, including five FLCs for women, URM faculty and NTT faculty. The primary sources of data were retention and promotion data of all faculty at the institution (including the FLC participants) and participant observations of the five FLCs for five years.

Findings

The analysis of retention and advancement data showed that participation in FLCs positively impacted retention and promotion of participants. The analysis of participant observations allowed the authors to gain insights into what was happening in FLCs that differed from faculty’s experiences in home departments. The authors found that FLCs created third spaces that allowed individuals to face and transgress the most damaging aspects of organizational culture and dwell, at least for some time, in a space of different possibilities.

Research limitations/implications

The authors suggest additional studies be conducted on FLCs and their success in improving retention and advancement among women, URM and NTT faculty. While the authors believe there is a clear professional growth and satisfaction benefit to FLCs regardless of their effect on retention and advancement, NSF and NIH programs focused on increasing the diversity of faculty need to know they are getting the return they seek on their investment and this line of research can provide such evidence as well as enhance the rigor of such programs by improving program elements.

Practical implications

FLCs offer higher education institutions a unique opportunity to critically reflect and understand organizational conditions that are not inclusive for groups of faculty. Professional interactions among colleagues are a critical place where academic and cultural capital is built and exchanged. The authors know from the authors’ own research here, and from much previous social science research that women, URM and NTT faculty often experience exclusionary and isolating professional interactions. FLCs should be created and maintained alongside other more structural and cultural interventions to improve equity for all faculty.

Originality/value

The study’s contribution to the literature is unique, as only a few studies have tracked the subsequent success of participants in mentoring or networking programs. Furthermore, the study reveals benefits of FLCs across different career stages, identity groups and position types (women, URM and NTT) and suggests the investment that many NSF-funded ADVANCE programs have made in funding FLCs has the potential to produce a positive return (e.g. more women and URM faculty retained).

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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 38 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

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Article
Publication date: 7 June 2013

Lisa S. McNeill and Lucy Turner

This paper aims not only to provide an insight into the nature of the relationship between parental financial role modelling and consumption behaviour of young people, but also to…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims not only to provide an insight into the nature of the relationship between parental financial role modelling and consumption behaviour of young people, but also to explore the consumer socialization process that children undergo in the parent‐child dyad.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research in the form of personal in‐depth interviews was conducted in order to extract new knowledge and reach a greater understanding regarding the impact that this relationship may have on future consumption behaviours within the youth market.

Findings

It is clear that parents are able to exert a huge amount of influence over the financial behaviour of their children (although this obviously differs between families) and are able to do so through the informal teaching of financial lessons, by allowing children to observe their own financial patterns and by guiding their children through significant financial decisions by offering advice and approval (or disapproval) when asked. Key financial attitudes and behaviours of young home‐leavers are almost directly related to the parental financial education they received whilst growing up and still living at home and in many cases parental influence is still present even once the child has moved away from home and is responsible for making their own financial decisions.

Research limitations/implications

Although there are limitations, the present study does have implications for the impact parents can have on the spending behaviour of their children; it may be that the most important thing parents can do is teach their children about financial responsibility and successful consumer decisions at a young age so that they grow up with these life skills.

Practical implications

In terms of practical implications, by identifying the specific areas where financial knowledge and awareness may be lacking, the research may help educational and financial institutions to design financial management courses in order to help young people achieve greater financial freedom.

Social implications

The paper reveals the characteristics of the consumption relationship children enjoy with their parents, describing the role of financial education within families and conceptualising the various forms of consumption relationships that exist between young consumers and their parents.

Originality/value

The relationship between parental influence and youth consumption behaviour has already been identified using quantitative research methods but very little is known about the actual extent of this relationship, which is addressed by this paper.

Details

Young Consumers, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-3616

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