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How do you simplify #(3x-7)^3#?
1 Answer
May 23, 2017
Explanation:
I'm not sure you can simplify this expression. It seems to be in simplest form. However, if the question had been to expand this expression then here are the steps: | https://socratic.org/questions/how-do-you-simplify-3x-7-3 |
Like Terms can be added and subtracted.
In an expression 2b + 3b, there are two lots of b and three lots of b, which gives 5 lots of b altogether. Therefore 2b + 3b = 5b. This is called simplifying an expression.
The expression 3c + 4d cannot be simplified, because c and d are unlike terms. This is also true of the expression 3 + 4e, as the number and 4e are unlike terms.
Another term that cannot be simplified is 3f + 4f2. The f and the f2 are different powers and are therefore unlike terms.
1. Simplify 3p + 4p - 5t.
Answer: 7p - 5t
The 3p and the 4p can be added together as the are like terms. The 5t cannot be subtracted from the other terms, as it is an unlike term.
2. Simplify 3m + 2m - 2m2 - 5m
Answer: 2m2
Add all the m terms together: 3m + 2m - 5m = 0m, which means there are no ms. The remaining term is 2m2. | http://wtmaths.com/adding_subtracting_terms.html |
Distribute: Give shares of (something); deal out Collect (Combine) Like Terms: A mathematical process used to simplify an expression or to add or subtract polynomials. Reciprocal: given, felt, or done in return Inverse: opposite or contrary in position, direction, order, or effect. Simplify: make (something) simpler or easier to do or understand Coefficient: a numerical or constant quantity placed before and multiplying the variable in an algebraic expression (e.g., 4 in 4x y). Constant: occurring continuously over a period of time Infinite Solution: Any value for the variable would make the equation true. No Solution: there is no answer to the equation Quantity: the amount or number of a material or immaterial thing not usually estimated by spatial measurement. | http://edtools.mankindforward.com/crosswords/1300336/edit |
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5 crucial steps to nailing the variables that will unlock the value of your workspace
Today's desk-based workplaces look very very different to how they looked back in 2019.
Dramatic changes in workplace utilisation patterns and demands mean FMs and workspace managers need to understand how to get the most from their workspace analytics and reporting, to clearly:
- Understand the type of workspace and resources that are in demand in your organisation
- Reveal the patterns of demand, by team and function
- Map and align your desk stock and workspace assets with demand
- Anticipate future real estate demands
- Identify workspace restacking opportunities
Understanding the variables
There are multiple variables at play in workspace utilisation analytics. In this blog, I'll lay out in clear and simple terms, the 5 steps to nailing the variables that will unlock the data secrets and value of your workspace.
1. Workspace Assets – the space usage you’ll be reporting on
Your workspace analytics plan will focus on usage data around key assets in your workplace.
So, the next step in the framework approach is to identify and specify those particular assets you want to include in your analysis.
Typically, you’ll be considering:
- Fixed desks
- Hot desks
- Private offices
- Formal meeting rooms
- Formal meeting spaces
- Informal meeting spaces
- Collaboration/break out spaces
- R&R & social spaces
- Departments/teams/functions
- Floors
- Sites
- Locations
2. Workspace resources and facilities
Alongside your workspace assets, are your related resources and facilities.
These may be intrinsic to an asset – e.g., the location or capacity – or value-adds that can be bolted on, such as tech or lighting.
Consider:
- Size – density, space per person
- Size - capacity
- Location and accessibility
- Daylight
- Lighting
- Temperature
- Enclosure - by walls, doors or a ceiling
- Privacy – visual or acoustic
- Acoustics
- Ambience
- Technology and equipment
- Catering
3. Time parameters
It’s useful to specify at the start, the time parameters you’re going to analyse and report on in one, or both, of two ways:
- Real-time
- Historical (across any time frame – e.g., day, week, month)
For example, you may decide that real-time analytics are needed for your ongoing reporting, and post-transformation monitoring.
Or you may decide that only specific historical timeframes are needed to address your key objectives.
4. Measurement – benchmarks and flags
Here’s where you consider which measurements you are going to focus your workspace analytics and reporting on.
The key measurements you’ll be reporting on are:
- Utilisation/Occupancy
- Capacity
These are the measurements you’ll use to set all-important benchmarks, identify red/green flags and KPIs, and then set your targets.
Remember you’ll be reporting on these measurements, by the two distinct variables already discussed in points 1 and 2:
- By workspace asset type
- By resource / facilities
This is how you’ll identify which type of workspace is performing, and which isn’t:
- Which type of spaces (assets and resources) are in demand, and which are not
- Where your opportunities lie to reconfigure or repurpose a space
- Where an investment in a space will pay off, or where a cost cut can safely be made
5. Metrics
As a rule of thumb, to get the basic data you need to answer the questions you’re most likely to be asking, you’ll want to benchmark, analyse and set targets for the following key metrics:
- Baseline average
- Occupancy peaks
- Average occupancy peaks
- Lows
- Average lows
- Baseline average duration
- Duration occupancy peaks
- Average duration occupancy peaks
- Duration lows
- Average duration lows
- Peak times
- Low times
- Trends
Example reporting table:
To find out more, download our full Workspace Reporting Guide - How to unlock the data secrets and value of your workspace.
Regardless of which tech you use, this 16-page guide will show you, step-by-step:
- How to identify the right questions to ask of your workspace data
- Exactly which variables and metrics to use, to get the answers you need
- What the answers actually mean for your workspace and business planning
Discover more about how Space Connect workspace reporting can help you drill down into your space usage and occupancy data to reveal the hidden opportunities and issues in your workspaces: Book a demo here. | https://www.spaceconnect.co/blog/workspace-analytics-and-reporting-understanding-the-variables-for-drilling-your-data |
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Using Occupancy Data to Re-Engage Employees with the Workplace
Are you ready for the changing role of the workplace?
Build your workplace around your employees
Find out how to help your employees transition from working remotely and get back to the workplace
The future role of the workplace is adapting to reflect new attitudes and working styles of employees. Discover how occupancy data can help you evolve your workspace to match this change.
Invest in a solution that meets your workplace and employees needs now, and in the future
Discover how you can utilize a solution that will help you prepare your workplace for your employees return during the vaccine roll out, and also caters for their long term needs once we enter the new role of the workplace.
Fill in the form to download the 'Using occupancy data to re-engage employees with the workplace' guide, which will outline how occupancy data can help you to improve:
- Employee wellbeing
- HVAC and indoor air quality
- Space utilization and optimization
You will also find out: | https://www.trueoccupancy.com/download-occupancy-data-re-engage-employees-workplace |
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC will cost U.S. hotels a 29 percent decline in annual hotel occupancy over the next 12 months, according to a study from business strategy company Magid and consulting firm Horwath HTL. This can lead to a $75 billion in room revenue.
Declines in business travel, projected to drop 22 percent this year, according to the Magid HTL Forecast Tracker, although leisure travel plans also are expected to decline. However, while fewer people plan to travel, those who do plan to travel with the same frequency.
Data in the tracker is gauged by baseline information gathered prior to March and measures the percentage of the population who plan at least one travel experience within the designated time frame as well as the anticipated number of experiences in the same time frames. Its purpose is to predict a return to pre-pandemic travel performance.
“The forecast shows the continuing significant impact COVID-19 is having on hotel occupancy,” said Rick Garlick, Magid’s vice president and strategy consultant. “Currently, the forecast suggests a 39 percent decline in occupancy for the next month. If the average occupancy at this time of the year (summer) is 70 percent, this would put current occupancy around 43 percent.”
Other findings in the tracker include:
- 71 percent of consumers expect to next stay in a hotel 24 months from now, down from the baseline behavior of 89 percent who said so in March and the 74 percent in the beginning of June.
- 56 percent of consumers said they expected to next stay in a hotel a year from now, compared to 62 percent who said so in June and 79 percent who reported the same in March.
- Consumers anticipate staying at hotels 7.26 times per year, up from 6.74 times per year in June and the “baseline” reported behavior of 6.58 times per year.
- Vacation rentals are forecast to drop 64 percent for the last part of the summer, but are expected to return to normal in 12 months.
- Within the next 12 months, air travel is expected to decline 31 percent, in line with the expected 29 percent drop in hotel occupancy.
“Many hotel companies are creating new forecast models for the remainder of this year and next without the benefit of insight into the mindset of the traveling consumer,” said John Fareed, chairman for Horwath HTL America. “This data will allow hoteliers to better understand the customer’s intentions and create marketing offers to consumers that will position them to survive and thrive this crisis.”
Last week, STR reported that Labor Day weekend provided an expected boost to U.S. hotels’ occupancy for the week ending Sept. 5. Occupancy for the week finished at 49.4 percent, up from 48.2 percent the previous week but down 18.9 percent year over year. ADR finished at $100.97, a 17.1 percent drop from the previous year, and RevPAR came in at $49.87, down 32.8 percent from last year. | https://www.asianhospitality.com/forecast-tracker-predicts-29-percent-decline-in-occupancy-over-next-12-months/ |
AbstractUnderstanding spatiotemporal population trends and their drivers is a key aim in population ecology. We further need to be able to predict how the dynamics and sizes of populations are affected in the long term by changing landscapes and climate. However, predictions of future population trends are sensitive to a range of modeling assumptions. Deadwood-dependent fungi are an excellent system for testing the performance of different predictive models of sessile species as these species have different rarity and spatial population dynamics, the populations are structured at different spatial scales, and they utilize distinct substrates. We tested how the projected large-scale occupancies of species with differing landscape-scale occupancies are affected over the coming century by different modeling assumptions. We compared projections based on occupancy models against colonization-extinction models, conducting the modeling at alternative spatial scales and using fine- or coarse-resolution deadwood data. We also tested effects of key explanatory variables on species occurrence and colonization-extinction dynamics. The hierarchical Bayesian models applied were fitted to an extensive repeated survey of deadwood and fungi at 174 patches. We projected higher occurrence probabilities and more positive trends using the occupancy models compared to the colonization-extinction models, with greater difference for the species with lower occupancy, colonization rate, and colonization:extinction ratio than for the species with higher estimates of these statistics. The magnitude of future increase in occupancy depended strongly on the spatial modeling scale and resource resolution. We encourage using colonization-extinction models over occupancy models, modeling the process at the finest resource-unit resolution that is utilizable by the species, and conducting projections for the same spatial scale and resource resolution at which the model fitting is conducted. Further, the models applied should include key variables driving the metapopulation dynamics, such as the availability of suitable resource units, habitat quality, and spatial connectivity. | https://publications.slu.se/?file=publ/show&id=104933 |
With the increase in consumptive trends of wood products there is greater push for ecosystem management. Ecosystem management is a process that aims to conserve major ecological services and restore natural resources while meeting the socioeconomic, political and cultural needs of current and future generations, and more efficient natural resource management. Forests provide natural resources for consumption; however, they also support wildlife and provide many other ecosystem services. Therefore, it is increasingly common that natural resource managers are asked to balance multiple objectives on a single property. The main objective of this study was to show how the theoretical outcomes from growth and yield models and wildlife occupancy models could be combined to give land managers an idea of what to expect before management is executed. A growth and yield model, the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS), is used for stand projection. The resulting stand structures are input into species-specific wildlife occupancy models to estimate probability of occurrence. A simplified example from the Barbour Wildlife Management Area in Alabama is used to illustrate this approach. Area managers wish to convert existing mixed loblolly pine-hardwood stands into an open-canopy, fire maintained, longleaf pine ecosystem. Though species specific occupancy models are used here for simplification, other species or objectives can be used for other properties. Three management scenarios were projected 100-years into the future: no treatment; immediate conversion through clearcutting, site preparation, and planting at three different densities; and long-term conversion through single-tree selection. Regression models were developed to predict reproductive and ground cover, variables not projected by FVS which are important parameters for occupancy of species. At five-year intervals, projected stand structure was input into occupancy models developed for four species of migratory songbirds; wood thrush, pine warbler, yellow-breasted chat, and prairie warbler. Stand structure varied through time for each of the scenarios, but there was little difference between reproductive cover and ground cover between scenarios. The pine warbler was predicted to occupy stands under both the no management and single-tree selection scenarios throughout the entire projection period. Under the even-aged management scenarios, the pine warbler has a probability of use between 80 and 100% throughout the projection cycle. The yellow-breasted chat’s probability of use varies between management scenarios. The wood thrush has less than a 30% probability of use under any management scenario. The prairie warbler has the highest probability of use in the even-aged scenarios over time, but will still use the other management scenarios between 20 to 30% of the time. While there seems to be little difference in the probability of use between management scenarios for each species, there is still predictive power for this decision support tool. Only three management alternatives were simulated in this example. There are an infinite number of other possible alternatives that were not reviewed here. By integrating these two models (stand projection and habitat occupancy) a unique tool is available for land managers to gauge the efficacy of their management plans while also developing a timeline of predicted forest structure that can be compared with future inventory for use in adaptive management. | https://etd.auburn.edu/handle/10415/2794 |
,
Philip Harrison
,
Louise Mair
,
Juha Siitonen
,
Anders Lundström
,
Oskar Kindvall
,
Tord Snall
Jenni Nordén
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Oslo
Author Profile
Philip Harrison
Uppsala University
Author Profile
Louise Mair
Newcastle University
Author Profile
Juha Siitonen
Natural Resources Institute Finland
Author Profile
Anders Lundström
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Author Profile
Oskar Kindvall
Calluna AB
Author Profile
Tord Snall
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
Author Profile
Abstract
Understanding spatiotemporal population trends and their drivers is a key aim in population ecology. We further need to be able to predict how the dynamics and sizes of populations are affected in the long term by changing landscapes and climate. However, predictions of future population trends are sensitive to a range of modelling assumptions. Deadwood-dependent fungi are an excellent system for testing the performance of different predictive models of sessile species as these species have different rarity and spatial population dynamics, the populations are structured at different spatial scales and they utilize distinct substrates. We tested how the projected large scale occupancies of species with differing landscape-scale occupancies are affected over the coming century by different modelling assumptions. We compared projections based on occupancy models against colonization-extinction models, conducting the modelling at alternative spatial scales, and using fine or coarse resolution deadwood data. We also tested effects of key explanatory variables on species occurrence and colonization-extinction dynamics. The hierarchical Bayesian models applied were fitted to an extensive repeated survey of deadwood and fungi at 174 patches. We projected higher occurrence probabilities and more positive trends using the occupancy models compared to the colonisation-extinction models, with greater difference for the species with lower occupancy, colonization rate and colonization:extinction ratio than for the species with higher estimates of these statistics. The magnitude of future increase in occupancy depended strongly on the spatial modelling scale and resource resolution. We encourage using colonisation-extinction models over occupancy models, modelling the process at the finest resource-unit resolution that is utilizable by the species, and conducting projections for the same spatial scale and resource resolution at which the model fitting is conducted. Further, the models applied should include key variables driving the metapopulation dynamics, such as the availability of suitable resource units, habitat quality and spatial connectivity.
Peer review status: | https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.157963812.23974358 |
This poster presents the development and application of a hospital-wide patient flow model that can be used for strategic and operational decision making.
Many Canadian hospitals run at or near capacity, frequently experiencing congestion due to surges in demand. “Surge Protocols” that formally define when and what kind of operational steps can be taken to alleviate congestion are routinely in use. Decisions across the hospital, regarding bed capacity and allocation, staffing levels, and the surgical block schedule influence the frequency and severity of congestion, which in turn manifests as high bed occupancy, delayed admissions, a crowded Emergency Department, surgical cancellations and increased use of surge protocols.
A generic, data-driven, discrete event simulation is presented that helps hospitals assess the impact of hospital wide decisions and surge policies on each area of the hospital. The operational model was developed in cooperation with two hospitals, and then applied at two additional hospitals. This model was then used to create a predictive model to evaluate short-term capacity requirements at the University Health Network’s Toronto General Hospital.
The predictive model is initialized from the actual bed occupancy and the planned elective surgical slate. Arriving patients are randomly generated from historical data to simulate future bed occupancy over the forecasting window. Given a forecast of the hospital state, the hospital can avoid the use of costly surge protocols by proactively discovering and planning for events such as increased demand in the near future. | http://symposium.technainstitute.com/hospital-wide-simulation-of-patient-flow-with-both-operational-and-tactical-applications/ |
- What are the 5 Types of Analytics?
- What are the 4 types of analytics?
- What are the 4 types of business analytics?
Some of the most successful businesses across the globe are those that constantly make learning and adaptation a habit. Regardless of the field of operation, it’s critical to always understand and analyze what’s happened in the past, what’s happening now, and what might happen in the future. But the big question is, how do businesses go about this? Well, the answer starts and ends with simply understanding the different types of data analytics.
In recent times, however, there’s been a shift beyond the conventional types of analytics we are accustomed to. Times are changing together with a whole lot of processes, including in data/business analytics. And like we know from science, the plan is always to move from the known to the unknown. But that’s something I will unveil at the end of this post.
In the meantime let’s begin with the basics…
Overview
Most businesses collect data on a regular basis, yet this data is meaningless in its raw form. What matters is what you do with the information. Data analytics is the process of analyzing raw data in order to uncover patterns, trends, and insights that might provide valuable information about a certain business area. These data-driven insights are then leveraged to make wise decisions.
However, the kind of insights you can derive from your data is determined by the type of analytics you set into motion. And for confirmation sakes, there are four types of analytics; descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive.
So if you’re ready to understand how the different types of analytics work and why they are a very useful tool in business growth, then I urge you to stay glued to your device a little longer.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a specific type of analytics, use the clickable menu above to get to the appropriate section.
Read Also: 7 business growth hacks for 2021 [with guide]
What are the Different Types of Analytics
The following are the different types of analytics that also cover the process of data and business analytics.
#1. Descriptive analytics (What Happened?)
The goal of descriptive analytics, as the name implies, is to simply report what has happened in the past. It does not attempt to explain why something occurred or try to construct cause-and-effect links. The main purpose is to present a digestible snapshot.
Google Analytics is a fantastic example of descriptive analytics in action. It gives you a quick summary of what’s been going on with your website. For example, how many visitors you’ve had in a specific time period or where they came from. Similarly, systems like HubSpot will show you how many individuals opened a specific email or participated in a campaign.
But then, there are two basic techniques that come into play in descriptive analytics; data aggregation and data mining. The process of gathering and presenting data in a summary format is known as data aggregation.
(Assume that an e-commerce company collects a variety of information on its customers and visitors to its website. The aggregate data, also known as summary data, would give a broad overview of the larger dataset. This includes the average client age or the average number of purchases made).
On the other hand, the process of finding patterns, correlations, and anomalies within massive data sets to forecast outcomes is known as data mining. Simply put, this is when the analyst looks over the data to see if there are any patterns or trends. A visual depiction of the data, such as a bar graph or a pie chart, is the result of descriptive analysis.
As a result, descriptive analytics condenses enormous amounts of data into a clear, basic summary of what occurred. As we’ll see later, this is often the starting point for more in-depth analysis.
#2. Diagnostic Analytics (Why did it happen?)
This is the type of analytics that tries to figure out why something happened by digging deeper. Diagnostic analytics’ primary goal is to find and respond to anomalies in your data. For instance, if your descriptive analysis reveals a 20% reduction in sales for the month of March, you’ll want to figure out why. A diagnostic examination basically helps you through that.
Applications of Diagnostic Analytics
Using this type of analytics, the analyst looks for any new data sources that could provide more insight into why sales are down. They might go further and discover that despite a high volume of website visitors and a high number of “add to cart” actions, only a small percentage of visitors actually make a purchase. Further investigation may reveal that the majority of clients dropped out at the time of entering their delivery address.
This gives the analyst a clue as to what the problem is… The issue could be with the address form; probably it loads wrongly on mobile devices, or it was simply too long and inconvenient. You’re getting closer to finding an answer for your data anomaly if you probe a little deeper.
But then, diagnostic analytics isn’t just for diagnosing problems; it can also be used to figure out what’s causing favorable outcomes.
#3. Predictive Analytics (What will happen in the future?)
Predictive analytics aims to foresee what will occur in the future. This is, however, feasible on the basis of past patterns and trends which will help to estimate the chance of a future event or outcome in businesses.
Predictive models literally create predictions based on the relationship between a collection of variables. For example, you could use the correlation between seasonality and sales numbers to forecast when sales are would fall. So, if your predictive model predicts that sales will fall in the summer, you can utilize this information to create a summer-themed promotional campaign or reduce spending elsewhere to compensate for the seasonal drop.
On the other hand, you may run a restaurant and want to know how many takeout orders you’ll get on a regular Saturday night. Results from this type of analytics could help you decide to hire an extra delivery driver.
Furthermore, predictive analytics includes a component called machine learning. Basically, machine learning models are designed to discover patterns in data and automatically evolve in order to produce correct predictions. This is similar to humans using predictive analytics to devise models and estimate future outcomes. However, as you can tell, there are tons of differences between human-led analytics and automatic.
So in general, predictive analytics is used to anticipate a wide range of future outcomes, and while it may never be 100% correct, it does remove a lot of the guesswork. This is pretty much the most important piece when it comes to making business decisions and determining the best course of action.
#4. Prescriptive Analytics (What is the best line of action?)
To help determine the best line of action, prescriptive analytics examines what has happened in the past, why it has happened, and what may happen in the future. To put it another way, prescriptive analytics explains how to best take advantage of descriptive, diagnostic, and predictive analytics.
However, it is the most difficult type of analysis to perform. This is because it incorporates a whole lot including algorithms machine learning, statistical approaches, and computational modeling procedures.
Basically, a prescriptive model evaluates all of the different choice patterns or pathways that a corporation could take, as well as their likely effects. This lets you visualize how each set of decisions might affect the future, as well as quantify the influence of a specific decision. Moving on, the organization will be able to determine optimal routes to take based on all of the conceivable scenarios and consequences.
Maps and traffic apps are common examples of prescriptive analytics in action. Google Maps will examine all available forms of transportation (e.g. bus, walking, or driving), current traffic conditions, and probable roadworks when calculating the optimal route to get you from point A to point B.
Prescriptive models are used in a similar fashion to compute all of the different “routes” a corporation could take to achieve its objectives; with the best option in view. And knowing what actions to take for the best odds of success is a huge advantage for any company. Hence it’s no surprise that prescriptive analytics plays such a big part in business.
Cognitive Analytics
Cognitive analytics is a branch of analytics that attempts to mimic the human brain by drawing inferences from existing data and patterns, drawing conclusions based on existing knowledge bases, and then re-inserting the information back into the knowledge base for future inferences – a self-learning feedback loop.
Semantics, artificial intelligence algorithms, deep learning, and machine learning are just a few of the clever technologies that make up Cognitive Analytics. A cognitive application can learn from its interactions with data and humans and grow more intelligent and successful over time by employing these strategies.
So, in simple terms, businesses do not need to make decisions manually based on data from the four types of analytics. Cognitive analytics takes care of that automatically.
Key Takeaways
In some respects, data analytics is similar to a treasure hunt. You can figure out what your next move should be based on clues and insights from the past. All types of businesses and organizations may utilize their data to make better decisions, invest intelligently, enhance internal procedures, and ultimately raise their chances of success with the correct type of analysis.
What are the 5 Types of Analytics?
Contrary to popular misconception, there are just four types of analytics and not 5 types. These include Descriptive. Predictive, Prescriptive, Diagnostic analytics.
What are the 4 types of analytics?
The 4 types of analytics are Descriptive. Predictive, Prescriptive, Diagnostic analytics
What are the 4 types of business analytics? | https://businessyield.com/business-planning/types-of-analytics/ |
The way we inhabit our workspace is changing and so are the workplace strategies we must have in place to attract and retain talent as well as to drive productivity and performance. Here are 7 ways facility managers must fulfill their customer needs and innovate their practices to stay competitive in the facility management industry by 2020.
To stay competitive by 2020, facility management companies must move beyond traditional asset deployment and extend their focus on how to use workspace more efficiently to the benefit of all stakeholders.
This is a widening of the Facility Management role and requires a close collaboration with HR and IT teams to align but also to support the overall company strategy.
To accomplish that companies need to develop sets of more strategically relevant KPIs that measure outcomes such as: ability and speed of knowledge creation; impact of office environment on employee productivity and innovation; impact on culture; customer satisfaction; and ability to adapt to changes in the external environment.
Historically, the facility management success rate has relied heavily on costs and how to get more for less through cost-cutting. Even though cost-cutting will continue to dominate the agenda, with main emphasis on lowering occupancy costs – being a strategic partner will also require finding new ways to create value for the workspace inhabitants and other stakeholders. This can be reflected in adoption of new and forward-thinking technologies that allow more mobility or provide better conditions for employee training, or creation of a healthier workplace environment that can increase employee productivity, decrease absenteeism and minimize overall stress levels.
Given the fact that buildings account for almost 40% of global energy use, sustainability has become an important strategic topic in Corporate Real Estate and Facility Management in particular.
Today, the majority of facility managers are responsible for energy management, health and safety, waste management, recycling, water consumption and carbon footprint management. These responsibilities will expand even more in the years ahead of us.
Because, sustainability is so highly prioritized on the agenda – even at the board level – the pressure on Facility Managers will increase to deliver sustainable solutions across all platforms and activities. The professionals will be forced to rethink all of their existing assets and system into a sustainable framework, including making life-cycle assessments and undertaking life-cycle building management. Training employees in maintaining a sustainable workplace and developing new methods to reduce energy levels, waste and carbon footprint overall, will therefore be one of the key ways to gain new market shares and improve the competitiveness of a facility management business overall.
Space costs money. Knowing that we are moving towards a working environment consisting of virtual or mobile workers, investing time in developing new workplace designs that can suit these new ways of working while increasing space utilization rates can result in impressive cost savings.
Flexible workstations, distributed workplace strategy and mobile workplace strategy are just a few ways of maximizing the value of current properties. Reinvestment can with advantage be allocated to less space, but better space propositions.
Facility management companies keen on developing skills and expertise within workplace design in combination with technology utilization will on that basis be well positioned to experience higher demands.
Towards 2020, more facility managers will be keen to leverage more technology in their service offerings to stay competitive.
For many knowledge workers, today already, the idea of workplace naturally includes concepts such as the virtual workplace. This naturally falls within the domain of facility management and must be considered in the overall service offering.
Technology is and will be important for two reasons. Firstly, it impacts both how we perform our work and where we work. New different types of workplaces – such as assigned workplaces, shared workplaces, home offices, virtual workplaces and flexible offices – emerge.
Facility Management providers must understand and proactively respond to this.
Secondly, facility management professionals must use technology to make these workplaces/spaces efficient and effective by taking all available technologies and applying them to support the employees.
Many facility management technologies are available already, and they must be used and leveraged optimally.
Technology will be an important component in the Facility Manager’s quest to become more efficient and effective moving forward. Nevertheless, it will be essential in responding to the market demands towards 2020.
In their efforts to support the performance of the company’s employees, corporate Facility Managers and service providers, will find themselves with significantly more data on buildings and employees.
Facility Managers are in possession of data already (who is formally meeting with whom, internally and externally) but do not use this information proactively, nor sees information as a core product.
For the ones being in the forefront of competition, this will most likely change.
Working with and developing experience with data intelligence, Facility Managers will need to leverage data to understand the use of facilities, employee interaction, information exchange and cross-organizational user behavior.
These insights will be important in understanding how to best support performance, attract talent and increase productivity.
Many buildings are similar – as were the way we used our working facilities for a long time. This made it possible for facility managers to offer a fairly standardized service independent of the customer and their subsequent employees. This will no doubt evolve.
To stay competitive, Facility Management towards 2020 needs to be focused on creating personalized service deliveries that support the new ways of working, are more fit-for-purpose and unique from company to company.
The companies’ strategies, and consequently their workplace strategies, will differ from each other. This will make customers demand a service to their exact, specific needs.
The personalized service will go beyond managing assets and systems. Customers will require that the service provider understands their business and train the front-line service employees to deliver on this understanding.
Are you keen on learning more about New Ways of Working and the implications this will have on Facility Management?
Then please read our blog post: How will the future of work impact facility management or download our Vision 2020 White Book: New Ways of Working – the workplace of the future.
Stay updated on our news and insights! Sign up for our newsletter in the top right-hand column. | https://www.servicefutures.com/7-ways-to-grow-competitiveness-in-the-facility-management-industry-by-2020 |
According to AECOM, estimates suggest that desks and offices in the workspace are only occupied about 42% of the time and, on average, workspaces are empty about 40% of the time at any point in the workday.
This means that facilities managers at organizations are constantly having to decide whether or not their spaces are being used properly, so that they can make strategic decisions to downsize or expand. Especially in a post-COVID world, tracking and reporting on space utilization for both businesses and higher education facilities will be critical.
Without measuring and accurately reporting on your space utilization, businesses and educational campuses will not have a clear picture of how their facilities are being used, which can lead to unnecessary costs for your utilities, rent, maintenance and more.
This is leading organizations to consider space utilization a top strategic priority for their long-term financial success. And to achieve better visibility into their space utilization, organizations need to invest in a data-driven solution that offers better insight and control across their entire workspace portfolio.
What is Space Utilization?
Space utilization is how your workspaces are being used. This is different from space occupancy, which measures how many people are in a certain space. While both are useful measurements, space utilization is about function and efficiency, with the end goal of having high utilization regardless of occupancy.
There are a variety of spaces in an office or campus where utilization can be measured, including:
- Collaborative huddle spaces
- Bookable conference rooms
- Mixed-use work spaces
- Event halls and rentable rooms
- Classrooms and study desks
- Meeting rooms and elective spaces
Why Does Space Utilization Matter for Higher Education and Corporate Spaces?
Space utilization is one of the most important issues facing organizations, mainly due to the complexity of balancing the interests of the individuals with availability of facilities. Without a centralized solution to assist in space management, rooms and spaces can be overbooked or underutilized, costing the organization time and money.
For educational facilities, their main effort above all else is typically to save money while showing that they are offering every available resource to their students. Many campuses have various mixed-use spaces and event spaces that are not always in use and are bookable both by students and outside vendors.
In order to justify the cost of maintaining these spaces, it is critical for facilities managers to measure how these spaces are being used, including how often and by whom. Without measuring space utilization on campus, it is hard to justify building new facilities or making improvements and renovations to current facilities.
For example, if a university is considering building a new student activities building that includes mixed-use spaces for events, meetings, collaborative workspaces and lectures, investors and stakeholders will want to consider other activity spaces on campus and how they are currently being used. If facilities managers cannot show that the new activities building is necessary, based on space usage in other buildings, they will likely not get approval for a new building.
Download our eBook to learn more about the Return to Campus and how to keep educational facilities safe for students and employees.
Alternatively, if facilities managers do space utilization research ahead of time, they may find that there is another building on campus that is currently being underutilized and could easily be reconfigured into a student activities space. This saves money and repurposes already-built space on campus, improving student life and saving critical costs for the university.
Meanwhile, in corporate offices, space utilization measurement is critical to ensure spaces are both being used and promoting the kind of workplace culture that fits your organization’s mission. The modern office is changing, and employees are demanding more flexible, connected workspaces that allow for collaboration, privacy when needed and predictability.
All of this means that businesses need greater insight into their space utilization to provide better workspaces for their employees and to save money on maintenance and other facilities costs. By better managing and measuring space utilization in the office, organizations can avoid the problem of wasted real estate and make better business decisions about space usage, expanding offices or downsizing.
For example, if a facility manager at an organization can see that every conference room is constantly booked, and many of the larger meeting rooms, which can accommodate up to 20 people, are being used for meetings of only 3-4 people, then they can likely assume that the office needs more small meeting rooms. Rather than invest in more real estate, why not transform the larger meeting rooms into additional small meeting rooms? This provides more of the right kind of spaces their employees need without additional real estate costs.
As we begin to deal with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses and educational campuses have to take a step back and better assess their facilities in order to provide a safer return to the office or campus for their employees and students. A robust, accurate space utilization measurement solution will be critical for maintaining sanitized spaces, keeping rooms and event halls socially distant, implementing new guidelines and regulations, and saving money on underutilized rooms.
Read more about the Great Return to Work and how to safely reintegrate employees into the workspace.
Why Do I Need a Space Utilization Analysis?
A space utilization analysis provides you with the data you need to understand how your space is currently being used – and ultimately to be able to make decisions about how to optimize that space usage. Simply guessing isn’t going to cut it. Space utilization metrics show you exactly which spaces are being used and when, whether they are conference rooms, employee desks, event spaces, small gathering areas, collaborative workspaces or more.
Solid space utilization strategies rely on a space utilization analysis to answer key questions such as:
- How many people are in our buildings on any given day?
- What is the density of a particular space?
- What areas are being underutilized?
- Are there any spaces that are routinely over capacity?
- What is unused or underutilized space costing our organization?
The data gained can help guide decisions including:
- How to best configure existing spaces
- Whether to invest in additional real estate
- Whether to discontinue current space usage (e.g., not renewing leases)
- Whether to renovate or replace a particular area
How Can You Measure Space Utilization?
There are many different KPIs to consider when measuring space utilization for an organization or college campus. Here are a few of the most important metrics to consider.
Capacity vs Occupancy
Capacity and occupancy look at how many people can use a certain space, versus how many people are actually using the space. Like in our example above, if a conference room has room for 20 people but is frequently only used for 3-4 person meetings. This tells you something about how your spaces are used and how you can perhaps split the room into two or three smaller conference rooms to better suit your employees' needs.
Average Peak Utilization
Average peak utilization is a derivative of looking at occupancy and capacity. This helps you get a view for when your spaces are busiest and whether you are meeting this demand. This can be measured by taking the capacity of all your office spaces or educational facilities (rooms, collaborative spaces, event spaces) and looking at a time period of occupancy.
Occupancy trends help determine if there are usage trends based on days of the week, times of day or even longer periods of time. By getting a better idea of when your spaces are used to the fullest, you can try to recreate this pattern for better usage, or see if even on your peak days, your space is still underutilized.
Cost Per Person
At the end of the day, measuring and reporting on space utilization is used to help organizations and universities save money by reducing wasted space. One way to do this is by calculating your space cost per person. The U.S. General Services Administration provides a Cost Per Person Model (CPPM) that is an Excel-based tool designed to enable organizations to compute and benchmark their cost per person for real estate.
Looking at cost per person also allows for the development of more flexible, agile workspaces. Facilities managers can use cost per person to determine inefficiencies in desk arrangements, multi-use rooms and more.
How Do You Collect Data on Space Utilization?
With technology advancements and the growth of Internet of Things (IoT), measuring space utilization has become easier and more accurate. There are a variety of ways to implement IoT in your real estate to better track and manage your space utilization metrics.
Sensors, trackers, imagers and machine learning have all made space utilization measurement more accurate and reliable. For example, optical sensors in smart cameras can use real-time images to detect movement and identify people in different areas of your real estate, allowing you to better measure how many people are using your private and shared spaces, as well as determining when these spaces are most occupied. In addition to new hardware, new cloud-based software and tools help aggregate the data from these sensors and trackers to provide robust analytics and reporting, allowing you to make more informed decisions about your space.
For example, Virginia Commonwealth University's facilities staff can now better manage their event spaces on campus through space utilization reports. VCU is saving thousands of dollars a year due to sensors in bookable rooms that determine if the room is in use, turning on and off the HVAC systems to accommodate the space. By only using the HVAC system when the room is scheduled to be in use, VCU saves money on utilities and provides a better room booking experience. In addition, VCU is able to see patterns in their room bookings, and which rooms are being used and when, allowing for them to make better decisions about their capital plans for new buildings.
How Accruent Can Help
Once your organization recognizes the need for measuring your space utilization, you'll need the right software to help you capture your KPIs and build reports in order to create a more efficient workspace or campus.
Space utilization is a critical piece of information and management for both corporate and higher education facilities and real estate.
Accruent's EMS workspace management software solution provides robust reporting and analytics capabilities so that you can see when and how your space is being used, providing you with opportunities to better utilize your space to optimize your real estate. Our FAMIS 360 space and occupancy management solution helps businesses uncover additional square footage, manage space allocations and identify areas for savings.
Contact our team today to learn more about EMS and FAMIS 360. | https://www.emssoftware.com/resources/blog-posts/space-utilization-everything-you-need-know |
Business examination and info science are two disciplines that are closely related. Both give attention to data and quantitative actions used to measure the performance of companies. Business analysts often employ fact-based supervision for decision-making. They use info to know and foresee the future of businesses, helping to drive the economy and foster progress within the market. Business experts use info transformations and predictive models to make better decisions based on historical developments. They can also use machine learning how to create predictive models and optimize overall performance through search engine optimization.
As the two fields terme conseillé, there are some vital differences. Even though data researchers read what he said are statistically qualified, business experts will be organisation-centric. They evaluate and interpret info to sketch insights from it and present it to non-technical audiences. Finally, both types of professionals depend on each other peoples skills. And there’s no question that data scientists are in high demand. They’re also expected to continually update their abilities.
While info science is the future of info management, both of them disciplines don’t terme conseillé in all methods. They equally aim to evaluate data and find patterns to resolve problems and improve company performance. Organization analysis was traditionally utilized to capture business needs and fix problems. But the use of big data, especially big data, has radically changed the purpose. Instead of simply solving problems, it may now anticipate long term needs and respond to these people better. In a data-driven world, this type of analysis can help companies improve their bottom lines and minimize costs and turnaround conditions. | https://route66goa.com/organization-analysis-and-data-research/ |
Emily Eyles, Maria Theresa Redaniel, Tim Jones, Marion Prat, Tim KeenBMJ open 2022 Apr 20
The main objective of the study was to develop more accurate and precise short-term forecasting models for admissions and bed occupancy for an NHS Trust located in Bristol, England. Subforecasts for the medical and surgical specialties, and for different lengths of stay were realised DESIGN: Autoregressive integrated moving average models were specified on a training dataset of daily count data, then tested on a 6-week forecast horizon. Explanatory variables were included in the models: day of the week, holiday days, lagged temperature and precipitation. A secondary care hospital in an NHS Trust in South West England. Hospital admissions between September 2016 and March 2020, comprising 1291 days. The accuracy of the forecasts was assessed through standard measures, as well as compared with the actual data using accuracy thresholds of 10% and 20% of the mean number of admissions or occupied beds. The overall Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) admissions forecast was compared with the Trust's forecast, and found to be more accurate, namely, being closer to the actual value 95.6% of the time. Furthermore, it was more precise than the Trust's. The subforecasts, as well as those for bed occupancy, tended to be less accurate compared with the overall forecasts. All of the explanatory variables improved the forecasts. ARIMA models can forecast non-elective admissions in an NHS Trust accurately on a 6-week horizon, which is an improvement on the current predictive modelling in the Trust. These models can be readily applied to other contexts, improving patient flow. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ. | https://accounts.public.ce.basespace.illumina.com/b/search/article.nb?id=35443953 |
After more than a decade of listening to the constant drum beat of Corporate Real Estate (CRE) professionals shouting the prized battle cry, “to the C-Suite”, I would swear I chant it in my sleep. No longer a lofty goal, this is now an imperative. There are many theories on the path to getting a seat at the table, and I propose that one of the best routes is to create great strategies that are well-executed. Strategies that enable growth and change, that empower business operations and that impact the bottom line. This gets attention. Making the leap between strategy and execution, though, can be a treacherous step and the chasm is wide. To bridge this gap and help ensure positive results, we need to master the art and science of Planning.
In 2009, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) published an essential thesis on Strategic Facility Planning. In this white paper it was noted that there are “three key outputs of facility planning” : the strategic facility plan (SFP), the master plan and the tactical plan. The authors went on to outline the SFP process and describe the difference between a strategic facility plan and a master plan. In this paper, I would like to dive into the third output mentioned, the tactical plan, where I believe a good strategy can die the death of a thousand cuts or an implementation can be set-up to fail. Before we take that plunge, let’s make sure we understand two things: 1) what differentiates strategy from planning, and 2) what differentiates the different types of planning.
Strategy is the art of synthesizing a response to envisioned changes to the current environment. The use of the word “response” here is intentional, but don’t get me wrong, strategy is not simply reactive. In fact, as Dr. Harry Yarger states, “good strategy seeks to influence and shape the future environment as opposed to merely reacting to it” . This quote is from a paper Dr. Yarger authored as Director of the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College. This publication may not be on every facility planner’s reference list, but I believe it should be. In the paper he articulates an impressive understanding of what strategy is and what it is not. He goes on to say that “strategy is not planning”. They may share common elements and follow similar processes, but strategy requires a different mindset and, especially in our fast-changing times, involves working with a high level of environmental uncertainty. We will explore more about that later.
Planning is the art and science of making strategy actionable. From ongoing strategic planning through master planning and tactical planning, planning activities set the stage for the execution of strategy objectives. According to industry analysts, much of our recent global financial crisis is due to both institutions and individuals who either executed poor strategies or executed good strategies with poor planning. We can do that in the CRE world as well, such as implementing space reduction projects to meet financial objectives without giving due diligence to the impact on business operations. Space reduction alone is not necessarily a poor strategy. We have all heard of the potential cost savings, but without thoroughly integrating that strategy with other drivers like operational initiatives, technology strategy and workforce strategy, we risk the real possibility that CRE financial gains may be overshadowed by losses in operational efficiency or workforce productivity.
As already noted, there are three primary planning activities in the facilities planning world: strategic facility planning, master planning and tactical planning. You have probably heard of other related terms such as occupancy planning, migration planning and move planning. These activities have several commonalities, including a similar process (see figure 1 below), relatively common success measures (plan suitability, feasibility and acceptability) and the presence of some level of strategic thinking . Yes, I said strategic, not strategy. Strategy implies a response, if only in what to think. Strategic thinking is a cognitive process by which the strategist responds to the environment and a planner anticipates the impact of each plan decision. Simply stated it’s a way of thinking, the art of planning. So what sets these planning activities apart? I believe two key factors help us to distinguish between them: the level of certainty and the element of time.
Recall that strategy is a response to envisioned changes, so at the strategic facilities planning level there is a fair amount of uncertainty surrounding change. Our strategies inform us about what we anticipate the future to be and direct a response; the strategic facilities plan is that response. Based on data from the current environment, extrapolated projections regarding the future and the strategies of various corporate entities impacting the facility portfolio, the development of a strategic facilities plan adds a degree of certainty to the planning process. As we move through master planning, occupancy planning and tactical planning activities, we begin to add data, assumptions and decisions to the plan that increase the level of certainty (the science of planning). We may add limitations on geography, define specific occupancy requirements, add construction schedules or even identify new related initiatives.
The element of time also helps distinguish these planning activities. The IFMA white paper mentioned earlier states that the SFP typically spans two to five years, but the strategic facilities planning activity itself should not be so time-bound. If we think about the impact of the overall planning process and the subsequent execution process, we realize that those activities ultimately impact the very workforce and facility portfolio targeted by the strategic facilities plan. Depending on the rate of change in your particular industry, periodic review of the SFP is prudent. Conversely, tactical plans are very much time bound, which aids in increased certainty. Depending on the scope of the tactical plan, it may span the course of a few months or several years. Tactical plans typically revolve around the accomplishment of a specific facilities or occupancy objective or goal set forth by a master plan or strategic facilities plan, and those plans usually prescribe a time frame for that goal. For example, a corporate headquarters re-stack may be required to be completed within six months or a year based on operational requirements or budget constraints. A university occupancy migration plan may span two years to accommodate academic calendars and renovation schedules.
Now that we have established a baseline understanding of strategy and planning and discussed the basic levels of planning, we will dive deeper into the tactical planning process to understand how diligent planning and strategic thinking at this level can drive effective project execution and help ensure strategy success. We will do this by walking through the four phases of planning identified above in the development of a typical occupancy migration plan, and by identifying some key factors that have the potential to significantly impact execution success.
Occupancy migration planning takes one or more objectives of the strategic plan from the existing occupancy and facility conditions, the start state, and by a process of data collection, analysis and scenario planning, creates an implementation plan that can drive execution of the strategic end game. Understanding – As with any planning effort, information is king, making the collection and study of the right information at the start of migration planning critical. This information can be consolidated into the four categories listed below.
The Start State – this includes information on the supply of space and the demand for space in the impacted portfolio, such as current and projected staff levels by line of business, location and type, current and projected space capacity by type, building and floor, current space conditions and facility improvement initiatives.
Planning Guidelines – this information provides key data on the primary business or CRE initiatives driving change as well as strategy and policies through which potential plan tasks must be filtered, such as fundamental business shifts (merger, new LOB), lease-own strategy, workplace strategy, IT strategy, department initiatives, planned construction and financial constraints.
The End Game – this is the projected or desired result on the impacted portfolio and may include future capacity changes and future occupancy by group, by building and maybe even by floor. Depending on the extent of strategic planning efforts, there may be building stack plans or even high level “block plans” indicating area boundaries for the future occupants, and there will likely be a budget forecast for executing the change.
Time – this final category of information required to begin migration planning efforts will include a calendar spanning the anticipated duration of the migration efforts broken out by periods (months, years, quarters, etc.). These periods can also be used to highlight such events as company holidays, utility black-out dates, technology migrations or community events that may pose constraints on plan execution. Additional time related information can include construction schedules, building elevator or dock time restrictions, key lease dates and critical operations events.
It is in this phase of migration planning that scenario planning begins. As in strategic facility planning, scenario planning “will guide decision makers and provide advance consideration of potential impacts of different facility decisions”. Note that, because tactical planning activities also assume the increased level of certainty discussed earlier, the number of viable scenarios will likely be more limited than with strategic planning activities. Plan – The plan phase utilizes the information gathered and analyzed in the previous two phases and employs that information in the synthesis of an action plan in the form of a migration schedule (see figure 2). The start of the plan phase often dovetails with early scenario planning activities as decisions regarding migration sequencing of specific groups are mapped to identify possible scheduling or resource conflicts.
Plan Overview – An executive summary of overall plan information.
Occupancy Migration Schedule – a graphic illustration of the final migration plan. This schedule maps the migration of each group to temporary and final locations across the plan periods.
Occupancy Phasing Report – a report identifying summary information for each group by location for each plan period.
Program Packages – a set of reports and possibly floor plans detailing a specific group’s purpose, headcount, space requirements, ‘from’ location and ‘to’ location.
Building Stack Plans – a set of graphics or reports identifying the placement of groups within each building by floor. This may be provided by plan period, month, year, etc.
Before drawing our final conclusions, let’s go back to our strategic thinking discussion for a moment. In strategic planning activities an alternative future is synthesized, while in migration planning the end game is prescribed by the master plan or strategic facilities plan, so it is important to consider approaches to planning at this level. The authors of a Harvard Business Review article on the power of using analogies in strategic thinking note that credit for strategic decisions usually goes to two methodologies, deduction or trial and error. While I think analogical reasoning (looking for the familiar, something you have faced before) and deductive reasoning (weighing the alternatives and making a rational choice) are strong methodologies at the strategic planning level, we can find that when creating a migration plan bound by a start state and end game, the trial and error method (mapping a move and analyzing the impact) has considerable merit in that it can help identify new threats and opportunities. I have also found myself using what I now know to be a popular method used in game theory and military mission planning, retrograde analysis. Former navy seal Chuck Pfarrer describes how operators were taught to assemble a mission backward, starting at the successful completion of an operation and working in retrograde to identify critical nodes . Depending on the scope of the effort, this same backward induction can be used to understand what moves are critical to emptying a leased facility or filling a new headquarters building. The point is this; even though strategic facilities planning may share a similar process, there is often a different type of thinking required at the tactical level.
Conclusion – Creating great facility and occupancy strategies that are well-implemented can be the key to CRE getting the attention of the C-Suite, particularly when those strategies are successful and positively impact the company bottom line. To facilitate that success requires a firm understanding of what planning is and is not. The facilities planning process involves much of the same information compiled in strategy development, shares a similar process and requires the ability to apply strategic thinking to specific plan decisions, but it is not the place to formulate strategy. It is the place to enable strategy. Understanding this and the value inherent in creating a tested step by step plan for implementation can help ensure strategy success and a seat at the table. | https://littleonline.com/think/earning-your-seat-at-the-table |
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Abstract
Ecologists often seek to infer patterns of species occurrence or community structure from survey data. Hierarchical models, including multi-species occupancy models (MSOMs), can improve inference by pooling information across multiple species via random effects. Originally developed for local-scale survey data, MSOMs are increasingly applied to larger spatial scales that transcend major abiotic gradients and dispersal barriers. At biogeographic scales, the benefits of partial pooling in MSOMs trade off against the difficulty of incorporating sufficiently complex spatial effects to account for biogeographic variation in occupancy across multiple species simultaneously. We show how this challenge can be overcome by incorporating preexisting range information into MSOMs, yielding a "biogeographic multi-species occupancy model" (bMSOM). We illustrate the bMSOM using two published datasets: Parulid warblers in the United States Breeding Bird Survey and entire avian communities in forests and pastures of Colombia's West Andes. Compared with traditional MSOMs, the bMSOM provides dramatically better predictive performance at lower computational cost. The bMSOM avoids severe spatial biases in predictions of the traditional MSOM and provides principled species-specific inference even for never-observed species. Incorporating preexisting range data enables principled partial pooling of information across species in large-scale MSOMs. Our biogeographic framework for multi-species modeling should be broadly applicable in hierarchical models that predict species occurrences, whether or not false absences are modeled in an occupancy framework. | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/89732/ |
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In the previous article we saw that running out of beds has consequences for patients and the hospital. The acceptable risk of that happening, rather than bed occupancy, should be the basis for informed discussions of bed capacity. So when the acceptable level of risk has been agreed, we then need a way of converting it into bed occupancy for capacity planning purposes.
There are several ways of doing this.
We could run a computer simulation, which was how the well-known 85 per cent bed occupancy figure was obtained, taking care to make sure that the distribution of admissions and discharges is realistic.
Or we could use the queueing theory techniques developed by Erlang.
Or we could analyse the variations in non-elective admissions and discharges over different timescales, using real data from the specific beds concerned. This is the method we are going to use here.
The number of non-elective admissions varies a lot from week to week, and also during the week. We’ll look at the week by week variation in this article, and variation during the week in the next.
Before we dive into the numbers, we need to think about what bed occupancy is for. It isn’t simply about absorbing variation – it’s about absorbing that variation which we cannot predict and manage by other means. So we know that respiratory admissions rise in winter, and trauma in summer, but we can manage that by adjusting the number of staffed beds and reprofiling elective admissions. Bed occupancy only needs to be low enough to absorb the other variation that we cannot predict and manage.
We therefore need a way of forecasting non-elective admissions, and then we need to test it against some real data to see how well it does. The variation it successfully predicts – with enough notice that we can take action to deal with it – is something we can manage by other means. Whereas any error in those predictions is something we cannot predict and manage, and that is what bed occupancy needs to absorb.
Therefore if we can improve our forecasting, so that less of the variation is unpredictable, then we can operate at higher bed occupancy with fewer beds and lower costs – a nice example of the benefits of good analysis.
How shall we do our forecast? Forecasting is a huge subject, but for current purposes a straightforward approach will suffice. Operational managers often forecast non-elective demand by calculating the average over the last six weeks (considering each weekday separately), and this method performs reasonably well. A slightly more advanced technique is simple exponential smoothing which can be tuned to fit the variability of the data and is fairly easy to do in a spreadsheet; this is the method we will use here because (as we will see in part 6) we need to be sensitive to the patterns of demand in different bed pools.
Let’s try it with some real data. The jagged blue line in the chart below shows the actual number of non-elective admissions to adult general and acute beds, in a particular hospital, every week for two years. The first year of data was used to tune the forecasting model, and then the model was allowed to run on through the second year to see how well it performed. Each forecast was just for the following week, and the forecasts are shown by the dark grey line running through the middle.
The other grey lines show how well the forecast performed in the second year. There is a 1 per cent risk of admissions breaching the top grey line in any given week, and a 10 per cent risk of breaching the second grey line down.
Now we are ready to calculate bed occupancy.
If we make enough beds available to cope with the top grey line, then we can expect to run out of beds only 1 per cent of the time. The central forecast line shows the average number of beds that will be occupied. So far, so good.
Now recall that, when planning bed capacity, the bed occupancy is the average proportion of available beds that are occupied over time. Therefore the bed occupancy that is consistent with a 1 per cent risk of running out of beds, is the ratio between the forecast line and the top grey line. And we can use the same method to calculate bed occupancy for any level of risk in this bed pool – which is the result we wanted.
This calculation of bed occupancy takes account of the week-by-week variations in demand, but that is not the complete picture. There are also important variations during the week that need to be taken into account, because of the way that admissions and discharges vary by time of day, and day of week. And that is the subject of the next article in this series.
I would like to thank the Emergency Care Intensive Support Team at NHS Improvement for their helpful suggestions during the preparation of these articles, Piotr Fryzlewicz, Professor of Statistics at the London School of Economics, for reviewing and advising on the statistical methods used, and those acute hospitals in England and Scotland who helped to pilot the methods. | https://blog.gooroo.co.uk/2019/01/calculating-bed-occupancy-and-risk-1/ |
Business evaluation and data science are two disciplines which might be closely related. Both concentrate on data and quantitative methods used to measure the performance of companies. Business experts often make use of fact-based supervision for decision-making. They use data to understand and foresee the future of businesses, helping to drive the economy and foster progress within the market. Business experts use info transformations and predictive units to make better decisions depending on historical styles. They can also use machine understanding how to create predictive models and optimize overall performance through marketing.
As each of the fields terme conseillé, there are some major differences. Whilst data researchers will be statistically properly trained, business experts https://datatechtonics.com/2021/07/05/generated-post will be organisation-centric. That they evaluate and interpret data to sketch insights coming from it and present it to non-technical audiences. Ultimately, both types of professionals depend on each other’s skills. And there’s no denying that info scientists are in high demand. They’re also required to continually revise their abilities.
While info science may be the future of info management, both of them disciplines don’t terme conseillé in all methods. They the two aim to examine data and start with patterns to resolve problems and improve organizational performance. Business analysis was traditionally utilized to capture business needs and fix problems. Nevertheless the use of big data, specifically big info, has significantly changed it is purpose. Instead of simply fixing problems, it could possibly now anticipate long term needs and respond to all of them better. Within a data-driven environment, this type of evaluation can help agencies improve their bottom lines and reduce costs and turnaround instances. | https://www.dogcare.fi/organization-analysis-and-data-scientific-disciplines/ |
WebCTRL provides a software integration with the Lenel OnGuard platform, enabling Integrated Alarm Management and Predictive HVAC Scheduling.
The Integrated Alarm Management feature enables alarms from either platform to be transmitted to the other for native viewing in the platform UIs. The alarm transfer list is bidirectional and configurable. In addition, this add-on enables OnGuard emergency response action groups to extend their capabilities of available responses into systems controlled by WebCTRL using control logic triggered on transferred alarms. This capability enhances situational awareness across the facilities teams and improves event response coordination.
The Predictive HVAC Scheduling feature allows the WebCTRL system to utilize card access information to create anonymized building occupancy profiles, which are used to automatically and predictively schedule building HVAC equipment based on historical usage. These schedules ensure the building is operating only when it needs to, conserving energy and equipment run hours. Additionally, the predictions are dynamic and continuous, responding changes in usage patterns over time as opposed to a static one-time analysis. | https://www.lenel.com/solutions/open-integration/oaap/partners-products-search/automated-logic-alc-webctrl |
Business research and info science are two disciplines that are closely related. Both concentrate on data and quantitative measures used to measure the performance of businesses. Business analysts often employ fact-based management for decision-making. They use data administering data with online room services to know and foresee the future of businesses, helping to travel the economy and foster progress within the market. Business analysts use data transformations and predictive versions to make better decisions based on historical fashion. They can utilize machine understanding how to create predictive models and optimize performance through marketing.
As the two main fields overlap, there are some major differences. When data scientists happen to be statistically trained, business analysts are organisation-centric. That they evaluate and interpret data to draw insights right from it and present that to non-technical audiences. In the end, both types of professionals count on each other peoples skills. And there’s no denying that info scientists happen to be in high demand. They’re also likely to continually revise their skills.
While data science is definitely the future of data management, both disciplines don’t terme conseillé in all methods. They both aim to examine data and start with patterns to solve problems and improve company performance. Organization analysis was traditionally used to capture small business and resolve problems. Nevertheless the use of big data, specifically big info, has substantially changed their purpose. Rather than simply resolving problems, it might now predict long term needs and respond to these people better. Within a data-driven world, this type of research can help institutions improve their bottom level lines and reduce costs and turnaround conditions. | https://shop.nxt-lvl.ink/organization-analysis-and-data-science/ |
How will the new normal occupancy of my offices change after the lockdown restrictions are lifted? What will be the new role of our offices? What should I know, especially regarding leases that are expiring soon?
At Basking, these are some of the frequent questions we hear from our customers. Real Estate and workplace managers recognize the opportunity COVID-19 has opened, but are also overwhelmed with the daily business and find it difficult to make strategic decisions.
Forecasting the “New Normal” Workplace Occupancy
We’ve used the sensitivity analysis approach to answer these questions and developed a new workplace occupancy forecasting tool to estimate the occupancy dynamics of any office based on our data and other workplace and work-from-home specific studies.
As shown in the picture, the tool calculates the occupancy for a typical week based on the definition of scenarios. This sensitivity analysis produces a corridor of expected occupancy levels and makes long-term planning possible. It enables Real Estate and Workplace managers to enter lease negotiations better informed.
Establishing the Occupancy Baseline
In order to establish the pre-COVID occupancy baseline, we use anonymized occupancy data collected in several offices from December 2019 to February 2020. This dataset allows us to measure the ratio of regular, mobile employees, and visitors in the pre-COVID period, and to synthesize a typical occupancy week.
This data will be fine tuned based on estimations for new locations so that the analysis can be performed on offices without real-time occupancy data.
Post-COVID-19 Occupancy Assumptions and Scenarios
To create the sensitivity analysis model of the post-COVID-19 occupancy, we define three scenarios with high, base, and low work-from-home (WFM) impact. Potential social distancing restrictions in the workplace are not being taken into account, because this tool is long term focused. Read more about how Basking monitors social distancing during the back to work phase.
The initial assumptions are based on a recent study of WFH adoption by Colliers International and are adjusted with our customers to reflect the reality of their workplace and work culture.
As an example, based on these assumptions we found that for the HQ office of a Fortune 500 company in NYC the peak occupancy rate will drop from 71% pre-COVID to 47% (high WFH impact), 55% (base case) and 59% (low WFH impact).
Create a post-COVID occupancy forecast for my workplace
If you are interested in performing a sensitivity analysis for your workplace and drive informed Real Estate decisions, please get in touch with us. The described sensitivity analysis solution is already available for all Basking customers. | https://basking.io/blog/new-features/forecasting-the-new-normal-workplace-occupancy/ |
Flesch, Elizabeth P.
Belt, Jami J.
MetadataShow full item record
Abstract
Citizen science provides a prime opportunity for wildlife managers to obtain low-cost data recorded by volunteers to evaluate species distribution models and address research objectives. Using mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) location data collected through aerial surveys by professionals, ground surveys by professionals, and ground surveys by volunteers, we evaluated two mountain goat distribution models extrapolated across Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. In addition, we compared mountain goat location data by observer and survey type to determine whether there were differences that affected extrapolated model evaluation. We found that all dataset types compared similarly to both mountain goat models. A mountain goat occupancy model developed in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) was the most informative in describing mountain goat locations. We compared Spearman-rank correlations (rs) for occupancy probability bin ranks in the GYA model extrapolation and area-adjusted frequencies of mountain goat locations, and we found that all datasets had a positive correlation, indicating the model had useful predictive ability. Aerial observations had a slightly greater Spearman-rank correlation (rs = 0.964), followed by the professional ground surveys (rs = 0.946), and volunteer ground datasets (rs = 0.898). These results suggest that with effective protocol development and volunteer training, biologists can use mountain goat location data collected by volunteers to evaluate extrapolated models. We recommend that future efforts should apply this approach to other wildlife species and explore development of wildlife distribution models using citizen science.
Citation
Flesch, Elizabeth P., and Jami J. Belt. “Comparing Citizen Science and Professional Data to Evaluate Extrapolated Mountain Goat Distribution Models.” Ecosphere 8, no. 2 (February 2017): e01638. doi:10.1002/ecs2.1638.
Collections
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as CC BY, This license lets you distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon this work, even commercially, as long as you credit the original creator for this work. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials. | https://scholarworks.montana.edu/xmlui/handle/1/15175 |
Our latest white papers highlight how Improvement Path Systems has successfully implemented solutions designed to help your operation succeed.
Short-Term Hospital Occupancy Prediction
A predictive model to forecast hospital occupancy for the next 72 hours at a unit level. The model was validated, installed and run on the hospital’s EMR system and incorporated data from upcoming schedules and non-scheduled arrivals as well as detailed clinical information about each patient currently in the hospital to estimate their residual length-of-stay. This forecast was successfully used to proactively evaluate needs for beds or staff during periods of low and high census to adjust and maintain appropriate resources to match acuity adjusted patient demand.
Simulation Analysis of Pneumatic Tube Systems.
Simulation modeling and data mining are powerful analytical tools for hospital process improvement. Here we demonstrate the practical use of these tools to improve the operations of a pneumatic tube system which serves as a backbone transportation network for small critical item transport within hospitals. | https://www.improvementpathsystems.com/white-papers/ |
Sales forecasting: generalities and challenges.
Sales forecasting or "Demand Planning" is a way to efficiently meet customer demand for products and/or services. Business leaders therefore engage in this exercise to ensure the availability of stocks. In addition to improving inventory management, other challenges are linked to this practice of sales forecasting: development of marketing plans, expense planning, team sizing, optimization of sales levers, etc. A deeper analysis allows us to distinguish 3 main groups: strategic issues, financial and commercial issues and tactical issues. That said, before presenting these issues, it is important to define sales forecasting and briefly explain the principle.
Sales forecasting: definition and principleThere are many definitions of sales forecasting. However, the approaches are the same. Sales forecasting is a business practice in which future sales are estimated, with varying degrees of accuracy, using predictive models or an adapted sales forecasting method. In this exercise, the consideration of variables (both qualitative and quantitative) is necessary.
The principle is quite simple: model customer behaviors with an adapted CRM software or by using a self-learning technology like machine learning. This technology will allow a company to highlight patterns on which it can base its predictions. However, in order for the predictions made, for example on inventory levels or product mix, to be closer to reality, reliable statistics are absolutely necessary.
In the end, sales forecasting is a process that guarantees positive results for companies in retail and mass distribution, regardless of their size. However, it requires the involvement of the managers who are responsible for defining the sales objectives and the departments, in this case the sales team, who are responsible for implementing them.
Sales forecasting: what's at stake?
In this section, we will talk about the challenges of sales forecasting. They are generally situated at 3 levels: strategic, financial and commercial, and tactical.
The strategic challenges of sales forecastingSales forecasting meets the needs of organizations in terms of performance and profitability. It therefore plays a central role in a company's sales strategy, regardless of the field or sector of activity. When we talk about strategic issues in sales forecasting, we are actually referring to the problems that, if solved, would allow a company to implement its sales strategy more serenely.
Thus, the strategic issues of sales forecasting are:
- intelligent financial planning: predictions from both internal and external data allow companies to plan well for unforeseen situations. Risk management is therefore a key function of financial planning. Forecasts also describe the periods when cash flow is most important. This way, cash availability can meet demand and avoid cash advances, stock-outs and write-downs of unsold inventory;
- respecting production deadlines: the company's resources are sometimes insufficient to meet production objectives within the allotted time. The company is therefore unable to meet delivery deadlines. The accuracy of forecasts will allow to anticipate cash shortages and to optimize the use of resources for tasks that are limited in time;
- developping new products and/or services: thanks to machine learning technology that analyzes the evolution of user needs, a company is able to anticipate the needs of its customers and to offer them (qualitatively and quantitatively) products and/or services that they had not even thought of before, based on reliable statistics. This improves the user experience and increases the number of visitors in the points of sale.
What are the financial and commercial stakes of sales forecasting?
The financial and commercial stake of sales forecasting is to improve the profitability of a company, in the medium and long term. Profitability is assessed in relation to:
- the increase of market share: sales forecasting is generally used by companies to maximize their profits. Some companies also use it to increase their market share by lowering their prices through predictive models. Indeed, sales forecasting software and other tools, such as Forecast pro and Anaplan, are able to identify products (with high future conversion potential) on which to position themselves to win new customers;
- the increase in turnover: isn't this ultimately the goal of sales forecasting? By controlling its resources, improving its inventory management, optimizing its assortment and offering persuasive prices, a company can be sure to increase its turnover and accelerate its growth;
- the adoption of a good pricing strategy: developing a pricing strategy is not always easy for companies. They therefore charge prices that are not always in line with the commercial objectives they set at the outset. However, a good pricing strategy should allow them to maximize their profits. Sales forecasting will allow to model consumer behaviors and especially to proceed to an audience segmentation thanks to artificial intelligence to determine the best price for each target group.
What about tactical issues?
The tactical issues of sales forecasting relate specifically to the applications of a business strategy, including product assortment, inventory management and promotions. The issues are as follows:
- Product assortment optimization: sales forecasting allows an organization to anticipate the needs of its customers based on data collected on their profile, but also on the competitive environment in which it evolves and on its DNA to produce reliable statistics. The accuracy of forecasts is guaranteed with the use of predictive models developed with artificial intelligence. It has never been easier to build a store's assortment in terms of width, depth and breadth;
- Inventory and supply chain management automation: Using forecasting software will allow a company to optimize its sales by ordering the right stock and avoiding over- or under-stocking. This is possible as long as a good sales forecasting software is able to estimate future purchases based on the company's historical data, for example. The software will also automatically synchronize the information contained on the supplier's and the reseller's machine to highlight any discrepancies that may need to be adjusted;
- The implementation of the right promotional mix: customers are not sensitive to the same type of promotion. The processing of information about a buyer's profile will enable the company to offer him the right promotion and thus maximize its sales on this product. Indeed, with the machine learning algorithm, it is possible to identify precisely the needs of consumers and even anticipate their future desires to offer them either a discount, a flash sale or an additional free service. All these formulas can be mixed in the same promotional campaign, but directed towards different audiences.
Ultimately, in terms of marketing management, sales forecasting is an unavoidable exercise. The stakes for the company can be observed at different levels. This proves the importance of this practice in the life of a company, especially in the development of an effective supply chain strategy.
We recommend these other pages: | https://www.verteego.com/en/what-are-the-challenges-of-sales-forecasting |
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5 Benefits Of Facility Planning
Facility planning is a must for any type and size of business, including small companies. Because of emerging needs and changes across different industries and organizations, facility planning plays a crucial role in attaining overall goals.
What Is Facility Planning?
Facility planning involves designing and properly accommodating machines, activities, and people within an organization’s physical spatial environment for an efficient workflow. Strategic facility planning goes together with facility management (FM), encompassing the entire portfolio of leased or owned space, which is usually a two- to five-year plan.
Because facility planning is broad and complex, business owners and facility managers must know how to implement different FM strategies. But to better carry out this process, it’s essential first to identify its advantages.
In this blog post, you’ll learn the critical benefits of facility planning.
- Maintain Structure And Productivity
Strategic facility planning is essential for modern offices, especially with today’s rapidly changing workplace landscape. In addition, as more businesses embrace remote and hybrid work, facility planning is necessary to maintaining productivity and structure in flexible, modern work settings.
This process recognizes that every business planning decision directly impacts a company’s needs and real estate assets. Hence, refining planning and management are essential in linking core business strategies to facilities to maintain structure and productivity.
Here are the different facility planning activities and tools to help maintain structure and productivity in a workplace or any commercial facility:
- SWOT Analysis
Creating a good business plan requires SWOT analysis, as does a facility plan. Exploring possible triggers and futures involves analysis of the organization’s facility needs through strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. In addition, SWOT analysis often includes strategic creative analysis (SCAN) and systematic layout planning (SLP). This analytical tool helps mimic different scenarios to better respond to possible internal and external changes affecting square footage requirements, equipment, and overall business operations.
- Organizational Simulation
Organizational simulation helps facility managers understand how businesses operate. It describes the facility operation coordination depending on the impact analysis of interrelated facility tasks and alternatives. This method supports strategic planning and measures organizational performance.
- Align Business And Facility Goals
Facility planning helps businesses implement a proactive workplace and real estate management to align business goals with facility goals. This process ensures both the company and its facilities are future-ready. Here’s how:
- Promotes Better Collaboration
High-level workplace collaboration is vital in planning to align business and facility objectives. However, this process is highly complex, requiring the expertise of a facility manager (FM) and a well-trained facility management team. These FM professionals are great planners. They have the correct data, resources, and capabilities to make intelligent decisions to anticipate needs and keep the facility running smoothly.
- Ensures Everyone Works And Complies
Strategic facility planning can help facility managers perform their duties and responsibilities. It helps ensure that all employees work hard and adhere to the plan to achieve the business goals. Facility management teams optimize facility plans, satisfying the strategic relationships between the business, facilities, and products/services.
- Improve Sustainability
The law outlines the requirements for sustainable commercial spaces. They include recycling and minimizing energy, water, and material usage, environmental impact, and human health effects. Hence, businesses have a starting point for creating more sustainable facilities.
A facilities manager can create a strategic plan to implement green processes, making business more sustainable.
Planning helps improve sustainability by performing the following:
- Maximizing Space
Facility planning can help improve sustainability. For example, less office space is necessary for organizations that embrace remote and hybrid work setups. It also provides additional savings from overhead costs, especially for small businesses.
- Gaining Performance Visibility
A key to understanding a company’s sustainability status is to gain visibility into its facility performance. With sustainability analytics, organizations are better aware of their present sustainability status. This will help develop future facility improvement strategies. In addition, conducting sustainability audits using this tool can help make data-backed-up maintenance, repair, and replacement decisions to create more sustainable and safer facilities.
- Improve Employee Engagement
Business owners often have difficulty convincing long-time employees to adopt innovation or new business processes, equipment, and tech solutions. This can impact employee engagement. Facility planning can help improve employee experience from new work arrangements because of better office space utilization.
For instance, facilities managers can design and create office hot-desking or hoteling environments to provide remote and on-premise employees more freedom to choose their workstations.
But facilities managers must increase employee engagement. Hence, they must perform the following roles to improve employee engagement for more successful planning:
- Technology Advocates
Many employees resist new technology, especially if they are accustomed to traditional systems. Therefore, facilities managers should be technology advocates actively implementing workplace technology. In this way, they can resolve employee concerns to embrace new technology that can help meet their needs.
- Management And Staff Liaisons
To create the best facility plan, facilities managers must effectively communicate with employees and the C-suite. This can help guarantee a more productive work environment. Facilities managers are emissaries between the management and employees. As a result, they have expert insights in designing an innovative workplace to encourage the workforce and promote better employee engagement.
- Increase Business Revenue
The most successful businesses enforce strict facility planning. Without a good facility plan, incidents like falls, fires, equipment failures, and production delays will likely occur more often than expected. All these things can negatively affect business operations and revenues.
Business owners shouldn’t overlook the importance of facility planning. A solid facility plan can help save them money, time, and energy in dealing with claims, lawsuits, and other similar problems. That way, business owners can focus on improving their sales, marketing, and customer service solutions. This can help sustain excellent operations to increase revenues.
Conclusion on Facility Planning
As more businesses face tougher competition and rely on the digital workspace, they must realize, accept, and draw inspiration from the critical benefits of facility planning and management. Businesses implementing facility planning will always be resilient compared to those without a plan. For this reason, prioritizing facility planning is necessary, especially in today’s changing work environments. Additionally, facility planning can help set facility goals according to the organization’s goals. | https://www.smallbusinesscoach.org/5-benefits-of-facility-planning/ |
Geoff McGrath, managing director of CKDelta, makes the case for using real-time data to manage the challenges facing the rail sector.
Lower passenger numbers, extensive maintenance costs, and the threat of strikes pose a challenge to the long-term future of the UK rail sector.
Public sector bodies such as Great British Railways, the new government agency set up to oversee the management and future delivery of rail infrastructure in Britain, need the right tools to face these challenges head on, if they are to deliver their upgrade programme and avoid a modal shift to alternative and less sustainable forms of transport.
Their success will be determined by their ability to ensure resources are allocated efficiently, responsibly, and at the pace required to meet the challenge, while keeping customers front of mind.
The rail sector must look to adopt innovative data analysis tools that build resilience against future macroeconomic and industry shock such as the pandemic and strike action. The industry has at its disposal a means of providing up-to-the-minute views of current travel patterns through technological partners – including modes of transport, geographical data and time – which enables developers the opportunity to back up their proposals with confidence and sense check them when challenged.
Building resilience through predictive forecasting
The principal data tool the industry should deploy is predictive analytics. Simply put, its main functional application is to identify patterns found in large data sets to identify future risks and opportunities. One of its main benefits is that it can help develop data systems that are able to embed intelligence which can be shared openly and at pace across the value chain.
Real-time and predictive passenger footfall data can track the evolution of demand, a crucial determinant when deciding the priority areas of renewal and maintenance of the railway network. Data-driven insights from predictive analytics models, for example, can be used to determine modal shifts in patterns of travel, helping asset owners more accurately plan for maintenance work to avoid disruption for customers.
Disruption equals dissatisfied customers, more complaints and the settlement of claims for late train fares. For an industry that needs to cut costs, any unnecessary expenditure is something to be avoided.
Realising the benefits of early integration
By unleashing the power of predictive analytics, we can also begin to understand the impact any future interventions might have on planning outcomes from pre-application through to application submission. Simulations run within the decision cycle-time would allow both planners and operators to take optimal decisions considering a number of future scenarios in near-real time. As this technology is incorporated earlier in an asset’s lifecycle, the combined potential of automated decision-making with human-in-the-loop strategic input will yield more efficiency and cost benefits in the sector both in the short and long-term.
Another benefit of predictive analytics combined with machine learning for example, is that the accuracy of a model can be enhanced by inputting more complex variables to understand behavioural changes.
Digital twins for example, can help create a near-complete model of future scenarios across an asset’s entire lifecycle. By continuously comparing digital simulation models to insights derived from high-frequency data, our algorithms will not only evolve to become more accurate over time, but also more adaptive to future shocks. We can simulate the behaviour of the train network at scale, reducing the need for physical inspections and upgrades. In effect, the more these models are developed, the more we can upscale digital twins for the whole industry.
A path to future growth
Integrating the use of real time and predictive decision support tool into planning and operations will help maximise cost-effectiveness, reduce expenditure and improve overall customer satisfaction. Incorporating this approach now can ensure that we are able to train data systems with complex variables earlier in an asset’s lifecycle to better account for future shocks that in our interconnected world are becoming increasingly inevitable.
Only by adopting this technology now can the industry secure its long-term recovery and incentivise travellers to make the sustainable transition away from private vehicles.
Geoff McGrath, managing director of CKDelta. | https://www.acenet.co.uk/news/industry/rescuing-rail-with-data-driven-insight/ |
🔬 Research summary by Connor Wright, our Partnerships Manager.
[Original paper by Marinus Ossewaarde]
Overview: With the emergence of technology, society has changed immeasurably. Questioning the status quo has become less of a pressing issue in favour of continuing to use a digital service. However, reflection is one of the most critical skills in preventing a digital future guided and dominated by the few.
Introduction
The lives of many have become densely linked with technology. The digital transformation is being led and developed by certain parties (labelled as the “googlization” of everything). Hence, social theory must adapt to the dominant economic and digital spheres, promoted and sustained through different technological “myths”. To do so, acknowledging the status quo and advocating the importance of questioning will prove essential in both understanding and combating digital domination by the few. Up first is acknowledgement.
Key Insights
Digital and physical life have become inseparable
The reality we live in is becoming more and more recognised as inextricably linked with the digital space. The influence technology possesses often goes unnoticed until it is briefly taken away. Such influence is so strong that users readily accept the missions of businesses to continue using their services (especially when accepting the role that technology plays in our lives has led to the subsequent domination of digitalisation.
The domination of digitalisation
The information available through tech has ended up in its economisation. Less thinking and more simply accepting is the easiest way to drive profit, reducing the value of mental activities such as reflection. Whereas previously, society has been driven by the political and religious spheres of life, the economic sphere has overtaken them thanks to digital transformation. Through this, the few driving the transformation can dictate the game’s rules as to what this digital transformation will look like. The changes undergone do not bode well for the academic sphere.
The consequences for intellectual practices
With digitalisation as the driver behind the dominant economic sphere, academic work becomes valued when it adopts the norms and language of the prevailing economic sphere. Such dominance then makes it difficult to imagine alternative scenarios to the reality in which we find ourselves. Instead of being encouraged to think, the mind is being used as an instrument of power rather than being critical. The ability of art and science to influence the mind gets weaker as this conditioning goes on while increasing the passive acceptance of the status quo. It is through this lack of questioning that “fake” myths can be developed.
“Genuine” vs “fake” myths
In contrast to a “fake” myth, a “genuine” myth leads to enlightenment through insights and a deeper understanding of the current state of affairs. The authors use Homer’s myths in the Odyssey as some examples. On the other hand, a “fake” myth doesn’t lead to enlightenment and is instead manufactured to reinforce the status quo. The fabrication is designed to blindfold the public so that they adhere to the status quo without question. One such example presented by the authors is Silicon Valley being lauded as the digital revolution heroes.
The digital myth
A reason Silicon Valley is seen in this way owes to how digitalisation is seen as bringing new enlightenment to the fore, making everyone more ready to accept whatever form it comes in. Promises of a new technological reality are made to condition how the public sees technology casting aside other potential realities to preserve the status quo. How this is done can be seen in the use of metaphors.
The use of metaphors
The digital reality desired by those at the helm of the technological reality is argued to utilise language to maintain the current state of affairs. Metaphors such as “data mining” and “the cloud” are employed but are inappropriate as they make data sound like a natural resource. Even metaphors such as “digital community” distracts from how communities are built on face-to-face interactions. Hence, again, the deep interaction between digital and physical reality comes through, subtly adjusting how we express ourselves and view technology itself.
Between the lines
I find how our use of language is also influenced by the technology we use very intriguing indeed. Similar occurrences can be seen in the anthropomorphic language used to describe AI at times, especially with self-driving cars being described as ‘making decisions’. I also see how big corporations spin their own take on reality often undetected. As a result, the importance of building up civic competence shines even brighter. Should we choose to stop asking questions, those who dictate the space will stop giving answers and there remain many unanswered questions yet. | https://montrealethics.ai/digital-transformation-and-the-renewal-of-social-theory-unpacking-the-new-fraudulent-myths-and-misplaced-metaphors/ |
Feminist programming, no matter the venue, provides opportunities for young girls and women, as well as men, to acquire leadership skills and the confidence to create sustainable social change. Offering a wide-ranging overview of different types of feminist engagement, the chapters in this volume challenge readers to critically examine accepted cultural norms both in and out of schools, and speak out about oppression and privilege. To understand the various pathways to feminism and feminist identity development, this collection brings together scholars from education, women’s studies, sociology, and community development to examine ways in which to integrate feminism and women’s studies into education through pedagogy, practice, and activism.
Table of Contents
Foreword Nancy A. Naples
Part I: Pedagogy.
1. And the Danger Went Away: Speculative Pedagogy in the Myth of the Post-Feminist (Jennifer L. Martin)
2. Girls Talk Back: Changing School Culture through Feminist and Service-Learning Pedagogies (Jennifer L. Martin and Jane A. Beese)
3. A Second Wave: Teaching Women’s Studies in High School from 1972 through the New Millennium (Patricia Fowler Sanders and Ann S. Kemezis)
4. Defying Cultural Norms: Launching Women’s Studies in the High School Setting (Annie Delgado)
5. First, Second and Third Waves of Feminism: Providing "Life Rafts" for Women of All Generations (Michele A. Paludi)
Part II: Practice.
6. Men’s Engagement from the Margins In (Pheng Thao)
7. Addressing Violence in Schools: Feminist Praxis and a Pedagogy of Risk (Melinda Lemke)
8. Witnessing Students’ Learning through a Pedagogy of the Flesh (Ana Roncero-Bellido)
9. Breaking the Ties that Bind: Raising Black Feminist Children in an Anti-Feminist, Racist Milieu (Martina Sharp-Grier)
Part III. Activism.
10. Caring about Justice: Developing the Moral Imperative for Feminist Activism (Susan Iverson & Jennifer James)
11. Social Change through Campus Engagement: Perspectives on Feminist Activist Pedagogy in University-based Women's Centers (Ashley Nickels and Adrienne Trier-Bieniek)
12. The Role of the "Black Girls' Club": Challenging the Status Quo (Victoria Showunmi)
13. Political Parity in the United States: Mobilizing the Pipeline through Feminist Pedagogy (Susannah Wellford and Anne Moses)
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Editor(s)
Biography
Jennifer Martin is Assistant Professor of Education at University of Mount Union, USA.
Ashley E. Nickels is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Kent State University, USA.
Martina Sharp-Grier is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Stark State College, USA.
Reviews
"With intellectual rigor and passion, the editors of Improving Lives through Feminism not only understand the conspicuous state of feminism, but also emphasize the important concept that reflection, activism, pedagogy, radical love, and sharing one’s journey into feminism as practice are the keys to improving the lives of girls and women. I salute these authors for pushing for more intersectional examples of feminism that represent real women and their everyday lives."
--Bettina L. Love, Associate Professor of Education, University of Georgia
"It’s hard to remember the last time I read a book and came away with solid ideas both for practices I could use in the classroom and also for my work as a feminist writer. So if you are teaching—be it in a classroom, a community center, or your kitchen—then I urge you to read Feminist Pedagogy, Practice, and Activism. Through a blend of narrative and analysis, these teachers and activists offer innovative ideas, lessons learned over the years, and research on the transformations that happen when an intersectional and engaged feminism is at the center of the educational experience."
---Daisy Hernández, Professor of English, Miami University
"This radical collection serves to reclaim and enact feminism’s grassroots challenge to societal inequities. Feminist Pedagogy, Practice, and Activism reads like a playbook for dismantling privilege and oppression. It’s an essential read for anyone seriously engaged in teaching for social justice."
--Lyn Mikel Brown, Professor of Education, Colby College
"In Feminist Pedagogy, Practice and Activism; Improving the Lives of Women and Girls, Jennifer L. Martin, Ashley E. Nickels, and Martina Sharp-Grier blur the lines between daily life and the classroom, in this collection on how to "do feminism" as educators and as feminists. The result is an edited volume that merges theory and practice and centers what it means to integrate feminism into education through an intersectional, personal and reflexive stance. They not only focus on "what works" but also "where the struggle lies." An important book for anyone who wants to create a classroom (or world) steeped in equality and social justice, with the potential of liberation, no matter what the subject."
--Jo Reger, Professor of Sociology, Oakland University
"'Feminism' is still a dirty word to many – not only because of the negative connotations that have been piled on the term over the years but also because too many still believe feminism to be an esoteric and exclusionary theory, valuable only in the ivory tower of academe, rather than a useful and practical framework to make the world a better place for everyone. The educators, practitioners, and activists writing in Feminist Pedagogy, Practice, and Activism: Improving the Lives of Girls and Women accomplish the critical task of showing how feminism truly makes a difference – in how we teach, how we serve, and how we fight for change. This text provides important examples of how feminist praxis not only helps support individual empowerment but also can be used to challenge and change systemic problems."
--Heather Brown, Executive Director, Women + Girls Research Alliance, University of North Carolina Charlotte
"Feminist Pedagogy, Practice, and Activism: Improving Lives of Girls and Women, edited by Jennifer L. Martin, Ashley E. Nickels, and Martina Sharp-Grier is a welcome volume for educators and activists teaching and working with girls and young women. The "girl empowerment" movement has made inroads in girls’ sports, mentorship programs, and popular culture. Feminist Pedagogy, Practice and Activism moves beyond the empowerment model to provide an interdisciplinary, multiracial exploration of the ways we can create progressive social change in our classrooms and communities. Starting with the reflexive stance of the editors, this book provides feminist insights to teaching and working with young people. Perhaps most importantly, the message across the readings is one of optimism for the future as we plant the seeds of change today." | https://www.routledge.com/Feminist-Pedagogy-Practice-and-Activism-Improving-Lives-for-Girls-and/Martin-Nickels-Sharp-Grier/p/book/9781138959545 |
The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin that was published in 1899. The novel tells the story of a woman named Edna Pontellier who struggles to find her identity and independence in a society that expects her to conform to certain standards. The novel addresses several major themes, including:
– The conflict between societal expectations and individual desires
– The search for independence and self-identity
– The importance of relationships and connection with others
– The effects of colonialism on individuals and societies
These are just a few of the major themes addressed in The Awakening. Overall, the novel is an exploration of the various ways in which women are constrained by society and their own internal desires. It is an important work in feminist literature and is still relevant today.
The novel examines a sexist culture that robs women of their capacity to think, feel, and act as they choose. From an early age, little girls are urged to betray their inner selves in order to live a double existence, with an inner and an external self.
The inner self is the side that is free and expressive, while the outer self is the side that is obedient to societal norms. The novel challenges the traditional gender roles and expectations that society imposes on women. It questions whether it is necessary for a woman to surrender her identity and independence in order to be considered successful. The story also highlights the importance of female friendships and relationships.
Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a novel about a woman who rebels against society’s expectations and pursues her own happiness. The story explores some of the major themes of feminism such as: Women’s Rights, Gender Roles, Independence, and Relationships. The book has been controversial since its publication in 1899 because it challenges the traditional values of society regarding women.
Motherhood is regarded as an altruistic act of love by Adèle Ratignolle, whereas society sees this sort of mother as a celestial angel. Motherhood is slavery to Edna, who frequently views her children as a malevolent entity aiming to deprive her of freedom. These two perspectives on motherhood reflect the romanticist vs realist dichotomy between the characters.
The women in The Awakening are constantly battling against the societal norms that have been placed upon them.
Chopin also touches on the subject of adultery, which was a highly controversial topic for the time period. The main characters struggle with feelings of guilt and betrayal, which leads to further conflict within the novel. The theme of identity is also prevalent throughout The Awakening, as Edna strives to find herself outside of the constraints of society. She eventually comes to realize that she cannot be happy unless she is true to herself, which leads to her tragic death.
The Awakening is a powerful novel that explores many important themes. It is a must-read for anyone interested in feminist literature or American novels from the late 1800s.
Feminism
This is one of the major themes of the book, since Edna’s tale may be interpreted as a metaphor for feminism. Edna awakens and finds that she has been oppressed in numerous ways (such as being a wife, mother, and human being). She rebels against her husband by moving out and starting an affair.
Female Sexuality
The novel also explores the sexual awakening of a woman. Edna begins to feel attractions and desires for other men, which upsets the status quo of her society that expects women to be demure and sexually repressed.
Individualism
Edna Pontellier is a character who values her independence and individuality highly. She rejects societal norms and expectations in order to find her own way in life. This theme is also reflected in the title of the novel, The Awakening, as it suggests that Edna has awoken from the sleep-like state she was living in before.
Nature
One of the most important motifs in The Awakening is nature. The setting of the novel is Louisiana, which is a very lush and tropical place. The natural surroundings are often used as a metaphor for Edna’s emotional state. The sea is a particularly significant symbol, representing both the freedom and danger that comes with being independent.
Edna’s quest for a separate identity conflicts with her husband Léonce, who does not comprehend her desire for freedom; this contradiction contributes to her adulterous relationships with other males.
The novel also explores themes of female sexuality and gender relations, as Edna rebels against the traditional role of women in society. The Awakening is considered a feminist work, as it challenges the notion that women are solely responsible for domestic duties and child-rearing.
Chopin also addresses social class distinctions, with Edna moving up the social ladder while her husband remains in the working class. The novel offers a nuanced view of late-19th century America, revealing both the opportunities and limitations available to women at that time. Ultimately, The Awakening is a story of self-discovery and liberation, as Edna comes to understand her own desires and potential.
Edna Pontellier’s journey toward self-awakening is at once painful and liberating. She confronts the traditional gender roles which constrain women and ultimately decides to embrace her own identity, even if it means leaving behind everything she knows. The Awakening is a novel about independence and self-discovery, and Chopin’s exploration of female sexuality remains controversial to this day.
The story is set against the backdrop of late-19th century America, a time of great social change, and Chopin offers a nuanced view of both the opportunities and limitations available to women at that time. The Awakening is a classic work of feminist literature that continues to inspire readers more than 100 years after its publication.
The sea is frequently mentioned in the book, but it has a variety of meanings. It symbolizes Edna’s newfound autonomy when she learns how to swim for the first time. The sea might also be a metaphor for society’s relentless current, and her improved swimming abilities may represent her rise against society and the sea’s current.
The sea is also a place of freedom and escape for Edna, as she often takes long walks along the beach. The sound of the waves can be soothing to her, and it allows her to clear her mind. The sea can also be seen as a metaphor for life itself, with its ever-changing tides and unpredictability. The Awakening is a story about a woman who is searching for herself and her own identity, separate from the expectations of society.
Throughout the novel, Edna experiences different stages of self-awakening, each one represented by a different symbol. The first stage is represented by the sun, which signifies new beginnings and growth. The second stage is represented by the ocean, which signifies freedom and expansiveness. The third stage is represented by the butterfly, which signifies transformation. The fourth stage is represented by the moth, which signifies death.
The final stage is represented by the sun once again, signifying rebirth and a new beginning. Each of these stages is a part of Edna’s journey towards self-awakening and eventual independence. The Awakening is also a story about love, loss, and heartbreak. It deals with the complicated relationships between men and women, and the expectations that society places on them. | https://novelsummary.com/the-awakening-theme-essay/ |
For decades, filmmakers have defied conventions to make movies that revolutionised style, technique, and treatment of subject matter. They have worked tirelessly against the status quo to create powerful films. For the 10th anniversary, Perspectives celebrates these mavericks—filmmakers, characters, and even institutions—who push against the mainstream. They are iconoclasts, refusing to conform to the social, political, institutional or technical boundaries that might limit their cinematic vision.
Singapore's one and only student-run film festival, Perspectives Film Festival: Breakthroughs in Cinema (20-29 October 2017) celebrates their 10th anniversary this year with their biggest programme yet—an eclectic international selection of 11 films centering on the theme of Rebels. Whether it is defying social norms or going against institutional systems, the festival presents works from filmmakers who have inspired the world with their daring and unconventional ideas. | https://www.eventfinda.sg/2017/perspectives-film-festival-2017-breakthroughs-in-cinema/singapore/museum |
Jessica Watterson joined SDLA in 2013 after graduating from UC Irvine.
A lifelong lover of books, she got her start in publishing as an indie book blogger which gives her a unique perspective in her agenting style.
She’s drawn to authentic voices and fully realized characters that leap off of the page. In regards to romance, she loves themes that challenge societal status quo, while also delivering a beautiful and thoughtful romantic arc. For Women’s Fiction, Jessica particularly gravitates to stories that heavily lean into feminism while still being accessible to the everyday reader.
For YA, she’s drawn to fun and whimsical stories, and in Middle Grade and Picture Books, stories that give readers a new window into their world.
Jessica is honored to represent an amazing list of bestselling and critically acclaimed authors that includes: Elena Armas, Ella Maise, Rosie Danan, Angie Hockman, Alexa Martin, Lillie Vale, and many more.
Please note that Jessica is specifically not interested in: non-fiction outside of pop culture, memoir, cookbooks, poetry, short stories, screenplays, self-help, Christian fiction or religious/spiritual books. | https://www.siwc.ca/presenters/watterson-jessica/ |
“The Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education conference has traveled the world, meeting in multiple U.S. sites as well as New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom,” said Gail Boldt, associate professor of education and chair of the 2012 conference.
“Hosting the conference here places Penn State squarely on the global map for early childhood education and childhood studies,” added Joseph Valente, assistant professor of education and vice-chair of the 2012 conference.
Boldt and Valente are coordinating with a program committee that includes 10 early childhood scholars from five countries.
“For the past 20 years, the ‘reconceptualist movement’ has challenged the mainstream early childhood education field for being organized around the idea that all children can and should mirror the norms and values of the majority of society. RECE offers researchers and practitioners a place to debunk myths that there is a ‘right’ way to be a child or teacher,” said Valente.
According to Boldt and Valente, conference presentations should comprise topics that challenge traditional assumptions about theory or explore new directions in research, policy, and practice in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and childhood studies. Presentations will engage conference-goers in dialogue about the past, present, and future of reconceptualization efforts by offering innovative practices involving children, families, and educators in diverse settings; by advocating critical and alternative perspectives on ECEC policy issues; by positioning childhood and early childhood education in the context of globalization; by exploring emerging challenges faced by our world; and by offering cross-disciplinary theoretical perspectives that challenge taken-for-granted understandings about childhood and early childhood education.
Both Valente and Boldt have personal reasons for being excited about the upcoming conference.
“For me, personally, as a Deaf scholar and man, RECE offers me an intellectual home—a place where I can go and connect with like-minded people who are energized by the idea that diversity and equity go hand-in-hand,” said Valente. | https://ed.psu.edu/news/events-folder/penn-state-to-host-early-childhood-education-conference |
in order to bridge the gap between the web and society.
Impetus for the digital society
Digitalisation is innovation. Exploiting digitalisation for society needs
governance of innovation. In order to shape societal change, we first need to understand it.
Lab for digital mavericks
A home for researchers who cross disciplinary boundaries, love questioning
norms and discourses – in order to explore the depths of digital transformation.
We are making sense of the digital society
Digital transformation affects all areas of societal life. In our research at HIIG we analyse these changes and shed light on current discourses, in order to inform and activate the actors involved.
Incubator for digital research networkers
Interested in becoming part of a home to digital mavericks? HIIG offers young researchers
a platform for their interests and helps them grow their international network.
Exploring digital spheres
HIIG is on a mission: We are making sense of the digital society.
While everyone is asking for interdisciplinary research, we have been doing it since the beginning.
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The Future of Human Enhancement
Challenge:
As humans, we have been enhancing our abilities since we crafted our first tool. Human enhancement is happening all the time through incremental improvements on existing technologies. We are growing stronger, more skilled, and better equipped over time. With every new technology, there have been new objections and doubts. Societal norms have typically been the voice of reason when new human interventions were introduced. Before the scientific method, pathology, and other sciences, religion dictated societal norms and in turn ruled over most decision-making. By understanding popular oppositions to the evolution of human enhancement, we can take new perspectives on current, coming, and future human enhancements.
Outcomes:
After researching, reporting on, and developing alternative possible futures for human enhancements using the 2x2 framework, 3 horizons framework, and causal layer analysis framework, we created a video and accompanying workshop to capture opposing narrative showing the dichotomy of the benefits and risks of human enhancement. The video provokes tension between the decision a to whether or not participants would want enhancements in the future. The workshop allowed participants to dive deeper into the discussion of where we saw human enhancements in our future. Keep the energy high and discussion light-hearted, we planned a short debates between designated teams with very specific “asks” for the team to create three main arguments within a time limitation, allowing all participants to contribute. Concluding the session, we facilitated a vote and small discussion to debrief on any revelations participants may have had through the presentation and how this discussion may affect their perception of human enhancements in their line of work.
Team: | https://www.studiostate.com/human-enhancement |
In every generation there are people driving change. They are usually branded as radicals because their actions make people feel uncomfortable, forcing them to re-evaluate their acceptance of the norm. It is thought that the development of Homo sapiens picked up speed once humans began producing their own food, as it freed them from the tedious tasks of foraging and hunting.
This free time, combined with a closer working relationship as they tilled the land, led to an increase in the exchange of ideas.
Throughout history, those who have stood to lose power or possessions due to change have been those kicking up a fuss. They have refused to let go of methods and ideas that have outlived their usefulness. Perhaps this is why lowly paid artists and writers are often willing to brave the disdain of society by challenging societal norms and questioning those in power.
Unlike, for instance, successful businessmen who stand to lose out on tenders, see a drop in sales or get fired by shareholders, they can afford to be outspoken. For the majority of South Africans, the fight against apartheid had a unifying effect. For those who didn’t have the opportunity to accumulate wealth or excel through hard work and merit, the concept of sharing resources and economic opportunities equally made sense.
But a passionate opponent of capitalism and a fighter for workers’ rights is sure to mellow as his worldly position and possessions improve. Suddenly, there’s nothing wrong with a six-digit salary, provided it’s his name on the pay slip. And he has a lot to lose if the status quo is negatively affected by talks of nationalism or double-digit salaries for low-earning workers.
Change, then, is viewed very differently, even by the same people, depending on their situations.
But one thing is certain: change merely for the sake of change makes little sense, and can be destructive. One does not fix something that’s working. At the same time, we don’t live in a perfect world, and there will always be someone who benefits more from doing something in a particular way. As a society, we should constantly evaluate the status quo to ensure we’re doing the best we can, and that the needs of the country as a whole are addressed.
Farming, too, has seen dramatic changes over the years – technically, socially and politically. To take just one example: before the advent of hybrid seeds, precision farming and genomics, farmers thought they were farming at optimal levels. Then, suffering ridicule from their peers, a few brave souls blazed new paths. Human knowledge is increasing exponentially, and change is speeding up. Are we, as a sector and as a country, keeping up? Or are we fighting for and about things that are no longer relevant? | https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/opinion/blog/agriculture-stories/change-are-you-up-to-speed/ |
It is clear that efforts towards disaster risk reduction are simply not stemming the tide of new risk being created as a crisis of inequality deepens, both between countries and inside borders. Despite international frameworks and good intentions, many scholars argue that planetary boundaries are rapidly being approached or exceeded and that natural systems simply cannot support “development” at the pace observed since the 1950s.
The creation of risk seems to have become inevitable within our current political, economic and societal systems. Overconsumption and the accumulation of power and resources is promoted by design. The 2019 i-Rec will explore ways of disrupting this status quo, particularly focusing on disaster recovery and reconstruction when opportunities for change abound. Unfortunately, the most opportunistic at these times are the profiteers of disaster and we must take up the challenge of how to position ourselves for positive change at the necessary time.
The central theme of disrupting the status quo will be explored through the sharing of the diverse research and practice of the i-Rec community. In addition to presentations under the tracks outlined below, there will be interactive panels, debates, soapbox rants, games and film screenings!
The conference will broadly align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the tracks will follow the 5 Ps; People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. Register your interest in one of the themes below. | https://www.irec2019.org/conference-themes-overview/ |
Societal changes involving power reversal may pose challenges to system justification by a subordinate minority group that had previously held a more privileged position. Derived from originally exploratory qualitative investigation, this paper presents an account of endorsement of justifying the status quo versus the voicing relative deprivation in the context of post‐Soviet Estonia. Experiences of alternative societal arrangements in history were actively deployed by (minority ethnic) Estonian Russians to generate temporal comparisons with the past as a cognitive alternative to the present status quo and give voice to experiences of relative deprivation. A struggle for positive social identity was interpreted to motivate Estonian Russians to mobilize the past as a cognitive alternative to delegitimize the status quo. By contrast, Russians were portrayed as invaders, and the Soviet past was represented as unjust by (the majority ethnic) Estonians, whereas the present system was depicted as fair and equitable. Mutually, polemical representations of history and narratives of identity provide the lenses through which the legitimacy of new societal arrangements following the major social change is interpreted. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. | http://metatoc.com/papers/18511-relative-deprivation-versus-system-justification-polemical-social-representations-and-identity-positioning-in-a-post-soviet-society |
Governments, academia and business all continually exclude society from sustainability policies and projects. And because scientific knowledge and technical expertise dominates in these areas, broader systemic factors often don’t feature. These include globalisation, consumer culture and economic development. All of this perpetuates the status quo and makes more sustainable ways of living even more difficult to realise.
3S research shows social, political, economic and technological systems interlock which makes them very difficult to break apart. And that they’re reinforced by laws, institutions, political cultures and social norms that have become ingrained over time. Those systems have spawned many unsustainable practices and unequal power relations. The problem is that, to a large extent, we’re now locked into them.
Many sustainability challenges – such as climate change, biodiversity loss or energy futures – aren’t just technological or scientific issues. They actually raise deeply political questions.
For example, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning towards low carbon energy systems isn’t just about technical issues such as altering existing policy regulations in multiple sectors. It’s also about engaging with the expectations and needs of energy firms and consumers.
We can’t continue to rely on techno-fixes or blame individuals. To really get to grips with sustainability challenges we will need major social, political and cultural changes. The implication is that without a wholesale transformation of systems, cultures and institutions, change won’t be possible to achieve.
In western democracies the dominant vision is that ’green growth’ is the best way to achieve sustainability. This gives a key role to government, firms and technologies and advocates a techno-focused, market-based transition through continued economic growth.
However, alternative visions exist – often motivated by alternative values such as equity and fairness. But these visions aren’t perceived as credible because the mainstream impulse is always to prioritise economic growth and science-led progress.
Many alternative visions challenge key current social norms around increasing consumption profit maximisation. This opens up debates which many powerful actors view as unhelpful or even unpalatable.
In 3S we argue that ignoring the social dimensions of sustainability has negative consequences and that social and technological systems are not separate but instead produced together.
Framing climate change as an urgent scientific problem suggests that to solve it one ‘just’ needs to stabilize global temperature and deploy a few quick techno-fix solutions like geo-engineering. One of the problems of this kind of dominant framing of this issue is that it narrows the range of policy options.
Another problem is that scientific framings of sustainability issues often don’t make sense to people and aren’t a silver bullet for getting more political action on an issue.
But questioning dominant framings of sustainability isn’t easy. To do it we must open up social and technological systems and engage with civil society.
In 3S we work to ensure that marginalised voices in favour of alternative visions of sustainability get heard. We try to understand and challenge the systemic driving forces which quieten these voices.
Welcome to our vision for a more sustainable society.
We hope our seven insights will play a part in inspiring broader change and transformation. We want these insights to be useful to you in your work, whether you see yourself as a policy-maker, an activist, a researcher, an innovator, a practitioner, a community organiser, an entrepreneur, or simply as an engaged citizen.
Together we can transform the way we do things to create more sustainable ways of living. We do this best - we argue - by paying attention to the role of society. | https://3sresearch.org/3s-key-insights/insight-2-the-system-is-the-issue/ |
SLWIS Chair Lisya Seloni summarizes events at TESOL 2012,
updates members on the proposal process for 2013, and encourages
continued participation in the upcoming year. Read More
Please welcome the new members of the editorial staff and learn about how to join the team. Read More
International students bring distinct perspectives that deepen
cross-cultural understanding. However, it is important to consider their
needs, particularly regarding academic writing. This article reports on
an action research study in which scaffolded writing support was
provided to international graduate students at a university in Southern
California. Read More
This overview aims to assist second language writing
professionals and other interested parties by synthesizing scholarship
on second language writing published
during 2011. Read More
This approachable book offers rich content that is thoughtfully
situated at the intersection of key concepts, writing research, and
research methods. It provides a clear introduction to key issues, a
comprehensive orientation to research approaches in the field, and
logical links to a variety of traditional and online
resources. Read More
The aim of this book is to broaden the view of academic writing
across cultures and to challenge the status quo of English academic
writing conventions that are prevalent in Western institutions of higher
learning and publishing houses. Academics must play the game or be
excluded from scholarly publications. Read More
TESOL’s Second Language Writing IS provides a forum for
researchers and educators across grade levels and institutional settings
to discuss and exchange information in the area of second language
writing. Join the conversation. Read More
SLW News is soliciting articles on second
language writing theory, research, and pedagogy in all ESL/EFL settings. | http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolslwis/issues/2012-11-20/email.html |
Over the coming months we are exploring the theme of radicalism in children’s books. Through form, style or content – radical children’s literature encourages readers to see the world and their place in it in new ways and from fresh perspectives and to challenge norms, not least of which is the perceived innocence of children and childhood and the need to preserve this.
Throughout the 20th century and now 21st century we have witnessed a steady movement towards an increasing amount of radical children’s and YA publishing that empowers children and young people to question the status quos, in terms of race, gender/sexual identity, prejudice and injustice in all forms, environmental issues and many other topics.
Here at Seven Stories we collect material from the 1930s onwards, so the Collection and the Book Collection together charts the emergence of Radical Children’s Literature as a driving, innovative force in modern British publishing: from socialist illustrator of children’s books, Pearl Binder (1930-1970s) to Geoffrey Trease’s left-wing retellings of historical stories (1930s/40s). One of the things the Collection shows is that the development of radical children’s books is problematic, whatever the intentions of the publishers and authors. Take Leila Berg’s editorship of the ‘Nippers’ series (1960s), which addressed the absence of working-class lives in children’s publishing and BAME people in children’s publishing in general. Despite being well-intentioned and inspired by Berg’s fundamental beliefs in the rights of children and a desire to increase diversity in children’s publishing, some titles were criticised for their stereotypical and simplistic portrayal of issues of race and prejudice.
The 1970s saw a new wave of children’s and young adult publishing that produced radical content for readers, and which shaped modern British children’s and YA publishing. Macmillan Education’s ‘Topliner’ imprint, edited by Aidan Chambers, set about addressing issues of race and racism, and realistic portrayals of young people’s relationships, including non-judgemental exploration of sexual relationships. With this the language of children’s and YA books changed, with calls for greater realism that reflected the reality of children’s lives, so too did the content. In the later 20th century authors such as Aidan Chambers, Melvin Burgess and Beverly Naidoo have pushed boundaries in children’s fiction and YA fiction through a range of subjects, frankly dealt with. In their work are themes of sexuality and sexual identity, drug addiction and refugee experiences in Britain with all of this being mapped in the Seven Stories Collection.
There are criticisms of Radical Children’s and YA Literature including the notion that it serves adult needs, such as to politicise children and young people or to promote liberal/social agendas. Here at Seven Stories we are charting these emerging discourses for future generations through work with our extensive Collection. | https://www.sevenstories.org.uk/blog/exploring-radicalism-in-childrens-literature |
the concept of Cloud computing.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
Respond by Day 5, to two or more of your colleagues in one or more of the following ways:
- Select a question offered by your colleague that he/she did not use and suggest potential ways that your colleague or the organization might drive innovation and overcome the barriers and status quo.
- Compare your colleague’s findings to those of others and your own. If you see similarities, explain why the status quo might appear similar across different workplaces and industries. Do not limit your responses solely to budgetary or resourcing constraints.
- Identify any challenges at a colleague’s workplace that seem unique or that you have not encountered before. Offer your ideas about why you think those are important and which discovery skill from Dyer, et al., would best enable your colleague and/or the organization to drive innovation and overcome the barriers and status quo. Be sure to provide your rationale for your choice.
- Offer your insights to your colleague about the value of this process and importance of using it to identify opportunities for innovation or opportunities to challenge the status quo.
POST1
Ten Questions that challenge the status quo at my current workplace:
1. What if we allowed customers 24/7 access to our model homes, would this increase our sales?
2. What if started a program that allowed customers to stay for one night in our model homes so that they could get a feel for the home (see if it’s a good match)?
3. What if home loans were easier to get and builders covered more costs for the customers?
4. What if my organization stopped focusing intensively on the sale and more on the actual customers’ needs as a homeowner?
5. What if all employees tried to help one another versus helping themselves? What affect would this type of partnership have on the company and its customers?
6. What if we built more than the traditional clubhouse, pool house, and common areas in our communities? What if we offered something that isn’t common such as a community go-kart track or skating rink?
7. What if we decorated the exterior of our central office, including our showroom, in themes each week to excite and attract customer’s attention? Imagine the word-of-mouth advertising we would generate.
8. What if we built a home for the local homeless people to stay in and take up donations for them to get back on their feet?
9. What if we gave one house a year away to someone in need? This type of generosity may attract customers who can appreciate us giving back to the community.
10. What if washed people cars, cut their grass, take out their trash, etc. in exchange for a donation to a local charity?
The one question I chose is #5: “What if all employees tried to help one another versus helping themselves? What affect would this type of partnership have on the company and its customers?”
This question is important because there is more strength in numbers meaning the more people collaborate, the greater the chances of success. Our team is currently divided, and we all have different agendas. This type of division poses a barrier to innovation because it lacks the essential ingredient needed to foster innovation which is teamwork. If we could master working together as a whole, it would challenge the status quo by helping us to learn to share our ideas. Exchanging ideas with one another could lead to the production of creative strategies that will propel the company forward.
In one of our resources this week, we see that there are five discovery skills: “associating, questioning, observing, experimenting, and networking” (Dyer, Gregersen, & Christensen, (2009). The skill that will enable my organization to encourage innovation and overcome creativity barriers is networking. Networking and sharing information amongst each other occurs simultaneously. Therefore it is imperative we work on developing this skill. “Devoting time and energy to finding and testing ideas through a network of diverse individuals gives innovators a radically different perspective” (Dyer, et al., 2009). The status quo challenge question I chose is important because it is imperative to focus the teams’ efforts towards collectively testing solutions for our current problems. If we do not join forces, this poses as a barrier because there will be a lack of diversity during the creative thinking process. Networking and sharing will challenge the status quo of my organization by taking a bunch of different viewpoints and applying them towards obstacles.
POST2
I will take my current employer, which is one of the largest consulting organization. I noticed that it is pretty difficult to challenge status quo of the organization, where your duty for the past years is to challenge your own and clients status quo.
I came up with the following list of questions:
- Why don’t we use digit channels to reach out to our customers? Or allow them to reach out to us?
- Bringing innovation to every pitch? (e.g. taking robot to driver proposal pitch, or doing it in VR) I’m sure customers will get excited, despite the contents.
- Allow AI (Artificial Intelligence) with help of available business do an initial screening of the client and help decide if we shall bid or not?
- Remove/ minimize all overheads in the radical, but democratic way? Why do we need an office to operate? All piles up to significant percent and eats from our income. Give me the option to put this percent to the pocket and I will never be in the office, but still commit to result.
- Allow followers to decide on leader and leadership style they want to experience more openly? They will be more motivated to work their way, then somebodies. Less friction in my view.
- Why not pursue new niche? A lot of small/micro businesses just can’t afford consulting services. Why not come up with the offering for them? They will grow one day… Hopefully J
- Why not to partner with highly potential start-ups? Assist them managing their business, but on revenue percentage basis. We can link our performance and contribution to their revenues.
- Open source our ideas and concepts? We have lots of unique methodologies and concepts.
- Crowdfund some of our ideas and social responsibility projects? I think this might be an interesting way to spin our image and impact further. We can grab lots of attention just through crowdfund. For Example, we can take education sector, identify people concerns into it (e.g. kids’ safety) and pursue change with Education Council, by helping them draft new regulations. This can come at no cost to the government, and may have a great impact on society. Who will fund? What about you on Kickstarter? I think this has potential and seems to be something new.
- What if we just automate some of the services we provide? Think of audit process, it is very linear. Basically, there is an information that you need, a checklist to complete and observations and recommendations to come-up. Can I create fairly automated service, so that anyone can subscribe to it and do an automatic audit? Or maybe do real-time assurance?
My question.
I’m a big fan of open sourcing, my experience with this started with Linux and Unix operating systems back in the early 2000s. I was fascinated how flexible it is, you can assemble anything you want and make it work the way you want. I played a lot with it and got really excited by the amount of support information and diversity of the communities available for this. After some enterprise IT experience, I realized that things get resolved much faster with open platforms than through best-in-class enterprise agreements of Microsoft. I like how week reading describes open-source innovation as “ability to tap the passion and ingenuity of thinkers” (Amabile, Khaire, 2008,p.4).
When I look into the modern research techniques and the amount of reading that we do there is a clear pattern in it. The author shall base all his thinking on previous, scientifically accepted researchers and information. This is all open and often public data. What about corporations and consulting firms? There is an enormous amount of information and breakthrough generated and proven by such firms. Imagine if everyone had access to this information and/or could contribute? In my view, this would help to mature methods of the organization, solicit cool and interesting work from potential clients who came to your knowledge base. Certainly, this also presents a challenge of losing the sense of exclusivity in the area. This also forces you to beef up your other value proposition area. From the other side, imagine how many more minds will open up to improvise on what you previously considered to be your intellectual property. Things will just further polish and emerge at no cost. In fact, you can even get money out of it, just like everyone does it on the internet, through an online advertisement, maybe some of your partners. What if I offer you vendor technology solution that can perfectly fit into the framework that you are exploring on my website. At the back-end, I can have a commission from the vendor. Wikipedia is a good example of successful open source status quo challenge (Amabile, Khaire, 2008,p.4). Another example, that I’m aware of is Facebook’s Data Center and IT Infrastructure open source project called Open Compute Project. This has started as an open library of the reference architectures and design drawings sponsored by Facebook. Today there are thousands of the enthusiast working on this. What is the benefit for the Facebook? They simply innovate at no cost for design.
Discovery Skill.
Questioning discovery skills suite me very well. This is probably because I do it every day with my clients, colleagues, family. I like to challenge assumptions or what is considered usual, this is part of my personality. This often opens up a large number of possibilities that people might not have explored and creates an opportunity for ideas to pitch and be heard. Just what I want to secure my next meeting with potential client or prospect. I want to get him/her excited about it as well. I like how Marc Benioff described his breakthrough by questioning entire software upgrade lifecycle (Dyer et al, 2009, p.4). Look what happened shortly after. Entire IT industry got disrupted by the concept of Cloud computing. As you may see, this works for me and for the industry. I actually like all of the skills described in the reading material and they all make sense to me. I picked questioning as a very effective way to break the ice with people I meet, this presents a greater opportunity to me to achieve desired outcomes. | https://firstgrader.net/the-concept-of-cloud-computing/ |
Toward the Development of Saudi Women's RIghts: Theory, Practice, Challenges, and Potential Solutions
Alharbi, Rakan Fahad
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RakanAlharbi.pdf
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Permanent Link:
http://hdl.handle.net/1805/14783
Date:
2017
Committee Chair:
Emmert, Frank
Degree:
S.J.D.
Department:
Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Abstract:
It is well known that one of the most prominent and turbulent conflicts in the twenty-first century between scholars and lawyers from eastern and western cultures revolves around the topic of women’s rights and related legislation. Consequently, in Saudi Arabia, where nearly every aspect of life from legislation to public relations is dictated by religion, women’s rights have been identified by many western societies as one of the most disconcerting issues in light of comparisons to international law, as well as to other Muslim nations. In last decade, Saudi women have witnessed various levels of governmental involvement aimed at increasing their participation in the public sector alongside men. Despite the fact that great steps were taken towards liberating women’s employment and freedom of movement on paper, changing the laws has not proven sufficient to challenge the various cultural norms that marginalizing women and their role in society. Considering women’s actual work and freedom rights, women continue to face obstacles to enjoying their full rights within the country. As a result, the ambiguous language of new statutes, in conjunction with a lack of enforcement or adherence, undermines government efforts to increase women’s freedom and gives social conventions the chance to reinterpret and apply these statutes as they see fit. This dissertation is divided into three parts with each addressing a specific aspect of the negative impacts of cultural norms over the legal application of women’s rights of employment and freedom of movement. First, this dissertation in its theoretical foundation explains the historical and cultural setting of Saudi Arabia with regard to women’s rights and outlines major attitudes of traditional Islamic views of women, their rights, and the concept of equality. Then, the second part more deeply examines the legal framework and status quo of women’s employment rights and freedom in the present and the primary attributes of Saudi religious discourse related to this subject. The third part of this dissertation is devoted to providing a critical analysis to identify the violations against Saudi women’s rights particularly in respect to employment and freedom of movement. The analysis additionally explores the role of cultural norms of the country in causing or enabling these violations in comparison with the Islamic perspective towards these issues. This dissertation reveals how cultural norms impact regulations as well as the ways in which the interpretation of Islamic law is misunderstood and incorrectlyapplied within the society. Furthermore, this dissertation finds that some conservative interpretations perpetuate a societal structure that supports the stereotype of women as nothing more than mothers and housewives in such a way that limits their participation within the public sphere. In the end, this dissertation concludes the discussion by providing a number of legal recommendations to ensure progress of women's rights that would be effective and acceptable to people from any viewpoint in the country. | https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/handle/1805/14783 |
“While diversity and inclusion might be ubiquitous terms in the mission statement of any progressive university, these words alone do little to address the lack of diversity within the curriculum itself” (Anderson 2017).
How can universities–and foundation programs in particular–begin to decolonize art and design education through new educational paradigms and curricular restructuring? How do we create an educational experience that exposes our students to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable education?
As socially engaged practitioners and educators, our teaching philosophies are centered on fostering community, practicing student agency, and investigating representational justice through the lens of visual literacy. Through intentional curriculum development that encourages an exploration of self within larger social frameworks, students learn to critique and challenge the status quo while developing critical perspectives and an urgency to bring about social change through the act of resistance. This session will explore pedagogical approaches for implementing social justice practice in the curriculum and seeks contributions that cultivate diversity, inclusion, and equity while exemplifying student engagement beyond traditional historical practices. | https://www.shadescollective.com/news/2019/3/4/fateconference-hpypz |
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton star in this 1966 classic, based on the stage play of the same name. The film is a dark battlefield of mind-games and contradictions, constantly leaving you unsure in a suspended state of distress and uncontrollable laughter.
We are introduced to the volatile marriage of Martha, and George, and their squabbling; juxtaposed by the serenity of their grand middle class home, gently nestled in the calm of the night. George is a professor at a New England college. Martha is the daughter of the university president. They appear to be a normal quarrelsome middle aged couple, but there is something deeper, waiting to be exposed.
As they return home (drunk) from a staff party, Martha declares she’s invited a young couple round for drinks; another professor and his wife, much to the annoyance of George. When the couple arrives drinks are poured, and the jeering remarks start to spit again. This is the start of an awfully long night…
Notable for its many societal observations, the film explores a range of themes from the perils of marriage, power and perception, and the domestic identity of women. It is the exploration of these themes that gives the film substance, and drives the characters behaviours and dialogue.
“Truth and illusion George, you don’t know the difference”
This horror-drama-comedy is a must see classic. Its fragmenting of the status quo, and incredible script cements it as a classic in American cinema. The hysterical sadomasochistic relationship of George and Martha is authentic and compelling; a true tale of insanity you simply cannot miss. | https://grapefruitsoup.org/2021/01/10/whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf/ |
Why does action research matter in the context of education?
How can action research transform education, educators and the experience of educating?
What does it take to make action research work?
Action Research is research in action; it is initiated, directed and controlled by practitioners as collaborative inquiry aimed at improving practice quality. Action Research in education is concerned with changing established patterns of thinking and acting in education and care settings; it focuses on norms and values as well as patterns of behaviour to challenge the status quo from a participative perspective.
In this intensive and interactive one hour workshop with Dr Lynette Morris and Zahra Alizadeh, you have the opportunity to learn more about action research, both its potentials in the context of education and how you can make it work on the ground. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have the basic understanding you need to design a small-scale action research project to explore further with your colleagues.
Dr Lynette Morris is a Senior Lecturer in Education and Early Childhood at Middlesex University. Her work is committed to promoting high quality inclusive teaching and learning. Through her research and publications, she explores practitioner activism and wellbeing.
Zahra Alizadeh is a post graduate teacher currently studying a MA in Childhood and Education in Diverse Societies at Middlesex University. Her action research project is focused on improving language teaching through a pedagogy of play. | https://mdxcers.com/category/pep-news/ |
The Smiling Man goes down under in September for our Australian Premiere at the 9th Annual Sydney Underground Film Festival 2015! We will be screening at the Factory Theatre with a great selection of underground films from Australia and the world over from Thursday through Sunday, September 17-20th.
We will update as soon as we the schedule is finalized and we have screening information.
About The Sydney Underground Film Festival (SUFF)
The festival programs unique, quality independent films that transgress the status quo and challenge the conservative conventions of filmmaking. The festival is devoted to renewing local interest in independent and experimental film as part of an international underground film culture and aims to change an ingrained culture of cinematic complacency and revitalise an enthusiasm for cinema.
The Sydney Underground Film Festival is dedicated to nurturing an alternative film culture through the promotion of independent and experimental films. The festival seeks to support filmmakers (especially those who operate outside established film industry infrastructures) by providing a platform for exhibition, exposure and critical discussion. | http://www.thesmilingmanmovie.com/news/2015/7/16/official-selection-sydney-underground-film-festival-2015 |
Tom suffers cruel treatment and harsh working conditions all without the love or care of a family. Hope comes when Tom is transformed into a water baby and finally gets the shelter and affection he needs from the magical Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby. Books such as The Water Babies clearly highlighted the need for social reform in the lives and childhoods of such children and gradually the romantic discourse gained popularity and momentum during the end of 19th century which continued into the 20th century.
The influence of the romantic model can also be seen in children’s literature of the 20th century with the rise in popularity of rural adventure stories. These were directed at all age groups from, Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) by A. A. Milne for younger children to Anne of Green Gables (1908) by L. Montgomery, and the Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton (1949-1963) with older children as lead characters. In The Secret Garden, 1911, by Frances H. Burnett and Tom’s Midnight Garden, 1958, by Philippa Pearce, the garden is a metaphoric symbol of a sheltered natural environment to nurture the innocence and growth of the children.
Romantic ideals can clearly be seen in the innocence and natural goodness of the lead characters set against the idyllic country settings which aimed to engage and entertain children while demonstrating subtle moralistic values in line with the Romantic model. Alternative literature was also still available during this time, particularly among religious groups, who felt the focus of literature should remain didactic, primarily for teaching and correcting sinful children.
For example, the bestselling History of the Fairchild Family, told the story of a little girl ‘brought up without the fear of God’ who dies in an accidental fire, the consequence of her unrestrained and unreligious upbringing. First printed in 1818, it stayed in print until the early 20th century, reflecting how some sections of society remained firm upon the Puritanical model of childhood. Technological advances and economic potential of books in the late 20th century, coupled with promotion of reading by educationalists saw a massive increase in books published for children.
The didactic purpose of books, in particular issues of racism, sexism, religious and sexual orientation were hotly debated during this time period. These debates notably affected children’s literature as recent authors have attempted to challenge traditional values and themes in children’s books, for example, having protagonists from a wider variety of backgrounds, or exploring children’s anger and emotions as in Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak (1963) or in the case of Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole (1988) challenging stereotypical and gendered female roles.
Such literature attempts to depict and promote a childhood based on equality and tolerance, questioning social or cultural norms or restrictions. While fantasy and magic have long been disapproved of by strict religious groups, recent children’s literature has also included highly controversial and challenging themes such as teenage drug use in Junk (1996) and teenage sex in Lady: My Life as a Bitch (2001), both by Melvin Burgess.
Such books would have been unthinkable during the Puritanical dominated 16th century for being unreligious and explicit and even during the romantically focused 17th and 18th centuries for exposing young readers to adult issues and themes, from which they should be protected. However they attract attention today as they aim to reflect of the uncomfortable truths and realities of modern-day society, which some parents will feel are appropriate themes for teenagers.
As more books containing controversial themes gain popularity and attention, current children’s literature can be seen to reflect a more liberal and modernistic attitude to childhood apparent within society. In conclusion children’s literature is a good reflection of popular attitudes towards childhood at the time of print. As new theories and ideas about childhood emerged, children’s literature also changed to accommodate and promote these ideals. Notably, all literature conveys a message or moral undertone, weather subtle or direct. The earliest books for children reflected the puritanical model of childhood dominant in the 17th century.
A significant change can be seen in the 18th century books of John Newbery who was influenced by the concept of childhood as a ‘blank slate’, as theorised by John Locke. His books promoted a kind and loving upbringing for children who were nurtured through enjoyment and encouragement. The mid-18th century Romantic Movement had a highly significant impact and Romantic ideals of a pure and innocent childhood, free from dangers and harsh realities of life have been traceable in children’s literature since the 18th century and are still dominant today.
Contemporary literature has attempted to promote equality and tolerance in childhood and has also pushed the boundaries of traditional fiction. Like the social reformers of the 18th and 19th century, modern writers such as Melvin Burgess have shown how children’s literature plays an important part not only in portraying and promoting ideals, but also in questioning and debating social attitudes and ideas about children and childhood.
Word count – 1714 References 1. Hall, C. (2003) ‘Children’s literature’, in Kehily, M.J. and Swann, J. (eds. ) Children’s Cultural Worlds, Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. in association with the Open University, pp. 133-182 2. The Open University (2003) U212, Childhood, Video 3, Band 5, ‘Children reading’, Milton Keynes: The Open University 3. The Open University (2003) U212, Childhood, Video 3, Band 6, ‘Storytelling’, Milton Keynes: The Open University 4. The Open University (2003) U212, Childhood, Audio 5, Band 5, ‘Writing for children’, Milton Keynes: The Open University. | http://www.tedxamericanuniversity.com/essay/can-study-childrens-literature-36620-3941 |
- 2 How Is Nonverbal Communication Affected By Culture?
- 3 Non-verbal Communication in Different Cultures
- 4 Nonverbal Communication
- 5 Nonverbal Communication in Different Cultures – Freely Magazine
- 6 Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures
- 7 Cultural differences in nonverbal communication
- 8 You’re Cramping My Style: Cultural Differences in Nonverbal Communication
- 8.1 Cross-cultural challenges
- 8.2 Nonverbal behaviour and prejudice
- 8.3 Cross-cultural differences in nonverbal behaviour
8 Nonverbal Communication Differences Between Cultures
Skip to the main content Nonverbal communication variations across cultures arise as a result of the diverse ways in which people throughout the world interpret behaviors in social interaction in their own cultures. Understanding the variations in nonverbal communication between cultures is essential for people who wish to pursue a career in the worldwide business world.
How Is Nonverbal Communication Affected By Culture?
Culture and country influence the types of nonverbal communication that are used. However, the areas of disagreement tend to fall into one of the eight categories listed below. Each presents a specific area in which persons conducting business in other regions of the globe should be aware of the nonverbal communication disparities that exist across cultures, as well as how to prepare for them.
Eye Contact
In the West, eye contact is a show of confidence; but, in parts of Asia and the Middle East, it can be interpreted as disrespectful or confrontational. Eye contact is also subject to gender restrictions, with many Eastern cultures prohibiting women from initiating direct eye contact with males since it is perceived as a sign of power or sexual desire.
Touch
Touch is commonly employed in communication, even in a professional atmosphere, as seen by rituals such as the handshake, which are commonplace. Other cultures, on the other hand, consider touching other individuals to be unacceptable. When it comes to touching, those who reside in Asia tend to be more cautious, with a bow often substituting a handshake in most situations. Patting someone on the back of the head is another illustration of the contrasts between touching and hugging. In the United States, it is seen as adorable and demonstrates affection for youngsters.
Other aspects of American culture are more traditional, such as the practice of not kissing on the cheek as is common in many parts of Europe.
Gestures
Many multinational entrepreneurs train themselves to minimize hand gestures to a bare minimum since they may be a bit of a minefield when communicating across cultures. For example, pointing towards someone else is considered an insult in most areas of the globe, while it is frequently used as a reference in other parts of the world. Other cultures do not accept Polynesians extending their tongues to welcome others, as they do in other areas of the world. The most common gesture in the world is a nod, yet even this may indicate different things in different cultures depending on the context.
Physical Distance
Give individuals more space than you believe they need in this situation, regardless of where you are in the globe. You can only come near if you are invited. Physical distance is perceived differently by people from various cultures. However, it is recommended not to enter anyone’s personal space, which is around 2 feet. Many people find close closeness to be unpleasant, even if it is not a personal intimate situation.
Facial Expressions
The good news is that the facial emotions indicating happiness, sorrow, rage, and fear are universally recognized and understood.
The bad news is that not every culture is comfortable with them being used in a corporate situation, which is unfortunate. The Japanese, for example, strive to maintain a neutral facial expression because they believe that revealing your feelings burdens the other person with your presence.
Appearance
The most secure option is to dress conservatively. Some parts of the United States are happy with people dressing in a fairly loose manner, whilst others consider simply an exposed shoulder or leg to be a source of offense. The most sensible option is to dress in a conservative manner. As soon as it becomes evident that this is okay, you may also loosen up your clothes.
Posture
Once again, the usual path is the most direct one to go. When sitting, avoid slouching or sitting with your legs crossed. Make eye contact with individuals when they talk to you and nod sufficiently to demonstrate that you are paying attention to what they are saying. Make a conscious effort to be attentive of where you sit in meetings; in certain cultures, there is a fixed hierarchy for who gets to sit where.
Paralanguage
Paralanguage is a term used to describe communication that is vocalized but does not use words. This comprises the tone of voice, the volume of the voice, the pace of the speech, and the inflection. Paralanguage is essential for comprehending the context or meaning of the words that are being utilized. Important to be aware of these concerns and to recognize that they are not apparent in emails and messages, which means that you must exercise extreme caution when selecting your language.
High-Context vs. Low-Context
The distinction between high context and low context cultures may also be used to aid in the study of cultural differences in nonverbal communication, as can be shown in the diagram below. Nonverbal communication is more important in high-context societies than it is in low-context cultures. Meaning is conveyed through human interactions, societal structures, and cultural knowledge, among other things. Words have a greater significance in civilizations with less background. Communication is straightforward, relationships are established and terminated fast, and hierarchies are unstructured.
An online MBA from Point Park University can provide students with the knowledge and abilities they need to achieve their worldwide business objectives.
Non-verbal Communication in Different Cultures
Non-verbal communication is communication that takes place without the use of words and is continuous in nature. Any communication involves the use of body language as well as the context of the surrounding environment. It is not so much what is said as it is how it is spoken and conveyed that matters. A variety of nonverbal communication techniques are used to communicate, including eye contact, hand motions, facial expressions, touch, and gestures, among others. Nonnegotiable communication might range significantly from one person to another and even between cultures.
- Because there are variances in the meanings of nonverbal communication between cultures, misinterpretation can arise when people from different cultures communicate with one another.
- Because many facial emotions, such as the grin and the scream, are natural in most civilizations, they are mostly comparable across nations.
- The amount to which people communicate their sentiments may also range from culture to culture; for example, some people express their feelings freely while others do not in others.
- You don’t have access to a translation or a dictionary, and you can only interact with other people through nonverbal means such as body language.
- In a similar vein, you pay money and then depart.
- Non-verbal communication may also cause problems in other situations, such as when someone refuse to make eye contact with you or become upset when you do make eye contact with them, among other things.
For example, while someone nods to indicate “yes,” other people may interpret it as “no.” When you nod in Japan, people might interpret it as a signal that you are paying attention to what they are saying. The following are some examples of nonverbal communication disparities between cultures:
Eye Contact
Eye contact is often considered to be a positive gesture in Western cultures. It demonstrates attention, self-assurance, and honesty. Other cultures, such as Asian, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, and Native American, do not consider it to be a positive reflection of themselves. That phrase is considered harsh and unpleasant by many people. Other cultures, in contrast to Western civilizations, do not regard it to be courteous in the same sense. In Eastern cultures, women should avoid making direct eye contact with males, since it indicates authority or sexual desire on their part.
In most cultures, staring is considered impolite.
Gestures
In various cultures, gestures such as the thumbs up can be understood in a variety of ways. In many cultures, it is seen as a “All right” sign, although in others, such as Latin American cultures, it is regarded as a vulgarism, and in Japan, some even regard it as money. Some cultures consider snapping fingers to summon the attention of a waiter acceptable, whilst others consider it to be disrespectful and extremely rude. In some cultures of the Middle East, showing one’s feet is considered offensive.
In Polynesia, individuals greet one another by sticking out their tongues, which is regarded as a gesture of ridicule in most other cultural traditions.
Touch
In most cultures, touching is considered disrespectful behavior. Greeting someone with a handshake is considered appropriate in many cultures. In a similar vein, the acceptability of kisses, embraces, and a variety of other physical contact varies from culture to culture. People in Asia are more cautious when it comes to nonverbal communication of this nature. Distinct cultures have different interpretations of patting one’s head or one’s shoulder. Patting a child’s head is considered a very harmful signal in several Asian cultures since the head is considered to be holy.
The location and manner in which you are touched or touched alters the meaning of touch.
Appearance
Appearance is another type of nonverbal communication that may be used. People are assessed based on their physical appearance. Racial distinctions, as well as variances in attire, reveal a great deal about a person. The importance of maintaining one’s appearance is recognized in most cultures as a vital component of one’s personality. In contrast, what is considered a nice appearance varies from culture to culture and from person to person. Modesty may also be determined by one’s physical appearance.
Body Movement and Posture
Body motions provide information or convey a message to the viewer. It reveals what other people think or feel about you. People that do not look at you when they are talking might be uneasy or shy, and this can indicate that they are. It might also indicate that the person does not wish to converse with you. Other bodily gestures, such as moving closer or farther away from the speaker, might convey confidence, strength, or an attempt to exert control over the situation.
Postures such as sitting straight or slouching can also reveal a person’s emotional state. Hands in pocket are also considered disrespectful in some cultures. In Ghana and Turkey, for example, it is considered impolite to sit with your legs crossed while talking.
Facial Expressions
The expression on one’s face conveys feelings, attitudes, and emotions. The degree to which people express themselves facially is governed by culture. Compared to their Asian counterparts, people from the United States express their feelings more openly. People from different cultures have been demonstrated to have facial expressions that are comparable over the world, but they do not display them in public. The meanings of these are universally recognized across the world. Too much expression is considered shallow in certain quarters, while too little expression is considered weak in others.
Paralanguage
What we communicate is also determined by how we communicate. For example, voice tones, loudness, rhythm, pitch, and so on communicate more than what is expressed in words. Asian individuals keep their voices down since they are trained not to yell from an early age in their culture. They are referred to as “vocal qualifiers.” Vocal characterizations like sobbing, wailing, shouting, etc. modify the meaning of the message. In certain cultures, giggling is considered a negative gesture. Many more emotions may be expressed through vocal distinctions, and all of them are incorporated in paralanguage as well.
Physical Space (Proxemics)
People from various cultural backgrounds have varying levels of tolerance for physical space between them. Others in Middle Eastern cultures like getting close to others and conversing with them, yet in other cultures, doing so may cause people to become fearful. Far Europeans and Americans are not as accepting of the breaking of physical barrier as they should be, and Asians are even less accepting of it. People have their own personal space into which they do not like to be intruded upon. Close physical contact between strangers is permitted in certain cultures, even when the interaction is between strangers.
Nonverbal Communication
|A||The American police officer, the Russian engineer, and the Jordanian teacher made these comments about interactions they had with someone from a different culture. Their comments demonstrate how people can misinterpret nonverbal communication that is culturally different from their own. Of course, this can also happen in conversation among individuals of the same cultural background, but it doesn’t not usually happen as often or to the same degree. Many people think that all they really need to pay attention to in a conversation is the spoken word. This is far from the truth!|
|B||Language studies traditionally emphasized verbal and written communication. Since about the 1960’s, however, researchers seriously began to consider what takes place without words in conversations. In some instances, more nonverbal than verbal communication occurs. For example, if you ask an obviously depressed person, “What’s wrong?” and he answers “Nothing, I’m fine.” you probably won’t believe him. Or when an angry person says “Let’s forget this subject. I don’t want to talk about it anymore!” she hasn’t stopped communicating. Her silence and withdrawal continue to convey emotional meaning.|
|C||One study done in the United States showed that 93 percent of a message was transmitted by the speakers tone of voice and facial expressions. Only 7 percent of the person’s attitude was conveyed by words. Apparently, we express our emotions and attitudes more nonverbally than verbally.|
|Cultural Differences in Nonverbal Communication|
|D||Nonverbal communication expresses meaning or feeling without words. Universal emotions, such as happiness, fear, sadness, are expressed in a similar nonverbal way throughout the world. There are, however, nonverbal differences across cultures that may be a source of confusion for foreigners. Let’s look at the way people express sadness. In many cultures, such as the Arab and Iranian cultures, people express grief openly. They mourn out loud, while people from other cultures (e.g., China and Japan) are more subdued. In Asian cultures, the general belief is that is is unacceptable to show emotion openly (whether sadness, happiness, or pain).|
|E||Let’s take another example of how cultures differ in their nonverbal expression of emotion. Feelings of friendship exist everywhere in the world, but their expression varies. It is acceptable in some countries for men to embrace and for women to hold hands; in other countries, these displays of affection are discouraged or prohibited.|
|F||As with nonverbal communication, what is considered usual or polite behavior in one culture may be seen as unusual or impolite in another. One culture may determine that snapping fingers to call a waiter is appropriate, whereas another may consider this gesture rude. We are often not aware of how gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and the use of conversational distance affect communication. To interpret another culture’s style of communication, it is necessary to study the “silent language” of that culture.|
|Gestures and Body Positioning|
|G||Gestures are specific body movements that carry meaning. Hand motions alone can convey many meanings: “Come here,” Go away,” It’s okay,” and “That’s expensive!” are just a few examples. The gestures for these phrases often differ across cultures. For example, beckoning people to come with the palm up is common in the United States. This same gesture in the Philippines, Korea, and parts of Latin America as well as other countries is considered rude. In some countries, only an animal would be beckoned with the palm up.|
|H||As children, we imitate and learn to use these nonverbal movements to accompany or replace words. When traveling to another country, foreign visitors soon learn that not all gestures are universal. For example, the “O.K.” gesture in the American culture is a symbol for money in Japan. This same gesture is obscene in some Latin American countries. (This is why the editors of a Brazilian newspaper enjoyed publishing a picture of a former American president giving the “O.K.” symbol with both hands!)|
|I||Many American business executives enjoy relaxing with their feet up on their desks. But to show a person from Saudi Arabia or Thailand the sole of one’s foot is extremely insulting, because the foot is considered the dirtiest part of the body. Can you imagine the reaction in Thailand when a foreign shoe company distributed an advertisement showing a pair of shoes next to a sacred sculpture of Budda?|
|Facial Expressiveness|
|J||Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For instance, in American culture the smile is typically an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other functions. A woman’s smileat a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show affection, convey politeness, or disguise true feelings. For example many people in Russia consider smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even suspicious behavior. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don’t smile enough. In Southeast Asian cultures, a smile is frequently used to cover emotional pain or embarrassment. Vietnamese people may tell the sad story of how they had to leave their country but end the story with a smile.|
|K||Our faces reveal emotions and attitudes, but we should not attempt to “read” people from another culture as we would “read” someone from our own culture. The degree of facial expressiveness one exhibits varies among individuals and cultures. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural restraints on the amount of nonverbal expressiveness permitted. For example, in public and formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. More privately and with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly. Many teachers in the United States have a difficult time knowing whether their Japanese students understand and enjoy their lessons. The American teacher is looking for more facial responsiveness than what the Japanese student is comfortable with in the classroom situation.|
|L||It is difficult to generalize about Americans and facial expressiveness because of individual and ethnic differences in the United States. People from certain ethnic backgrounds in the United States tend to more facially expressive than others. The key, is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotions are different. If we judge according to our own cultural norms, we may make the mistake of “reading’ the other person incorrectly.|
|Eye Contact|
|M||Eye contact is important because insufficient or excessive eye contact can create communication barriers. In relationships, it serves to show intimacy, attention, and influence. As with facial expressions, there are no specific rules governing eye behavior in the United States, except that is is considered rude to stare, especially at strangers. In parts of the United States, however, such as on the West Coast and in the South, it is quite common to glance at strangers when passing them. For example, it is usual for two strangers walking toward each other to make eye contact, smile, and perhaps even say “Hi,” before immediately looking away. This type of contact doesn’t mean much; it is simply a way of acknowledging another person’s presence. In general, Americans make less eye contact in bus stations, for example, than in more comfortable settings such as a university student center.|
|N||Patterns of eye contact are different across cultures. Some Americans feel uncomfortable with the “gaze” that is sometimes associated with Arab or Indian communication patterns. For Americans, this style of eye contact is too intense. Yet too little eye contact may also be viewed negatively, because it may convey a lack of interest, inattention, or even mistrust. The relationship between the lack of eye contact and mistrustin the American culture is stated directly in the expression “Never trust a person who doesn’t look you in the eyes.” In contrast, in many other parts of the world (especially in Asian countries), a person’s lack of eye contact toward an authority figure signifies respect and deference.|
|Conversation Distance|
|O||Unconsciously, we all keep a comfortable distance around us when we interact with other people. This distance has had several names over the years, including “personal space,” “interpersonal distance,” “comfort zone,” and “body bubble.” This space between us and another person forms invisible walls that define how comfortable we feel at various distances from other people.|
|P||The amount of space changes depending on the nature of the relationship. For example, we are usually more comfortable standing closer to family members than to strangers. Personality also determines the size of the area with which we are comfortable when talking to people. Introverts often prefer to interact with others at a greater distance than do extroverts. Culture styles are important too. A Japanese employer and employee usually stand farther apart while talking than their American counterparts. Latin Americans and Arabs tend to stand closer than Americans do when talking.|
|Q||For Americans, the usual distance in social conversation ranges from about an arm’s length to four feet. Less space in the American culture may be associated with either greater intimacy or aggressive behavior. The common practice of saying “Excuse me,” for the slightest accidental touching of another person reveals how uncomfortable Americans are if people get too close. Thus, a person whose “space” has been intruded upon by another may feel threatened and react defensively. In cultures where close physical contact is acceptable and even desirable, Americans may be perceived as cold and distant.|
|R||Culture does not always determine the message of nonverbal communication. The individual’s personality, the context, and the relationship also influence its meaning. However, like verbal language, nonverbal language is linked to person’s cultural background. People are generally comfortable with others who have “body language” similar to their own. One research study demonstrated that when British graduate students imitated some Arab patterns of nonverbal behavior (making increased eye contact, smiling, and directly facing their Arab partners), the Arabs felt that these students were more likeable and trustworthy than most of the other British students.|
|S||When one person’s nonverbal language matches that of another, there is increased comfort. In nonverbal communication across cultures there are similarities and differences. Whether we choose to emphasize the former or the latter, the “silent language” is much louder than it first appears.|
Nonverbal Communication in Different Cultures – Freely Magazine
Consider the following scenario: Your buddy is demonstrating a new pair of shoes that she recently purchased. However, despite the fact that you do not care for the hue, you feel obligated to appreciate it by saying, “These look fantastic!” Despite your best efforts to avoid upsetting your buddy, you see that your brows have curled into a scowl since you don’t believe they are very attractive. Here’s an example of nonverbal communication at its best: Nonverbal communication, as opposed to verbal communication, typically incorporates additional contexts.
As we go about our daily lives, we may have heard about a variety of nonverbal personality traits that have been attributed to various cultural groups, giving rise to stereotypes such as Asians do not reveal their true emotions; Americans are phony; Japanese people are polite but apathetic, and so on.
- Expressions on the face When you examine the larger cultural context of a person’s laughter or smile, it is possible that it does not merely indicate that they are pleased.
- Keeping one’s true sentiments hidden is considered a sign of maturity in many Asian cultures.
- Make Direct Eye Contact Each culture has its own interpretation of the meaning of eye contact.
- If you’re in a business or familial environment, locking your eyes with your boss or other senior members of your team is deemed rude.
- In a similar vein, in Germany, it is customary for individuals to maintain eye contact when conversing.
- When people’s palms are facing downwards in Mexico, it indicates that they are measuring the height of an object.
- When a person nods his or her head, the general public would assume that the individual is saying yeah.
- For example, in Romania, the average personal distance maintained with strangers is 4.6 feet, but in Argentina, the comfortable distance maintained with individuals you do not know is 2.5 inches.
- Nowadays, learning how to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries is vital for reducing misunderstandings and for developing positive connections with other people.
We may not be able to become experts in this field, but we will be able to solve issues and negotiate more effectively if we have the capacity to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries.
Non-Verbal Communication Across Cultures
Observe how much of the substance of a conversation is transmitted without using your words the next time you are having one with someone. Consider the following scenario: your employer summons you to her office, presents you your assessment report, and declares, “I am stunned.” You’ll be looking for non-verbal signs regarding your destiny because the report is in a securely sealed envelope and your employer is momentarily unable to communicate. You’ll be looking for hints in her face, gestures, posture, and tone of voice.
- Or did she murmur them through pursed lips, a deep scowl parting her brows, as if she didn’t mean them?
- Because our interlocutors do not share our linguistic and cultural backgrounds, non-verbal communication is very important in an intercultural setting.
- Being honest vs being misunderstood might be the difference between success and failure.
- It can allow us to communicate and read volumes without understanding a single word of each other’s languages, which is extremely useful.
- Here’s what he has to say on the serious consequences of nonverbal communication across cultures, in his own words.
- In order to comprehend this, we must first comprehend the importance of nonverbal behavior in any conversation.
- That is an example of back channel communication, and it helps to oil the wheels of any type of communication by providing lubrication.
However, nonverbal conduct communicates not only content but also a great deal more.
It facilitates the exchange of emotions, agreements, and conflicts, so assisting us in communicating our objectives in addition to spoken communication.
As an example, think of the people you know who are fluent in many languages yet do not get along well with others from diverse cultures.
It is difficult to communicate effectively with someone who is merely developing their language abilities without also developing the non-verbal actions connected with that language.
This can result in intercultural conflict, misunderstandings, and uncertainties in communication, even when the speaker is fluent in the language.
I am confident that someone who is interculturally competent may travel to any nation where they do not understand the language and still be able to communicate well with the people around them.
3) What suggestions do you have for being more effective when communicating non-verbally with persons from diverse cultural backgrounds and backgrounds?
1.Make an effort to be polite.
2.Exhibit a keen interest.
Inquire about things.
3.Make an effort to gain an understanding of anything significant about your interlocutor’s language and culture.
“Good morning,” “please,” and “thank you” go a long way in smoothing up a variety of encounters.
You’ll also learn and develop as you engage with others.
Is the quickest way to express dissatisfaction.
All other emotions are susceptible to being misunderstood.
Positive thinking, on the other hand, is not frequently misunderstood.
Ask every newlywed about their interpersonal connections, and ask any intercultural communicator about theirs.
In the context of international communication, I believe the most significant benefit is that if you are skilled at non-verbal communication, you can travel anyplace without needing to speak the language and yet communicate well.
Non-verbal communication has been used by humans to transmit and receive signals for a much longer period of time than our languages have existed as a species.
As Dr.
Although we have a propensity to lose sight of our commonalities and instead emphasize our differences, “the majority of people in the world want to get along,” according to Matsumoto, “the majority of people in the world want to get along.” Communication is essential in all interactions, regardless of the situation.
Even when words fail us, we can still communicate.
San Francisco State University’s Dr.
Matsumoto is a professor of psychology and the creator and head of the Culture and Emotion Research Laboratory, which is located on the university’s campus. Author of several books and essays on topics such as culture, psychology, emotion, and nonverbal behavior, he is widely respected.
Cultural differences in nonverbal communication
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You’re Cramping My Style: Cultural Differences in Nonverbal Communication
Communication entails much more than simply exchanging words. Nonverbal behaviors are also used to send and understand information. Nonnegotiable communication enhances verbal communication by offering additional information that goes beyond what is spoken in the conversation. Gestures, greetings, body alignment, facial emotions, and other indications of emotion are all part of the process. Touch, eye contact, and the usage of personal space are all ways in which we communicate with one another.
Approximately 7% of a communication is delivered by words, with the other 38% conveyed through paralanguage, which includes aspects of the voice such as tone, loudness, and inflexion.
What peopledo is unquestionably more significant than what they say about themselves.
And the manner in which something is conveyed is far more essential than the words themselves. This is especially true in high-context societies, where meaning is suggested indirectly through contextual signals rather than being stated explicitly in the text itself.
Cross-cultural challenges
Nonverbal communication, like verbal communication, differs from one culture to the next. To put it another way, knowing how to comprehend and convey nonverbal communication may be just as beneficial as learning a new language. The ability to be flexible in nonverbal communication might be difficult to attain. While verbal behavior is deliberate and aware, nonverbal communication is sometimes unintentional and unintentionally performed. It is tough to govern or adjust as a result of this. Because nonverbal communication is sometimes confusing, it can be difficult to determine what someone is saying.
Nonverbal behaviour and prejudice
Prejudice and discrimination can arise as a result of disparities in nonverbal behavior between cultures. Several studies have discovered that many characteristically Black nonverbal behaviors—including speech disturbances, higher vocal pitch, slower vocal pace, more indirect speech, less eye contact, more smiling, and greater body-language expressiveness—are perceived as indicators of deception by White police officers.
Cross-cultural differences in nonverbal behaviour
The existence of cross-cultural variances in gestures has long been noted. In various cultural contexts, what appears to be the same gesture might have entirely different meanings than it does in one. Depending on the culture, a nod of the head might imply ‘I agree’ in certain cases, but it can also mean ‘I disagree’ in others. Some gestures are specific to a particular culture and cannot be found anywhere else. Gestures may be classified into seven categories, as follows:
- Arrival and departure signals include, for example, blowing a kiss, beating one’s fist on one’s breast, shaking hands, and hugging. Demonstrating approval in several ways, including applause, nodding “yes,” raising the arms, and giving the “high five” or “thumbs up.” Yawning, folding arms, coughing, finger-wagging, nodding ‘no,’ holding or wrinkling the nose are all examples of expressing dissatisfaction. Attracting a partner using many means such as twitching eyebrows, fluttering eyelids, staring or gazing, winking, and holding hands
- Offensive and obscene gestures, such as chin-flicking and nose-thumbing are prohibited. Gestures used to emphasize a point, such as chin-stroking, forming a fist, drumming fingers, snapping fingers, and shrugging are examples. Using gestures instead of words: for example, ‘Call me’, with a finger and thumb mimicking the form of a telephone receiver
- ‘Come here,’ with an upturned palm and index finger curved towards the body
- And so on.
Body language
Despite the fact that many gestures are made with the hand, other kinds of body language are also employed to communicate message. The Japanese custom of bowing, for example, is based on a rigorous, hierarchical scale that is determined by one’s social standing and rank. In addition, the duration, angle, and frequency of the bow must all be strictly adhered to at all times. Other cultures are more expressive than others in the exhibition of nonverbal behaviors, and some cultures are less expressive than others.
Japanese individuals make less hand, arm, and whole-body motions than do most people in the United States.
Time
There are also disparities in the way people think about and cope with time that exist beyond cultural boundaries. Monochronic civilizations have a linear perspective of time. Time is arranged and split according to the clock in certain societies, such as the United States, which is one example. Typically, people set up a specified amount of time to do a single activity; for example, organizing a meeting in which the whole meeting is devoted to discussing the issue at hand. Time is money in monochronic societies, as everything revolves around it.
- Laziness and unreliability are viewed as traits associated with tardiness.
- In polychronic civilizations, time is regarded as more flexible and plentiful than in monochronic societies.
- Various commercial or social connections may cause a meeting to be interrupted several times over its duration.
- It is considered courteous to let a conversation to proceed to its logical conclusion, even if this involves staying late.
On the other hand, when it comes to non-social events, such as business meetings, the Chinese place a high value on punctuality in their culture. The use of time varies from culture to culture and from circumstance to circumstance within a culture.
Space
There are cultural disparities in the amount of personal space that people require in order to feel comfortable in their interactions with others from one culture to another. People who live in densely populated areas tend to require less personal space than those who do not. Where populations are more dispersed, individuals tend to favor more open spaces. Personal space can be violated in ways that are unsettling to certain people’s cultural preferences. It is possible to perceive your partner as cold, timid, or hostile if you are given more actual personal space than your cultural preference dictates.
Touch
The way a culture employs touch is connected to the way that culture uses space. People in non-contact cultures seldom touch one another, unless they are on an intimate level with them. North Americans, Germans, English, and a variety of Asian civilizations are examples of non-contact cultures. Contact cultures, on the other hand, often employ physical contact to express compassion toward others, especially in commercial ties. People who live in touch cultures have less personal space and make greater eye contact with one another.
- There are significant variances in how people react to unintentional contact across cultures.
- As a result of the high population of Asian countries, people from these cultures have been socialized to disregard unintentional contact.
- In certain cultures, it is not uncommon for heterosexual males to hold hands with one another as a symbol of friendliness, especially among their peers.
- Members of the opposing sex are less comfortable with touching one other in societies that are sexually restrictive.
- While it is acceptable in many areas of Asia to touch someone’s head, in many other parts of the world it is deemed unacceptable since the head is regarded a holy portion of the body.
- It should not be used to make physical contact with another person or to move items.
Eye contact or gaze
Eye contact is considered to be a sign of attentiveness and honesty in Western cultures. If you don’t look an American in the eyes, you may be viewed as indifferent or untrustworthy, according to the culture. Using your eyes to communicate with your spouse at low power distance and individualistic cultures such as the United States conveys interest in your partner as a partner. Collectivist and high Power Distance cultures, on the other hand, rely on a lack of eye contact to show respect and humility.
In China, it is usual and quite acceptable to look at a stranger or an attractive individual who appears unfamiliar.
Among different ethnic groups in the United States, there are disparities in the way people look and how they behave visually. When white Americans are listening, they keep eye contact; when they are speaking, they lose eye contact. Black Americans, on the other hand, behave in the other way.
Facial or emotional expressions
Anger, disgust, fear, pleasure, sorrow, and surprise are among the six universal facial expressions that have been discovered by researchers as being utilized to transmit emotion. All civilizations are able to recognize and interpret these facial expressions in a comparable fashion. Despite this, individuals all around the globe show their feelings in a variety of ways when they are in social settings. Depending on the social situation, people utilize cultural display guidelines to regulate or adjust the emotional emotions that they exhibit.
Individuals are able to
- Increase (exaggerate) or de-amplify (decrease) the intensity of their expressions
- They try to keep their feelings hidden or hidden away. Reduce the intensity of their expressions
- Improve the quality of their sentiments by expressing them in a variety of ways
When it comes to mood modulation, there are cultural as well as individual variances. Additionally, there are culturally distinct methods in which people convey certain emotions to one another. Smiling is an excellent example. In most cases, it is related with pleasure, although it can also be used to show affection or politeness, or even to conceal actual sentiments. Laughing and smiling are common practices in several Asian societies to conceal emotional discomfort or humiliation. North Americans use their smiles to express friendliness and good will.
Emotions that are experienced and expressed more frequently in a specific cultural environment are referred to as focal emotions.
Cultural values are associated with the emotions that are being focused on.
When it comes to collectivist civilizations, shame is a crucial feeling.
Positive emotions are suppressed in collective societies due to their collective nature.
Physical appearance and attractiveness
Physical appearance and attractiveness have an impact on initial impressions and contribute to the making of rapid judgments about a person’s personal characteristics. An individual whose physical appearance does not adhere to a cultural standard of proper and pleasing physical appearance is viewed as an outsider—or even as a deviant—in the eyes of the community. An individual who is perceived as an outsider is at risk of being stereotyped. An outsider may become socially isolated, or he or she may be subjected to prejudice and discrimination. | https://interculturalyork.org/interesting-about-culture/because-nonverbal-communication-is-when-in-a-new-culture-_.html |
While some emotions are universal and are experienced in similar ways as a reaction to similar events across all cultures, other emotions show considerable cultural differences in their antecedent events, the way they are experienced, the reactions they provoke and the way they are perceived by the surrounding society.
Social norms exist for various aspects of emotions.
General emotional norms: what emotions are considered to be good or bad?
Feeling rules: how should one feel when encountering a certain event?
Display rules: how should one act when experiencing certain emotions?
In collective cultures such as China, the feeling rules are rather loose: there are no strict expectations about how one should generally feel. However, the display rules are much tighter: there are certain expectations about the way one should show one's feelings in a given context. For example, Confucian cultures consider expression of emotions (both positive and negative) as a possible threat to the social order. Hence, the norms are of not making a display of personal emotions. One may feel as one pleases, as long as one does not express it.
It is helpful to realize that cultural differences can create an emotional reaction in you – especially if either similarities or differences touch your inner- core values. This reaction can be either positive or negative. Positive emotional reactions can include happiness, excitement, joy and high energy. Negative emotions can include anger, anxiety, confusion and helplessness. For example: if you are from a low power distance country and you work with a boss from a high power distance country you may feel anger and resistance when this boss “orders you about”. Although he or she may not in-tend this, you may feel humiliated and not taken seriously.
Don’t worry, nobody expects you to be in complete control and as cool as a cucumber when dealing with a different culture. It is quite normal to experience frustration or communication problems. What you can do is simply prepare yourself and be aware that greater uncertainty is a normal part of intercultural situations. Also keep working on your ability to adjust your communication style to the communicative needs of people from other cultures. It is important to be open to learn from your mistakes. On the next page you will find impressions from a blog describing how this works in practice.
Tip from Carl the Carrot: Try the following exercise: Close your eyes and recall the first time you experienced a geographical or cultural difference. What did you feel? What did you think? How did you cope?
What can you do if uncertainty is very high and it is more difficult to remain cool and adapt your behavior efficiently to the intercultural situation? Sometimes high uncertainty or overwhelming feelings of frustration may take over, and influence your behavior in a non-effective way. If you are someone from a low power distance country with a boss from a high power distance country who “orders you about”, may mean you be-come angry, react defiantly and finally stop listening to his orders and ad-vice. What to do?
The Rational Effectiveness Training (RET) is a method that can help you to improve your way of dealing with intercultural situations that cause stress, frustration, and non-productive behavior. The basic principle of RET is the following: Not the situation as such, but your ideas about the situation determine how you feel and whether you experience stress. The RET distinguishes between effective and ineffective emotions. Effective emotions are emotions that give you energy, and help you to get into action. Ineffective emotions cost you a lot of energy, and may lead you to behavior that does not bring you closer to your aim. Effective emotions and behaviors fit the situation and help us to reach our goals. You are less likely to reach your goals with ineffective behavior.
About the author: Jim Morris is a senior facilitator and project manager for Schouten Global. He lives and breathes culture: English by nationality, he lives in the Netherlands and works all over the world facilitating professional learning and development. His latest book The Eight Great Beacons of Cultural Awareness (is a practical guide and will strengthen your cultural awareness) is available as e-book here.
Your thoughts, namely the way you interpret a situation are responsible for your emotions. Your emotions in turn influence your behavior strongly. It is not the situation in which there is a cultural difference that makes you feel frustrated, but rather the way you think about it and interpret it.
Is this thought helping me?
Is it true and/or logical?
This process will enable you to formulate more rational and helpful thoughts, that will influence your emotion, and make you feel less stressed and/or frustrated.
For cultural perfectionist thoughts: People are human beings, we are not perfect, and so I will just try some behavior that appears okay to me in this situation. I will tell them I am not sure whether this is according to their cultural norm, and then see how they react.
For cultural disaster thinking: In his culture this behavior seems to be acceptable, so it is not a dis-aster that I am managed this way, and somehow we will make this project work.
For low cultural frustration tolerance thinking: Okay I do not like his ordering me about, but I’ll survive… I can stand this, and my colleagues will also survive. I can always try to explain to him that his behavior is not motivating me.
For cultural love addiction thinking: Okay, not everybody has to like me or always has to show me that I am respected. He may not pay me as much respect as I would like to get, but it does not mean that he hates me… My contribution is still needed; I will just do it, and live with the fact that he behaves like this to all his employees.
For cultural moralistic thinking: For my own cultural norm this is not acceptable behavior, I really be-lieve people should be treated as equals. But in this culture, orde-ring about is normal. I am most likely not going to change this culture by demanding they should follow my norms. So I will stick to my standard, and explain it. It would be nice if they could understand that. I can understand their standpoint, they may not change their view, but at least I can be honest with myself and my value.
To conclude on the RET method and how it can help you dealing with intercultural situations: Effective emotions and behaviors fit the situation and help you reach your goals. You are more likely to reach your goals if your behavior is effective or appropriate to the situation. The RET method can help you to achieving this goal by helping you to take a more ‘rational’ or effective perspective on your own thoughts.
This is chapter 4 from the book With friendly vegetables by Jim Morris. Read the next chapter here or download the book here. | https://www.newheroes.com/en/articles-1/friendly-vegetables-managing-uncertainty-vegetables-have-feelings-too-part-4/ |
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The only true words of God
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06-27-2016, 09:34 AM
Awareness
Always keep cool.
Join Date: May 2006
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MDCCCVIII
Re: The only true words of God
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If someone asked you to identify how many emotions there actually are, what would you guess? Tens? Hundreds? Thousands?
This question is hardly new. As early as the 4th century B.C., the philosopher Aristotle attempted to identify the exact number of core emotions. These were referred to as the 14 irreducible emotions, which he described as fear, confidence, anger, friendship, calm, enmity, shame, shamelessness, pity, kindness, envy, indignation, emulation, and contempt.
In his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, Charles Darwin suggested that the ability to express emotion through the face had evolutionary advantages. He also suggested that many of these emotional expressions were universal.
More recently, psychologists have made a number of attempts to categorize and identify the exact number of emotions.
Surprisingly, when it comes to basic, universal emotions, there are actually far fewer than you may think. According to the best-known theories that classify the human emotional experience, there are anywhere from four to eight basic emotions.
The Wheel of Emotions
One of the most prominent of these theories is Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions which identifies eight basic emotions - joy, sadness, trust, disgust, fear, anger, surprise, and anticipation. The wheel of emotion is likened to the color wheel in which the primary colors combine to form the secondary and complementary colors. These basic emotions then mix and combine to form a variety of feelings. For example, anticipation plus joy might combine to form optimism.
Six Universal Emotions
Other researchers suggest that there are around six or seven basic emotions that are experienced in cultures throughout the world. Psychologist Paul Eckman created what is known as the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), a taxonomy that measures the movements of all the face's 42 muscles as well as the movements of the head and eyes.
Eckman discovered that there were six facial expressions universal to people all over the world. These original six emotions he identified were happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, and disgust. He later went on to add a seventh emotion - contempt.
Or Are There Just Four Basic Emotions?
More recently, researchers asked participants to identify emotions based on the expressions of a realistic model. What they found was that fear and surprise engage the same muscles. Rather than representing two distinct emotions, they instead suggest that fear and surprise are simply variations of one basic emotion. Similarly, disgust and anger involve the exact same muscles, so they suggest that they represent variations of just one emotion. The researchers suggest that instead of six basic emotions, there are just four: happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. The more complex variations of emotions, they argue, have evolved from these foundational building blocks over the millennia.
"What our research shows is that not all facial muscles appear simultaneously during facial expressions, but rather develop over time supporting a hierarchical biologically-basic to socially-specific information over time," explained lead author Dr. Rachael Jack of the University of Glasglow.
Yet most of us would immediately argue that fear and surprise are distinct and separate emotions, as are anger and disgust. However, the researchers note that when the expression is first displayed, the muscles same muscles are engaged for fear and surprise. This distinction between fear/surprise and anger/disgust, they believe, is socially based. It is only later as the emotion is more fully expressed that the differences between the two emerge. The researchers believe that the expression of the basic emotions has a biological, survival basis while the differences that exist between fear/surprise and between disgust/anger evolved later on and for more social reasons.
So does this really mean that there are just four emotions? Certainly not. The research conducted by Jack and her colleagues suggests that there are four irreducible emotions, but this certainly does not mean that people are only capable of experiencing four emotional states. "Nobody in their right mind would say there are only four emotions," Jack clarified in an interview with The Christian Science Monitor. "That simply isn't true. Human beings have incredibly complex emotions."
The Expression of Emotions
While we might be able to identify such broad emotions, Eckman's research has revealed that the human face is capable of creating more than 7,000 different facial expressions. Emotions, and how we experience and express them, can be both abundantly apparent and remarkably subtle. The basic emotions, however many there really are, serve as the foundation for all the more complex and subtle emotions that make up the human experience.
Feelings are the only true words of God
Quote:
Eckman discovered that there were six facial expressions universal to people all over the world. These original six emotions he identified were happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, and disgust. He later went on to add a seventh emotion - contempt.
First the feeling starts which you feel at first hand, you are you after all, and then your brain starts working ....................
That God can construct such feelings for us ........
God does not work in mysterious ways, God lets you work
__________________
REMEMBER...........THE COLOUR OF YOUR SKIN IS ONLY AND JUST ONLY THE COLOUR OF YOUR SKIN, HOW YOU ARE AS A PERSON MAKES YOU A WHOLE PERSON AND NOTHING ELSE....HOW YOU HAVE SEX , HOW YOU DRESS UP, HOW YOU PRAY only gives away your hobbies
HOW YOU ARE AS A PERSON IS THE MASTER !!
Awareness
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As any company grows, expanding beyond the shores of one’s own country often becomes a goal. But while there will always be cultural and practical barriers (e.g., physical distance, language) to international collaboration, one of the biggest challenges can often be management styles.
It is not enough to assume that teams in a similar industry, but from a different country, will operate and make decisions in the exact way that teams in your country do. The disparity between management cultures is often most evident in things like the perception and expectations of authority and decision-making.
How Authority is Perceived
Of course, one of the most important ways that management styles manifest is in the way that management interacts with those who work under them. In a recent publication from the Harvard Business Review, this is understood to be a culture’s “attitude towards authority.” The HBR divides cultures into either “egalitarian” or “hierarchical” attitudes, with the former most closely resembling how business is done in the U.S. A more egalitarian management culture will have, for example, employees calling their bosses by first name and participating much more robustly in brainstorming and strategic ideas. As far as hierarchical structures, such as those often found in China, for example, more reverence will be paid towards management and employees will be expected to follow clear instructions and complete specified tasks without nearly as much input in how projects proceed. When hiring international employees, it is important to understand how an individual perceives and relates to authority.
How Decision-Making Works
The other aspect of management styles that the HBR explores is decision-making. While it may seem only logical that a country’s attitude towards authority and the way that the same country makes decisions go hand in hand, that’s not always the case. Despite its hierarchical attitudes, for example, Japan tends towards consensus-based decision-making. At the same time, the egalitarian U.S., which would perhaps more logically make consensus a priority, relies much more on “top-down” decision-making, where a leader makes the final call on big priorities, projects, and strategic direction. The difference between these two styles can cause a great deal of conflict in those employees who are not properly prepared. Consensus-based decision making tends to involve a lot more discussion and prior agreement than top-down, meaning that those who are making the switch from the latter to the former should be ready to spend more time talking about a decision before a meeting and much less time presenting and persuading at a meeting.
How to Achieve Agreement in International Collaboration
Whether your team is working in an international company, hiring international employees, or acting as expert executive recruiters for an international team, it is important to understand the management style differences and how they manifest. While a successful employee in one country should be able to find success in another, they will need to be aware of the challenges they may face and willing to be open-minded about new structures and protocol. For recruiters, a high potential employee in the U.S. might look quite different in a more international light, so it is important to be able to assess how different skillsets translate between nations.
Are you getting the highest return on your recruiting investment?
Let The Garner Group help you in your next Consumer Health and Nutrition search. | http://www.thegarnergrp.com/blog/hiring-international-employees-decision-making-and-management-style-by-country |
Basic emotions are hypothesized to be a special class of emotions out of which all other emotions are compounded. According to most theorists, they are innate, universal, and distinct affective states which evolved to serve adaptive functions.
The idea that there exists a small set of “basic emotions” dates back to the works of Descartes (1649/1988) who was first to suggest that all emotional states can be derived from six fundamental “passions” (joy, sadness, love, desire, hatred, and wonder). However, the real debate on “emotional basicness” begun with the publication of Darwin’s (1872/1998) book entitled The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Darwin argued that emotions are crucial for survival and thus they have distinctive expressions that should be accurately recognized by all humans. This suggestion led many theorists to believe that at least some emotions require no learning and thus are hardwired in the brain and universal.
Although the view that some emotions are more “basic” than others is widely accepted by emotion theorists, there is little agreement on which emotions should be included in the list of the basic ones. Their number varies depending on the theory (for a review, see Ortony and Turner 1990). The most popular list, sometimes referred to as “The Big Six,” was used by Ekman et al. (1969) in their research on universal recognition of emotion from facial expression. The list included happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, anger, and disgust, which are still the most commonly accepted candidates for basic emotions (see Table 1). Over the years some theorists, including Ekman, have shortened or expanded the list. For instance, Plutchnik (1980) added acceptance and anticipation, Ekman (1999; Ekman and Cordaro 2011) added contempt, and Levenson (2011) added interest, relief, and love. More recently, other candidates for basic emotions have been proposed, e.g., love or jealousy (Sabini and Silver 2005). Some authors have also used their own terminology. For instance, Panksepp (2007; Panksepp and Watt 2011) listed play, panic/grief, rage, seeking, fear, lust, and care as the basic (“primary-process”) emotions.
The decision whether a particular emotion qualifies as basic is based on a set of criteria. Although these criteria vary across theories, many authors agree that a basic emotion should be associated with distinctive universal nonverbal expression, distinctive neural and physiological components, distinctive subjective experience, and distinctive regulatory and motivational properties (Izard 2007; Ekman and Cordaro 2011; Levenson 2011). Importantly, all of these elements should be correlated in intensity and coordinated in time because they are thought to be based on the same emotion-specific central mechanism (i.e., affect program; Ekman and Cordaro 2011; cf. Barrett 2006).
Darwin’s (1872/1998) suggestion that emotions evolved to serve a communicative function and thus are expressed and recognized in the same way in every culture has inspired a number of cross-cultural studies on the universality of emotional expression. For instance, Ekman and colleagues (Ekman et al. 1969; Ekman and Friesen 1971) demonstrated that facial displays of “The Big Six” are accurately recognized across cultures, both literate and preliterate, regardless of who expresses them – a member of one’s own culture or a member of a foreign culture. This, along with the studies on similarities in expression between humans and other primates, provided solid evidence for the evolutionary basis of these six emotions (Ekman 1999). Ekman’s findings have been replicated in a number of studies (for a review, see Elfenbein and Ambady 2002). Moreover, similar evidence has been found for vocal expression (Sauter et al. 2009). The universality of emotional expression has been also supported by studies on the spontaneous expressive behavior of congenitally blind individuals (Matsumoto and Willingham 2009). In general, these studies show that emotions considered basic are universally expressed and recognized, which – according to basic emotion theorists – suggests that their nonverbal expression is genetically coded.
Many theorists propose that basic emotions have consistent and specific brain activation profiles (Ekman and Cordaro 2011; Izard 2011; Levenson 2011; Panksepp and Watt 2011). A recent meta-analytic review of neuroimaging studies supports this view by indicating that happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust may be associated with unique patterns of neural activation (Vytal and Hamann 2010). For instance, fear is linked to increased activation of the amygdala and insula, whereas happiness activates the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and right superior temporal gyrus. Importantly, these discrete patterns of neural activation clearly distinguish one basic emotion from another. Further evidence that basic emotions are associated with specific neural networks comes from neuropsychological lesion studies (e.g., Adolphs et al. 1994) and studies on subcortical substrates of emotions in nonhuman mammals (e.g., Panksepp 2011). Taken together, these findings indicate that basic emotions are associated with specific neural correlates, although there is lack of consensus over their precise location (i.e., only some theorist argue that neural networks associated with basic emotions should be located in subcortical brain structures; Panksepp and Watt 2011).
A number of theorists state that basic emotions can be distinguished by unique patterns of autonomic nervous system activity (e.g., Ekman 1999; Ekman and Cordaro 2011; Levenson 2011). Although early research failed to support this view (for a review, see Larsen et al. 2008), more recent findings have provided evidence that happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust can be associated with specific patterns of autonomic responding. These patterns, however, might differ across subtypes of emotions. For instance, the physiological response of crying sadness is characterized by increased cardiovascular activity, whereas the physiological response of noncrying sadness is characterized by decreased cardiovascular activity. Corresponding findings have been reported for cardiovascular, respiratory, and electrodermal correlates of other emotions, e.g., anger directed toward others versus anger directed toward the self, contamination-related disgust versus mutilation-related disgust (for a review, see Kreibig 2010). This suggests that autonomic system response might be the basis for distinguishing only the subforms of basic emotions. Importantly, for some emotions that are often considered basic (e.g., surprise), no unique autonomic response patterns have been reported yet. Furthermore, certain “nonbasic” emotions (e.g., pleasure) can also be identified by unique autonomic reactions (Kreibig 2010). On the whole, although there is some evidence for emotion-specific autonomic nervous system activity, future research is needed to explore this issue more thoroughly (Levenson 2014).
The idea that basic emotions might be characterized by specific feeling components originates from peripheral theories of emotion according to which subjective emotional experience derives from bodily sensations such as changes in heart rate, breathing, or facial muscle activity (James 1884; but see Barrett 2006). Accordingly, anger, sadness, or disgust feel differently because they are associated with different patterns of interoceptive and proprioceptive signals. As these patterns are believed to be emotion-specific, they should give rise to distinct subjective emotional experience. This proposition has been supported by research showing coherence between experiential, behavioral, and – to a lesser extent – physiological responses to emotion-eliciting stimuli (Ekman 1999; Izard 2007; Levenson 2014). Importantly, the capacity for experiencing emotional feelings, similarly to the capacity for expressing basic emotions, cannot be learnt (Izard 2011). For instance, it is impossible to teach someone how it feels to be happy or angry. This suggests that the feeling component of a basic emotion, similarly to its expressive, neurobiological, and physiological components, is a product of evolution (Izard 2011; Levenson 2014).
Many emotional theorists assume that basic emotions evolved to serve crucial biological and social functions and thus they are characterized by distinct motivational and regulatory characteristics (e.g., Ekman 1999; Izard 2011; Levenson 2011). According to this view, basic-emotion feeling states have power to uniquely motivate and regulate behavioral and cognitive responses to a wide range of environmental and social challenges and opportunities. For example, fear is associated with actions and thoughts aimed at escaping the source of threat and maximizing safety, while anger promotes actions and thoughts concentrated on removing obstacles (Izard 1992). Importantly, after the early childhood period, such stereotypical, rapid, emotion-specific reactions may be perceived as inappropriate, and thus they are activated only in response to highly intense and ecologically-valid stimuli. Accordingly, fear increases the likelihood of escape, but typically does not lead to escape, because in ordinary life situations, actions and thoughts are multiply determined (Izard 2011; Levenson 2011).
Emotions which do not meet the criteria for emotional “basicness” are considered “nonbasic” or secondary. According to most theorists, they cannot be characterized by distinct expressions or specific patterns of physiological response because they are not preprogrammed by evolution (Ekman 1999; Levenson 2011; Panksepp and Watt 2011). In contrast to basic emotions, “nonbasic” emotions differ across individuals because they are thought to be largely shaped by sociocultural factors. For instance, the activation of embarrassment or guilt is determined by the development of cognitive abilities associated with self-other distinctions or social comparisons (Izard 2011). “Nonbasic” emotions are commonly believed to be formed out of basic emotions. For example, according to a multidimensional model of emotions (Plutchnik 1980), the blending of fear and surprise produces a mixed emotion of awe, while the blending of sadness and disgust produces a mixed emotion of remorse. Although most theorists agree that primary emotions might serve as “building blocks” for more complex emotional states (Ekman 1999; Izard 2011; Levenson 2011; Panksepp and Watt 2011), the mechanisms involved in this process have not yet been fully elucidated.
Over the years, the notion of a “basic emotion” has been subjected to a detailed critique (e.g., Barrett 2006; Ortony and Turner 1990; Russell 1994; Turner and Ortony 1992). Several critics have commented on the lack of consensus on what emotional basicness is. For instance, Ortony and Turner (1990) distinguished three different levels at which an emotion may be basic – the conceptual level, the biological level, and the psychological level – and pointed out that although some emotions may be considered basic at one of these levels, they are nonbasic at other levels. This, according to Ortony and Turner, makes it difficult to decide which emotions are basic and thus challenges the utility of the concept of basic emotions. The methods used by basic emotion researchers have also met with criticism. For instance, Russell (1994) argued that the use of forced-choice response format, preselected, posed facial expressions, within-subject design, and lack of contextual information might have limited the validity of the findings. Basic emotions theorists have also been criticized for neglecting the social aspects of emotions. Psychological constructionists, for instance, have pointed out that conceptualizing basic emotions as biologically based cannot be supported by empirical data because, contrary to basic emotion theories, the coordination between expressive, neurobiological, physiological, experiential, behavioral, and cognitive responses to emotion-eliciting stimuli is low. For example, emotional signals – both vocal and facial – may not convey precise and reliable information about the expresser’s feeling state because emotional expression is largely influenced by social context (e.g., smiling or laughing is not always associated with being happy but may also indicate confusion or embarrassment). This, according to the critics, suggests that basic emotions cannot be identified by a set of distinctive, coordinated characteristics based on emotion-specific central mechanisms (e.g., Barrett 2006). The core idea of a basic emotion theory – that certain emotions are innate – has also been called into question. For example, the fact that young children do not have the ability to differentiate between various emotion categories indicates that emotions may not be hardwired into the brain at birth. Psychological constructionists thus challenge the view that some emotions can be organized into discrete categories that are imposed by nature. Instead, they propose that mental states called basic emotions are, in fact, “classification schemes that people impose on their world during perception” (Barrett 2006, p. 46).
Although the concept of basic emotions has been highly popular in psychology, there is no generally acceptable list of basic emotions or generally acceptable criteria for their “basicness.” Moreover, basic emotion researchers do not agree about the prevalence of basic emotions in ordinary life. While most of them state that “pure” basic emotions are rarely experienced by adults (because they interact with higher order cognitive processes to produce more complex emotional states; e.g., Izard 2011; Levenson 2011; Panksepp and Watt 2011), some authors suggest that basic emotions are more common (Ekman and Cordaro 2011). Thus, as it has been recently noted (Russell et al. 2011), the popular phrase basic emotion theory does not refer to a single model but to a set of overlapping and ever-changing theories. Yet, despite some noticeable differences between these theories, over the years several areas of agreement have been identified. First, most researchers agree that the number of basic emotions is limited. Second, even though the lists of basic emotions differ, happiness, sadness, anger, and fear appear in most of them (see Table 1). Third, there is some overlap with regard to the “basicness criteria” which, according to many theorists, are the universality of emotional expression, unique physiological correlates, distinct subjective experience, and characteristic adaptive functions. Overall, despite some differences, the theories of basic emotions show significant similarities and thus offer a conceptual framework for future research in the field. | https://rd.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_495-1 |
Stereotyping women as the more emotional gender has been in practice since long. Popular culture has depicted women as more dramatic than men, and aren’t as capable as leaders and professionals. Women are seen as emotionally volatile, who experience sadness, anger, jealousy, or despair more frequently than their male counterparts. How accurate is this assertion about women’s emotional state psychologically, culturally and scientifically?
If we logically start thinking about this gender based cultural stereotype, a number of questions appear immediately.
- What does it mean being emotional?
- Is being emotional mean emotionally expressive?
- Do women have more emotions in compare to men?
- Do women and men express emotions differently?
- What kind of emotional expression are measured in order to become emotional? Because emotions are categorized as positive and negative and each of them is consists of dozens of emotions.
- Do women express every kind of emotions or is it just a certain kind of emotions and thus get labeled as emotional?
- And ultimately, can we generalize being emotional based on gender?
The popular culture has labeled women emotional because they have perceived the hormones in female body partake in making women more emotional than men. Women can’t be a leader and work under pressure because their hormones make them feel vulnerable in a strict and professional work ambience. But isn’t it true for everyone irrespective of gender? If the workplace belittles you or makes you feel suffocated or unworthy, everyone irrespective of gender would feel pressured and vulnerable. Then why generalizing women?
It would be practical to say that women are more emotionally expressive than men. Men tend to be better at compartmentalizing their emotions, because from an early age they have been taught not to show their emotions. Women tend to express their emotions more openly than men, because it has been socially acceptable.
Since women tend to experience and express emotions more intensely and more frequently, common people as well as psychologists alike believe women are more emotional than men. In fact, researches confirm, these stereotypes regarding women’s emotional stability are widely held. Women are labeled as the more emotional gender because people see women displaying their emotions more than men (Plant et al., 2000).
Psychologically
As per studies, men tend to use emotional expression suppression when it comes to show their expression, that is, they ‘hold it in’, while women acquire the coping skills like verbalizing their emotions, and seeking support from others (Tamres et al., 2002). The idea that emotional responses differ based on gender is almost irresistible. There are several books and magazines keep stating this thesis (Grey, 1992).
To measure the differences in the frequency with which men and women experience emotions, there are different tests that have been developed. One such test is, Test for Emotional Styles (Allen and Hamsher, 1974: Allen and Haccoun, 1976), where the results have demonstrated that women and men experience sadness and fear with different frequency but not anger and joy. Another test named Izard’s Differential Emotion Scale, which measures emotion salience, is a combinational score on frequency, duration, and intensity. Interestingly, women scored higher on shame, surprise, guilt, and sadness, whereas men score higher on contempt (Stapley and Haviland, 1989). There were no differences in anger, joy, fear and disgust.
Emotionality does not account for the social and cultural context of emotion; it is also based on individual’s personal characteristics, relationality and ideological notions like irrationality or instability. The general claim that women have greater emotionality, and which seems to be an integral part of psychological and feminist discourses on gender, should be questioned seriously.
Studies reported that the differences in emotional experiences of men and women are likely to be grounded in social and related cognitive factors.
Also read: Is Fashion Industry Responsible for Body Shaming?
Culturally
There are certain gender stereotypes and gender role expectations that both the genders feel the need to oblige in order to blend in society, especially when it comes to empathy and emotionality. The common belief that women are wired to be more emotional than men, is actually a product of society’s observation. Women’s emotionality is measured by the outwardly expression rather than the internal intensity of the emotions. It is not true that women experience a wider range of emotions which is entirely different from that of men.
Since men are taught not to show their emotions as displaying of emotions is a sign of weakness, men tend to hide their feelings and emotions more often than women. It is a regressive idea of society for masculinity. Being empathetic and showing emotions are considered too feminine. Men are discouraged to be vulnerable, and be more in control and competent. Lacking emotional control is equals to femininity, and men aren’t allowed to express sadness, grief, or loss, and it is unmanly to cry or even let out a whimper.
Whereas women are raised to believe that since men are main and, in many cases, only provider for the family needs, it’s her job to put his needs before her own. So, when it comes down to domestic violence, it’s women’s duty to accept his every demand. Women are taught to be more understanding and forgiving in the name of being empathetic towards men despite the violence and traumatic situations she has to put up with. Women has been taught to become more tolerant and compromise in order to appear as a strong woman.
Being empathetic is the ability to understand other’s emotion without them being expressive. Women are taught to read others’ emotions so that they could deal with different person differently by understanding their perspectives.
Cultural portrayal and acceptance of these feminine characteristics has made women appear more emotional than men.
Also read: Will India Ever Legalize Same Sex Marriage?
Scientifically
Brain’s limbic system is responsible for behavioral and emotional responses. This limbic system comprises Hypothalamus, Hippocampus, Amygdala, and Limbic cortex. In the study on Gender Differences in Human Brain, it has been observed that the limbic cortex which is responsible for regulating emotions, are larger in women. But the amygdala, which regulates sexual and social behavior, is larger in men.
Another recent study on male and female brain has revealed there are very few differences how both the genders’ brains react to emotions. The study by Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science neuroscientists has found that men and women’s brain differ in sizes but not due to sex or gender. Dr. Eliot said relating the study, that men and women’s brains has size differences only in terms of physicality, not sex or gender. Sex differences in the brain, regardless of gender, are tiny and inconsistent. He further said, the size of the amygdala, which is an olive-sized part of the temporal lobe of the brain, and is important for social-emotional behaviors, is only 1% larger in men. According to Dr. Eliot, sex differences are sexy, but there is no such thing as ‘male brain’ and ‘female brain’. The brain reacts differently, based on how we treat boys and girls, men and women.
Conclusion
The term ‘emotionality’ itself tempts people to think in terms of sexual differences. The cultural stereotypes regarding emotional and emotionality actually are the way society depicts the sexual differences. Emotions are multi-faceted phenomena and its relationship with both the genders is complicated. Therefore, it is both practically and theoretically unjustified to say women have more emotions than men and vice versa. Women express some emotions like sadness, fear, shame or guilt more frequently and less reluctantly than men.
According to society standards, since these emotions imply states of powerlessness and vulnerability, they are regarded as non-masculine and more feminine. This might be the real reason there are more sex-differences in the self-reports than in studies using direct measures. Since men often suppresses certain kinds of emotions which do not identify with masculinity, the cultural differences regarding emotionality rises along with it. If a woman feel fear in a certain situation, the same situation would be labeled as nerve-wracking by a man.
In actuality, the concept of ‘more emotional’ gender is based on the gender specific rules, regulations, and expectation rather than the frequency, intensity and contents. Since cultural system measures ‘emotionality’ in terms of expressiveness, women are labeled as the more emotional gender. Bottom line is, gender stereotyping on emotionality is largely unjustified, unnecessary and nonfundamental.
References:
1. Sex Differences in Emotionality: Fact or Stereotype? Fischer, A H
2. Are Women the “More Emotional” Sex? Barrett, L F et al. | https://geniusfemini.com/women-more-emotional/ |
Americans do this because of our cultural roots as a free nation (e.g., “All men are created equal”). Americans have a deep cultural instinct toward social equality and not having a class system. This is a reaction to the European class system as well as the feudal system that existed in Europe. In cultures where inequality between social classes is more accepted, American insistence on egalitarianism, or social equality, may be annoying. For example, in egalitarian societies like the US, Australia, Israel, and the Netherlands, business managers are viewed as coaches who provide resources and motivation to realize individual potential. Managers empower employees to make decisions, and employees are expected to take the initiative.
#9. They always have to say something
Americans believe that being direct is the most efficient way to communicate. It’s important to “tell it like it is” and “speak your mind”—to say what you mean and mean what you say. Being direct is often valued over “beating around the bush.” Americans value assertiveness and being open and direct about one’s thoughts and feelings. Not all cultures have this same value. In some cultures, the normal way to disagree or to say no is to say nothing or be very indirect.
#10. Americans always want to change things
Americans think things can always be better, and that progress is inevitable. The United States is a little more than 200 years old, and American culture tends to be an optimistic one. Older cultures are more skeptical because they have been around longer, have experienced more, and have been in situations in which progress was not always made. In American businesses, being open to change is a strong value, because things really do change quickly, and it is necessary to adapt. Many Americans believe it is “good” to initiate change and “bad” to resist it. The most serious errors made by Americans when dealing with other cultures is assuming they share a love for risk-taking. “When an American manager introduces himself to a new team, he says, ‘I’m here to learn. Tell me what we do well, what we don’t do well, and how to fix It.’ because it is empowering and makes us feel valuable.
#11. They don’t seem respectful of elders
Americans believe people must earn by their actions whatever regard or respect they are given. Merely attaining a certain age or holding a certain position does not in itself signify achievement. In hierarchical cultures like India, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, social ranking is somewhat fixed by birth, and family status plays a role in how much one can accomplish in the future. Hierarchical organizations have distinct layers and everyone expects to see visible trappings of power and authority. Written and verbal communication is more formal. “If an American professor taught in a hierarchical country like Mexico and said, “What do you think?” students lose confidence because he asked what they thought, while the students were thinking “If I knew the answers, I’d be the professor. You’re not supposed to ask me!”
#12. They’re so optimistic
America, because of its resources and successes, has always had a culture of optimism. Americans believe that they are in control of their own destinies, rather than being victims of fate. Many Americans tend to believe that “the American dream” can be achieved by anyone who is willing to work hard enough. Many Americans believe that the only obstacle to things getting better is “not trying hard enough.” Americans also believe that a personal lack of determination or effort can be fixed. Other cultures may believe more in fate (“what will be will be”). When something bad happens, some members of these cultures believe it was fated to happen, must be accepted, and cannot be changed. | https://globiana.com/minimizing-the-effects-of-culture-shock-part-3/ |
That’s not to say there’s no joy in my life; it just doesn’t come as naturally to me as it appears to for others. And yet despite fully meeting the textbook definition of “the opposite of an optimist,” I’ve never thought to label myself a pessimist.
In large part, that’s because of the baggage associated with the term. In America, the tyranny of positivity reigns supreme, so much so that I often find myself worrying about how much I worry.
I worry about my gloomy outlook because of how strongly our culture emphasizes the value of a positive one.
And I worry about the ways that all my worrying could potentially affect my health and the health of those around me.
In a study published last month in the journal Psychological Science, a team of psychologists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison reported that positivity was related to improved health markers in Americans, but not in Japanese people.
The study authors analyzed health data from 1,017 American and 374 Japanese people, taken from the Midlife in the United States and Midlife in Japan studies, both funded by the National Institute on Aging. Participants reported how frequently they had felt ten different positive emotions in the previous 30 days, and blood samples were taken to measure lipid levels, an indicator of heart health.
Even after accounting for things like a person’s age, gender, socioeconomic status, and chronic health conditions, there was a significant difference between the two groups: “American adults who experience high levels of positive emotions, such as feeling ‘cheerful’ and ‘extremely happy,’ are more likely to have healthy blood-lipid profiles,” explains lead study author Jiah Yoo, but the same was not true among Japanese adults.
The discrepancy, she adds, “suggests that health implications of positive emotions may not be completely driven by the inherent nature of positive emotions, but also shaped by American cultural context.”
“In American cultures, experiencing positive emotions is seen as desirable and is even encouraged via socialization,” Yoo explains. “But in East Asian cultures, people commonly view positive emotions as having dark sides — they are fleeting, may attract unnecessary attention from others, and can be a distraction from focusing on important tasks.”
The study authors argued that the results had to do with differing ideas about the importance of the individual: The individualistic American culture places more emphasis on people doing what’s best for themselves, while more collectivist East Asian cultures prioritize doing what’s best for the group.
Yoo believes the cultural influence on the positivity-health connection may be the result of culturally specific health behaviors. “Frequent experience of positive affect in the Western context would be aligned with prescribed values and beliefs, and thus likely motivate engagement in and pursuit of healthy behaviors,” she explains. “In contrast, positive affect aligns less with norms and beliefs about positive affect in the East Asian context, and thus may not be associated with healthy behaviors.”
In other words, it may be possible that positive thinking only improves our health because we’re conditioned to believe that it’s the optimal state — that emotions and outlooks aren’t actually as objectively good or bad as we’ve made them out to be.
“By contrast, low-arousal positive emotional states are considered as happiness in China.” High-arousal emotions are things like fear, anger, nervousness, irritation, astonishment, enthusiasm, delight, joy, or excitement; low-arousal emotions include feeling content, bored, relaxed, serene, sad, calm, sluggish, sleepy, satisfied, gloomy, pleased, or peaceful.
It’s not simply that Americans are more intent on seeking happiness, then — there’s also a high bar for how intense that happiness is supposed to feel. “Westerners value high-arousal emotions more than Easterners, so they promote activities that elicit high-arousal emotions.,” Lim noted. “Even children of the West learn through storybooks that high-arousal emotions are ideal, and the opposite is true for children of the East.”
It’s comforting for me to hear that at least one culture may accept and embrace my gloominess — that the disdain for people with my temperament isn’t universal.
I may never be able to fully internalize the concept that it’s okay to be sad, but I do know that I need to be gentler with myself, and to worry less when I don’t meet my own, or society’s, emotional expectations.
Maybe I don’t need to shoot for delight. Maybe contentment can feel just as good. | http://marshallnews.pk/happiness-may-be-healthier-for-some-cultures-than-others/ |
In the previous episode I talked about emotions in the workplace. Like how we try to distance ourselves from the fact that we are creatures of emotion, and that showing certain emotions makes us feel uncomfortable. I’m gonna continue with that line of thinking in this episode.
In the modern workplace, we are obsessed with positivity. Employees have to be happy happy happy all the time, no matter what. Put a smile on when you start work, and don’t take it off until you’re done for the day. Feeling sad? Doesn’t matter – be happy. Feeling angry? Doesn’t matter – be happy. Some companies even have chief happiness officers, who tend to work in HR and focus on employee wellness.
Now there’s nothing wrong with wanting employees to feel positive emotions, like feeling comfortable, happy, satisfied, and so on. And there’s technically nothing wrong with elevating happiness so much that it has a chief officer dedicated to it, even though I think that’s going a bit overboard. But there is a problem when you want employees to only show positive emotions, even when they’re not feeling positive. And it’s even worse when you punish the expression of any negative emotion. Only positivity, all the time.
Those kinds of environments aren’t healthy. They put strain on employees with a lot of emotional labor, and they don’t let employees be themselves. It’s that kind of emotional transparency, that emotional vulnerability, that I want to focus on in this episode.
I’ll be going over three topics throughout this episode. The first is the mystery and mishap of emotional cultures. The second is the mystery of emotional vulnerability. And the final topic is about the mystery of managing emotions.
An organization’s culture is the foundation on which everything is built. To offer a definition, organizational culture is the system of values, norms, and behaviors that are developed, altered, and maintained by members of an organization. So your organization’s culture shapes, and is shaped by, how your employees think and behave.
But the thing about culture is that there can be a culture for something as large as a country, all the way to something as small as two or three people. So it makes sense that are different sub-cultures within your organization. These are typically broken out by location, function, department…you know, where there are natural or built-in boundaries between employees. There are also sub-cultures that are more topical, like a diversity & inclusion culture, a communication culture, and even an emotional culture.
An organization’s emotional culture is how employees treat and respond to emotions shown by others, and how well employees manage and cope with their own emotions. For the sake of simplicity, you can break cultures down into healthy and unhealthy, and I’ll do the same for emotional cultures.
Healthy emotional cultures don’t just tolerate emotional complexity — they welcome it. Organizations with these cultures generally understand that employees are humans, and as such strive to offer a supportive work environment. These organizations prioritize transparency, honesty, and employee wellbeing.
Leaders and managers in these cultures know the importance of connecting with employees to listen to their feedback. When something feels off or a stressful situation comes up, employees at all levels feel equipped to cope with their emotions, as well as confidently express their concerns.
These organizations also understand that work and personal lives are often difficult to separate, so they encourage employees to do what’s needed to maximize their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Work-life balance and flexibility are high priorities.
On the other hand, in organizations with unhealthy emotional cultures, you’ve got two extremes. One extreme is that employees often feel like they’re walking on eggshells, that expressing anything except smiles and happiness is discouraged and maybe punished. Employees don’t feel cared for as people and bringing personal lives into the workplace is frowned upon.
These kinds of unhealthy emotional cultures are all about suppression, of keeping displays of negative emotions completely hidden. Employees hide their true feelings the moment they walk through the door or log on for the day. This state of suppression is not only uncomfortable and unproductive — it’s unhealthy. Suppressing emotions can lead to issues like headaches, insomnia, intestinal problems, mental illness, and heart disease, so emotional labor shouldn’t be ignored.
The other extreme is when emotions run too wild, when they’re not kept in check. There may be a lot of gossip and avoidance because employees feel like they can’t have honest and direct conversations with each other. And they feel like those conversations aren’t possible because they frequently lead to misunderstandings, conflict, yelling, and aggression.
In these cultures, leaders and managers rarely step up to actually manage negative emotions or conflict. In fact, leaders and managers may openly contribute to those conflicts, making them even worse over time. And because negative emotions frequently override positive emotions, or if individuals don’t know how to express their emotions in a respectful, professional way, employees are more likely to feel uncomfortable and disengaged at work. In fact, in our own research we found that employees are less engaged the more frequently their coworkers and managers express negative emotions.
The main takeaway from this first section is that you should be aware of the kind of emotional culture you have both in your organization overall, and in your team specifically. Have you noticed that employees tend to be pretty relaxed, or do they seem constrained or otherwise suppressed? Have you noticed that employees deal well with others’ emotions, or does conflict seem to be more common? Do you yourself feel like you can or can’t express certain emotions around your team? Think about those questions, with an emphasis on how you can create or maintain a healthy emotional culture in your team.
When you’re emotionally vulnerable, you’re lowering your defenses, dropping your guard. As with anything emotional, there’s positive and negative. Positive emotional vulnerability could be joking around with coworkers after you finally feel comfortable being around them. Or it could be a team member being very open with you about how great of a manager they think you are. Negative emotional vulnerability, on the other hand, could be slamming your fist on the table during a heated discussion. Or it could be a team member becoming absolutely non-responsive, like a complete shutdown, after they were passed over for a promotion.
Emotional vulnerability is putting yourself out there, intentionally or unintentionally. Showing a part of yourself that you may feel sensitive about, exposing something that makes you feel seen by others. Like think about the last time you were emotionally vulnerable with someone. You might’ve felt a strong sense of acceptance afterward, or maybe you felt embarrassed or ashamed at having been so open. Maybe your heart was racing and you were unable to keep eye contact with whoever you were talking to. Maybe you hoped that you wouldn’t be judged. That you and your feelings would be accepted or, at the very least, heard.
Negative emotional vulnerability is often uncomfortable for everyone involved. Not only for the person being vulnerable, but also for the people receiving that vulnerability. Because being on the receiving end of vulnerability means that you now have more responsibility navigating that social situation.
What do I mean by that? Well, think about a team member coming to you, visibly distressed, saying they need to talk. You go to a room, close the door, and they just start sobbing. Crying really hard. Chances are pretty good you’ll feel at a loss at what to do. Should you remain silent until your team member speaks? Should you ask what’s wrong? Should you give them a hug? Should you tell them to stop crying and get over it? Should you leave the room? And then after the situation’s resolved, what do you do? Do you talk with HR, keep it to yourself, tell the whole team, check up with the person in a few hours?
Which of those options would you choose, and why? If you choose to, say, leave the room and never mention it again, you took the most avoidant path possible and must shoulder the responsibility of what you communicated to your team member. That you can’t handle those emotions. Imagine what that would do to your relationship with that team member. Likewise, think about if you told the person to stop crying then told the whole team about it the next day. What message does that send?
That’s what I mean by more responsibility. The consequences of your actions are heavier when emotional vulnerability is a factor. Like if someone smiles at a joke you said, or seems annoyed with a rude customer, you don’t really have a lot of outcomes to consider. Kind of business as usual. But when there’s vulnerability, especially around a negative emotion, there’s more at stake.
Referring back to the previous section, I’d say that having a healthy emotional culture means that most employees can effectively and appropriately navigate emotional vulnerability. Both in showing vulnerability and receiving vulnerability.
In our own research, we found that employees who feel comfortable showing their true emotions at work have much higher engagement levels than those who don’t. So feeling emotionally safe at work may enhance engagement. It could also be the case that higher levels of engagement may allow employees to feel increasingly comfortable being emotionally transparent — likely because they feel connected and valued at work.
The main takeaway from this second section is that how you respond to others’ emotional vulnerability is an indication of whether, and how much, you might need to change as a manager. Now I know this section was short, but the main point was to introduce you to the idea of emotional vulnerability in general, as well as the notion that that vulnerability brings with it more responsibility.
In the previous episode, I focused on ways to maximize positive emotions and minimize negative emotions. I want to be clear that you can’t control everything, and you shouldn’t be expected to control everything as a manager. Negative emotions will always be felt and expressed by you and your team at various times, no matter how supportive you are. So when those negative emotions are felt by you or expressed by your team, you need to be prepared.
First let’s focus on you. When thinking about your own emotions, remember these steps: recognize, understand, and manage.
First you need to recognize emotions. Like if you start to feel an especially negative emotion, don’t panic. Take a deep breath and recognize it for what it is. Don’t react immediately — instead try to put a label on what it is you’re feeling. If you feel upset, what’s causing you to feel that way? Are you angry? Frustrated? Sad? A combination? When did you become aware of that feeling? What triggered it?
What’s also important is to not judge yourself for feeling a particular emotion. It doesn’t help anyone, especially you, to beat yourself up for feeling an emotion. You might feel mad at a team member. You could also feel happy that something negative just happened to a team member. For now, try to avoid feeling guilty and just accept that you’re feeling it. You can break it down in the next step.
After you recognize you’re feeling a certain emotion, aim to understand it. Dig deep and try to discover its origin. Are your emotions coming from something within you, or something external? If it’s a familiar emotion, think about other times you’ve felt this emotion and how you previously responded. What went well in those moments? What didn’t? How do you want to respond differently in this moment?
Finally, after you reflected on both recognizing and understanding your emotions, now you need to manage them. Here are some questions to consider. Do you still feel the need to address the situation, after a few minutes or hours have passed? Is it possible you overreacted? Are there things that need to be resolved before you can move on? If the situation involves another person, what will you say when you do address the situation? What do you think the other person will say? Finally, what did you learn from this situation that you can apply to future situations like it?
Now to shift focus a bit, I want to go over dealing with, responding to, and managing emotions in other people. Regardless of how well you handle your own emotions, you cannot control the emotions of others. But it is important to learn how to acknowledge them and respond appropriately. Unresolved issues can lead to decreased productivity, damaged relationships, and disengagement.
Mistakes happen. They’re inevitable. And although mistakes shouldn’t be simply accepted, they also shouldn’t be met with scolding or punishment every time they happen. Berating or punishing employees, especially in front of their peers, can cause humiliation and hostility.
On the flip side, calmly correcting or excusing the rare mistake can build trust. But if mistakes continue to pile up, you and your team members should get together and create a performance improvement plan to make sure everyone’s on the same page with clear performance expectations.
Sharing emotions, especially uncomfortable ones, makes us feel vulnerable, like I talked about in the previous section. And we can’t be vulnerable if we don’t trust the people we’re sharing those emotions with. Everyone should feel comfortable being themselves and expressing emotions. When there’s a culture of transparency and authenticity, employees can understand how others feel and adjust accordingly.
When managers and leaders are consistently unavailable, employees tend to get anxious. Regularly making time to connect with your team provides opportunities for you to instill confidence in your team members, their work, and their performance. Set uninterrupted time apart for each employee at least once a month so they can ask questions, provide updates, raise concerns, and provide feedback.
A lot of the time, someone experiencing a negative emotion isn’t immediately looking for solutions. They simply want to express themselves, to vent, to verbalize how they’re feeling. Listening to them allows them to get it all out there and makes them feel cared for and heard. It also establishes you as a trusted resource who can be depended on. Let them tell you or ask you if they want to problem solve. But until then, just listen.
The main takeaway from this final section is that it’s important for you as a manager to be prepared for the negative emotions that will inevitably come up in your team, either in yourself or others. Learn to recognize, understand, and manage emotions. Likewise, be there for your team. Be open to hearing, and sometimes receiving, negative emotions. And then navigate those emotions in healthy, productive ways.
As a recap of this episode, I discussed healthy and unhealthy emotional cultures, the complexity of emotional vulnerability, and some tips for managing emotions. To me, one of the strongest indicators of a healthy versus unhealthy emotional culture, as well as someone’s maturity at managing emotions, is how emotional vulnerability is responded to. That’s why I said this episode is about emotional vulnerability – it’s kind of a litmus test, a measuring stick, of emotional maturity for people and organizations. If you respond to vulnerability poorly, or don’t allow it in any way, then that’s unhealthy or immature. If you respond to vulnerability well, and allow for it, then that’s healthier and more mature.
Not to over-simplify what I just discussed, but all of these topics really come down to a combination of empathy and situational awareness. Empathy that stressful work situations and overworking employees often create negative emotions. Empathy that negativity is often met with negativity. Empathy that limiting and constraining employees in various ways can hurt mental and physical health.
Likewise, situational awareness allows you to read people better and respond to situations more appropriately. Could be a conflict in your team. Could be an employee opening up to you about something very personal. Could be that you just received really bad news during a team meeting. All of these require a certain level of situational awareness to determine how best to navigate each situation for the healthiest outcomes both in the moment and in the future.
If you’d like to read about more results we found in our research on this topic, check out our e-book entitled Emotions in the Workplace.
And that’s it for this episode! Join me next time on Manager Mysteries & Mishaps, where I’ll have the very first interview for this show. | https://www.quantumworkplace.com/podcast/managing-emotions-and-emotional-vulnerability |
Even if we are not aware of our emotions, cannot define them or even if we don’t realise we have any emotions, they still exist and affect us and our bodies. Those among us who are able to understand personal emotions as well as emotions of other people have a big advantage: if we understand emotions we can also transform and channel them.
In many cultures and families people do not learn to express emotions or to talk about them. Many people, for example, struggle to say “I love you” to their loved ones. Children who grow up in such environment would rather learn how to suppress emotions than how to express them. Although such suppression may be praised as self-control and ‘a stiff upper lip,’ unrealised and suppressed emotions may become the source of various blockages in our body, lead to illness and life dissatisfaction.
More specifically, suppressed emotions may lead to:
The loss of life energy
Neuroses
Weakening of the immune system
Unintended and unexplained actions
Suppression of grievances
Ungrounded protests and attempts to prove something
Quite a gloomy list, indeed. But we can break down a tendency towards these scenarios by simply tracking our emotions and questioning their belonging as a part of our character.
Emotions are not genetic, they are acquired and as such they can be influenced and changed. When we understand our emotions, we are able to choose a proper mechanism for their positive transformation.
All our emotions find their reflection in our bodies. The good way towards their proper understanding is the recognition of their presence in our body language. Below I list a few such emotions and their expression in our body language.
Shame
Most people would agree that when we feel ashamed, it feels as our face and chest are on fire. At the same time, our limbs are cold and heavy. Many people cannot help but get red-faced, while others feel as if their body physically shrinks.
2. Grievance
As a rule, grievance is located in our chest, causing its compression, aching feeling or even a spasm in the solar plexus of our body. It may feel warm or neutral, accompanied by our desire to bend our back and clench our fists.
3. Anger
This is one of the strongest emotions, which affects our entire body. As a rule, fury and anger spread like hot waves in our bodies, awakening the desire to act. Actions caused by fury and anger are often thoughtless and hasty. The powerful adrenaline rush makes us react unpredictably. Commonly, anger signals the transgression of certain limits. If we manage to locate and localise them, our anger will subside.
4. Enthusiasm
We often feel it as itching or tingling in the limbs. We can’t remain still, our body needs movements and actions. When we feel such body reaction, it is better to find the way to release it instead of blocking it. If we block, for example, the desire to skip along the path or do a few push ups only because we wear a formal suit, we may equally end up blocking our work enthusiasm and motivation.
5. Pleasure
We often block this emotion by another one - shame. We feel it is shameful to enjoy the pleasure or to indulge ourselves. In fact, the experience of pleasure serves as a prevention of depression, nervous breakdowns and fury. Our body experiences lightness and muscle relaxation. We are eager to smile. It is important to experience pleasure and see the results it offers to our bodies.
6. Gratitude
We experience gratitude as a nice warmth throughout our body, as a desire to breathe deeper and to hug people around you. We feel how our mood is lifted and we want to create. In this moment our body actively produces serotonin, the natural neuromediator.
Each emotion may have slightly different, individual, expressions in our bodies. What is certain is that we can follow, recognise and transform our emotions.
The first step is to track our emotions. The best way to do this is to relax, find a comfortable position and recollect a situation when we felt any particular emotion (shame, grievance, pleasure, etc.). We can then slowly shift our attention to the behaviour of our body. How does it react to a given emotion? What do we feel and where is this feeling located? Once we are able to connect each emotion to their specific expressions in our bodies, we can have better understanding of our bodies and their reactions to particular emotions.
As the next step, we can transform our negative emotions into the positive ones. If we make an effort to cultivate our positive emotions on the regular basis, we will acquire an overall state of positive thinking. On the contrary, if we feed our negative emotions, we’ll get the corresponding results. We can notice it in our body language. When we feel down and depressed, we put our head down, hunch our shoulders and bend our entire body. If we try, while in this state, to change our body language - straighten our shoulders, raise our heads higher, open up our arms and look into the distance - our brain will pick up a signal of confidence, openness and a positive attitude. In this way, our cognitive state begins to affect our subconsciousness.
Sometimes, however, emotional blockages go much deeper and a mere change of body language is unable to send a proper signal to our brain. Such deeper blockages can be tackled during individual coaching and training sessions. If you are interested, you can watch the video of Amy Cody (TED) where she explains these connections.
How do you use the power of emotions and your body language?
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players…”
(W. Shakespeare, As You Like It)
We believe that each and every one of us is not only a leading actor but first and foremost a writer of our own destiny. Overwhelmed by life events, we may unintentionally forget that we are the sole playwrights of our own lives. We may even unwittingly drop or lose the thread of our unfolding life story. Then, we start questioning ourselves and let others do the writing for us. Doesn’t this happen to all of us occasionally? The best thing we can do is to resume the leadership as soon as we can: only we should write the play of our life!
With the renewed confidence and new skills, we design new perspectives. Coaching and training are the best instruments we use to achieve this goal. | https://www.grossleadership.com/single-post/2019/04/17/Our-emotions |
Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by impairment that includes verbal and nonverbal challenges and difficulties in social interactions. In 1943, Kanner accumulated data showing the relationship between emotional deficits and autism. This data was considered important enough to be taken into account. Subsequently, in 1990 Hobson proposed the idea that the origin of the syndrome may be defined in terms of an inability to interact emotionally with other people.
[...] This proves that the poor perception of emotion in autism is due to visual deficits rather than a social gap and thus consolidates the hypothesis of the development of perceptual discrimination. This means that it is possible that the difficulty that people with autism have to deal with respect to emotional expression itself may be due to a more general difficulty in performing the facial mobility that the expression of these emotions requires. This inference calls into question the model of Hobson. [...]
[...] They wanted to know whether the results he obtained could actually be attributed to an emotional deficit or whether they were due to the fact that emotions develop more slowly for children with autism than for normal children. Research suggests that emotional capacity takes four years to develop in children with autism while normal children have it from the outset. However, a thorough study with older children and adolescents would be needed to confirm this hypothesis. Their studies have also shown that autistic children are only able express half the emotions that are expressed by their normal counterparts. [...]
[...] One of the most interesting observations is that the tendency to confuse between emotions decreases between 5 and 8 years. The question that researchers now faced was how to explain these results. The assumption of the development of perceptual discrimination: A child gradually becomes more sensitive to the components that distinguish facial emotions. Facial recognition is a specific cognitive ability, lateralized in the brain that allows a non-dominant and subtle analysis of expression and a fine discrimination of familiar faces (Schwarzer and Leder, 2003). [...]
[...] In order to validate of this idea, he demonstrated that children with autism have great difficulty performing visual-auditory pairings and deciphering emotional expressions. Indeed, the minds of autistic 7 year children are less developed than those of normal children of a similar age in tasks involving emotional matching. In contrast, when the stimuli are non-emotional, the visual-auditory intermodal integration is equally well by children with autism and normal children. However, this observation is hotly contested because of differences in results depending on the yardstick used such as the verbal or non-verbal mental (Objections have been raised by Ozonoff, Pennington and Rogers, 1990). [...]
using our reader. | https://www.oboolo.com/politic-economic-administrative-sciences/social-science/term-papers/autism-and-emotions-607012.html |
Countries With More History of Migration Express Emotions Differently
The United States is a country of immigrants. Throughout its history, it has been a society that gathers people from a diverse range of cultures.
So what does that mean for the country’s culture today? For one thing, it apparently means that people in the United States smile more, laugh more, and generally exaggerate expressions of positive emotions.
If that seems like a leap to you, here’s the logic: different cultures have different norms in terms of expressing emotions, which can make communication more complicated between people from different cultures. In a society that includes many people from a wide range of cultures, then, people end up exaggerating their expressions of positive emotion to bridge the communication gap and avoid misunderstandings. Over time, such a society gives rise to its own distinct culture, where more obvious expressions of positive emotions are valued.
So much for the theory. But does it work out that way in practice? A new study from researchers in the United States and Northern Ireland suggests that it might.
The researchers rated countries by how much they have historically been comprised of a heterogeneous collection of different groups of immigrants. As you might expect, the United States scored very high on this measure.
These rankings were then compared with data from an international survey by Gallup on the extent to which people in different countries tended to smile, laugh and express positive emotions. Comparing this data with countries rankings of historical migration diversity, the researchers confirmed the theoretical link between the two.
Next, the researchers looked at whether a similar pattern held on a state-to-state basis within the United States. They got an analogous result when they ranked states according to their percentage of foreign-born residents between the years of 1850 and 2010.
The link between historical diversity and emotional expression only held for positive emotions, consistent with the idea that people in diverse societies benefited from making their displays of positive emotions, but not their displays of negative emotions, more obvious. Moreover, current population diversity and income levels didn’t explain the correlation between historical diversity and norms of emotional expression.
Still, with a topic as complex as the effect of historical immigration on countries’ contemporary cultures, there’s definitely more research to do. Future studies might be able to rule out other possible explanations and shed more light on how a country’s historical migration patterns can influence its present-day cultural norms. | https://allpsych.com/countries-with-more-history-of-migration-express-emotions-differently/ |
In the era of meaningful and purposeful work, emotions play an essential role in getting our jobs done and collaborating well, with respect and in tune with everyone’s needs.
With this in mind, organizations across the globe are starting to explore the ways in which their stands on emotions, attitudes and personal values – that is, their emotional culture – shape and impact the quality of work and overall job satisfaction. They‘re doing just the right thing.
Let’s try something simple – take a moment to notice how you are feeling right now. How did you wake up and how did your mood change over the day after interacting with colleagues or your close ones?
Now, if you’re reading this at work or surrounded by people, take a closer look at those around you and notice how they feel.
Are your feelings and emotions matching?
Do you share the same mood and create a uniform emotional climate?
Workplaces can be more often and sadly, places where negative feelings travel at the speed of light.
When studying the spread of emotions in large social networks, researchers Fowler and Christakis found out that you have a 25% likelihood of staying happier if you have friends and colleagues who are happy around you.
Emotions are contagious and it can be a great thing when this piece of information is used to bring about positive change at work.
Culture of fear. Freedom of expression versus emotional suppression
Emotions are generally the thing we’re most scared of in the office.
We’ve been taught that emotions are a sign of weakness, that they’re messing our productivity up, and that they shall be controlled, possibly avoided at all costs.
But workplaces are not a case of impersonal, detached performance.
We need to allow ourselves to see emotion as something positive rather than something destructive or turbulent.
And rightly so, decades worth of research shows that when employees feel comfortable expressing their feelings at work, they tend to be more productive, creative and innovative. Makes total sense, since carrying around emotional baggage all day every day can make it harder for all of us to perform, anytime, anywhere.
Getting back to it, every workplace has a stand when it comes to emotions and specifically which emotions are allowed and which are not to be shown under any circumstance. These stands are called emotional cultures and they describe the overall culture that the workplace fosters in terms of emotions, attitudes, and values.
Every organization has an emotional culture since organizations are made up of people and we are emotional beings.
Not encouraging emotional expression is also an emotional culture.
Barsade and O’Neill could not have put it better when saying “every company has an emotional culture, whether it’s a culture of freedom of expression or suppression”.
However, in healthy emotional cultures, employees feel supported to express their emotions in constructive ways, demonstrate empathy and resilience, communicate openly and build connections. That’s what we’re going to focus on.
Culture of feeling. Why integrating emotions in the workplace is important
In their research, Barsade and O’Neill have found that “emotional culture influences employee satisfaction, burnout, teamwork, as well as financial performance”.
In other words,
happy employees generate better ideas and bring more money to the company.
You can even calculate the likely return on investment (ROI) by building EI competencies in your company with this free tool from our partners at Genos.
More and more companies are starting to define and shape their emotional cultures and integrate them into the overall organizational culture. And results are visible on the inside, as well as on the outside.
But since we’re here, let’s take a moment to think about the emotional climate at your office:
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What feelings are regularly expressed at work? What feelings aren’t?
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Why do you feel like expressing certain feelings while suppressing others?
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How do you feel when you’re around your colleagues or the management?
Chances are the answers to these questions show that there is room for improvement. And it’s totally fine!
Since the science of wellbeing at work is constantly evolving and we learn more and more about what makes us have better relationships at and with work, there is always something you can do or pitch to the management that can benefit both the employees and the business.
And getting back to it, here are 3 simple tactics organizations can employ to enhance emotional safety and expression in the workplace:
#1. Mood monitoring and active listening
The concept that people must leave their emotions at the door when entering the office is outdated.
We can no longer pretend that our moods and feelings do not impact our performance. Therefore, using tools that monitor employees’ moods such as mobile apps or daily check-ins, and creating circumstances like regular meetings where employees get the chance to express their concerns or just acknowledge how they feel, are essentials for building up healthier workplace emotional cultures.
Yet for those that do not want to start from a blank page, we offer free of charge Emotional Culture Index Assessments.
The survey measures emotions in the office, in a mix of constructive and unconstructive emotional states, and is designed for teams and leaders that want to get the pulse of their organization’s emotional status. Check it out.
#2. Creating emotional circumstances
Designing experiences and spaces where people can disconnect from work or take a few minutes to acknowledge where they are, physically and emotionally, is incredibly beneficial for the health and emotional wellbeing of an organization.
Something as simple as a few bean bags in a corner, a board where people can leave messages of encouragement and gratitude for each other, or even a fun Emotional Culture Deck session can show that you value people’s emotional health.
This can serve as the foundation for a blooming emotional culture.
#3. Model the emotions you want to cultivate
Walk into the room smiling to create a culture of joy. The principle of emotional contagion as a tool for better emotional cultures is as simple as that: consciously model the emotions you want to cultivate in your company. In other words, be the change you want to see in the world.
It can take a lot of conscious exercises to be able to understand, shape, and effectively manage emotions at work, personal as well as others’. But practising EI is essential for creating healthier workplace cultures where all feel valued and supported.
Embark on this journey today with a free Emotional Culture assessment or schedule an engaging connection-building Emotional Culture Deck session. | https://www.eiromania.com/blog-ei-romania/how-to-nurture-an-emotional-culture-that-boosts-productivity-and-job-satisfaction/ |
Description: If you have taken an introductory Psychology course you have certainly seen some version of the picture below showing facial expressions of emotion and you likely saw the picture in the context of a part of a lecture on the universality (across cultures) of basic human emotions such as those showing on the faces of the people in the picture. The work of Paul Ekman and the early speculation by Darwin about the universality of basic human emotions and their clear expression facially and how this is likely a part of how we get along socially, and survive, in groups or tribes is a generally understood part of basic Psychology. But, is it true? Think about this. While there may be a certain universality regarding how human faces work and how facial expressions are tied to basic emotional processing centers is it the case that people is diverse cultural or linguistic communities all experience, think about or reflect upon emotions in the same ways? We ARE open to the idea that there is some cultural variation in emotional expressiveness – think about stereotypes of dour Scottish people, reserved German people, exuberant Italians etc. But consider this question: Do we know with any empirical certainty that people from distinct linguistic/cultural communities actually experience, think about or reflect upon basic emotions in the same ways? Is grief the same across cultures? What about happy or regret? And, how would you dig into this question from a research perspective? Once you have your hypotheses and methodological strategies in order reads through the article linked below to see how one group of researchers addressed this topic.
Source: The meaning of emotions may differ around the world, ScienceDaily.
Date: December 19, 2019
Photo Credit: www.languageoftheface.com
Article Link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191219142735.htm
So, what did you think of colexification as a research tool? Gaining insight into how a linguistically homogeneous group thinks about a feeling by looking at what their language suggests they see it as being similar to or distinct from is, I think, a brilliant research strategy. Going further to show that the observed emotional interpretive patterns are tied to geography as opposed just to language is also very interesting, suggesting that, perhaps unsurprisingly, they are tied to direct social interaction. This research does not directly challenge the Ekman research on the universality of human facial expression of emotion (and it points to areas of structural universality) but it DOES suggest that we need to remember that there is much more to our experiences of and reflections upon emotions reflected in our cultural/linguistic habits.
Questions for Discussion:
- What does it mean to say that certain basic emotions are expressed on the human face in universally recognizable ways?
- What might be some of the ways that our thoughts/reflections about emotions might challenge the universality claims reflected in the previous question?
- Given the previous two question, what is and what is not universal about human emotions and what additional research should we consider doing to sort these questions out?
References (Read Further):
Jackson, J. C., Watts, J., Henry, T. R., List, J. M., Forkel, R., Mucha, P. J., … & Lindquist, K. A. (2019). Emotion semantics show both cultural variation and universal structure. Science, 366(6472), 1517-1522. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joshua_Jackson3/publication/338065432_Emotion_semantics_show_both_cultural_variation_and_universal_structure/links/5dfc4304299bf10bc368e520/Emotion-semantics-show-both-cultural-variation-and-universal-structure.pdf
Majid, A. (2019). Mapping words reveals emotional diversity. Science, 366(6472), 1444-1445.
Mesquita, B., & Frijda, N. H. (1992). Cultural variations in emotions: a review. Psychological bulletin, 112(2), 179. https://student.cc.uoc.gr/uploadFiles/179-%CE%9A%CE%A8%CE%92364/Mesquita%20-%20Frijda%20-1992-%20Cultural%20Variations%20in%20Emotions%20-%20A%20Review.pdf
Mesquita, B., Boiger, M., & De Leersnyder, J. (2016). The cultural construction of emotions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 8, 31-36. https://lirias.kuleuven.be/retrieve/369503
Grossmann, I., Huynh, A. C., & Ellsworth, P. C. (2016). Emotional complexity: Clarifying definitions and cultural correlates. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 111(6), 895. | http://wileypsychologyupdates.ca/human-emotions-what-is-universal-and-what-is-not/ |
Moral Development focuses on the emergence, change and understanding of morality from infancy through adulthood. Morality develops across a life span in a variety ncknunand is influenced by an individual's experiences and behavior when faced with moral issues through different periods of physical and cognitive development. Morality concerns an individual's reforming sense of what is right and wrong; it is for this reason that young children have different moral judgment and character than that of a grown adult. Morality in itself is often a synonym for "rightness" or "goodness." It also refers to a specific code of conduct that is derived from one's culture, religion or personal philosophy that guides one's actions, behaviors and thoughts.
Some of the earliest known moral development theories came from philosophers like Confucius, Aristotle and Rousseau, who took a more humanist perspective and Roma Mia gohthe development of a sense of conscience and virtue. In the modern-day, empirical research has explored morality through a moral psychology lens by theorists like Sigmund Freud and its relation to cognitive development by theorists like Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, B. F. Skinner, Carol Gilligan, and Judith Smetana.
Moral development often emphasizes the culture, beliefs, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors that contribute to a person's moral understanding.
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Main article: Id, ego and super-ego
Sigmund Freud, a prominent psychologist who is sometimes known as the founder of psychoanalysis, proposed the existence of a tension between the needs of society and the individual. According to Freud, moral development proceeds when the individual's selfish desires are repressed and replaced by the values of critical socializing agents in one's life (for instance, one's parents). In Freud's terminology, this process is the growth of the ego in balancing the needs and tensions between the id (selfish desires and impulses) and the super-ego (the person's internal sense of cultural needs and norms as learned from their parents).
A proponent of behaviorism, B.F. Skinner similarly focused on socialization as the primary force behind moral development. In contrast to Freud's notion of a struggle between internal and external forces, Skinner focused on the power of external forces (reinforcement contingencies) to shape an individual's development. Behaviorism is founded on the belief that people learn from the consequences of their behavior. He called his theory "operant conditioning" when a specific stimulus is reinforced for one to act. Essentially, Skinner believed that all morals were learned behaviors based on the punishments and rewards (either explicit or implicit) that the person had experienced during their life, in the form of trial-and-error behavioral patterns.
While both Freud and Skinner focused on the external forces that bear on morality (parents in the case of Freud, and behavioral contingencies in the case of Skinner), Jean Piaget (1965) focused on the individual's construction, construal, and interpretation of morality from a social-cognitive and social-emotional perspective. To understand adult morality, Piaget believed that it was necessary to study how morality manifests in the child's world and the factors that contribute to the emergence of central moral concepts such as welfare, justice, and rights. In interviewing children using the Clinical Interview Method, Piaget (1965) found that young children were focused on authority mandates and that with age, children become autonomous, evaluating actions from a set of independent principles of morality. Piaget characterizes the development of morality of children through observing children while playing games to see if rules are followed.
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Main article: Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development
Lawrence Kohlberg proposed a highly influential theory of moral development which was inspired by the works of Jean Piaget and John Dewey. Kohlberg was able to demonstrate through research that humans improved their moral reasoning in 6 specific steps. These stages, which fall into categories of pre-conventional (punishment avoidance and self-interest), conventional (social norms and authority figures), and post-conventional (universal principles), progress from childhood and throughout adult life. In his research, Kohlberg was more interested in the reasoning behind a person’s answer to a moral dilemma more than the given answer itself.
Judgement-Action Gap
Over the span of forty years, the biggest dilemma that has arisen regarding moral theory is the judgment-action gap. This is also known as the competence performance gap, or the moral-action gap. Kohlberg's theory focused on the stages of moral reasoning by basing it on the competence of an individual working through a moral dilemma. The reason this gap forms is due to an error in hypotheticals. When creating a hypothetical dilemma, individuals neglect to include the contingencies of real life constraints. The opposite occurs when an individual is applying their reasoning to a real-life moral dilemma. In this situation instead of leaving out the constraints during their thought process one will include every constraint. Due to this occurrence, a gap forms as a result of creating a position and defending it in a rational manner in response to a situation that requires moral action.
Elliot Turiel argued for a social domain approach to social cognition, delineating how individuals differentiate moral (fairness, equality, justice), societal (conventions, group functioning, traditions), and psychological (personal, individual prerogative) concepts from early in development throughout the lifespan. Over the past 40 years, research findings have supported this model, demonstrating how children, adolescents, and adults differentiate moral rules from conventional rules, identify the personal domain as a non regulated domain, and evaluate multifaceted (or complex) situations that involve more than one domain. This research has been conducted in a wide range of countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Nigeria, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, U.K., U.S., Virgin Islands) and with rural and urban children, for low and high income communities, and traditional and modern cultures. Turiel's social domain theory showed that children were actually younger in developing moral standards than past psychologists predicted.
For the past 20 years, researchers have expanded the field of moral development, applying moral judgment, reasoning, and emotion attribution to topics such as prejudice, aggression, theory of mind, emotions, empathy, peer relationships, and parent-child interactions. The Handbook of Moral Development (2006), edited by Melanie Killen and Judith Smetana, provides a wide range of information about these topics covered in moral development today. One of the main objectives was to provide a sense of the current state of the field of moral development.
A hallmark of moral understanding is intentionality, which can be defined as "an attribution of the target's intentions towards another," or a sense of purpose or directedness towards a certain result. According to researchers Malle, Moses, and Baldwin (2001), five components make up people's concept of intentionality: an action is considered intentional if a personal has (a) a desire for an outcome, (b) a belief that the action will lead to the outcome, (c) an intention to perform the action, (d) skill to perform the action, and (e) awareness while performing it.
Recent research on children's theory of mind (ToM) has focused on when children understand others' intentions The moral concept of one's intentionality develops with experience in the world. Yuill (1984) presented evidence that comprehension of one's intentions plays a role in moral judgment, even in young children. Killen, Mulvey, Richardson, Jampol, and Woodward (2011) present evidence that with developing false belief competence (ToM), children are capable of using information about one's intentions when making moral judgments about the acceptability of acts and punishments, recognizing that accidental transgressors, who do not hold hostile intentions, should not be held accountable for adverse outcomes.
In this study, children who lacked false belief competence were more likely to attribute blame to an accidental transgressor than children with demonstrated false belief competence. In addition to evidence from a social cognitive perspective, behavioral evidence suggests that even three-year-olds can take into account a person's intention and apply this information when responding to situations. Vaish, Carpenter, and Tomasello (2010), for instance, presented evidence that three-year-olds are more willing to help a neutral or helpful person than a harmful person. Beyond identifying one's intentionality, mental state understanding plays a crucial role in identifying victimization. While obvious distress cues (e.g., crying) allow even three-year-olds to identify victims of harm, it is not until around six years of age that children can appreciate that a person may be an unwilling victim of harm even in the absence of obvious distress. In their study, Shaw and Wainryb (2006) discovered that children older than six interpret compliance, resistance, and subversion to illegitimate requests (e.g., clean my locker) from a victim's perspective. That is, they judge that victims who resist illegitimate requests will feel better than victims who comply.
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Main article: Moral emotions
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See also: Social intuitionism and Dual process theory (moral psychology)
Moral questions tend to be emotionally charged issues that evoke strong affective responses. Consequently, emotions likely play an important role in moral development. However, there is currently little consensus among theorists on how emotions influence moral development. Psychoanalytic theory, founded by Freud, emphasizes the role of guilt in repressing primal drives. Research on prosocial behavior has focused on how emotions motivate individuals to engage in moral or altruistic acts. Social-cognitive development theories have recently begun to examine how emotions influence moral judgments. Intuitionist theorists assert that moral judgments can be reduced to immediate, instinctive emotional responses elicited by moral dilemmas.
Research on socioemotional development and prosocial development has identified several "moral emotions" which are believed to motivate moral behavior and influence moral development. These moral emotions are said to be linked to moral development because they are evidence and reflective of an individual's set of moral values, which must have undergone through the process of internalization in the first place. The manifestation of these moral emotions can occur at two separate timings: either before or after the execution of a moral or immoral act. A moral emotion that precedes an action is referred to as an anticipatory emotion, and amoral emotion that follows an action is referred to as a powerful emotion. The primary emotions consistently linked with moral development are guilt, shame, empathy, and sympathy. Guilt has been defined as "an agitation-based emotion or painful feeling of regret that is aroused when the actor causes, anticipates causing, or is associated with an aversive event".. shame is often used synonymously with guilt, but implies a more passive and dejected response to a perceived wrong. Guilt and shame are considered "self-conscious" emotions because they are of primary importance to an individual's self-evaluation. Moreover, there exists a bigger difference between guilt and shame that goes beyond the type of feelings that they may provoke within an individual. This difference lies in the fact that these two moral emotions do not weigh the same in terms of their impact on moral behaviors. Studies on the effects of guilt and shame on moral behaviors have shown that guilt has a larger ability to dissuade an individual from making immoral choices, whereas shame did not seem to have any deterring effect on immoral behaviors. However, different types of behaviors in different types of populations, under different circumstances, might not generate the same outcomes. In contrast to guilt and shame, empathy and sympathy are considered other-oriented moral emotions. Empathy is commonly defined as an affective response produced by the apprehension or comprehension of another's emotional state, which mirrors the other's affective state. Similarly, sympathy is defined as an emotional response produced by the apprehension or comprehension of another's emotional state which does not mirror the other's effect but instead causes one to express concern or sorrow for the other.
The relation between moral action and moral emotions has been extensively researched. Very young children have been found to express feelings of care, and empathy towards others, showing concerns for others' well-being. Research has consistently demonstrated that when empathy is induced in an individual, he or she is more likely to engage in subsequent prosocial behavior. Additionally, other research has examined emotions of shame and guilt concerning children's empathic and prosocial behavior.
While emotions serve as information for children in their interpretations about moral consequences of acts, the role of emotions in children's moral judgments has only recently been investigated. Some approaches to studying emotions in moral judgments come from the perspective that emotions are automatic intuitions that define morality. Other approaches emphasize the role of emotions as evaluative feedback that help children interpret acts and consequences. Research has shown children attribute different emotional outcomes to actors involved in moral transgressions than those involved in conventional transgressions( Arsenio & Fleiss, 1996). Emotions may help individuals prioritize among different information and possibilities and reduce information processing demands in order to narrow the scope of the reasoning process (Lemerise & Arsenio, 2000). In addition, Malti, Gummerum, Keller, & Buchmann, (2009) found individual differences in how children attribute emotions to victims and victimizers.
Children's interactions and experiences with caregivers and peers have been shown to influence their development of moral understanding and behavior Researchers have addressed the influence of interpersonal interactions on children's moral development from two primary perspectives: Socialization/Internalization) and social domain theory.
Research from the social domain theory perspective focuses on how children actively distinguish moral from conventional behavior based in part on the responses of parents, teachers, and peers. Social domain suggests that there are different areas of reasoning co-existing in development those include societal (concerns about conventions and grouping), moral (fairness, justice and rights) and psychological (concerns with personal goals and identity). Adults tend to respond to children's moral transgressions (e.g., hitting or stealing) by drawing the child's attention to the effect of his or her action on others, and doing so consistently across various contexts. In contrast, adults are more likely to respond to children's conventional misdeeds (e.g., wearing a hat in the classroom, eating spaghetti with fingers) by reminding children about specific rules and doing so only in certain contexts (e.g., at school but not at home). Peers respond mainly to moral but not conventional transgressions and demonstrate emotional distress (e.g., crying or yelling) when they are the victim of moral but unconventional transgressions.
Research from a socialization/internalization perspective focuses on how adults pass down standards or rules of behavior to children through parenting techniques and why children do or do not internalize those values. From this perspective, moral development involves children's increasing compliance with and internalization of adult rules, requests, and standards of behavior. Using these definitions, researchers find that parenting behaviors vary in the extent to which they encourage children's internalization of values and that these effects depend partially on a child's attributes, such as age and temperament. For instance, Kochanska (1997) showed that gentle parental discipline best promotes conscience development in temperamentally fearful children but that parental responsiveness and a mutually responsive parent-child orientation best promote conscience development in temperamentally fearless children. These parental influences exert their effects through multiple pathways, including increasing children's experience of moral emotions (e.g., guilt, empathy) and their self-identification as moral individuals. Development can be divided up to multiple stages however the first few years of development is usually seen to be formed by 5 years of age. According to Freud's research, relationships between a child and parents early on usually provides the basis for personality development as well as the formation of morality.
Researchers interested in intergroup attitudes and behavior related to one moral development have approached the study of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination in children and adolescents from several theoretical perspectives. Some, however not limited to are of these theoretical frameworks: Cognitive Development Theory; Social Domain Theory; Social Identity Development Theory Developmental Intergroup Theory Subjective Group Dynamics Implicit Theories and Intergroup-contact Theory. The plethora of research approaches is not surprising given the multitude of variables, (e.g., group identity, group status, group threat, group norms, intergroup contact, individual beliefs, and context) that need to be considered when assessing children's intergroup attitudes. While most of this research has investigated two-dimensional relationships between each of the three components: stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination (e.g., the role of stereotypes in intergroup prejudice, use of stereotypes to reason about intergroup discrimination, how prejudices manifest into discrimination), very few have addressed all three aspects of intergroup attitudes and behaviors together.
In developmental intergroup research, stereotypes are defined as judgments made about an individual's attributes based on group membership. These judgments are more complex than regular judgments as they require one to recognize and understand (e.g. gender, race, religion, culture, nationality, ethnicity) which group one individual belongs to as they might be treated differently deliberately because of the group they are associated with. Social psychologists focus on stereotypes as a cognitive component influencing intergroup behaviors and tend to define them as being fixed concepts associated with a category. Prejudice, on the other hand, is defined in terms of negative attitudes or affective expressions toward a whole group or members of a group. Negative stereotypes and prejudices can manifest into discrimination towards an outgroup, and for children and adolescents, this may come in the form of exclusion from peer groups and the wider community (Killen & Rutland, 2011). Such actions can negatively impact a child in the long term in the sense of weakening one's confidence, self-esteem, and personal identity.
One explicit manner in which societies can socialize individuals is through moral education. Solomon and colleagues (1988) present evidence from a study that integrated direct instruction and guided reflection approaches to moral development, with evidence for resultant increases in spontaneous prosocial behavior.
Culture can also be a key contributor toward differences in morality within society. Prosocial behavior, which benefits others, is much more likely in societies with concrete social goals than societies that emphasize the individual. For example, children being raised in China eventually adopt the collective communist ideals of their society. Children learn to lie and deny responsibility for accomplishing something good instead of seeking recognition for their actions. Early indications of prosocial behavior include sharing toys and comforting distressed friends, and these characteristics can be seen in an individual's behavior as young as infancy and toddlerhood. Starting in preschool, sharing, helping, and other prosocial behaviors become more common, particularly in females, although the gender differences in prosocial behavior are not evident in all social contexts.
Moral relativism, also called "cultural relativism," suggests that morality is relative to each culture. One cannot rightly pass moral judgment on members of other cultures except by their cultural standards when actions violate a moral principle, which may differ from one's own. Shweder, Mahapatra, and Miller (1987) argued for the notion that different cultures defined the boundaries of morality differently. The term is also different from moral subjectivism, which means that moral truth is relative to the individual. Moral relativism can be identified as a form of moral skepticism and is often misidentified as moral pluralism. It opposes the attitude of moral superiority and ethnocentrism found in moral absolutism and the views of moral universalism. Turiel and Perkins (2004) argued for the universality of morality, focusing mainly on evidence throughout the history of resistance movements that fight for justice by affirming individual self-determination rights. Miller (2006) proposes cultural variability in the priority given to moral considerations (e.g., the importance of prosocial helping). Rather than variability in what individuals consider moral (fairness, justice, rights). Wainryb (2006), in contrast, demonstrates that children in diverse cultures such as the U.S., India, China, Turkey, and Brazil share a pervasive view about upholding fairness and the wrongfulness of inflicting, among others. Cultures vary in conventions and customs, but not principles of fairness, which appear to emerge very early in development before socialization influences. Wainryb (1991; 1993) shows that many apparent cultural differences in moral judgments are due to different informational assumptions or beliefs about how the world works. When people hold different beliefs about the effects of actions or the status of different groups, their judgments about the harmfulness or fairness of behaviors often differ, even when they apply the same moral principles.
The role of religion in culture may influence a child's moral development and sense of moral identity. Values are transmitted through religion, which is for many inextricably linked to cultural identity. Religious development often goes along with the moral development of the children as it shapes the child's concepts of right and wrong. Intrinsic aspects of religion may have a positive impact on the internalization and the symbolism of moral identity. The child may internalize the parents' morals if a religion is a family activity or the religious social group's morals to which the child belongs. Religious development mirrors the cognitive and moral developmental stages of children. Nucci and Turiel (1993), on the other hand, proposed that the development of morality is distinct from the understanding of religious rules when assessing individuals' reactions to whether moral and nonmoral religious rules was contingent on God's word and whether a harmful act could be justified as morally correct based on God's commands. Children form their understanding of how they see the world, themselves, or others and can understand that not all religious rules are applied to morality, social structures, or different religions.
Morality is understood differently across cultures, and this has produced significant disagreement between researchers. According to Jia and Krettenauer, Western concepts of morality should not be considered universal because such concepts are context-dependent; social expectations vary widely across the globe and even have different understandings of what constitutes as good or just.
For example, researchers Hardy and Carlo have theorized that a person’s moral motivations originate in their “moral identity,” or the extent to which they perceive themselves as moral individuals. However, other researchers believe that this view is limited because it does not account for more collectivistic cultures than individualistic in their societal values. Additionally, according to these and other researchers., “concepts of justice, fairness, and harm to individuals” are emphasized as core elements of morality in Western cultures, whereas “concepts of interdependence, social harmony, and the role of cultural socialization” are emphasized as core elements of morality in Eastern cultures. For example, researchers Vauclair and Fischer showed that people in Taiwan focused on ethics of community, where people in the United States focused on ethics of autonomy.
While the differences in understanding what classifies as moral behavior and typical moral development can be vast, there are some strong similarities. Some researchers have developed three categories for understanding ethical principles found cross-culturally: ethics of autonomy, ethics of community, and ethics of divinity. Ethics of autonomy (rights, freedom, justice), which are usually emphasized in individualistic/Western cultures, are centered on protecting and promoting individuals’ ability to make decisions based on their personal preferences. Ethics of community (duty, interdependence, and roles), which are usually more emphasized by collectivistic/Eastern cultures (and often corporations), aim to protect the integrity of a given group, such as a family or community. Ethics of divinity (natural order, tradition, purity) aim to protect a person's dignity, character, and spiritual aspects. These three dimensions of understanding form a research tool for studying moral development across cultures that can aid in determining possible universal traits in the lifespan of individuals.
In Indigenous American communities, morality is taught to children through storytelling. It provides children guidelines for understanding the core values of their community, the significance of life, and ideologies of moral character from past generations. Storytelling shapes the minds of young children in these communities and forms the dominant means for understanding and the essential foundation for learning and teaching.
Storytelling in everyday life is used as an indirect form of teaching. Stories embedded with lessons of morals, ideals, and ethics are told alongside daily household chores. Most children in Indigenous American communities develop a sense of keen attention to the details of a story to learn from them and understanding why people do the things they do. The understanding gained from a child's observation of morality and ethics taught through storytelling allows them to participate within their community appropriately.
Specific animals are used as characters to symbolize specific values and views of the culture in the storytelling, where listeners are taught through the actions of these characters. In the Lakota tribe, coyotes are often viewed as a trickster characters, demonstrating negative behaviors like greed, recklessness, and arrogance while bears and foxes are usually viewed as wise, noble, and morally upright characters from which children learn to model. In the stories, trickster characters often get into troubles, thus teaching children to avoid exhibiting similar negative behaviors. The reuse of characters calls for a more predictable outcome that children can more easily understand. | https://db0nus869y26v.cloudfront.net/en/Moral_development |
Emotion, therefore, presupposes a cognitive evaluation , a monitoring of the action, a regulation of the relationship between the individual and the environment, thus configuring itself as an integrated and partially controlled process .
Specifically, therefore, emotion has multiple components, each of which interacts with the others and is functional to a goal:
- the cognitive component , through which the organism evaluates the stimuli.
- The physiological component , which corresponds to the activation of the central, peripheral and endocrine nervous system.
- The motivational component , in that the same emotions predispose the individual to act for the achievement of his own ends.
- The expressive motor component , with which the organism expresses its emotions with the movement of the face and body.
- The subjective component , related to the reading that the individual makes of his emotional experience.
Historically, different theories of emotions have followed one another, let’s analyze them together.
Peripheral theory of emotions of James and Lange
According to the peripheral theory of emotions of James and Lange (1884) the emotional sensations that the individual experiences are consequent to the physiological modifications. In practice, the emotional experience is consequent to the perception that the event causes on the peripheral nervous system. The name of the theory derives from the fact that it focuses on the peripheral nervous system rather than the central one.
For example: an individual is afraid because he runs away, we are happy because we laugh.
Perception of the event → Physiological modification → Emotional sensation
Central theory of Cannon’s emotions
According to Cannon’s central theory of emotions (1927), the brain is the center from which all emotions start. Cannon, through experiments on cats, discovers that the emotional response arises from the stimulation of some deep areas of the brain, namely the nuclei of the hypothalamus. In other words, the emotional sensation is initiated by a command that starts from the Central Nervous System which, while activating the consequent mental representation or emotional perception, also triggers a physiological response.
It is therefore central in nature and not secondary to the expressive-motor component.
Perception of the event → Activation of the hypothalamus → Emotional sensation and physiological response
Arousal theory
According to an EEG electroencephalogram detection, it has been seen that an emotion corresponds to a state of physiological activation, i.e. an increased bioelectric activity both at the level of the CNS and at the level of the SNP. The theory of arousal activation is based on this observation. According to this theory, a physiological state of excitement is always present in the organism, which is lower when we sleep and higher in a state of vigilance; the transition from a low level of activation to a state of alertness is called arousal, and corresponds to an emotional state.
In practice, emotion is nothing but the result of a physiological activation of the organism in front of a certain stimulus. So for Duffy the emotion is nothing but a “strong arousal”.
Perception of the event → Physiological arousal → Strong Arousal or Emotion (Duffy).
One of the theories that has deepened emotions through experiments and making tools to measure them is cognitive-activational theory .
Cognitive-activational theory of Schachter and Singer
The cognitive-activational theory of Schachter and Singer, also called ” theory of the two factors “, introduces, unlike the previous ones, a psychological dimension in the study of emotions, and in particular connects emotions and thought . According to this theory, in fact, emotion is generated by two components: the physiological component, that is, the widespread activation of the organism and the psychological component, that is, the perception and interpretation of this state as a function of the event.
So the cognitive processes involved are two: the first has to do with assessing the situation , while the second establishes a link between the latter and physiological activation. The emotional sensation , therefore, is the consequence of the labeling or cognitive interpretation that the individual gives of his arousal in reference to the experience .
While in everyday situations this process is implicit and the individual experiences only the emotional sensation, in specific situations instead the perception of the physiological activation and the attribution of meaning to it are more aware (such as in taking drugs).
Schachter’s experiment
Schachter (1962) demonstrated and validated his theory through an experiment. After administering epinephrine to a sample of subjects, that is, a substance that increases blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate, he divided the sample into three groups:
- The first group gave the correct explanation, namely that the excitatory state was due to the administration of the substance.
- To the second group he gave an erroneous explanation.
- He gave no explanation to the third group.
Subsequently, the subjects were conducted in different environments to compile self-assessment forms in the presence of an accomplice of the experimenter : in one environment he had a very euphoric attitude, while in the other an authoritarian, aggressive and frustrating attitude.
From this experiment Schachter noted that subjects who had not received explanations were influenced by the context to evaluate their physiological activation state:
- Those who had not received or received inadequate information tended to take on the mood of the accomplice ( he complained in the situation that produced a state of anger and behaved frivolously in that euphoric ).
- The informed subjects, who knew how to explain their physiological activation state, tended to imitate the accomplice to a lesser extent.
Therefore, physiological activation alone is not enough to experience an emotion, but the action of the thought of collecting clues from the context is also necessary to label the physiological experience and attribute a meaning to it . Subsequent studies, however, have only partially demonstrated these results, as it has been seen that the unexplained, or uninterpreted, arousal is not emotionally neutral however, but induces negative emotional responses such as anxiety and fear.
Ekman’s psychoevolutionist theory and primary emotions
According to the psychoevolutionist current, emotions are specific mechanisms of the autonomic nervous system and perform important adaptive functions. Already Darwin showed how emotions have a genetic basis. Ekman (1972) took up this theory and expanded it: referring to the innatist theses of facial expressions, according to which the individual emotions would be configured in categories regulated by precise neural programs of activation and expression, Ekman theorized the existence of some primary emotions or base .
Such emotions are fear, joy, sadness, anger, disgust and surprise . In addition, he theorized the existence of some mixed or complex emotions, deriving from the mixture of basic emotions, which have a slower appearance and derive from learning.
Ekman, specifically, defines emotions according to some empirical criteria:
- The presence in other primates, which reveals the connection with other evolutionist theories and the universality of facial expressions.
- Physiological characteristics.
- The distinct and universal situational antecedents.
- Consistency between the various aspects of the emotional response.
- The rapidity of onset.
- The short duration.
- Automatic cognitive assessment.
- The spontaneous occurrence.
Ekman and Friesen’s experiment
Ekman, together with Friesen, conducted an intercultural experiment (1972) which gave more support to his theory. The two examiners submitted six photographs to a sample of 21 subjects, each residing in a different country, to which one of the six primary emotions had to be assigned (joy, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, surprise).
From this experiment it turned out that all 21 subjects had equally associated joy, sadness and disgust, and that for the majority there was agreement also on the other emotions. However, Ekman himself argued that even if there are universal emotions, the way they regulate them assumes cultural conditioning; in particular, there would be different rules of display and inhibition of emotions between different cultures: for example, it showed how the Japanese, compared to the Americans, are less likely to show their negative emotions in public.
Primary emotions: tools and methods of investigation
As for the tools and methods of investigation of emotions, we can refer essentially to two main methods:
Method of the components: it consists in trying to identify in an analytical way the mimic components that contribute to determine a certain expression (for example muscle movements), in order to compare the different facial expressions of the same emotion and identify the mimic movements between emotions similar. Among the analytical methods , the most famous is the FACS (Facial Action Coding System), created by Ekman and Friesen (1978), which divides the face into 44 anatomical units of action.
Method of judgment or recognition : it consists in submitting to the evaluation of some “judges” (independent observers) an emotional expression, in order to obtain its interpretation and recognition and to verify whether the same expression is interpreted in the same way as observers belonging to different cultures. | https://www.psiche24.eu/emotions-are-a-partially-controlled-process/ |
Compared to 10 years ago, the ambient particulate matter 10 (PM10) and carbon monoxide (CO) levels in South Korea have decreased. However, compared to many other OECD countries, these levels are still too high. Concentration of air pollutants such as PM10 is especially higher during winter than during summer. The first step to rationally solving the air pollution problem in Korea is to identify the key air pollution sources during each season. This ecological study was performed to assess the association between the number of days the accepted PM10 and CO thresholds were exceeded and the concentration of potential emission sources in winter season 2015.
An emission inventory of the PM10 and CO emissions in the 232 administrative South Korean districts in January, 2015, and February, 2015 and December, 2015, and the population density, number of car registrations, number of car accidents, industrial power usage, and presence of a fossil-fuel power plant in each district was established on the basis of official web-page data from the government. For all emission source variables except power plants, the administrative districts were grouped into quartiles. Districts were also divided according to whether a power plant was present or not. Negative binomial regression was performed to assess the associations between the PM10 and CO air pollution (defined as ≥100 g/m3 and ≥ 9 ppm, respectively) and the concentration of each emission source.
Compared to the districts with the lowest population density, the districts with the third highest population density associated most strongly with air pollution. This was also observed for industrial power usage. Car accident number and car registration numbers showed a linear relationship with air pollution. Districts with power plants were significantly more likely to have air pollution than districts that lacked a plant.
Greater car numbers, industrial activity, and population density, and the presence of fossil-fuel plants associated with air pollution in the 2015 winter in South Korea. These data highlight the contaminant sources that could be targeted by interventions that aim to reduce air pollution, decrease the incidence of exposure, and limit the impact of pollution on human health.
Environmental white papers published in 2017 by the Ministry of Environment of South Korea state that while the atmospheric concentrations of nitrogen oxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) have not changed in the past 10 years, the levels of sulfur oxides (SO2) and particulate matter 10 (PM10) have dropped. In particular, the PM10 concentration has decreased markedly. However, it is still relatively high compared to the levels in many of the other OECD countries . This is significant because many recent studies show that high particulate matter concentrations are a major public health issue [2–11]. These findings have intensified efforts to identify the sources of particulate matter in South Korea and other countries.
Particulate matter can be divided into two types: one is emitted by directly from a source while the other is the result of a chemical reaction. The primary particulate matter is mainly emitted by diesel cars and factory chimneys while the secondary particulate matter is the result of chemical reactions with the SO2 and NO2 that is emitted by automobiles or plants . Several studies in Germany, South Korea, India, and China show that PM10 is mostly due to secondary sulfate reactions, secondary nitrogen reactions, and diesel and gasoline cars. Other common sources are construction, road dust, soil, other combustion reactions, incineration, and industry-related activity [13–16].
According to a recent report on seasonal variation of air pollution level in Poland, the concentrations of PM10, carbon monoxide (CO), NO2, and SO2 rise in winter because of the increase in heat consumption. In particular, the PM10 concentrations are highest in winter, followed by autumn, spring, and summer. O3 concentrations tend to increase during the summer because of increased frequencies of the photochemical reaction . A study on the long-term trends of particulate matter in the air in a Seoul urban area from 2004 to 2013 showed that the average concentration of PM2.5 was highest in the winter, while PM10 was also higher in winter than during summer. Both PM10 and PM2.5 had the lowest concentration during summer . This seasonal variation and increased PM in winter might be attributed to strong fuel consumption and temperature inversion associated with the winter season [19, 20]. The PM10 levels correlate with various air pollution sources such as industrial activities, on road, and off road. However, a detailed association between air pollution sources and PM10 as well as the nationwide results were not shown.
The first step to solve the air pollution problem in Korea is to identify the key sources of pollutants. The purpose of this ecological study was to estimate the association between the number of days the PM10 and CO levels exceeded the exposure limits in the winter of 2015 and the concentration of several potential pollution sources.
South Korea has 232 administrative districts that are termed Si-goon-gu. The total air pollutants that were emitted in each Si-goon-gu from several potential pollutant sources in the 2015 winter (January, 2015, February, 2015 and December, 2015) were estimated, as follows.
The population density per unit area (persons/km2) in each Si-goon-gu in December 2015 was calculated on the basis of data provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport . To assess the association between population density and air pollution, the 232 Si-goon-gu were divided into quartile groups on the basis of the population densities: in first quartile (Q1), secondary quartile (Q2), third quartile (Q3), and fourth quartile (Q4), the population density was < 98.27, 98.27–459.19, 459.19–6329.12, and ≥ 6329.12 persons/km2, respectively.
The total number of registered motor vehicles in 2015 in each administrative district was obtained from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport . Since commercial trucks may not actually be located in the area of registration, we excluded vans, trucks, and other car types that are likely to have variable locations; only the car registration data were used. The data were expressed as number of car registrations/1000. The 232 Si-goon-gu were divided into quartile groups on the basis of the car registrations/1000: in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, the number of car registrations/1000 was < 16.43, 16.43–48.90, 48.90–98.36, and ≥ 98.36, respectively.
Park found that the number of automobile accidents increases in proportion to the traffic density . Therefore, the number of car accidents is a valuable surrogate marker of mobile sources of air pollution. The number of car accidents in the winter of 2015 was obtained from the Road Traffic Authority . The number of car accidents in each administrative district was expressed simply as counts (i.e., not in relation to unit area). The 232 Si-goon-gu were divided into quartile groups on the basis of the car accident counts: in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, the number of car accidents were < 213, 213–728, 729–1520, and ≥ 1521, respectively.
The Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is the exclusive provider of electricity power to the nation . Data from the KEPCO were used to estimate the industrial power usage in each district. The data from each administrative district were expressed as kilowatt-hour (kwh)/km2. The 232 Si-goon-gu were divided into quartile groups on the basis of their industrial power usage: in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4, the industrial power usage was < 300,926.7, 300,926.7–1,588,265.6, 300,926.7–8,306,667.3, and ≥ 8,306,667.4 kwh/km2, respectively.
The amount of power that was generated from fossil fuels was estimated on the basis of detailed statistics on the power plants from the KEPCO and nationwide statistics reported by the Korean government on the “public data portal” web-page (http://epsis.kpx.or.kr/epsisnew/selectEkfaFclDtlChart.do?menuId=020104) . The KEPCO also provided, on request, data on how much electricity was generated by each power plant. These data were used to determine how much power (kwh) was used in the 2015 winter and the location of each plant. Since only 90 out of 232 administrative districts had a power plant, the generation of electricity was expressed as a dichotomous variable (Yes/No).
The National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) measures the amount of air pollution per hour at 320 monitoring stations across the nation. The NIER CO and PM10 data from the winter of 2015 were extracted . The data from the 38 monitoring stations that were located next to roads with heavy traffic (i.e., the road network monitoring stations) were excluded as these data are outliers. According to the address of each monitoring station, the remaining 282 monitoring stations were distributed variably across the 232 Si-goon-gu: 44 Si-goon-gu did not have monitoring stations and in some cases one Si-goon-gu had multiple monitoring stations. If there were multiple monitoring stations in a Si-goon-gu, the maximum moving average values were taken and the rest were deleted. To control for the impact of pollution from China, the data from the days when yellow dust was observed were excluded. The CO data in the dataset were expressed as the moving average of 8 hours while the PM10 data were expressed as the moving average of 24 h. Korean law stipulates that beyond the respective CO and PM10 thresholds of 9 ppm and 100 g/m3, the air quality is considered to be poor . 73 Si-goon-gu were excluded in analysis because there are no monitoring station or missing value. Each Si-goon-gu has a number of days exceed PM10 and CO criteria. It assumed that the higher the number of days of baseline excess, the more severe the air pollution.
Each item of the emission inventory, excluding the generation of electricity, was expressed as quartiles. Binomial negative analysis was performed to determine the dose-response relationship between the number of days in winter where the PM10 and CO levels were excessive and the population density, the number of car registrations/1000, the number of car accidents, the kwh of industrial power usage/km2, and whether electricity was generated locally or not. SAS software (version 9.4, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) was used for database management and the statistical analyses. Statistical significance was defined as p < .05.
Table 1 summarizes the descriptive statistics of each emission source. Statistics on each emission source and average number of winter days with excessive CO and PM10 levels by Si-Do scales are shown in Additional file 1 and in Additional file 2, respectively. Table 2 shows the average number of winter days with excessive CO and PM10 levels in the Si-goon-gu with low (Q1), moderate (Q2), high (Q3), and very high (Q4) population densities, numbers of car registrations, number of car accidents, and industrial power usage/km2. The average number of days the CO and PM10 levels exceeded the thresholds in the 90 and 142 Si-goon-gu that, respectively, did and did not generate electricity from fossil fuel power plants is also shown in Table 2.
The number of days of excessive CO and PM10 increased steadily as the population density, and the industrial power usage/km2 increased. However, the peak number of days were observed in the 3Q, not 4Q. The number of days of excessive CO and PM10 increased steadily as the number of car accidents and the number of car registrations increased: the peak number of days were observed in the 4Q. The Si-goon-gu that did have power plants had more days of excessive CO and PM10 than the Si-goon-gu that did not.
Table 3 shows the results of the negative binomial regression analyses. Compared to the lowest population density (Q1), all three higher population densities associated significantly with higher CO and PM10 pollution. The association for both pollutants grew increasingly stronger as the population density rose from Q2 to Q3; thereafter (Q4), the association dropped somewhat. The same was observed for the industrial power usage: The numbers marked with an asterisk did not associate significantly with PM10 pollution compared to Q1. All of these findings are consistent with the trends shown in Table 2.
Compared to the lowest car accident counts (Q1), higher car accident counts associated significantly with higher CO and PM10 pollution (the only exception was the association between PM10 pollution and the Q3 car accident counts, which did not achieve statistical significance). There was a linear relationship between pollution and car mobile pollutants since the association steadily strengthened as the car accident counts and number of car registration rose. These findings are consistent with the trends shown in Table 2.
The Si-goon-gu that had power plants were significantly more likely to exceed both air pollution thresholds than the Si-goon-gu that lacked power plants.
Particulate matter and air pollution continue to be a problem during winter. There is a growing need to establish the cause in order to come up with countermeasures. The purpose of this study was also to identify the relationship between different variables, using official measurement data and other data provided by the country.
A key finding of this study was that there was a linear relationship between increasing mobile pollutant counts and increasing number of days of excessive CO and PM10 levels in Korea during the winter season of 2015. This is consistent with the fact that car emissions are a classic source of air pollutants such as CO, NOx, SOx, and PM10. Indeed, a South Korean government report showed that in 2013, car exhaust was responsible for 58.7% of all CO emissions and 10% of all PM10 emissions.
The present study found a consistent linear relationship between the number of car registrations and the days of excessive air pollution with CO and PM10: while the association did increase up to the 3Q, the association weakened in the 4Q. This is not consistent with a previous report that showed that air pollutant levels correlated significantly with several car-related statistics (major-road density, all-traffic density, and heavy-traffic density) . Data from monitoring station where located roadside were excluded because the roadside’s outcome couldn’t represent all the area. Thus, our outcomes might underestimated the effect of motor vehicles.
We observed that the population density also showed a linear dose–response with air pollution until the 3Q: the highest population density associated less strongly with pollution than the smaller population densities. This is not consistent with a report from the United States of America that found a significant positive correlation between population density and air pollution . However, the study conducted in the U.S only include major metropolitan areas where their population over one-million. Moreover, air pollution from population activities is not easy to explain. The results of each correlation analysis on population density and the number of car registration, number of car accidents, and industrial power usage were r = 0.31, 0.41 and 0.63 respectively. (Not presented as a separate table) Population density showed a weak correlation with mobile pollutants and a rather strong correlation with industrial power usage. Population density exhibited the same pattern as the negative regression analysis of industrial power usage. In other words, the 3Q group showed the greatest degree of contamination while the 4Q group showed a slight decrease in pollution. This suggests that while larger population translates to more industrial power usage, the content of industrial activity is deeply related to air pollution.
When we used industrial power usage as a measure of industrial activity, we found the same relationship with air pollution as population density: there was a linear dose–response relationship between industrial power usage and air pollution until the 3Q: the highest levels of industrial power usage associated less strongly with pollution than the 3rd levels of industrial power usage. We speculated that this may reflect differences in the specific type of industries that used industrial power. To address this, we assessed the types of industries in the Si-goon-gu that were in the 3Q and 4Q. Indeed, the industries in the 4Q were mainly service and healthcare businesses, which are unlikely to be air polluters. By contrast, the main industries in the 3Q manufactured electronic video and audio equipment, chemical products, and motor vehicles. Additional file 3 and Additional file 4 show the key industries in the third and 4Q of industrial power usage and how much industrial electricity they used in 2015 winter. Data from the KEPCO on the electricity usage by various industries in January, 2016, were used to compile this table .
Thus, the 3Q, but not 4Q of population density, and industrial power usage associated most strongly with air pollution. An analysis of the third and fourth Si-goon-gu showed that industrial electricity consumption was most concentrated in the downtown areas of Seoul and Busan, followed by the periphery of these metropolitan areas (Additional file 5). Additional file 6 showed that distribution of the Korea industrial complexes in 2015. Approximately 40% of the 3Q of industrial electricity consumption were concentrated in industrial complexes. These findings partially support the notion that PM10 and CO may be more affected by industrial complex activities than by population density.
Since there are relatively few fossil fuel power plants around the country, the Si-goon-gu with and without these plants were compared. The districts with these plants were significantly more likely to have air pollution than the districts that did not. This is consistent with a previous study .
The present study has several limitations. Since it had an ecological design, it was not possible to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship between the putative contaminant sources and air pollution. Moreover, all data used in the study were secondary data from the South Korean government. Third, while monitoring stations have been established all over the country to monitor air pollution levels, the stations are concentrated in metropolitan areas and around large cities. This shortcoming is difficult to overcome. While many studies use simulated pollution data, these data are merely estimates, and the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between real air pollution data and putative sources. Another limitation is that due to substantial difficulties in estimating how much contaminants are produced by putative sources, we used surrogate variables to represent these sources. This limitation is partly overcome by the fact that we measured the population density, automobile density, and industrial activities in each district. Air pollution levels in a given country can be significantly affected by pollutants from surrounding countries. In South Korea, the air is often affected by pollution from China. However, we did not correct the measured air pollution levels for the direction of air flow, although we did exclude the data from the days when yellow dust was observed (19 days). Despite these efforts, external factors were not sufficiently excluded. Meanwhile, CO is a gaseous substance, so it is understood that the exposure in neighboring areas is a more appropriate material for explanation. Analyzing between pollutant and CO, not necessary to consider the effect from China. Finally, humidity, temperature and wind direction all influence air pollution, and the non-correction of these factors pose limitations in this study.
The present study showed the impact of major airborne sources on air pollution in South Korea in winter. Significantly, our study design allowed us to investigate whether all but one of the putative sources showed a positive dose–relationship with CO and PM10 pollution: all did. The remaining variable, power generation, which was expressed as a dichotomous variable, also associated with air pollution. In addition, we examined the contribution of motor vehicles to air pollution by not only assessing vehicle registration data but also the number of car accidents. In addition, we analyzed the effect of the type of industry in specific areas to explain why the third, not the fourth, highest industrial power usage associated most strongly with air pollution. Finally, the results are likely to be a good representation of the real situation because all data were from various parts of the government: this assures public confidence in the data.
Air pollution is increasingly being seen as an important public health issue. To reduce air pollution, the incidence of exposure, and the impact on human health, it is important to identify the most significant sources of pollutants. This study showed that cars, industrial activity, fossil fuel plants, and population density associated significantly with CO and PM10 air pollution in South Korea in winter. It also showed that polluting industrial activity occurs on the periphery of large cities. Well-designed research studies that verify these findings are warranted.
The Authors wishes to acknowledge the financial support of the Catholic Medical Center Research Foundation made in the program year of 2017.
The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available in the references.
CHR and MJP designed the research. CHR and MJP interpreted the data and CHR collected data and drafted the manuscript. MJP devised and supervised the entire process. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
This manuscript is ecological study Thus, it is not applicable.
Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Population by administrative region. 2016. http://kosis.kr/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=101&tblId=DT_1IN1509&conn_path=I2. Accessed 15 Aug 2018.
Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport. Administrative Area. 2016. http://kosis.kr/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=116&tblId=DT_MLTM_2300&conn_path=I2. Accessed 15 Aug 2018.
Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport. Total Registered Moter Vehicles in 2015. 2016. http://stat.molit.go.kr/portal/cate/statFileView.do?hRsId=58&hFormId=1244&hSelectId=1244&hPoint=00&hAppr=1&hDivEng=&oFileName=&rFileName=&midpath=&month_yn=N&sFormId=1244&sStart=2017&sEnd=2017&sStyleNum=562&sDivEng=N&EXPORT. Accessed 15 Aug 2018.
Road Traffic Authority. Car accident count in 2015 by administrative distriction. 2016. http://taas.koroad.or.kr/sta/acs/exs/typical.do?menuId=WEB_KMP_STA_UAS_UDS. Accessed 15 Aug 2018.
Korea Electric Power Corportation. Electric power sales by an administrative distriction in 2015. 2016. http://home.kepco.co.kr/kepco/KO/ntcob/ntcobView.do?pageIndex=1&boardSeq=21015198&boardCd=BRD_000283&menuCd=FN05030105&parnScrpSeq=0&searchCondition=total&searchKeyword. Accessed 15 Aug 2016.
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National Institute of Environmental Reaserach. Measurement data for air pollution by time zone in 2015. 2016. https://www.airkorea.or.kr/last_amb_hour_data. Accessed 15 Aug 2018.
Ministry of Environment. Enforcement ordinance of the Framework Act on Environmental Policy. 2016. http://www.law.go.kr/LSW/lsBylInfoPLinkR.do?lsiSeq=193560&lsNm=%ED%99%98%EA%B2%BD%EC%A0%95%EC%B1%85%EA%B8%B0%EB%B3%B8%EB%B2%95+%EC%8B%9C%ED%96%89%EB%A0%B9&bylNo=0000&bylBrNo=. Accessed 15 Aug 2018.
Korea Electric Power Corporation. Electric Power Sales. 2017. https://www.data.go.kr/dataset/3069444/fileData.do. Accessed 15 Aug 2018.
Korea Industrial Complex Corporation. A Study on the present condition of the Industrial Complex in the 4th quarter of 2015. 2016. http://www.kicox.or.kr/user/bbs/BD_selectBbs.do?q_bbsCode=1036&q_bbscttSn=373&q_order=&q_clCode=2. Accessed 15 Aug 2018. | https://aoemj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40557-018-0273-5 |
Assessing the impact of temperature on COVID-19 epidemiology is critical for implementing non-pharmaceutical interventions. However, few studies have accounted for the nature of contagious diseases, i.e., their dependent happenings. We aimed to quantify the impact of temperature on the transmissibility and virulence of COVID-19 in Tokyo, Japan, employing two epidemiological measurements of transmissibility and severity: the effective reproduction number ([Formula: see text]) and case fatality risk (CFR). We estimated the [Formula: see text] and time-delay adjusted CFR and to subsequently assess the nonlinear and delayed effect of temperature on [Formula: see text] and time-delay adjusted CFR. For [Formula: see text] at low temperatures, the cumulative relative risk (RR) at the first temperature percentile (3.3 °C) was 1.3 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-1.7). As for the virulence to humans, moderate cold temperatures were associated with higher CFR, and CFR also increased as the temperature rose. The cumulative RR at the 10th and 99th percentiles of temperature (5.8 °C and 30.8 °C) for CFR were 3.5 (95% CI: 1.3-10.0) and 6.4 (95% CI: 4.1-10.1). Our results suggest the importance to take precautions to avoid infection in both cold and warm seasons to avoid severe cases of COVID-19. The results and our proposed approach will also help in assessing the possible seasonal course of COVID-19 in the future.
Subject(s)COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/transmission , Temperature , Basic Reproduction Number , Cold Temperature , Humans , Mortality , Pandemics/prevention & control , Risk , SARS-CoV-2/pathogenicity , Seasons , Severity of Illness Index , Tokyo/epidemiology , Virulence
ABSTRACT
Water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), and salinity levels are the critical cultivation factors for freshwater aquaculture. This paper proposes a novel wireless multi-sensor system by integrating the temperature, pH, DO, and EC sensors with an ESP 32 Wi-Fi module for monitoring the water quality of freshwater aquaculture, which acquires the sensing data and salinity information directly derived from the EC level. The information of water temperature, pH, DO, EC, and salinity levels was displayed in the ThingSpeak IoT platform and was visualized in a user-friendly manner by ThingView APP. Firstly, these sensors were integrated with an ESP32 Wi-Fi platform. The observations of sensors and the estimated salinity from the EC level were then transmitted by a Wi-Fi network to an on-site Wi-Fi access point (AP). The acquired information was further transmitted to the ThingSpeak IoT and displayed in the form of a web-based monitoring system which can be directly visualized by online browsing or the ThingView APP. Through the complete processes of pre-calibration, in situ measurement, and post-calibration, the results illustrate that the proposed wireless multi-sensor IoT system has sufficient accuracy, reliable confidence, and a good tolerance for monitoring the water quality of freshwater aquaculture.
Subject(s)Aquaculture , Water Quality , Electrocardiography , Fresh Water , Temperature
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since the appearance of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a growing body of evidence has suggested that weather factors, particularly temperature and humidity, influence transmission. This relationship might differ for the recently emerged B.1.617.2 (delta) variant of SARS-CoV-2. Here we use data from an outbreak in Sydney, Australia that commenced in winter and time-series analysis to investigate the association between reported cases and temperature and relative humidity. METHODS: Between 16 June and 10 September 2021, the peak of the outbreak, there were 31,662 locally-acquired cases reported in five local health districts of Sydney, Australia. The associations between daily 9:00 am and 3:00 pm temperature (°C), relative humidity (%) and their difference, and a time series of reported daily cases were assessed using univariable and multivariable generalized additive models and a 14-day exponential moving average. Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the likelihood ratio statistic were used to compare different models and determine the best fitting model. A sensitivity analysis was performed by modifying the exponential moving average. RESULTS: During the 87-day time-series, relative humidity ranged widely (< 30-98%) and temperatures were mild (approximately 11-17 °C). The best-fitting (AIC: 1,119.64) generalized additive model included 14-day exponential moving averages of 9:00 am temperature (P < 0.001) and 9:00 am relative humidity (P < 0.001), and the interaction between these two weather variables (P < 0.001). Humidity was negatively associated with cases no matter whether temperature was high or low. The effect of lower relative humidity on increased cases was more pronounced below relative humidity of about 70%; below this threshold, not only were the effects of humidity pronounced but also the relationship between temperature and cases of the delta variant becomes apparent. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the control of COVID-19 outbreaks, specifically those due to the delta variant, is particularly challenging during periods of the year with lower relative humidity and warmer temperatures. In addition to vaccination, stronger implementation of other interventions such as mask-wearing and social distancing might need to be considered during these higher risk periods.
Subject(s)COVID-19 , Australia/epidemiology , Humans , Humidity , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Temperature
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been first reported in December 2019 and rapidly spread worldwide. As other severe acute respiratory syndromes, it is a widely discussed topic whether seasonality affects the COVID-19 infection spreading. This study presents two different approaches to analyse the impact of social activity factors and weather variables on daily COVID-19 cases at county level over the Continental U.S. (CONUS). The first one is a traditional statistical method, i.e., Pearson correlation coefficient, whereas the second one is a machine learning algorithm, i.e., random forest regression model. The Pearson correlation is analysed to roughly test the relationship between COVID-19 cases and the weather variables or the social activity factor (i.e. social distance index). The random forest regression model investigates the feasibility of estimating the number of county-level daily confirmed COVID-19 cases by using different combinations of eight factors (county population, county population density, county social distance index, air temperature, specific humidity, shortwave radiation, precipitation, and wind speed). Results show that the number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases is weakly correlated with the social distance index, air temperature and specific humidity through the Pearson correlation method. The random forest model shows that the estimation of COVID-19 cases is more accurate with adding weather variables as input data. Specifically, the most important factors for estimating daily COVID-19 cases are the population and population density, followed by the social distance index and the five weather variables, with temperature and specific humidity being more critical than shortwave radiation, wind speed, and precipitation. The validation process shows that the general values of correlation coefficients between the daily COVID-19 cases estimated by the random forest model and the observed ones are around 0.85.
Subject(s)COVID-19 , Humans , Humidity , SARS-CoV-2 , Temperature , United States , Weather
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To examine whether outdoor transmission may contribute to the COVID-19 epidemic, we hypothesized that slower outdoor wind speed is associated with increased risk of transmission when individuals socialize outside. METHODS: Daily COVID-19 incidence reported in Suffolk County, NY, between March 16th and December 31st, 2020, was the outcome. Average wind speed and maximal daily temperature were collated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Negative binomial regression was used to model incidence rates while adjusting for susceptible population size. RESULTS: Cases were very high in the initial wave but diminished once lockdown procedures were enacted. Most days between May 1st, 2020, and October 24th, 2020, had temperatures 16-28 °C and wind speed diminished slowly over the year and began to increase again in December 2020. Unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted analyses revealed that days with temperatures ranging between 16 and 28 °C where wind speed was < 8.85 km per hour (KPH) had increased COVID-19 incidence (aIRR = 1.45, 95% C.I. = [1.28-1.64], P < 0.001) as compared to days with average wind speed ≥ 8.85 KPH. CONCLUSION: Throughout the U.S. epidemic, the role of outdoor shared spaces such as parks and beaches has been a topic of considerable interest. This study suggests that outdoor transmission of COVID-19 may occur by noting that the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the summer was higher on days with low wind speed. Outdoor use of increased physical distance between individuals, improved air circulation, and use of masks may be helpful in some outdoor environments where airflow is limited.
Subject(s)COVID-19 , Wind , Communicable Disease Control , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , Temperature
ABSTRACT
This paper presents a complex and extensive experimental evaluation of fine particle emissions released by an FDM 3D printer for four of the most common printing materials (ABS, PLA, PET-G, and TPU). These thermoplastic filaments were examined at three printing temperatures within their recommended range. In addition, these measurements were extended using various types of printing nozzles, which influenced the emissions considerably. This research is based on more than a hundred individual measurements for which a standardized printing method was developed. The study presents information about differences between particular printing conditions in terms of the amount of fine particles emitted as well as the particle size distributions during printing periods. This expands existing knowledge about the emission of ultrafine particles during 3D printing, and it can help reduce the emissions of these devices to achieve cleaner and safer 3D printer operations.
Subject(s)Air Pollution, Indoor , Particulate Matter , Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis , Particle Size , Particulate Matter/analysis , Printing, Three-Dimensional , Temperature
Subject(s)Biodiversity , Fever , Emergency Service, Hospital , Humans , Temperature
ABSTRACT
Rising temperature levels during spring and summer are often argued to enable lifting of strict containment measures even in the absence of herd immunity. Despite broad scholarly interest in the relationship between weather and coronavirus spread, previous studies come to very mixed results. To contribute to this puzzle, the paper examines the impact of weather on the COVID-19 pandemic using a unique granular dataset of over 1.2 million daily observations covering over 3700 counties in nine countries for all seasons of 2020. Our results show that temperature and wind speed have a robust negative effect on virus spread after controlling for a range of potential confounding factors. These effects, however, are substantially larger during mealtimes, as well as in periods of high mobility and low containment, suggesting an important role for social behaviour.
Subject(s)COVID-19/epidemiology , Humans , Humidity , Pandemics , Risk Factors , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , Seasons , Social Behavior , Temperature , Weather , Wind
ABSTRACT
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic many studies investigated the correlation between climate variables such as air quality, humidity and temperature and the lethality of COVID-19 around the world. In this work we investigate the use of climate variables, as additional features to train a data-driven multivariate forecast model to predict the short-term expected number of COVID-19 deaths in Brazilian states and major cities. The main idea is that by adding these climate features as inputs to the training of data-driven models, the predictive performance improves when compared to equivalent single input models. We use a Stacked LSTM as the network architecture for both the multivariate and univariate model. We compare both approaches by training forecast models for the COVID-19 deaths time series of the city of São Paulo. In addition, we present a previous analysis based on grouping K-means on AQI curves. The results produced will allow achieving the application of transfer learning, once a locality is eventually added to the task, regressing out using a model based on the cluster of similarities in the AQI curve. The experiments show that the best multivariate model is more skilled than the best standard data-driven univariate model that we could find, using as evaluation metrics the average fitting error, average forecast error, and the profile of the accumulated deaths for the forecast. These results show that by adding more useful features as input to a multivariate approach could further improve the quality of the prediction models.
Subject(s)Air Pollution , COVID-19 , Air Pollution/analysis , Brazil , Humans , Humidity , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Temperature
ABSTRACT
An estimation of the impact of climatic conditions-measured with an index that combines temperature and humidity, the IPTCC-on the hospitalizations and deaths attributed to SARS-CoV-2 is proposed. The present paper uses weekly data from 54 French administrative regions between March 23, 2020 and January 10, 2021. Firstly, a Granger causal analysis is developed and reveals that past values of the IPTCC contain information that allow for a better prediction of hospitalizations or deaths than that obtained without the IPTCC. Finally, a vector autoregressive model is estimated to evaluate the dynamic response of hospitalizations and deaths after an increase in the IPTCC. It is estimated that a 10-point increase in the IPTCC causes hospitalizations to rise by 2.9% (90% CI 0.7-5.0) one week after the increase, and by 4.1% (90% CI 2.1-6.4) and 4.4% (90% CI 2.5-6.3) in the two following weeks. Over ten weeks, the cumulative effect is estimated to reach 20.1%. Two weeks after the increase in the IPTCC, deaths are estimated to rise by 3.7% (90% CI 1.6-5.8). The cumulative effect from the second to the tenth weeks reaches 15.8%. The results are robust to the inclusion of air pollution indicators.
Subject(s)Air Pollutants , Air Pollution , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/mortality , Climate , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , SARS-CoV-2 , Algorithms , Bayes Theorem , Decision Making , France/epidemiology , Hospitals , Humans , Humidity , Infectious Disease Medicine , Reproducibility of Results , Respiration Disorders , Seasons , Temperature
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus with intact infectivity attached to PPE surfaces pose significant threat to the spread of COVID-19. We tested the hypothesis that an electroceutical fabric, generating weak potential difference of 0.5 V, disrupts the infectivity of coronavirus upon contact by destabilizing the electrokinetic properties of the virion. Porcine respiratory coronavirus AR310 particles (105) were placed in direct contact with the fabric for 1 or 5 min. Following one minute of contact, zeta potential of the porcine coronavirus was significantly lowered indicating destabilization of its electrokinetic properties. Size-distribution plot showed appearance of aggregation of the virus. Testing of the cytopathic effects of the virus showed eradication of infectivity as quantitatively assessed by PI-calcein and MTT cell viability tests. This work provides the rationale to consider the studied electroceutical fabric, or other materials with comparable property, as material of choice for the development of PPE in the fight against COVID-19.
Subject(s)COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19/transmission , Electrochemistry/methods , Textiles , Animals , Anti-Infective Agents , Body Fluids , Cell Line , Cell Survival , Fluoresceins , Humans , Hydrogen Peroxide , Kinetics , Nanoparticles , Propidium , SARS-CoV-2 , Swine , Temperature , Tetrazolium Salts , Thiazoles , Virion , Wound Healing
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the association between weather and COVID-19 fatality rates during US stay-at-home orders. METHODS: With a county-level longitudinal design, this study analyzed COVID-19 deaths from public health departments' daily reports and considered exposure as the 18 to 22 day-period before death. Models included state-level social distancing measures, Census Bureau demographics, daily weather information, and daily air pollution. The primary measures included minimum and maximum daily temperature, precipitation, ozone concentration, PM2.5 concentrations, and U.V. light index. RESULTS: A 1â°F increase in the minimum temperature was associated with 1.9% (95% CI, 0.2% to 3.6%) increase in deaths 20âdays later. An ozone concentration increase of 1âppb (part per billion) decreased daily deaths by 2.0% (95% CI, 0.1% to 3.6%); ozone levels below 38âppb negatively correlated with deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Increased mobility may drive the observed association of minimum daily temperature on COVID-19 deaths.
Subject(s)COVID-19/mortality , Weather , Air Pollutants/analysis , COVID-19/prevention & control , Humans , Models, Theoretical , Ozone/analysis , Physical Distancing , SARS-CoV-2 , Temperature , United States/epidemiology
ABSTRACT
Since students and teachers spend much of their time in educational buildings, it is critical to provide good levels of indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The current COVID-19 pandemic has shown that maintaining a good indoor air quality level is an effective measure to control the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This study used sensors to monitor key IEQ factors and assess several natural ventilation scenarios in a classroom of the University of Granada. Subsequently, the IEQ factors (temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration, acoustic environment, and air velocity) were evaluated for the selected ventilation scenarios in the occupied classroom, and the field monitoring was carried out in two different assessment periods, winter and summer. The obtained results show that the CO2 concentration levels were well below the recommended limits. However, the maintenance of the recommended thermal and acoustic IEQ factors was significantly affected by the natural ventilation strategies (temperature and relative humidity values were very close to the outside values, and the background sound pressure level was over 35 dBA during the entire assessment). The proper measurements and careful selection of the appropriate ventilation scenarios become of utmost importance to ensure that the ventilation rates required by the health authorities are achieved.
Subject(s)Air Pollution, Indoor , COVID-19 , Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis , Environmental Monitoring , Humans , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Spain , Temperature , Ventilation
Subject(s)Biodiversity , Humans , Temperature
ABSTRACT
Infrared temperature measurement is a common form of mass screening for febrile illnesses such as COVID-19 infection. Efficacy of infrared monitoring is debated, and external factors can affect accuracy. We determine that outside temperature, wind, and humidity can affect infrared temperature measurements and partially account for inaccurate results.
Subject(s)COVID-19 , Body Temperature , Humans , Humidity , Mass Screening , SARS-CoV-2 , Temperature
ABSTRACT
Implementation of various restrictions to eradicate viral diseases has globally affected human activity and subsequently nature. But how can the altered routines of human activity (restrictions, lockdowns) affect wildlife behaviour? This study compared the differences between human and wildlife occurrences in the study forest area with acreage of 5430.6 ha in 2018 (African swine fever outbreak, complete entrance ban), 2019 (standard pattern) and 2020 (COVID-19 restrictions) during the breeding season. The number of visitors was lower by 64% in 2018 (non-respecting of the entry ban by forest visitors) compared to standard 2019, while in 2020, the number of visitors increased to 151%. In the COVID-19 period, distinct peaks in the number of visitors were observed between 8-11 AM and 4-7 PM. The peaks of wildlife activity were recorded between 4-7 AM and 9-12 PM. Animals avoided the localities that were visited by humans during the people-influenced time (24 h after people visit), which confirmed the direct negative impact of human activities on wildlife.
Subject(s)African Swine Fever/epidemiology , Animals, Wild , COVID-19/epidemiology , Communicable Disease Control/methods , Disease Outbreaks , Human Activities , Animals , Female , Geography , Humans , Male , Pandemics , Regression Analysis , SARS-CoV-2 , Swine , Temperature , Virus Diseases/epidemiology
ABSTRACT
Adenovirus vectors offer a platform technology for vaccine development. The value of the platform has been proven during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although good stability at 2-8 °C is an advantage of the platform, non-cold-chain distribution would have substantial advantages, in particular in low-income countries. We have previously reported a novel, potentially less expensive thermostabilisation approach using a combination of simple sugars and glass micro-fibrous matrix, achieving excellent recovery of adenovirus-vectored vaccines after storage at temperatures as high as 45 °C. This matrix is, however, prone to fragmentation and so not suitable for clinical translation. Here, we report an investigation of alternative fibrous matrices which might be suitable for clinical use. A number of commercially-available matrices permitted good protein recovery, quality of sugar glass and moisture content of the dried product but did not achieve the thermostabilisation performance of the original glass fibre matrix. We therefore further investigated physical and chemical characteristics of the glass fibre matrix and its components, finding that the polyvinyl alcohol present in the glass fibre matrix assists vaccine stability. This finding enabled us to identify a potentially biocompatible matrix with encouraging performance. We discuss remaining challenges for transfer of the technology into clinical use, including reliability of process performance.
Subject(s)Adenoviridae/genetics , Adenovirus Vaccines/chemistry , COVID-19 Vaccines/therapeutic use , COVID-19/prevention & control , Vaccine Potency , Adenoviruses, Simian , Biocompatible Materials , Calorimetry, Differential Scanning , Glass , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Light , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Materials Testing , Microscopy, Confocal , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Polyvinyl Alcohol , Rabies Vaccines , Scattering, Radiation , Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared , Sugars/chemistry , Temperature , Thermogravimetry , Trehalose/chemistry
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Many persons with active SARS-CoV-2 infection experience mild or no symptoms, presenting barriers to COVID-19 prevention. Regular temperature screening is nonetheless used in some settings, including university campuses, to reduce transmission potential. We evaluated the potential impact of this strategy using a prospective university-affiliated cohort. METHODS: Between June and August 2020, 2912 participants were enrolled and tested for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR at least once (median: 3, range: 1-9). Participants reported temperature and symptoms daily via electronic survey using a previously owned or study-provided thermometer. We assessed feasibility and acceptability of daily temperature monitoring, calculated sensitivity and specificity of various fever-based strategies for restricting campus access to reduce transmission, and estimated the association between measured temperature and SARS-CoV-2 test positivity using a longitudinal binomial mixed model. RESULTS: Most participants (70.2%) did not initially have a thermometer for taking their temperature daily. Across 5481 total person months, the average daily completion rate of temperature values was 61.6% (median: 67.6%, IQR: 41.8-86.2%). Sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 ranged from 0% (95% CI 0-9.7%) to 40.5% (95% CI 25.6-56.7%) across all strategies for self-report of possible COVID-19 symptoms on day of specimen collection, with corresponding specificity of 99.9% (95% CI 99.8-100%) to 95.3% (95% CI 94.7-95.9%). An increase of 0.1 °F in individual mean body temperature on the same day as specimen collection was associated with 1.11 increased odds of SARS-CoV-2 positivity (95% CI 1.06-1.17). CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first, to our knowledge, that examines the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of daily temperature screening in a prospective cohort during an infectious disease outbreak, and the only study to assess these strategies in a university population. Daily temperature monitoring was feasible and acceptable; however, the majority of potentially infectious individuals were not detected by temperature monitoring, suggesting that temperature screening is insufficient as a primary means of detection to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Subject(s)COVID-19 , Feasibility Studies , Humans , Prospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2 , Temperature , Universities
ABSTRACT
Phage Phi6 is an enveloped virus considered a possible nonpathogenic surrogate for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other viral pathogens in transmission studies. Larger input amounts of bacteriophage Phi6 are shown to delay and protect the phage from environmental decay, both when the phages are dried in plastic tubes and when they are stored in saline solution at 4°C. In contrast, when bacteriophage Phi6 is placed in LB (Luria-Bertani) growth medium (instead of saline) prior to placement on the plastic surface, the influence of the starting concentration on viral recovery is negligible. Protection is reflected in the phage half-lives at higher concentrations being longer than the half-lives at lower concentrations. Because experiments supporting the possibility of fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses rely upon the survival of infectious virus following inoculation onto various surfaces, large initial amounts of input virus on a surface may generate artificially inflated survival times compared to realistic lower levels of virus that a subject would normally encounter. This is not only because there are extra half-lives to go through at higher concentrations but also because the half-lives themselves are extended at higher virus concentrations. It is important to design surface drying experiments for pathogens with realistic levels of input virus and to consider the role of the carrier and matrix if the results are to be clinically relevant. IMPORTANCE During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, much attention has been paid to the environmental decay of SARS-CoV-2 due to the proposed transmission of the virus via fomites. However, published experiments have commenced with inocula with very high virus titers, an experimental design not representative of real-life conditions. The study described here evaluated the impact of the initial virus titer on the environmental decay of an enveloped virus, using a nonpathogenic surrogate for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, enveloped bacteriophage Phi6. We establish that higher concentrations of virus can protect the virus from environmental decay, depending on conditions. This has important implications for stability studies of SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. Our results point to a limitation in the fundamental methodology that has been used to attribute fomite transmission for almost all respiratory viruses.
Subject(s)Bacteriophage phi 6 , Pseudomonas syringae/virology , Culture Media , Desiccation , Fomites/virology , Half-Life , Plastics , SARS-CoV-2 , Saline Solution , Temperature , Virus Inactivation
ABSTRACT
There is conflicting evidence on the influence of weather on COVID-19 transmission. Our aim is to estimate weather-dependent signatures in the early phase of the pandemic, while controlling for socio-economic factors and non-pharmaceutical interventions. We identify a modest non-linear association between mean temperature and the effective reproduction number (Re) in 409 cities in 26 countries, with a decrease of 0.087 (95% CI: 0.025; 0.148) for a 10 °C increase. Early interventions have a greater effect on Re with a decrease of 0.285 (95% CI 0.223; 0.347) for a 5th - 95th percentile increase in the government response index. The variation in the effective reproduction number explained by government interventions is 6 times greater than for mean temperature. We find little evidence of meteorological conditions having influenced the early stages of local epidemics and conclude that population behaviour and government interventions are more important drivers of transmission. | https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/global-literature-on-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/?lang=en&q=mh:%22Temperature%22 |
Exposure to pollutants during pregnancy has been related to adverse birth outcomes. LBW can give rise to lifelong impairments. Prematurity is the leading cause of LBW, yet few studies have attempted to analyse how environmental factors can influence LBW in infants who are not premature. This study therefore sought to analyse the influence of air pollution, noise levels and temperature on LBW in non-premature births in Madrid during the period 2001–2009.
Ecological time-series study to assess the impact of PM2.5, NO2 and O3 concentrations, noise levels, and temperatures on LBW among non-premature infants across the period 2001–2009. Our analysis extended to infants having birth weights of 1,500 g to 2,500 g (VLBW) and less than 1,500 g (ELBW). Environmental variables were lagged until 37 weeks with respect to the date of birth, and cross-correlation functions were used to identify explaining lags. Results were quantified using Poisson regression models.
Across the study period 298,705 births were registered in Madrid, 3,290 of which had LBW; of this latter total, 1,492 were non-premature. PM2.5 was the only pollutant to show an association with the three variables of LBW in non-premature births. This association occurred at around the third month of gestation for LBW and VLBW (LBW: lag 23 and VLBW: lag 25), and at around the eighth month of gestation for ELBW (lag 6). Leqd was linked to LBW at lag zero. The RR of PM2.5 on LBW was 1.01 (1.00 1.03). The RR of Leqd on LBW was 1.09 (0.99 1.19)(p<0.1).
The results obtained indicate that PM2.5 had influence on LBW. The adoption of measures aimed at reducing the number of vehicles would serve to lower pregnant women's exposure. In the case of noise should be limited the exposure to high levels during the final weeks of pregnancy.
Copyright: © 2016 Díaz et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
In recent years, various studies have linked exposure during pregnancy to chemical environmental pollutants present in the urban atmosphere to a number of adverse birth outcomes [1–4], including low birth weight (LBW) [5,6]. LBW, defined as any newborn having a weight of less than 2,500g , can give rise to lifelong impairments due to respiratory, circulatory and neurological diseases and disorders [8, 9]. The above types of studies tend to have a cohort design [10–12], whereas those that favour a "short-term" methodology based on statistical analysis and, in addition, are generally geographical in nature, are less numerous [13,14]. While cohort studies have the advantage of pinpointing a cause-effect relationship more clearly, they suffer the disadvantage of being more expensive, in that they require a long spatio-temporal follow-up of exposed persons . Recently, time-series studies have been undertaken to address adverse birth outcomes and various environmental factors [16–18]. Time-series studies offer the additional advantage of being able to establish associations, in which individual exposure factors that remain unchanged over time pose no bias . From the standpoint of adverse birth outcomes analysed by both cohort studies and short-term analyses, LBW and premature births, defined as births occurring before the 37th week of pregnancy (PTBs), were considered separately in a great proportion of cases. It is evident that prematurity is related to LBW. Indeed, 60% of births presenting with LBW are PTBs, with prematurity being the leading cause of LBW ; even so, few studies have sought to analyse how environmental factors can influence LBW in non-premature births [21,22].
As described in detail previously a growing number of studies have explored the association between air pollutants and LBW, with the most consistent findings showing positive associations with PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 [14,23,24]. Insofar as the underlying pathophysiological mechanism is concerned, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles appear to be those which contribute most, linked to a joint action between oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory state. Oxidative stress can be triggered by direct formation of reactive oxygen species coming into contact with free radicals in blood, either because PM2.5 is transporting soluble transition metals , or because organic materials, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (which can also be transported by PM2.5), have a high oxidative capacity per se and can enter the cell and affect the mitochondria . Pregnancy physiologically triggers a systemic inflammatory response in the mother. This inflammatory response is enhanced by the above-mentioned processes, leading to the possible occurrence of pre-eclampsia and other processes associated with premature birth . Although many of the studies focus on the effect of PM, there are recent papers which also analyse the effect of NO, ozone and NO2 concentrations on adverse birth outcomes and LBW [12,15,28–31].
Furthermore, recent studies indicate that it is not only traditional chemical pollutants present in an urban atmosphere which can influence these adverse birth outcomes, but that other environmental variables, such as traffic noise [13,17,18,32] and temperature in heat and cold waves [16,18,33,34], may also be related to both PTB and LBW. Although the respective biological mechanisms whereby traffic noise and ambient temperature increase the impact on LBW are not clear, there is epidemiological evidence to link them to LBW in the short term . With regard to noise levels, little is known about the association between traffic noise and pregnancy outcomes. It has been hypothesised that stress may affect foetal growth through the endocrine system . Moreover, there is evidence to show increased risk of hypertension among subjects exposed to noise, something that could in turn increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes . An integrated model has recently been published which seeks to explain the short-term effects of traffic noise on various diseases: it includes chronic and acute stress responses which could account for the association between traffic noise and LBW .
As described previously in relation to the effect of temperature on adverse birth outcomes, there are few studies that report positive associations [16,18,34]. The results obtained by Kloog et al. point to associations between temperature and birth weight during the last trimester, and between temperature, pre-term delivery and LBW across the entire pregnancy, thus indicating that temperature during pregnancy is associated with lower birth weight and a curtailed gestation period. This study did not differentiate between the effect of heat and cold . Other studies exclusively analyse the effect of heat, and conclude that heat wave temperatures can be a stressful element capable of exerting an influence on low weight. Working along these same lines, Arroyo et al. 2016 analysed the effect of heat and cold, and concluded that only high temperatures are related to prematurity, with this short-term effect being independent of other environmental factors.
Accordingly, the aim of this study was to use a time-series design to analyse the influence of chemical air pollution, noise levels and temperature on LBW among non-premature infants in the city of Madrid, identifying -where possible- the most susceptible periods of exposure during pregnancy by means of significant explanatory lags. The relevance of the results obtained lies in the fact that exposure to these environmental variables can be modified, both at a governmental level by adopting measures targeted at reducing the levels of the environmental risk factors analysed, and at the level of the pregnant women themselves by limiting their personal exposure.
The city of Madrid is a densely populated metropolitan area situated in the central region of Spain. During the study period, 2001–2009, it had a mean population of 3,164,245 and a birth rate per 1000 population of 10.5, slightly higher than the national rate of 9.1 . The study population consisted of all live singleton births whose mothers resided in the Madrid city area, and whose birth certificates had been filed in the period 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2009. We considered all births that displayed LBW, i.e., newborns weighing less than 2,500g , and selected those that corresponded to non-premature births. A non-premature or full-term birth was defined as any birth of more than 37 weeks of gestation . Our analysis also extended to non-premature births with: very low weight (VLBW), defined as any newborn weighing 1,500g to 2,500g; and extremely low weight (ELBW), defined as any newborn weighing less than 1,500 g . Aggregated daily birth counts were collected from the perinatal health databases of public hospitals in Madrid. These daily values were grouped into mean weekly values, with a weekly mean being obtained, which represents the mean weekly value used for analysis purposes.
A time-series analysis was performed to assess the short-term impact of the following environmental variables. Daily mean concentrations (μg/m3) of air pollutants, particulate matter less than 2.5 and 10 μm in diameter (PM2.5 and PM10), tropospheric ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), were supplied by the Madrid Municipal Air Quality Monitoring Grid. All measurements were made using the gravimetric method or an equivalent method (beta-attenuation). This network consists of 27 urban background stations across the city. Measurements of acoustic noise pollution were Leqd, equivalent diurnal noise level (7–23 hours) in dB(A), and Leqn, equivalent nocturnal noise level (23–7 hours) in dB(A).
To estimate the daily means of chemical pollutants and noise, each monitor's daily concentration was averaged for that monitor, and then a city-wide average was calculated from all monitors for a given day. All measurements sites included in the study were required to have at least 75% complete information for the study period. Maximum and minimum daily temperatures (°C) in Madrid were furnished by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET).
These daily values were grouped into mean weekly values for respective variables. Lastly, we controlled for linear trend, seasonality and the autoregressive nature of the series itself.
We decided to fit autoregressive, over-dispersed Poisson regression models of the neonatal outcome variables (controlled for trend and seasonality). Due to their linear relationship, the air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, O3 and NO2) and noise levels (Leqd and Leqn) were introduced into the model as linear components without threshold.However, the relationship between ambient maximum temperature and neonatal outcomes displayed the usual V-shaped pattern already observed in the case of mortality and morbidity variables [41,42]. For analysis purposes, temperature was introduced into the following, two branches: one, in the case of heat, set maximum tempertature at a daily maximum of 34°C; and the other, in the case of cold, set minimum temperature at a daily minimum of -2°C .
Once the daily Thot and Tcal values had been calculated, the weekly averages of these values were computed in order to assess the effect of heat and cold waves on neonatal outcome variables.
To identify the lags at which statistically significant associations between the environmental variables of analysis and the neonatal outcome variables were established, we created variables lagged until 37 weeks with respect to the date of birth, with the aim of ascertaining the effect at a weekly level. In other words, the fact that a variable proved significant at lag 30 would indicate that this significant association occurred 30 weeks before birth, i.e., during week 7 of the pregnancy.
We first established the cross-correlation functions (CFFs) among the residuals of the prewhitened series, with prewhitening being performed using Box-Jenkins methodology . This method consists of modelling each independent environmental variable with an ARIMA model and then applying this model to the dependent variable (LBW), thereby eliminating seasonalities and analogous autocorrelations between the two series. CFFs were established among the residuals of both prewhitened series. The lags at which correlations proved statistically significant were then introduced into the subsequent modelling process (explanatory lags). A model was fitted for each of the variables in relation to the low weight being considered. During the modelling process we only have included the explanatory lags of the environmental variables, excluding those that were not statistically significant lags.
In the case of statistically significant variables (p<0.05), the results of the final models were expressed as relative risks (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals. These RRs were shown for each 10 μg/m3increase in the case of the chemical air pollutants, each 1 dB (A) increase in the case of noise levels, and each 1°C increase/decrease in the case of temperature. Based on the respective RR, we then calculated the attributable risk (AR) associated with this increase, by means of the following equation: .
During the period 01.01.01 to 31.12.09 there were 298,705 births in Madrid, amounting to a weekly average of 635.5 births across the 470 weeks of the study period. Of this total of weekly births, an average of 7.0 infants per day was born with low weight (7.6%), as can be seen from Table 1. In all, a total of 3,290 births with low weight were registered across the study period, 1,492 of which corresponded to non-premature births: of the latter, 1,176 (83.2%) were VLBW and 236 (16.8%) were ELBW.
Table 1. Descriptive statistics of the weekly averages of preterm birth (PB) and low birth weight (LBW) in Madrid in 2001–2009.
Table 2 shows the descriptive statistics, both for the variables of low weight considered in the analysis for non-premature births, and for the environmental variables used.
Table 2. Descriptive statistics of the weekly average variables related to low birth weight in non-premature births and weekly average of the environmental variables in Madrid 2001–2009.
The mean number of weekly births with low weight was 3.0, which meant that 42.9% of births with low weight were not premature and 57.1% were premature.
The WHO guideline values for daily PM2.5 concentrations were exceeded on 329 days (10.0%) and daily PM10 concentrations were exceeded on 446 days (13.6%) across the study period. In Fig 1, weekly average of PM2.5 concentrations in Madrid 2004–2009, can be observed. The WHO guideline values for NO2 and ozone (O3) were not comparable measurements with the measurements in our study.
Fig 1. Weekly average of PM2.5 concentrations in Madrid 2004–2009.
Insofar as noise levels were concerned, the mean Leqd value was 64.6 dB(A) with a daily maximum of 69.0 dB(A), and the mean Leqn value was 59.4 dB(A) with a daily maximum of 67.2 dB(A): the WHO guideline values were exceeded on 45% of days and 100% of nights across the study period. Fig 2 shows weekly average of Equivalent Diurnal Noise Levels (Leqd) in Madrid 2001–2009.
Fig 2. Weekly average of Equivalent Diurnal Noise Levels (Leqd) in Madrid 2001–2009.
In terms of temperature, there were heat waves on 216 days (6.6%) and cold waves on 34 days (1.0%) over the study period. Table 3 shows the explanatory lags at which the pre-determined CFFs showed statistically significant correlations (p<0.05) between the different series of independent environmental variables and the variables corresponding to low weight in non-premature births. It should be noted that PM2.5 was the sole chemical pollutant to be related to the three selected variables of LBW among non-premature births. These associations occurred: in LBW and VLBW, at around 24 weeks before birth (LBW: lag 23 and VLBW: lag 25), namely, in the third month of pregnancy; and in ELBW, at 6 weeks before birth, namely, around the eighth month of pregnancy. In the case of traffic noise levels, mean diurnal noise level, Leqd, was the only variable to show an association with LBW, and this effect occurred at lag zero, i.e., during the birth week itself.
Table 3. Explanatory lags statistically significant (p <0.05) in relation to the low birth weight and the different independent variables of exposure considered in the analysis.
Table 4 shows the RRs and ARs yielded by Poisson modelling for the above-mentioned explanatory lags. From a quantitative point of view, the effect of PM2.5 on the three variables related to low weight displayed very similar ARs, of around 2%. Leqd, however, displayed an appreciably higher AR than that of PM, i.e., around 8%, though this was exclusively for the variable, LBW, and this increase in risk was significant at only p<0.1.
Table 4. Relative Risks and Attributable Risks obtained from Poisson models.
Spain has one of the highest LBW percentages in Europe, after Greece, Portugal and the Czech Republic . With respect to the prematurity rate in Madrid across the study period, 8.2%, this figure is in line with the results obtained for Spain as a whole and shows that Spain has one of the highest prematurity rates in Europe, with values ranging from 5.1% to 10.3% . The results in Table 1, which show that 57.1% of births with low weight correspond to premature births, not only serve to indicate that this percentage is similar to those reported elsewhere , but also go to underscore the fact that the leading cause of LBW is prematurity.
Despite the fact that pollution prevention plans in Madrid are activated by exceedance of hourly NO2 values set by the European Directive , this does not imply compliance with statutory European Union (EU) PM2.5 emission values. The reason for this is that EU PM2.5 concentrations refer to mean annual values and do thus not come into operation for the purpose of triggering immediate intervention measures, as in the case of NO2 . Nonetheless, from the stance of health effects in the Madrid, it is PM2.5 concentrations that show the most impact on the population, children and persons over the age of 75 years [51–53]. The fact that PM2.5 is the environmental chemical pollutant which displays a statistically significant association with the three indicators of low weight analysed in this study is not in contradiction with other studies in which NO2 has been associated with adverse birth variables [6,11,12]. Furthermore, as in the case of NO2, there are many papers that link PM2.5 to adverse birth variables [10,22,24]. Even so, in multipollutant models, the effect of PM2.5 on adverse birth variables is similar to or greater than that of NO2 . With respect to our study, it should be stressed that our analysis targeted low weight in both premature and non-premature births, and so the results are not comparable. The variable of chemical pollution linked to prematurity is PM2.5 and not NO2, something that corroborates our results, since, has already been pointed out, prematurity is the principal cause of low weight. In the few time-series studies on adverse birth outcomes in which PM and NO2 were individually introduced, short-term associations were observed with PM, rather than with NO2 [16–18].
The association between PM2.5 concentrations and both LBW and VLBW is established 23 to 25 weeks before birth, namely, in the third month of pregnancy. This result is in line with those obtained by Arroyo et al. for Madrid. Furthermore, studies undertaken in Connecticut indicate that the strongest association between PM2.5 and PTB is established in the first and third months of pregnancy. Its small size and anthropic composition mean that, on being inhaled and reaching the blood circulation, PM2.5 particulate matter can cause oxidative stress [25,54,55], a pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic state with ensuing placental hypoperfusion. If severe, this will lead to foetal death; and if mild, aside from maternal hypertension , this will result in a delay in intrauterine growth due to a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients . Furthermore, the last month of pregnancy appears to be crucial in terms of the effects that air pollution can have on LBW, giving rise to births with ELBW, as can be seen from the results of our study, in which PM2.5 was related to ELBW in the eighth month of pregnancy (lag 6). These results are in line with the study conducted in Beijing which showed that a decrease in PM2.5 concentrations in the eighth month of pregnancy translates as higher birth weight. Studies conducted on individual exposures to air pollutants in the different trimesters have shown that the greatest influence on LBW is registered in the third trimester. The same results were obtained in Barcelona by Davdan et al. in relation to PM2.5. Maternal factors associated with poorer foetal growth include maternal hypertension and cardiopulmonary disease , though it should be mentioned that exposure to air pollution in pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders later in pregnancy [62–64].
Evaluation of the results obtained for the factor of noise exposure shows that noise was the single environmental pollutant that most often exceeded WHO guideline values, both diurnal and nocturnal, across the study period. Recent morbidity-mortality studies in Madrid [65–67] have furnished evidence to show that the impact of noise levels on health is, at the very least, similar to that of PM2.5 [67,68], and that such levels are even linked to prematurity, low weight and foetal mortality [17,18]. The finding that the variable "noise" may be related to LBW is in line with the results of other studies which indicate that sound levels have an influence on adverse birth variables [1,13,17,18]. Lastly, the fact that noise would appear to be exclusively related to LBW in the week of birth agrees with the results yielded by previous Madrid-based studies [17,18] which show noise to be related to both LBW and the number of premature births at the date of birth itself. In other words, acting through acute stress mechanisms , noise can induce birth after 37 weeks of gestation, and this can in turn lead to a newborn having LBW (though not ELBW).
With respect to the variable "temperature", the number of heat and cold waves which occurred in Madrid across the study period (216 and 34 respectively) and their effects on population health , including prematurity , justify their inclusion in the analysis as two variables with independent effect , since, even though the number of cold waves was very much lower than that of heat waves, in Spain daily mortality attributable to cold waves is higher than that attributable to heat . The reason why temperature in heat and cold waves is not shown to be related to LBW resides in the fact that an underlying stress mechanism is once again at work , with the result that its effect is fundamentally seen in the final stages of pregnancy, causing prematurity in the birth . By eliminating premature births from our LBW study, this short-term effect was likewise eliminated and does thus not appear as being related to LBW in non-premature births.
The nature of our longitudinal study renders it impossible to quantify to what precise degree low weight is associated with an increase in PM2.5 concentrations or dB(A), as has been done by other studies [4,60]. What is does allow for, however, is to establish the increase in risk, expressed as RR, of being born with low weight, between an infant who is exposed to an increase of 10μg/m3/m3 in PM2.5 or of 1 dB(A) in Leqd and another who is not so exposed. The 2% increase in risk of LBW for every 10μg/m3increase in PM2.5 was of the same order as that reported by similar studies [22,24]. Once again, noise, as measured by the indicator Leqd, was shown to have a greater impact on LBW than did PM2.5, as was also the case in premature births in Madrid and even foetal mortality .
With respect to the limitations of this study, an ecological study such as ours suffers from the ecological fallacy. Furthermore, an acknowledged limitation of all studies of environmental data as it is previously described in is that measurements from stationary outdoor monitors may not represent individual exposures, though relatively crude, ambient measures are often the most feasible measure of exposure in terms of reducing both research costs and discomfort for the study participant . Not only do air-pollutant concentrations and noise levels have different spatial distributions, but the degree to which outdoor levels reflect indoor levels also varies. This leads to different degrees of measurement error and, thus, of power for each of these, and may influence which associations are detected. The advantage of this type of time series design versus for example cohort design, is that they can be used to detect what variables are associated and identify periods of exposure more sensitive for pregnant. These studies are less expensive and reinforce the results obtained in cohort designs. Though the methodology used enable us to found the week in which there is a statically significant association, from a biologically point of view it is coherent to interpret these results in a wider sense. The objective is can establish the sensitive windows of pregnancy in which the fetus is more susceptible to each pollutant among the analyzed.
The results obtained in this study indicate that during the study period, chemical pollution (PM2.5) had an important influence on LBW in Madrid. In such an urban atmosphere, the source of PM2.5 is linked to the number of diesel vehicles. Hence, the adoption of measures at a governmental level to reduce the number of these vehicles would result in a lower exposure of pregnant women to this pollutant and, by extension, in a possible decrease in the number of infants with LBW. In the case of noise, 80% of which is traffic-generated in a city such as Madrid , the above governmental measures should be supplemented by adopting individual purpose-designed measures aimed at limiting exposure to high noise levels during the final week’s pregnancy.
S1 File. Dataset used for the analysis.
The authors acknowledge to the project SEPY 1037/14, as well as the project ENPY 1001/13 from the Carlos III Institute of Health.
Data curation: JD VA CO RC CL.
Formal analysis: JD VA CO RC CL.
Investigation: JD VA CO RC CL.
Project administration: JD VA CO RC CL.
Resources: JD VA CO RC CL.
Supervision: JD VA CO RC CL.
Validation: JD VA CO RC CL.
Visualization: JD VA CO RC CL.
Writing – original draft: JD VA CO RC CL.
Writing – review & editing: JD VA CO RC CL.
2. Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Dadvand P, Grellier J, Martinez D, Vrijheid M et al. Environmental risk factors of pregnancy outcomes: a summary of recent meta-analyses of epidemiological studies. Environ Health. 2013, 15; 12:6.
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52. Linares C and Díaz J. Efecto de las partículas de diámetro inferior a 2,5 micras (PM2,5) sobre los ingresos hospitalarios en niños menores de 10 años en Madrid. Gaceta Sanitaria. 2009; 23:192–197.
54. Burton Graham J, Jauniaux E. Oxidative Stress. Best practice & research. Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology 2011; 25(3): 287–99.
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67. Díaz J and Linares C. Efectos del ruido de tráfico en la salud: más allá de las molestias. Revisa de Salud Ambiental 2015; 15:121–131.
71. Linares C, Martinez-Martín P, Rodriguez-Bláquez C, Forjaz MJ, Carmona R, Díaz J. Effect of heat waves on morbidity and mortality due to Parkinson´s disease in Madrid: A time-series analysis. Environm Int. 2016;89–90:1–6.
72. Samet J, Dominici F, Zeger S, Schwartz J, Dockery d. The National Morbidity, Mortality and Air Pollution study, Part I: Methods and Methodologic Issues. 2000, Report No.94, Part I. Boston: Health Effects Institute. | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0164741 |
Dominoni, D. M., & Partecke, J. (2015). Does light pollution alter daylength? A test using light loggers on free-ranging European blackbirds (Turdus merula). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 370, 20140118.
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Abstract: Artificial light at night is one of the most apparent environmental changes accompanying anthropogenic habitat change. The global increase in light pollution poses new challenges to wild species, but we still have limited understanding of the temporal and spatial pattern of exposure to light at night. In particular, it has been suggested by several studies that animals exposed to light pollution, such as songbirds, perceive a longer daylength compared with conspecifics living in natural darker areas, but direct tests of such a hypothesis are still lacking. Here, we use a combination of light loggers deployed on individual European blackbirds, as well as automated radiotelemetry,to examine whether urban birds are exposed to a longer daylength than forest counterparts. We first used activity data from forest birds to determine the level of light intensity which defines the onset and offset of daily activity in rural areas. We then used this value as threshold to calculate the subjective perceived daylength of both forest and urban blackbirds. In March, when reproductive growth occurs, urban birds were exposed on average to a 49-min longer subjective perceived daylength than forest ones, which corresponds to a 19-day difference in photoperiod at this time of the year. In the field, urban blackbirds reached reproductive maturity 19 day earlier than rural birds, suggesting that light pollution could be responsible of most of the variation in reproductive timing found between urban and rural dwellers. We conclude that light at night is the most relevant change in ambient light affecting biological rhythms in avian urban-dwellers, most likely via a modification of the perceived photoperiod.
Keywords: Animals; urbanization; light pollution; artificial light at night; light loggers; daylength; photoperiod; Turdus merula; European blackbird
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Dominoni, D. M., Helm, B., Lehmann, M., Dowse, H. B., & Partecke, J. (2013). Clocks for the city: circadian differences between forest and city songbirds. Proc Biol Sci, 280(1763), 20130593.
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Abstract: To keep pace with progressing urbanization organisms must cope with extensive habitat change. Anthropogenic light and noise have modified differences between day and night, and may thereby interfere with circadian clocks. Urbanized species, such as birds, are known to advance their activity to early morning and night hours. We hypothesized that such modified activity patterns are reflected by properties of the endogenous circadian clock. Using automatic radio-telemetry, we tested this idea by comparing activity patterns of free-living forest and city European blackbirds (Turdus merula). We then recaptured the same individuals and recorded their activity under constant conditions. City birds started their activity earlier and had faster but less robust circadian oscillation of locomotor activity than forest conspecifics. Circadian period length predicted start of activity in the field, and this relationship was mainly explained by fast-paced and early-rising city birds. Although based on only two populations, our findings point to links between city life, chronotype and circadian phenotype in songbirds, and potentially in other organisms that colonize urban habitats, and highlight that urban environments can significantly modify biologically important rhythms in wild organisms.
Keywords: Animals; Circadian Clocks/*physiology; Circadian Rhythm; Cities; *Ecosystem; Light; Male; Songbirds/classification/*physiology; Trees; Urbanization; birds; chronotype; circadian rhythms; light at night; radio-telemetry; urbanization
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Ma, T., Zhou, C., Pei, T., Haynie, S., & Fan, J. (2012). Quantitative estimation of urbanization dynamics using time series of DMSP/OLS nighttime light data: A comparative case study from China's cities. Remote Sensing of Environment, 124, 99–107.
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Abstract: Urbanization process involving increased population size, spatially extended land cover and intensified economic activity plays a substantial role in anthropogenic environment changes. Remotely sensed nighttime lights datasets derived from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System (DMSP/OLS) provide a consistent measure for characterizing trends in urban sprawl over time (Sutton, 2003). The utility of DMSP/OLS imagery for monitoring dynamics in human settlement and economic activity at regional to global scales has been widely verified in previous studies through statistical correlations between nighttime light brightness and demographic and economic variables ( and ). The quantitative relationship between long-term nighttime light signals and urbanization variables, required for extensive application of DMSP/OLS data for estimating and projecting the trajectory of urban development, however, are not well addressed for individual cities at a local scale. We here present analysis results concerning quantitative responses of stable nighttime lights derived from time series of DMSP/OLS imagery to changes in urbanization variables during 1994â2009 for more than 200 prefectural-level cities and municipalities in China. To identify the best-fitting model for nighttime lights-based measurement of urbanization processes with different development patterns, we comparatively use three regression models: linear, power-law and exponential functions to quantify the long-term relationships between nighttime weighted light area and four urbanization variables: population, gross domestic product (GDP), built-up area and electric power consumption. Our results suggest that nighttime light brightness could be an explanatory indicator for estimating urbanization dynamics at the city level. Various quantitative relationships between urban nighttime lights and urbanization variables may indicate diverse responses of DMSP/OLS nighttime light signals to anthropogenic dynamics in urbanization process in terms of demographic and economic variables. At the city level, growth in weighted lit area may take either a linear, concave (exponential) or convex (power law) form responsive to expanding human population and economic activities during urbanization. Therefore, in practice, quantitative models for using DMSP/OLS data to estimate urbanization dynamics should vary with different patterns of urban development, particularly for cities experiencing rapid urban growth at a local scale.
Keywords: Urbanization; DMSP-OLS; Nighttime light; Statistical analysis; China; remote sensing; satellite; light at night
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Gonzalez, S. A., Yanez-Navea, K., & Munoz, M. (2014). Effect of coastal urbanization on sandy beach coleoptera Phaleria maculata (Kulzer, 1959) in northern Chile. Mar Pollut Bull, 83(1), 265–274.
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Abstract: The beetle Phaleria maculata is a common inhabitant of the upper intertidal fringe of Chilean beaches. Anthropogenic intervention in coastal areas has increased intensely, leading to changes in the flora and fauna of sandy beaches. To examine the impact of human activities on P. maculata, we studied several beaches along the northern Chilean coast. Beaches were characterized based on morphodynamics and the level of intervention, leading to the estimation of an “Urbanization Index” based on various indicators. The analysis showed a significant inverse correlation between the rate of urbanization and night sky quality. Larval and adult beetles were almost absent on beaches with high levels of urbanization. The results of simple and multiple correlations based on nMDS ordination showed an inverse relationship between increases in urbanization and the abundance of beetles. Because darkling beetles are very sensitive to human interventions on sandy beaches, we suggest that they are ideal indicator organisms for the health of these environments.
Keywords: Anthropogenic impact; Coastal urbanization index; Light pollution; Marine tenebrionid; Phaleria maculata; beetles; insects; urbanization; Chile; morphodynamics; Urbanization Index; indicator organisms
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Perkin, E. K., Hölker, F., Tockner, K., & Richardson, J. S. (2014). Artificial light as a disturbance to light-naïve streams. Freshw Biol, 59(11), 2235–2244.
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Abstract: Summary
Artificial light at night is prevalent in human-dominated landscapes, and streams in these landscapes can be expected to be affected by artificial lights. We hypothesised that artificial light at night would reduce the activity of aquatic insects, resulting in reduced drift rates, lower fish growth rates and lower leaf litter decomposition rates.
We tested these hypotheses by installing street lights to reaches in four forested, natural streams of coastal British Columbia each paired with a control reach. Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) are the top predators in these streams and feed mostly on terrestrial and drifting aquatic invertebrates.
We found that the night-time drift of aquatic invertebrates in lit reaches was ˜50% of the drift in dark reaches. However, the density of emerging aquatic insects, the density of insects falling into reaches, leaf litter decomposition rate and the number and growth rate of trout caught were not significantly different between the dark and experimentally lit reaches.
We conclude that, while short-term exposure to artificial light during the summer changes invertebrate behaviour, it does not significantly alter other trophic levels in forested headwater streams. Our results suggest that low levels of artificial light do not strongly influence stream ecosystems, but future research should determine whether this is true for all seasons and longer-term exposure to light. | http://alandb.darksky.org/search.php?sqlQuery=SELECT%20author%2C%20title%2C%20type%2C%20year%2C%20publication%2C%20abbrev_journal%2C%20volume%2C%20issue%2C%20pages%2C%20keywords%2C%20abstract%2C%20thesis%2C%20editor%2C%20publisher%2C%20place%2C%20abbrev_series_title%2C%20series_title%2C%20series_editor%2C%20series_volume%2C%20series_issue%2C%20edition%2C%20language%2C%20author_count%2C%20online_publication%2C%20online_citation%2C%20doi%2C%20serial%2C%20area%20FROM%20refs%20WHERE%20keywords%20RLIKE%20%22urbanization%22%20ORDER%20BY%20volume_numeric%20DESC&submit=Cite&citeStyle=APA&citeOrder=&orderBy=volume_numeric%20DESC&headerMsg=&showQuery=0&showLinks=0&formType=sqlSearch&showRows=5&rowOffset=0&client=&viewType=Print |
A sudden increase in the incidence of scrapie in Italy in 1997 was subsequently linked to the use of a potentially infected vaccine against contagious agalactia. The relative risk for the exposed farms ranged between 6 and 40. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact of exposure to the potentially scrapie-contaminated vaccine on the Italian classical scrapie epidemic. We carried out a retrospective cohort study, fitting mixed-effects Poisson regression models, dividing national geographic areas into exposure categories on the basis of the vaccine circulation levels. We took into account the sensitivity of the surveillance system applied in the different areas. The population attributable fraction (PAF) was used to assess the impact on the total population of farms associated with the effect of circulation of the vaccine. The provinces where the vaccine was more often sold were noted to have a higher level of disease when compared to those provinces where the vaccine was sold less often (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-6.5). The population attributable fraction was high (68.4%). Standardization techniques allowed to account for the potential of geographical variability in the sensitivity of the Italian surveillance system. Although the number of the directly exposed farms was limited, an important long-term impact of the vaccine circulation could be quantified in terms of secondary outbreaks likely due to the exchange of animals from directly exposed flocks.
A sudden increase in the incidence of scrapie in Italy in 1997 was subsequently linked to the administration of a potentially infected vaccine against contagious agalactia. The commonly known risk factors for scrapie are the prion protein genotype and flock management practices such as movement of animals, sharing pastures with other flocks, and flock size[1–13]. As the epidemic unfolded, the large number of cases, the temporal clustering of the outbreaks, the exceptional involvement of goats, a species in which scrapie is rarely reported, the high in-flock incidence and the recurring reporting of exposure to a unique vaccine in many outbreaks all pointed to an accidental infection. This hypothesis was consistent with Gordon’s description (1946) of a similar episode that had occurred in Scotland in 1937 when a sudden epidemic peak of scrapie was associated with the circulation of a vaccine against Louping ill. The investigations led to a vaccine batch that had been produced from the nervous tissue of lambs affected by scrapie in the incubative stage of the infection.
In the Italian accident, the vaccine was a formol-inactivated immunogen against contagious agalactia prepared by a single manufacturer (Rome, Italy) from the brain and mammary gland homogenates of sheep experimentally infected with Mycoplasma agalactiae[14, 16]. The vaccine was distributed between November 1994 and December 1996 in eight regions of central and southern Italy where flocks currently number about 78 000.
A study conducted in 2004 by our group has shown that the relative risk for the exposed farms versus the farms where the animals had not been administered the vaccine ranged between 6 and 40. However, the impact on the general population in terms of proportion of disease attributable to exposure was limited, probably because of the limited number of the farms that were directly exposed. The effect the circulation of a potentially infected vaccine may have on the onset of secondary outbreaks and its effect in terms of population impact can be quantified by analysing long-term data series.
In European countries the passive surveillance system for scrapie has been integrated since 2002 with an active surveillance program targeting samples of the sheep and goat populations older than 18 months of age. Animals are identified within different risk streams, i.e., as healthy animals at abattoir or fallen stock, and are submitted to the so-called rapid tests for the detection of abnormal PrP in the brainstem. The probability of case detection (i.e., surveillance sensitivity) is highest among fallen stock and increases with the number of animals tested per flock[18–21]. Accordingly, standardized incidence data adjusted for surveillance sensitivity at the provincial level are needed in order to make unbiased geographical comparisons.
The application of surveillance systems with geographical heterogeneous sensitivity may lead to different probabilities to detect the disease. Observed incidence rates or prevalence data don't take these differences into account and could be misleading when making geographical comparisons.
The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact of exposure to a potentially scrapie-contaminated vaccine on the Italian classical scrapie epidemic. We carried out a retrospective cohort study, dividing national geographic areas into exposure categories on the basis of the vaccine circulation levels. We compared the disease frequency in the subsequent years in each of the exposure categories, taking into account the sensitivity of the surveillance system applied.
In this way we were able to identify an association between the surveillance-adjusted incidence level of the disease and the diffusion of the vaccine even long after direct exposure. Also, we were able to quantify the impact in terms of percentage of outbreaks attributable to the circulation of the vaccine by estimating the population attributable fraction.
The analysis focused on the eight regions of central and southern Italy where the vaccine had been distributed (Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia). The vaccine had been reportedly used in 29 out of 45 provinces in these regions.
The data from three different datasets were analysed: national surveillance data, vaccine distribution data and National Animal Registry Office data.
We used data from the Small Ruminant TSE national database maintained by the Reference Centre for Animal Encephalopathy at IZSPLVA.
Data from active surveillance for scrapie in sheep and goats in the study area from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2005a were considered because we assumed that data from later years could conceal the potential effect of the vaccine. This dataset comprised data from 95 714 animals tested in the surveillance stream of regularly slaughtered animals and from 11 757 animals tested in the fallen stock stream, thus recruiting a total of 16 755 flocks for the study. These data were then aggregated at the flock level to obtain the number of animals tested per holding in the two surveillance streams. County, parish, and holding (CPH) identifiers were used to identify each flock.
We then used the data on the 50 outbreaks of classical scrapie in sheep and 7 outbreaks in goats identified by active surveillance on fallen stock and regularly slaughtered animals in the study area during the same period.
A list was obtained of the 177 flock farmers who had bought the formol inactivated vaccine against contagious agalactia between November 1994 and December 1996. This period is consistent with the higher risk of contamination of the vaccine according to the information provided by the vaccine manufacturer. Although brain homogenates of sheep infected with Mycoplasma agalactiae were no longer used as an ingredient in the vaccine, its production continued up to July 1997. Not all the potentially exposed flocks could be traced back, however, because in some cases the list included only the name of a veterinarian or a retailer instead of the flock farmer’s name. To fill this gap, we compiled a list of 29 veterinarians or retailers who had purchased the vaccine as own stock during the period in question. Data from the two lists were aggregated to provide provincial level data.
We considered the number of farms registered within the National Animal Registry Office for each province. In order to obtain a more reliable size of the susceptible population we decided to use the average number of farms in operation in the 8 regions (78 463 farms) during the 2006–2009 period obtained from the identification and registration system that went into effect at the national level in 2005.
Stata Software 11.1 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX) was used to create the databases and process the data for the statistical analysis. The ArcGIS version 9.2 (ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA) was used to create the thematic maps.
In this retrospective cohort study the incidence rates for each province for the entire study period were calculated as the ratio of the number of new outbreaks observed per 1000 registered farms.
Direct standardization techniques[23, 24] were applied to adjust for surveillance sensitivity in the eight provinces. The incidence rates, standardized on the applied surveillance, allow to obtain the distribution of the disease as if the surveillance was uniformly applied throughout the entire area. We used the dstdize command (Stata).
The total number of farms registered with the National Animal Registry Office in the 108 Italian provinces (n = 138 721) was used as external standard population, from which nine levels of surveillance sensitivity were created based on both the surveillance stream (regularly slaughtered and fallen stock categories) and the categorization of the number of animals tested by stream on each farm.
Within each surveillance stream we defined three sensitivity levels: for the regularly-slaughtered category, a level of 1, 2 or 3 was applied when 1 to 5 (75% of farms), 6 to 12 (15% of farms) or 13 or more animals (10% of farms), respectively, had been tested. Additionally, the farms where no regularly-slaughtered animals had been tested were included into level 1, accounting for the proportion of farms never involved by active surveillance. For the fallen stock stream, the respective intervals were 1 to 2 (75% of farms), 3 to 5 (15% of farms), and 6 or more animals (10% of farms); again, the farms where no fallen stock animals had been tested were included into level 1. Table1 illustrates the scheme of the various combinations.
This distribution was used as external standard population to calculate the standardized incidence rates. For both variables, the classes were created on the basis of the distribution of number of farms (level 1: 75% of farms; level 2: 15% of farms; level 3: 10% of farms. Additionally, the farms where no regularly slaughtered or fallen stock animals had been tested were respectively included into level 1).
Most of the total number of the farms (95.08% of the 138 721 registered farms) were categorized as global surveillance sensitivity level 1.
To estimate the association between vaccine exposure and disease levels for each province, we carried out a preliminary univariate analysis based on Poisson models, wherein the relative risks were computed to obtain the incidence rate ratios. In order to consider the herd size as a possible confounder we included the median of the herd size for each province in this analysis. We then fitted mixed-effects Poisson regression models including the variables that resulted as having a health impact from the univariate analysis. We used a xtpoisson command (Stata) because in this function a gamma distribution with mean 1 and variance alpha is assumed for the level-2 random intercept, to account for a possible within-cluster dependence (i.e. overdispersion).
The number of farms in a given province that had purchased the vaccine was used to define an explanatory variable to quantify the vaccine circulation. In a first model, the number of the observed outbreaks for each province was entered as a dependent variable to assess the role of exposure to vaccine. The number of registered flocks in each province was considered as offset. Region was included as a random-effect variable.
To investigate the potential role of the vaccine due to its distribution through veterinarians or retailers, a categorical variable based on the number of veterinarians or retailers who had purchased the vaccine as own stock in each province was subsequently added as a covariate.
On the basis of the number of farms which had bought the vaccine, three exposure levels (ELfarm) were defined: (1) provinces where 0–4 farms bought the vaccine (66.7% of provinces); (2) provinces where 5–10 farms bought the vaccine (20.0% of provinces); (3) provinces where > 10 farms bought the vaccine (13.3% of provinces). For the variable based on the number of veterinarians or retailers, two exposure levels (ELvet) were defined: (1) provinces where 0–1 veterinarian or retailer bought the vaccine (86.7% of provinces); (2) provinces where > 1 veterinarian or retailer bought the vaccine (13.3% of provinces).
The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was applied to compare the models including and not including each explanatory variable and to compare the mixed- and fixed-effect models. These models were then fitted using standardized incidence rates adjusted for surveillance sensitivity based on the data shown in Table1. The number of expected outbreaks for each province constituted the dependent variable obtained by multiplying the standardized rates by the number of registered farms.
The statistical significance of a linear dose-response trend of the number of farms which had bought the vaccine (exposure level) with respect to the disease incidence level was tested using the Wald test to verify the statistical significance of the linear regression coefficient of the vaccine circulation variable entered as a continuous variable in all four models[27, 28].
RRi is the adjusted relative risk for the i th exposure category (relative to the unexposed stratum).
The distribution of exposure to the vaccine and the distribution of disease in the province where the vaccine had been distributed are shown in thematic maps. The maps were generated from the number of farms that had purchased the vaccine and the standardized rates for each of the 45 provinces.
Twenty-five provinces of the 8 regions where the vaccine had been distributed experienced at least one scrapie outbreak. The range of variability of the 4-year standardized incidence rates (2002–2005) for the 25 provinces was 0.20 to 5.8 outbreaks/1000 farms, with ≤ 0.84 cases/1000 farms in 50% of these provinces.
Figure1 shows the distribution by province of the standardized incidence rates in the 8 regions where the vaccine circulated: the provinces with the highest risk of the disease are concentrated in central Italy, Sicily and Sardinia.
Standardized incidence rates in the provinces of the regions where the vaccine circulated (quartile). The provinces characterized by the highest risk of disease are concentrated in central Italy, Sicily and Sardinia.
Figure2 illustrates the distribution by province of the number of farms that had directly purchased the vaccine from the manufacturer between November 1994 and December 1996 in the 8 regions: most of the provinces where an elevated number of farms purchased the vaccine are concentrated in central Italy. In 29 of the 45 provinces at least one farm had directly bought the vaccine. In 50% of the 29 provinces less than 6 farms had purchased the vaccine (range: 1–18). In 16 provinces the vaccine was also distributed by one or more retailers or veterinarians.
Distribution of the number of purchaser farms in the eight Italian regions (quartile). The map shows the distribution of the number of farms that had bought the vaccine directly from the manufacturer between November 1994 and December 1996 in each province. Most of the provinces where an elevated number of farms had purchased the vaccine are concentrated in central Italy.
As both the exposure variables (i.e. categorization of the number of veterinarians or retailers who had purchased the vaccine and categorization of the number of farms that had bought the vaccine) showed a significant association at the univariate analysis, they were considered as potential risk factors (Table2) to be entered into the subsequent regression models. Even the median farm size per province was statistically significant in the preliminary analysis; however, when included in the final models, it didn't have an impact on the effect of the other variables (data not shown).
Both exposure variables related to the vaccine [(1) categorization of the number of veterinarians or retailers who had purchased the vaccine and (2) categorization of the number of farms that had bought the vaccine] show a significant association with disease levels. The categorization of the number of farms that had bought the vaccine shows a statistically significant upward trend in risk. The median farm size for each province resulted as not having a health impact on the disease risk.
(*) Test for trend: χ2 = 2.92, P value = 0.003.
Tables3 shows the results of the Poisson regression models fitted to assess the association between the incidence of the disease and the exposure level to the vaccine at the provincial level.
AIC = Akaike Information Criterion. IRR = incidence rate ratios (IRR) indicating the increase in the risk of the disease with, respectively, the increasing number of vaccine purchaser farms or the increasing of veterinarians or retailers who had purchased the vaccine, per province. The AIC values in brackets refer to fixed-effect models based on the same covariates.
Model 1 included as independent variables the three categories of the number of farms (by province) that had purchased the vaccine. The incidence rate ratios (IRR) indicate a rise in the risk of the disease as the number of vaccine purchaser farms increases, with a 4-fold risk for level 3 (provinces where at least 10 farms had bought the vaccine). The goodness of fit of this model was better than that of the same model in which we used fixed effects, as shown by AIC values of 133.8 and 140.1, respectively, showing a significant random effect for the region.
Model 2 included as covariates both the three categories of the number of vaccine purchaser farms and the two categories of the number of veterinarians or retailers who had purchased the vaccine.
The Wald test to verify the statistical significance of the linear regression coefficient was significant in both models, evidencing a linear dose-response trend between the number of farms that had bought the vaccine and the disease incidence levels (model 1: Wald chi-square = 10.6, P value = 0.001; model 2: Wald chi-square = 14.3, P value = 0.0008).
In model 2 the risk in the provinces where more than 1 veterinarian or retailer had bought the vaccine as own stock is higher than the risk in the provinces where 0 or 1 bought it; however, the difference was not statistically significant (95% CI: 0.91 - 4.1).
Again, the comparison of the AIC of the fixed-effects model with the AIC of the mixed-effects model showed a significant random effect of the region (136.1 vs 132.9).
Model 3 and model 4 were fitted by modelling the direct standardized incidence rates. As in the case of model 1, model 3 included as an independent variable only the three categories of the number of farms (by province) that had purchased the vaccine. The incidence rate ratios (IRR) indicate that, with the increasing number of vaccine purchaser farms, the risk of the disease also increases.
As for model 2, the two categories of the number of veterinarians or retailers who had purchased the vaccine were entered into model 4 as a covariate. Again, there was an upward trend in the risk with the increasing number of farms per province that had purchased the vaccine. The risk in the provinces where more than 1 veterinarian or retailer had bought the vaccine as own stock was higher than the risk in the other provinces, however, the difference was not statistically significant.
For both models, the AIC value of the mixed-effect models was higher than the AIC value of the fixed-effects models (model 3: 116.3 vs 114.3; model 4: 116.0 vs 114.0).
The Wald test of the linear regression coefficient to check for the dose-response relationship between the three levels of vaccine exposure and scrapie incidence was 4.36 (chi-square = 0.036) for model 3 and 5.47 (chi-square 0.065) for model 4.
Finally, the population attributable fraction estimated for the number of expected cases obtained by direct standardization was 68.4%, indicating that more than two-thirds of the outbreaks observed in the study area between 2002 and 2005 might be attributable to an indirect exposure to the vaccine.
The findings of this study show a heterogeneous distribution of scrapie incidence in the Italian provinces between 2002 and 2005, even after standardization to account for surveillance heterogeneity. The results of the regression models suggest that some of these differences are related to the long-term effect of the circulation of a vaccine against contagious agalactia. This is also consistent with a linear trend, i.e., a dose-response relationship between the vaccine exposure level (number of farms that had purchased the vaccine) and the level of crude and adjusted incidence of disease. The results suggest that the effect of the vaccine is statistically significant when a large number of farms per province bought it. Finally, the very high population attributable fraction indicates that the indirect impact of vaccine circulation on the spread of scrapie within the Italian small ruminant population has been relevant in terms of secondary outbreaks likely due to the exchange of animals from directly exposed flocks.
An important aspect in epidemiological studies is the evaluation of the spatial distribution of infectious diseases because it allows potentially influencing factors to be identified. When we want to compare different geographical areas, we need to choose judiciously among the criteria for selecting outbreaks and exposed populations. In scrapie, for instance, outbreak notification relies on passive and active surveillance systems, which have been integrated in European countries since 2002. In this study we decided to not include outbreaks notified by passive surveillance because under this system the decision whether or not to include or exclude an individual animal is not under the direct control of the veterinary authorities. This, in turn, can lead to underreporting of disease occurrence and to differences in surveillance sensitivity in different regions.
Active surveillance coverage holds an important role in disease control and its uneven application in the field may influence the probability of case detection when a disease is present. It's possible to correct for this heterogeneity, however, by considering both the total number of animals tested for each holding and their risk category. Several studies evaluating surveillance systems and their effectiveness in public health[32–34] have highlighted their importance and complexity: to address this issue, we applied classical standardization techniques to obtain comparable incidence rates at the geographical level.
When we compared the geographical crude incidence rates, we found a regional effect on the disease distribution. This effect was no longer evident when we applied the same model to the adjusted incidence rates, suggesting that the regional effect may be connected to the applied surveillance sensitivity, which was already included in models 3 and 4 using the standardized data.
A potential source of bias in our study may be the lack of a complete database of the farms that had been exposed to the vaccine. Reconstructing the actual vaccine commercial circuit was challenging. The lists of the vaccine purchaser farms and of the seller veterinarians that were used as proxy for exposure may have been incomplete, resulting in an underestimation of the true circulation of the vaccine. On the basis of the number of vaccinated flocks in each province, we assumed that all the flocks in a given province had experienced similar exposure. Accordingly, we used average exposure levels rather than actual individual values, as is frequently done in geographical studies when the ecological fallacy is possible. In both cases, however, it's unlikely that the direction of the observed impact of the vaccine on the disease distribution would have been cancelled or reversed if our data had been more complete.
The models we fitted allowed, for the first time, the quantification of the disease risk associated with the vaccine circulation also for the farms that were only indirectly exposed to it. Moreover, the estimated population attributable fraction proved a good indicator of the real impact on the entire population of vaccination. The use of this measure of association in public health can be very useful, since it allows the quantification of the cases of disease that could have been avoided after eliminating the exposure to the risk factor[29, 30, 36].
The very high value of population attributable fraction that we obtained may explain the scrapie incidence levels observed in the study area so far. However, it cannot completely account for the current risk of infection for the farms located in the provinces considered because other local factors will have inevitably influenced the epidemiology of the disease in the ensuing years.
The vaccine’s impact on the secondary outbreaks can be explained by the presence of additional risk factors which, in general, contribute to the spread of the disease, foremost of which is the exchange of live animals from directly exposed farms. It might be interesting to quantify the different degrees of the movement of live animals in different provinces. To do this, however, each animal would need to be individually identifiable, and such information is not currently available for sheep and goats. Furthermore, animal exchange or genetic susceptibility is unlikely to have acted as a confounding factor as there is no reason to assume that either might be linked to exposure to the vaccine.
In conclusion, with this study we were able to quantify an important long-term impact of the vaccine accident, even if the number of directly exposed farms was limited. Our study shows that a large proportion of the scrapie outbreaks, which occurred in the provinces exposed to a vaccine against contagious agalactia in 1997, can be explained by exposure. Therefore, relevant long-term consequences for scrapie incidence may be expected if a vaccine accident occurs. With the use of standardization techniques we can rule out a bias due to differences in surveillance sensitivity.
Beyond the effect of the vaccine, the heterogeneous distribution of scrapie in Italy deserves further research to identify local risk factors for properly assessing the effectiveness of the national control strategy of scrapie, which is largely based on the genetic selection programme.
a These data were aggregated at the provincial level. The territory was subdivided into provincial administrative units with their relative codes according to the 2005 data from the National Institute of Statistics.
The authors would like to thank the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Rome, Italy, for providing the vaccine distribution data and the National Animal Registry Office at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “Giuseppe Caporale” delle Regioni Abruzzo e Molise, Teramo, Italy, for providing the farm registry data.
This study was supported by a grant from the Italian Ministry of Health, “Ricerca corrente 07RC23”.
BS, MC, IF, RG: conceived the study, participated in its design and data analysis, and drafted the manuscript. BC: was responsible for surveillance data collection and management. DR, BE, CL, CM: assisted in the data analysis and reviewed the paper. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
National Institute of Statistics: Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. http://www.istat.it/strumenti/definizioni/comuni/. | https://veterinaryresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1297-9716-43-63 |
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- MIN. 1 YEAR EXPERIENCE IN RELATED FIELD
- EDUCATION: COLLEGE GRADUATE
SUMMARY:
To assist with the technical functions of dispensing prescriptions, assist as appropriate in the delivery of pharmacy services and participate in the maintenance and operations of the Pharmacy as described by the Pharmacy Standards of Practice, and to provide superior, timely, and pleasant service to customers.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Customer Service
Greet customer promptly and gather prescription information according to Standard Operating Procedures
Perform duties in priority according to Role assigned on Role Assignment Schedule
Refer to the pharmacist all clinical inquiries, for example, those related to medication purpose, use and recommendations diseases and conditions; professional fees; and other inquiries as required by law or company policy
Set realistic customer expectations as to wait times and effectively communicate the time to the customer
Locate and cash out prescriptions and any ancillary items, according to Standard Operating Procedures
Provide accurate information in response to customer inquiries (e.g. store policies, Loyalty), according to • Standard Operating Procedures. Resolve customer issues according to established standards, ensuring appropriate intervention by the pharmacist
Draw customer attention to literature or information as required
Ensure customers requiring counseling are referred to the pharmacist in a timely and appropriate manner.
Maintain and control the cash register in the dispensary in accordance with cash handling policies and procedures
Managing customer inquiries both in person and over the phone
Adhere to all confidentiality and privacy requirements
Administration
Receive new and repeat prescription orders in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures
Prepare and submit orders with the exception of controlled drugs and narcotics
Adjudicate third party billing, online and manage manual Third-Party Accounts, collecting outstanding monies from customers where necessary
Answer telephone, ensuring that appropriate telephone etiquette is observed at all times and referring to a pharmacist when necessary
Manage incoming faxes according to Pharmacy Standards of Practice
Assist pharmacist in coordinating call backs
Identify patients who are candidates for pharmacy services where appropriate and provide administrative support to the Pharmacist
Contact physicians’ offices as needed (e.g. for special authorization requests etc.) and maintain all relevant documentation
Accurately file completed documentation as per Pharmacy Standards of Practice, in a timely and organized manner
Give general assistance with daily pharmacy activities.
Take prescriptions from clients in person and over the phone.
Package, label and dispense medications.
Check inventory and restock drugs and other items.
Check for expired medications and discard it properly. | https://www.mustakbil.com/jobs/job/204755 |
Assists other students in any of these acts.
knowingly and intentionally assisting another student in any of the above.
Do not disrupt the instructor during instruction with off-topic questions or comments.
Do not dominate any discussion.
Give other students the opportunity to join in the discussion.
Present ideas appropriately and without judgement.
Keep an open mind and be willing to express even your minority opinion. Minority opinions have to be respected.
Do not hesitate to ask for positive and constructive feedback when it is appropriate.
Give assistance to other students when it is allowed by the instructor.
All CDISC learner personal information and training records will be restricted from public access. CDISC will never share learner contact details with any third party. CDISC Ed and its partners utilize a standardized and centralized record management system for filing and storing learner personal and training information. This system will assure ease of retrieval, availability and accessibility of the learner training record without sacrificing the confidentiality of the learner training information.
All CDISC learners can obtain a copy of their learner records by logging into their user accounts at learn.cdisc.org. Learners may also request a copy of their record by contacting CDISC Education ([email protected]).
Learners can visit our learning management system’s security and privacy compliance page for more information regarding their privacy and security policies.
Learner information, including learning event information, which is provided to CDISC Education Representatives may not be used for any other purpose, or be passed on by the CDISC Learner Representatives to any other user.
CDISC Learner Representatives are responsible for the security of all data to which they have access. This involves establishing policies/procedures regarding access security to electronic records, keeping disks or printouts in locked cabinets, periodically updating passwords, and ensuring that terminals are properly signed off when not in use.
Confidential information regarding learners may not be released in any personally identifiable format without permission of the learner.
A CDISC Education representative will respond with the requested record or reply with more information requirements.
Please contact CDISC Education ([email protected]) for more information about accessing you CDISC learner records. Please also refer to the CDISC policy on learner record privacy below.
will confirm criteria for CEUs were met by learner.
One CEU represents 10 learning contact hours, truncated to one decimal place.
Example 1: a course that has 17 hours of allowable learning contact time yields 17 / 10 = 1.7 CEUs.
Example 2: a course has 15 hours of total contact time, of which 3.75 hours are not allowable yields 15 - 3.75 = 11.25 allowable hours; 11.25 / 10 = 1.125, which is truncated to 1.1 CEUs.
ASSESSMENTS - Time used to complete learner assessments and program evaluations.
CONFERENCES - Planned learning activities within conferences events, including sessions, workshops and any other event that was developed and delivered following CDISC Education’s development processes.
SELF-PACED LEARNING - Planned program of learning in which the student determines the order and timing of the course materials, and in which the learner’s progress is tracked and feedback is provided through standardized assessments; no instructor participates in the process. These are typically online and on-demand.
Activities that do Not Qualify for CEUs - The following activities are not eligible for awarding CEUs.
Education representative will maintain online learning record database.
Learning records will be maintained in a secure location in order to protect learner confidentiality and record integrity.
Learner can access training records through online LMS learning record database.
Instructions for accessing online LMS learning record database are accessible on CDISC Education “Information for Learners” webpage on CDISC website.
Education representative will provide technical support to learners on retrieving learning records in online LMS learning record database as needed.
Education will maintain confidentiality by releasing learning records only to the learner.
If an individual wishes to access another learner’s records, they must obtain written and signed permission from record holder.
For more information on CEUs and CDISC training, contact CDISC Education at [email protected].
The fees for public courses can be viewed on the course registration form. Fees for other classroom courses can be requested from CDISC Education by emailing [email protected]. Online course fees are listed in the cdisc.trainingcampus.net Product Catalog page after a user creates and logs into a user account. Fees may vary by geographic location of employer and by CDISC membership level.
All CDISC learners can obtain a copy of their learner records by logging into their user accounts at learn.cdisc.org. Learners may also request a copy of their record by contacting CDISC Education ([email protected]). Learners can visit our learning management system provider’s security and privacy compliance page or contact them via email ([email protected]) for more information regarding their privacy and security policies.
For general information about CDISC courses, webinars or to schedule a CDISC public, private, or licensed training, please email [email protected].
For technical information regarding CDISC's online learning managment system, please contact [email protected].
For general inquiries about CDISC, please complete the Contact Form on the CDISC website. | https://www.cdisc.org/education/information-for-learners |
Accessibility Expert in a Non-government Organization in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Presentation of competencies
Developing positive attitudes and values towards adult learners with disabilities
Attitude towards adult learners with disabilities
The expert understands the importance of inclusion and participation of people with disabilities and demonstrates positive values and attitudes.
Expectations from adult learners with disabilities
The expert has a positive attitude towards the abilities of people and is experienced in strategies which support people to reach their potential.
Providing an accessible environment for learning
Accessibility review
The expert is able to test the physical environment on its accessibility and work with an organisation to develop strategies to improve and evaluate it.
Professional Assistance
The expert is able to support organisations in developing internal resources and competencies on accessibility and locating other experts.
Providing an accessible digital learning environment for learning
Digital and technical literacy
The expert is able to train organisational staff on accessibility technologies.
Planning accessible learning
Planning learning and assessment
The expert is experienced in person-centred support planning and able to train teaching staff to ensure flexible learning.
Supporting accessible learning
Self-directed learning
The expert can assist organizations in promoting and independently in their training offers and training.
Communicating and public relations
Promoting the learning provision
The expert knows strategies und methods to promote inclusive courses and trainings by addressing learners with and without disabilities.
Reference Projects
Sorry, there are no references for this user yet! | http://aemanet.eu/en/users/veselin-angelov |
Influencing and promoting policy for equitable access
This module looks at how to improve the elements of an organisation's digital technology strategy that relate to accessibility and its significance for bringing about change in teaching and learning practice.
Aim
This module shows you how to influence and promote effective policy for addressing issues of equitable access to digital technology.
Objective
After completing this module you will be able to:
- review the application and impact of policy for addressing issues in y our own pedagogical practice
- suggest improvements and changes for the next round of policy making
Digital Teaching Professional Framework
This module covers the DTPF component - F1 : Accessibility
- Provide equitable access to appropriate digital technologies and resources, e.g. ensuring that all learners have access to the digital technologies used.
- Select and use digital strategies which respond to the learner's digital context, e.g. contextual constraints to their technology use (e.g. availability, institutional restrictions - offender learning, work based learning), competences, expectations, attitudes, misconceptions and misuses.
- Use digital technologies and strategies, e.g. assistive technologies, designed for learners' in need of special support (e.g. learners with physical or mental constraints; learners with learning disorders).
- Consider and respond to potential accessibility issues when selecting, modifying or creating digital resources and to provide alternative or compensatory tools or approaches for learners with special needs.
- Use design principles for increasing accessibility for the resources and digital environments used in teaching.
- Continuously monitor and reflect on the suitability of the measures implemented to improve accessibility and adapt strategies accordingly.
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This is the Leading stage, which recognises you have a high level of knowledge about accessibility and can start to guide and support peers. | https://enhance.etfoundation.co.uk/modules/1047/influencing-and-promoting-policy-for-equitable-access |
About the Role
In this role, the Associate Customer Success Manager (ACSM) has a strong focus on clients, their email programs, and how to troubleshoot any issues they are having with email deliverability, based on the data and tools customers have available to them through Validity’s Everest platform.
The ACSM is responsible for delivering ongoing proactive and reactive support to our customer community. “Community” refers to the customers who, based on spend, do not receive a dedicated Customer Support Manager for general product and support inquiries, but instead their requests are managed through a team of Associate Success Managers via a queue. In addition to managing a queue of incoming requests, ACSMs are also responsible for delivering proactive outreach to the community, ensuring timely, relevant, and meaningful information is shared that will improve customer adoption, retention, and the overall customer experience.
Each day will vary but an ACSM can expect a typical day to consist of managing the incoming customer request queue alongside other ACSMs, providing general guidance and instructions to customers, problem-solving customer issues, and proactively reaching out to customers with relevant content and periodic check-ins.
About the Team
The Associate Customer Success Manager reports to the Director of Customer Success. The ACSM works very closely within their Community CSM team to manage the queue of customer inquiries focused on resolving customer requests as quickly as possible and delivering an exceptional customer experience. The ACSM also works very closely with the Customer Support team in transferring queries to them which require more technical support and vice versa. The ACSMs also work alongside Dedicated CSMs (owning 1:1 customer relationships) for sharing best practices but also to ensure smooth handover of customers moving across dedicated/pooled as well as with the team responsible for onboarding new customers.
We are looking for a candidate who is positive, driven and has a customer-first mentality. The candidate must be an exceptional team player, as this team’s success requires an equally distributed workload across the team, with efficient execution of customer queries whilst maintaining high service standards and customer satisfaction. This individual is someone who works well with others, has a “get the job done” mentality, and can contribute his/her own expertise in Email and/or customer success to ensure high levels of adoption and customer retention.
Position Duties and Responsibilities
- Responsible for fielding incoming customer requests and questions via email, tickets, and calls and following up on all actions agreed with the customer promptly
- Effectively manage customer inquiries that are outside of team scope, ensuring properly routed to the right team and issue addressed in a timely manner, ultimately owning customer interaction and resolution.
- Proactively schedules quarterly check-ins with an assigned group of customers, conducting client meetings to communicate best practices, successes, and data results.
- Proactive outreach at scale – help produce and execute a proactive communication plan to customers with “reasons to call” topics that represent specific trends, new/changing requirements, promote new features, or address recurring challenges to ensure the outreach is meaningful and customers derive value.
- Proactive outreach relevance - works to understand how our products best support customers depending on their organizational structure, business model, and email and data goals to provide quick and efficient guidance and recommendations to effectively use the Validity tools and solutions at scale.
- Understand and demo new product releases/features to customers and provide customers with metrics to showcase value over time
- Ensure stickiness by ensuring the product is used to its fullest capacity and new use cases are identified
- Work closely with Sales, Support, Marketing, Product, and Executive teams as the internal champion for customers
Required Experience, Skills, and Education
- 1-2 years in a customer service/support role, managing customer inquiries in a fast-paced environment with a large software customer base. Excellent communication skills and presentation skills
- Sales acumen to work closely with account executives to support upsell efforts
- Ability to conduct business analysis and ask questions that reveal answers on how to adapt offerings to meet customer needs
- Be self-motivated and success-driven
- Ability to quickly build rapport and build strong and productive working relationships
- Project management experience to manage post-sale implementations, create and execute post-sale meeting cadence with customers to monitor rollout success, help set customer expectations, report on issues, and help mitigate risks in implementations
- Thrive in a fast-paced environment
Preferred Experience, Skills, and Education
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of relevant experience
- Email Deliverability experience a plus
- Salesforce configuration or technical background a plus
About Validity
For over 20 years, tens of thousands of organizations across the world have relied on Validity solutions to target, contact, engage, and retain customers – using trustworthy data as a key advantage. Validity’s flagship products – Everest, DemandTools, BriteVerify, and GridBuddy Cloud – are all highly rated, #1 solutions for sales and marketing professionals.. These solutions deliver smarter email campaigns, more qualified leads, more productive sales, and ultimately faster growth.
Validity is a truly unique company - massive revenue growth, top-tier investors, 5-star product ratings, proven ability to acquire and integrate top tech companies and welcome them into the Validity family, a winning culture, and a work environment that fosters hard work, trust, and fun.
Headquartered in Boston, Validity has offices in Tampa, Denver, Indianapolis, London, Paris, Sao Paulo, and Sydney. For more information, visit connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Validity is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, parental or pregnancy status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or veteran status. | https://neuvoo.com.br/view/?id=22719fc87057 |
24+ Advanced Learning Loans will be available for learners in further education and training, including Advanced and Higher Apprenticeships. Learners aged 24 and over studying at Level 3 and above, will now be investing in their own futures alongside their employers.
In preparation for the launch of loans in April 2013, providers in the further education and skills sector will be facing a challenging agenda of business change in order to accommodate fee paying learners.
From September 2012, LSIS will be offering practical support to help providers identify the issues they might face in managing learners with loans and in planning and managing the organisational change required. The resources will be designed to support providers in addressing those issues and helping to manage the impact of learners with loans.
Our aim is to provide a rapid and timely response to the real challenges as they arise and our focus is on ensuring continued improvement across the sector.
Please Click Here to read more. | https://www.ytp.org.uk/organisation/latest-news/lsis-support-guidance-for-the-24-learning-loans.html |
Ultima Skills Ltd is committed to maintaining high standards of health and safety for our employees and learners, both on our site and at that of any alternative classrooms or learner workplaces, and this statement recognises our obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
It is our objective to minimise the number of instances of occupational accidents and illnesses, and ultimately, achieve a safe environment. To be effective, this policy requires the commitment and active involvement of all managers and staff in order that safety awareness and positive attitudes are fostered and continuous efforts made to maintain this.
Responsibilities
Our Responsibilities
Ultima recognises its responsibility to ensure that company equipment, materials and procedures are made as safe as is reasonably practicable through careful planning, effective organisation and continuous monitoring. Ultima’s responsibilities are to both employees and learners and will take the below actions to ensure this:
- Complete risk assessments of our premises, training areas, work duties (including additional arrangements for apprentices). From this, we will create safe systems of work (SSOW) and ensure all staff and learners are suitably trained with these to limit the adverse effects of the physical environment in which any activities are carried out.
- Carrying out a risk assessment at any new learner workplace, checking their policies for compliance and how they will manage health and safety arrangements. Through this, we provide relevant feedback to the employer to ensure a safe learning/working environment. During the initial process, before an apprentice commences their training, employers will commit to and understand their responsibilities through the commitment statement (located in ILP).
- Provide staff with all necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) making sure training is given on how to use, to ensure that employees stay free from harm.
- Ensure health and safety is embedded into learning to constantly give learners relevant knowledge and experience.
- Make all staff, visitors and learners aware of the health & safety policy and procedures, confirming that they adhere to these.
- To take responsibility for health and safety relating to our premises.
- Respond appropriately to any health and safety issues raised by a learner, employer or employee.
- Promote a health and safety culture throughout the organisation.
- Provide equipment that ensures minimum risk to employees, learners, visitors, etc.
- Continuously improving health, safety and welfare for all employees and learners.
- Ensure employees attend training sessions and fully co-operate with the policy.
Employee Responsibilities
- Recognise their own personal responsibility for following Ultima’s health and safety policy, rules and procedures.
- Attend training as and when required.
- To co-operate fully with the policy.
- To work in a safe manner, following company policies and procedures, ensuring they don’t put themselves, or others, at risk of harm.
- Constantly monitor health and safety risks to learners whilst out on site visits and report any concerns to the operations manager.
Employer Responsibilities
- To induct all learners into the company, supplying relevant training for their role and any equipment required.
- To supply relevant PPE for the learners’ protection, and give training on how to use this.
- Report any learner accidents and ill health to Ultima.
- To have prime responsibility for the learner’s welfare, ensuring relevant legislation requirements are met and adhered to.
- Have a health and safety policy that sets out clear commitment to keeping the learner safe from harm.
- Complete risk assessments and make learners aware of risks identified.
- Supply adequate and relevant support and have a clear reporting procedure for health and safety issues, concerns and incidents.
- Have valid insurance and to report any near misses or accidents to Ultima that the learner is involved in.
Learner Responsibilities
- To work in a safe manner, following company policies and procedures, ensuring not to put themselves, or others, at risk of harm.
- Adhere to rules and regulations set out by their employer.
- Communicate to the employer and Ultima any changes to personal health that could affect the severity of risks when completing their role.
- To report any issues, concerns or accidents to their employer and Ultima.
Our Duty of Care to Learners
Before placing any learners on site with an employer, will with complete our rigorous employer health and safety assessment. This is to confirm the employer has all the relevant policies and processes in place to guarantee the learner’s safety. Any issues identified will be documented on the risk assessment. The employer will be made aware of the improvements to be implemented and together, we will agree a timely target date for completion. If this is the case, no learner will be allowed to enter that employer’s workplace until the actions have been completed and Ultima are confident of our learners’ safety. During this period, Ultima will work with the employer to support them in completing the set actions and help them move forward with improving their health and safety.
During learning, Ultima staff will monitor the suitability of the employer and any learner concerns relating to health and safety. This will be done by checking fulfilment of the employer responsibilities detailed above.
Ultima will embed health and safety into every training visit and will cover during progress reviews. A health and safety questionnaire will be completed at each review and this will look at any issues, concerns, accidents or near misses the learners may have had.
Training
All new Ultima employees will complete an induction into the company that will explain the health and safety policy and procedures. Safe systems of work for duties they will undertake will be explained, and any training of equipment they will be using given.
Ongoing health and safety information and guidance will be issued to staff through team meetings and also through company notice boards.
All learners will receive health and safety training to provide them with relevant knowledge needed for the workplace. Training will be embedded into learning through the scheme of works and lesson plans throughout the whole duration of their course. Any health and safety issues or concerns will be discussed at every progress review, with the learner to ensure they are safe in their job.
Both employees and learners will be trained to spot potential hazards within the workplace and the procedure of how to report these.
First Aid and Accidents
Employees should check with their manager for local arrangements.
All accidents must be reported to the Directors or Operations Manager. They should be reported in writing and made either by the person involved in or a witness to the accident. All accidents or injuries will then be recorded in the site’s accident book.
Further steps may need to be taken due to ill health of a member of staff due to an accident, and in some cases may need to be reported to RIDDOR.
If an incident occurs whilst on alternative premises, this should be reported to the relevant person on that site, and then to senior management. Should a learner be involved in an accident, this must be reported immediately to Ultima’s Directors and Operations manager.
Fire Protection
Fire extinguishers and exit signs are identified. Extinguishers will be checked and maintained to ensure they are in date and in good working order.
It is every employee’s responsibility to familiarise themselves with the closest fire exits at their place of work.
All visitors should be signed in and made aware of their nearest fire exit, and the fire evacuation plans for any classroom should be made to known to those learners.
ANY HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS, RELATING TO EITHER EMPLOYEES OR LEARNERS, WHETHER CLASSROOM OR WORKPLACE BASED, SHOULD BE REPORTED TO ULTIMA’S DIRECTORS OR OPERATIONS MANAGER
Smoking
Ultima Skills Ltd is a non-smoking office and we therefore request that you do not smoke whilst on company premises. This also applies to learners and visitors, and therefore it is the duty of every employee to ensure vistors are aware of this policy.
We do understand that some members of staff are smokers and we would therefore ask these individuals to only smoke during lunch breaks outside the building and out of view of the main entrance. | http://www.ultimaskillstraining.co.uk/health-safety-policy/ |
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Tier 1 Help Desk Engineer is primarily responsible for providing technical support to end users. The ideal candidate will be well spoken, self sufficient, and acquainted with common office productivity software applications. Additionally, he or she must have an excellent sense of judgement to properly evaluate complex issues and deliver immediate effective solutions.
Essential Roles & Responsibilities:
- Utilize the IT Help Desk in Autotask enduring that user requests are handled promptly and that users are satisfied with resolutions.
- Work with others on the Help Desk & the Support team to provide backup when gaps in coverage occur.
- Resolve software and hardware based technical issues on desktops, laptops, mobile devices, printers, etc.
- Maintain expectations of support requests around ETA, any impacts repairs may have, and follow up to ensure issue resolution.
- Escalate issues outside area of expertise to a subject matter expert (SME) when applicable.
- Assist in ensuring data backup and integrity.
- Ensure items under warranty have warranty requests processed and completed by the vendor.
- Maintain Help Desk Scenarios procedures for troubleshooting.
- This position will provide on-call and Emergency Response duties to businesses’ critical applications, help desk support and associated infrastructure as necessary.
- Adhere to all IT policies.
- Provide first line response for users requiring assistance with information technology issues and problems.
- Respond to requests for technical assistance by phone, email and/or communicating learning’s with relevant business units.
- Field in-coming calls to the help desk and provide first-level technical support to internal and external customers, including basic computer hardware and software troubleshooting and problem solving.
- Log all calls into the help desk management system and keep tickets current with correct information as to status and outcomes.
- Facilitate problem resolution, either directly, or by escalating incidents to the technology team.
- Multitask to ensure that Service Level Agreements are met.
- Work as part of a dynamic team with both internal and external customers.
- Others duties as assigned/required.
Communication Skills:
- The Help Desk Engineer uses effective communication skills to manage communication and feedback within the organization. He/she is candid, clear and concise in communication. He/she uses appropriate style, tone and delivery methods to effectively reach the intended audience.
Education:
- High school diploma or general education degree (GED); University Level Education is technology or computer sciences may be substituted for experience.
Language Skills:
- Ability to read and comprehend instructions, correspondence, memos, a CRM and the ability to write effective and efficient correspondence.
- Have a good grasp of the English language and speak with proper grammar and syntax.
Please send resume and referral list to Kevin Le, VP Services ([email protected])
The Equal Employment Opportunity Policy is to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. We hire and promote individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.
We believe that associates should be provided with a working environment which enables each associate to be productive and to work to the best of his or her ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free atmosphere. | http://itworks365.com/tier-1-help-desk-engineer/ |
The NWESD has a long history of working closely with our member school districts to provide programs and support for programs that support mental health and positive, trauma-informed discipline systems. Recent trends in student anxiety levels and school violence, have brought school climate issues into sharp focus. The NWESD is committed to facilitating systems that draw on school and community partnerships to encourage a positive and safe learning environment for all students.
Project AWARE
Marysville School District is one of three pilot sites for Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education) in Washington State. The NWESD is providing support, training, and technical assistance for this important initiative.
ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and NEAR (Neuroscience, Epigenetics, ACEs and Resilience) Science
Research about children affected by adverse childhood experiences has led to a movement to implement trauma-informed classroom and discipline strategies. The NWESD actively supports programs (PBIS, Project CLEAR, etc.) and provides training opportunities in this area.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Academic success is often influenced by the emotional well-being of the student. Youth Mental Health First Aid training can provide staff with the skills to recognize and refer students who are in need of mental health support.
Children's Mental Health
The NWESD has long been an advocate for and participant in Children's Mental Health initiatives throughout the region. We currently provide mental health services through special projects and offer contract services in this area.
Prevention/Intervention
Ensuring a safe and secure educational environment often requires a strong program designed to prevent and mediate behaviors that lead to self-harm among our students.
Alcohol and Drugs
The Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative (CPWI) is the underpinning for the NWESD's alcohol and drug prevention/intervention programs. In partnership with community coalitions, the NWESD is able to provide prevention/intervention services funded through this DSHS program.
Teen Suicide
Teen suicide is a significant problem affecting many of our students either directly or indirectly. The NWESD supports suicide prevention programs and provides suicide prevention training throughout the region.
Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB)
Preventing harassment, intimidation, and bullying is an important element in ensuring a positive learning climate in our schools. The NWESD provides training for staff and support for HIB compliance.
Dropout Prevention and Re-engagement
Keeping students in school and engaged in the learning process can be challenging. The NWESD works closely with school districts to provide support for programs designed to keep students who find themselves involved with the criminal justice system and/or with Becca issues engaged in school. Our services promote completion of programs designed to ensure students get a diploma, a GED, or a vocational certificate while encouraging them to actively participate in career planning.
Open Doors
Open Doors is alternative school program created to target students who are struggling to succeed or have already dropped out of conventional school programs. The NWESD currently operates an Open Doors program in Snohomish County and is working to develop new programs or support existing programs throughout the region. The Open Doors approach has proven to be both popular and successful for this challenging group of students.
Educational Advocates
The NWESD provides Educational Advocates who focus on student academic, social/emotional, & physical health in order to overcome barriers which prevent student success in school. Advocates serve students re-entering their community and school settings from the judicial system as well as students who have been identified by schools as potential dropouts.
Truancy
Working to reduce and mitigate truancy is an ongoing issue for our school districts. The NWESD is committed to supporting districts as they work through issues involving Becca cases and the new legislative directive to create community truancy boards. | https://old.nwesd.org/behavior_health |
The expert understands the importance of inclusion and participation of people with disabilities and demonstrates positive values and attitudes.
The expert has a positive attitude towards the abilities of people and is experienced in strategies which support people to reach their potential.
The expert is skilled in methods which promote positive attitude and values among the learners.
The expert is able to support organisations in developing an inclusive model of education.
The expert understands accessibility legislation and guidelines and is able to advise an organisation to fulfil their responsibilities.
The expert is familiar with and able to share information of local and national organisations promoting rights of learners with disabilities.
The expert is able to test the physical environment on its accessibility and work with an organisation to develop strategies to improve and evaluate it.
The expert is able to support organisations in developing internal resources and competencies on accessibility and locating other experts.
The expert is familiar with European and national standards, as well as good practice in making environments accessible and is able to advise and train organisations.
The expert is aware of the costs of creating an accessible environment and is able to give advice on possibilities of financing.
The expert is able to train organisations on strategies for accessible information and communication technology (ICT).
The expert is able to train organisational staff on accessibility technologies.
The expert can advise on how to use assistive technologies and knows how to implement them in organisations.
The expert may advise on the legislation and recommentdations in ensuring equipment is safe to use and advise on accessing traing in the use of specific equipment.
The expert is experienced in assistive technologies and can advise organisations on choosing the appropriate technical equipment and software.
The expert is experienced in person-centred support planning and able to train teaching staff to ensure flexible learning.
The expert can train staff on how to recognise prior learning and experiences of learners with disabilities and how to include them in future learning goals.
The expert provides information on organizations provisions relating to the protection of personal data.
The expert is experienced in alternative learning methods and technologies to support the individual needs and interests of learners with and without disabilities.
The expert can advise about health and safety measures for learners with disabilities.
The expert can assist organizations in promoting and independently in their training offers and training.
The expert can train the organisation on the concept of peer support and motivate the organisation to enable peer support among the learners.
The expert can advise the organisation about the possibilities of internal/external personal assistance. They may signpost to qualified and experienced personal assistants.
The expert is able to conduct methods to find reasons for minor achievements and minor progress of learners with disabilities and to find potentials for improvement. She or he can also train the organisation on these methods.
The expert is able to advise staff on needs of learners with different disabilities and offer training in meeting their needs.
The expert can train or knows further education for staff regarding accessible education of learners with disabilities.
The expert is able to advise organisations on developing plans to induct its staff on accessibility.
The expert is able to train staff on methods and tools for an appropriate and positive communication with learners with disabilities.
The expert is able to support the organisation in the provision of accessible information and offer training.
The expert is able to support the organisation in providing information on the accessibility of their course offerings in their public relation material.
The expert knows strategies und methods to promote inclusive courses and trainings by addressing learners with and without disabilities. | http://www.aemanet.eu/en/register/eoa |
The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics (Initiative) seeks to advance equity in our Nation’s schools and to promote the economic opportunity that follows it. The Initiative shall advance educational equity and economic opportunity for Latino and Hispanic students, families, and communities by focusing on the following policy goals:
- Increasing general understanding of systemic causes of educational challenges faced by many Hispanic and Latino students, whether these students are in urban, suburban, rural, or migrant learning environments, and working across Federal agencies to address these challenges;
- Increasing Hispanic and Latino children’s and families’ access to and participation in high-quality early childhood programs and services that promote children’s healthy development and learning, prepare them for success in school, and affirm their cultural and linguistic identity;
- Addressing the inequitable treatment of Hispanic and Latino children, such as eradicating disparities in disciplinary actions;
- Supporting and improving data collection related to Hispanic and Latino students and the implementation of evidence-based strategies to increase the participation and success of Hispanic and Latino students in all levels of education and prepare them for careers and civic engagement;
- Ensuring that all Hispanic and Latino students have access to excellent teachers, school leaders, and other professionals, including by supporting efforts to improve the recruitment, preparation, development, and retention of qualified, diverse teachers and school leaders and other professionals who understand students’ lived experiences and can effectively meet their learning, social, and emotional needs;
- Enhancing student support services and fostering positive engagement among schools, families, community leaders, and community-based organizations to increase the high school graduation and post-secondary attendance rates and decrease the high school dropout rate for Hispanic and Latino students;
- Promoting a positive school climate that supports equitable access to and participation in college-readiness, advanced placement courses, and internship opportunities, as well as innovative dropout prevention and recovery strategies that better engage Hispanic and Latino youth in their learning, help them progress academically as needed, and provide those who have left the educational system with pathways to reentry;
- Eliminating policies that lead to racial and socioeconomic segregation among and within schools;
- Ensuring equitable access to educational resources, professionals, and technology, including by addressing racial disparities in school funding and expenditures;
- Breaking down barriers that impede the access of higher education institutions that serve Hispanic and Latino students, such as HSIs, to Federal funding, and strengthening the capacity of those institutions to participate in Federal programs and partnerships;
- Advancing racial equity and economic opportunity by connecting education to labor market needs through programs such as dual enrollment, career and technical education, registered apprenticeships, work-based learning, and career advancement, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and
- Ensuring that Hispanic and Latino communities have access to resources for economic success, such as in the areas of financial education, small business development, entrepreneurship, arts, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
What We Do:
In working to fulfill its mission and objectives, the Initiative shall, consistent with applicable law:
- Identify and promote evidence-based best practices that can provide Hispanic and Latino students with a rigorous and well-rounded education in safe and healthy environments, as well as access to support services, that will improve their educational, professional, economic, and civic opportunities;
- Advance and coordinate efforts to ensure equitable opportunities for Hispanic and Latino students in the re-opening process for schools across the country, and take steps to ensure that Hispanic and Latino students, from early childhood to post-secondary education, can equitably recover from learning losses and other challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Encourage and develop partnerships with a national network of early childhood and early intervention providers, schools, institutions of higher education, and other public, private, philanthropic, and nonprofit stakeholders to improve access to educational equity and economic opportunities for Hispanics and Latinos;
- Monitor and support the development, implementation, and coordination of Federal Government educational, workforce, research, and business development policies, programs, and technical assistance designed to improve outcomes for historically underserved communities, including Hispanics and Latinos;
- Work closely with the Executive Office of the President on key Administration priorities related to education, equity, and economic opportunity for Hispanics and Latinos; and
- Advise the Secretary on issues of importance and policies relating to educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity for Hispanics and Latinos. | https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/752-2/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term= |
Our Noblesville EL Collaborative Teachers collaborate closely with all classroom and subject area teachers through discussions and coaching to help support both our language learners and our teachers. Our goal is to foster success and growth in English proficiency in the classroom by providing support (guidance) to the classroom teachers and learners alike. EL Collaborative Teachers encourage communication and collaboration between native English speakers and English learners in the classroom, realizing(valuing) the important contributions English learners bring to the classroom. EL Collaborative Teachers also support Tier 1 instruction and language development and access to the academic learning that takes place in the classroom.
Our EL Collaborative Teacher fosters relationships with EL families and connects them to our NS Community, realizing they are an important cornerstone of their student’s success.
EL Instructor
The English Learner Instructor provides direct support to English Learners in order to assist in language acquisition. These direct services are typically within the classroom where the EL instructor works side by side to support both social and academic language development. The EL instructor teams with the EL Collaborative teacher to analyze data to determine which students are supported based on language development proficiencies. The EL Instructor contributes to collaborative team conversation within PLC’s, grade level team meetings, and the EL Collaborative teacher team. Additionally, the EL Instructor provides assistance to the EL Collaborative Teacher in screening new students and proctoring the annual WIDA assessment. The EL Instructor fosters a positive relationship with both EL students and their families by assisting with family engagement opportunities.
Bilingual Family Liaison
The Bilingual Liaison communicates with parents on behalf of the school district or individual school (e.g. attendance and homework issues, available programs/services, upcoming workshops) for the purpose of ensuring that an ongoing partnership between the home and school is formed. The BL assists in registration of new or enrolling bilingual families, coordinates and interprets parent meetings and conferences, and connects families with information or resources to enhance their experience within our Noblesville Schools community.
Home Language Survey
Schools are required to administer a Home Language Survey to identify the native language(s) of all first time Indiana enrollees. In most cases, this will be students enrolling in kindergarten, but may also include out-of-state or immigrant students in other grades who are enrolling in Indiana schools for the first time. For students who are transferring from an Indiana school, school staff will contact the previous school to obtain the original Home Language Survey. If a language other than English is indicated for any of the three Home Language Survey questions, the student is considered to be a language minority student and needs to be assessed for initial proficiency with the WIDA Screener (or W-APT for kindergarten and first-semester first-grade students).
World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA)
Noblesville Schools utilizes WIDA English Language Development Standards. WIDA advances academic language development and academic achievement for youth who are culturally and linguistically diverse through high-quality standards, assessments, research, and professional learning for educators. By focusing on what language learners can do, Noblesville educators understand that our students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds contribute to the vibrancy of our school.
For more information on WIDA go here. | https://www.noblesvilleschools.org/Page/8264 |
Working Towards Inclusive Education in South Africa
Many children fall through the gaps in South Africa’s education system. Only half of learners in Grade 1 make it to Grade 12, and many fall short of exam requirements. The EU has been supporting South Africa’s Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training since 2004 to move towards inclusive education for all, with specific measures to support learners with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds. Capacity4dev hears about a programme providing books for every child; the rise of full-service schools; and improving vocational education.
“The support for inclusive education has been a really big intervention over many years,” said Marie Schoeman, Chief Education Specialist for Inclusive Education in South Africa’s National Department of Basic Education. “The EU funded the development of basic policies, systems and structures.”
These include:
- A Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support which ensures that every learner can attend and receive support in his or her local neighbourhood school
- The concept of universal design and access in the School Infrastructure Norms
- Guidelines for Full-Service/Inclusive Schools and for Special Schools as Resource Centres
- Guidelines for Curriculum Differentiation
- the establishment of School-based and District-based Support Teams that maximise support delivery at school level through multi-sectoral interventions
“Systemically these were very valuable interventions by the EU - it put us on the best footing to take inclusive education to scale,” said Schoeman.
The examples below show a glimpse of how the education system could evolve to support all learners, as well as the challenges still to be tackled. “In general there is cohesion between these projects,” said Schoeman. “They look at all learners who are experiencing barriers to learning, and improve their chances for through-put, which is a big concern in South Africa, where only a little more than half the learner population which starts in Grade R finishes school because of poverty, neglect and learning difficulties.”
Books for every child
Literacy and numeracy rates are a cause for concern in many South African schools; in 2016 the government asked schools to condone a 20% maths pass mark for pupils in Grades 7-9. One of the fundamental issues over the years has been a lack of basic classroom resources such as workbooks – something the Department of Basic Education has helped to turn around since 2012 with EU support.
A workbook project, funded by the Department of Basic Education through the EU’s Primary Education Sector Policy Support Programme, aims to supply numeracy and literacy workbooks to every child from day one in Grade R to the end of compulsory education in Grade 9. Carried out by a joint venture of three firms – printing companies Lebone Litho and Paarl Media, and delivery firm UTI – it prints and delivers some 56 million workbooks each year to over 24,000 schools, the majority in rural areas.
In the process they created 3,600 permanent jobs across the production chain, from printing and packing to warehousing and distribution, and employ over 5,000 people at peak times.
“It’s an amazing success,” said Hubert Mathanzima Mweli, Director-General for Basic Education. “We started this project in 2012, and the improvement in numeracy and literacy from then till now is more than 20%. Learners in Grade 6 are now performing at Grade 6 level; unlike before, they used to perform at Grade 4 level.”
Printed on sustainable paper with toxin-free ink, the books are available in all eleven of South Africa’s official languages, plus braille and large print. All for the price of less than a croissant per book, according to Keith Michael, Chief Executive of Lebone Litho Printers.
In the following video Keith Michael and Mike Ehret outline the project. Skip to 0:05 for Hubert Mathanzima Mweli on the project’s impact; 1:00 for Keith and Mike on the logistical challenges and solutions; 2:16 for the IT system which keeps track of every book throughout the process; and 3:01 for the next steps in terms of scaling up.
“Where there’s a shortage of learning and teaching materials, this has filled an immense gap, making sure all children have a book in front of them,” said Schoeman. “In terms of inclusive education we were very happy they funded the production of work books in braille and large print, which go with tactile toolkits. That’s been a huge injection for our schools for the blind. They can be used right across Africa as they are excellent and revolutionary in the way children who are blind are being taught.”
With additional funding, Mweli would like to see the number of subjects increased beyond literacy, numeracy, English as an additional language and life skills, to cover all academic subjects as well as vocational education and training.
“It could work in different parts of Africa as well,” said Mike Ehret, Executive Director of Paarl Media. “The Minister of Education in Zimbabwe came and had a look and was excited about it, but clearly it’s a question of funding. We’ve also had visits from the EU Delegations to DRC, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Nigeria.”
Full-service schools
One school which has benefited from these books is Isiziba Primary School in Gauteng’s Ekhuruleni North District. It is one of around 900 full-service schools in South Africa – a relatively new breed of school adapted to welcome children with different educational needs.
“They are not supposed to be schools specializing in only taking kids with disabilities,” explained Schoeman. “It’s about best practice for inclusive education. The schools are capacitated to do differentiated teaching, they know about differentiated assessment, so they can do early interventions. It’s about creating a welcoming ethos and culture which would combat exclusion and promote inclusion, also of children with disabilities.”
Schools across the country are receiving support from the National Treasury to adapt their buildings for wheelchair access and improve teaching support and assessment, but this remains work in progress. Many of the schools – including the ‘flagship’ one Capacity4dev visited – still lack toilet facilities for wheelchair users, and need additional funding to ensure availability of specialist staff such as occupational and speech therapists and social workers. “We are currently finalising our funding norms to put all the full service schools on a stronger footing,” said Schoeman. “Teachers are receiving ongoing training on curriculum differentiation which is believed to improve their efficiency and effectiveness to be good teachers and should not be seen as an additional burden.”
At Isiziba Primary School, 108 of the 1,309 pupils have learning difficulties. All 35 teachers have been trained on the Guidelines for Full Service/Inclusive Schools and the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support and received training on supporting learners who experience barriers to learning and development. A School Based Support Team (SBST) provides ongoing guidance to the teachers; and a learner support educator comes daily to provide remedial support to learners.
The school hopes to receive funding for more educational support staff, occupational therapists and social workers, which would make a big difference to the pupils’ development.
“There are many challenges,” said the Principal, Ms Nkosi. “Some of our pupils come from child-headed households; their parents work in other cities, so when we call them to meetings, they don’t come. It’s a less affluent area. For many pupils, the part of the day they look up to is getting breakfast and lunch from the school kitchen.”
Children travel as far as 30 km to attend the school, which is one of only two full service schools in the Tembisa area. “Some come by bus, some by taxi [minibus], and some walk,” said Nkosi.
The pupils gave Capacity4dev a tour of the school. Skip to 0:52 for Principal Nkosi on the school’s learners and languages; 1:19 for the food scheme and library; 1:50 for the Principal on the ongoing challenges, including overcrowding and lack of resources; 3:29 for Marie Schoeman from the Department of Basic Education on progress towards full service schools.
Developing the vocational pathway
Although teachers are being trained to adapt the academic curriculum for learners who experience barriers to learning, there is still a need for a more structured vocational curriculum. Many learners with an interest and aptitude for vocational education and training currently leave Grade 9 without a nationally-recognised exit-level qualification.
“The Department of Basic Education pushes schools to write the Annual National Assessment. But if you don’t follow the full curriculum, that means you’ll send your children into an exam they can’t pass,” said Dimitri Theron, Headmaster at Kempton Park Panorama School, one of 67 vocational schools in South Africa. “That is a serious challenge for us. Our learners do part academic, part vocational. We follow the mainstream adapted curriculum, and we also follow the departmental guidelines for vocational education and training. But it’s not standardized; so you cannot compare with other schools with learners like ours, as they will have adapted the curriculum differently,” said Theron.
This is something the Department of Basic Education is working to address. “The EU helped us develop a new vocational education policy, with an exit-level qualification, as well as 46 learning programmes,” said Schoeman. “26 of them are technical occupational programmes with an exit-level qualification at the end of basic education. On top of that, there are also programmes for learners with severe intellectual disability, and we also developed a policy framework and curriculum for learners with profound intellectual disability.”
Kempton Park Panorama School is considered a good example of a school providing vocational education while catering to learners with different needs. Based in Ekhuruleni North district, it takes in learners with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities, as well as learners with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. The school also offers remedial education and reading support to learners who would otherwise drop out of education – which means they have a second influx of learners from high schools in the second term of the year.
This makes staffing a challenge. The teacher to learner ratio should be 1: 15, as many classes are based in workshops where learners are handling specialist tools and equipment. However, most classes have 21 learners, and recruiting artisan staff is difficult. “It’s really hard to find people who are qualified, artisans who want to come into TVET,” said Theron. “It’s an area where we may need support in the future.”
An important part of the course is on the job training. The school cultivates links with bakeries, nursery schools and mechanical workshops which take learners for workplace skills development.
If learners find a job, “They will leave school,” said Theron. “Because work is a problem in South Africa. To find a job, even if you’re qualified, is difficult. If you stand last in the queue as you’re from a special school, you’d take the job rather than stay in school and do an endorsed matric [the university entrance requirement].”
In the following video, Capacity4dev visits workshops for motor mechanics, welding, hairdressing and cooking. Skip to 0:05 for Marie Schoeman on South Africa’s vocational education pathway; 0:33 for Dimitri Theron on the school and its learners; 1:49 for a motor mechanics workshop; 2:40 for welding; 3:30 for hairdressing; 4:12 for teacher training for primary education; 4:40 for cooking; and 5:20 for Theron on learners’ job prospects.
The vocational education programme is not only being introduced for the benefit of learners with disabilities, but aims to create differentiated curriculum pathways in senior primary and in secondary schools for learners who have an interest and aptitude in vocational education. It is considered a critical contribution of the Basic Education sector towards addressing the skills shortages of the country.
“The initiatives seen in this programme are examples of the wide scope of the journey towards inclusive education,” said Schoeman. “The South African Department of Basic Education is committed to providing opportunities for quality learning for all learners, irrespective of their abilities and socio-economic background. Schools are being capacitated to adopt inclusive policies, cultures and practices and the Department is ensuring availability of differentiated curriculum pathways and adequate resources to ensure that every learner will be able to develop his or her full potential.”
The most important lessons learnt since 2002 are that inclusive policies, systems and resources are critical to ensure radical and wide-scale transformation of the whole system, but that real change and successful implementation happen at community, school and classroom level.
“Teachers and school managers need to believe that every child has a right to belong and to be supported to develop optimally so as to be eventually included in society and the world of work as adults,” said Schoeman. “Specialist professionals should be made available in a consultative role to capacitate teachers through ongoing itinerant advisory services on how to support learners in the classroom through inclusive teaching methodologies.”
All this is at the heart of building an inclusive society, as laid out in the South African government’s 2009 National Development Plan: “The education system will play a greater role in building an inclusive society, providing equal opportunities and helping all South Africans to realise their full potential, in particular those previously disadvantaged by apartheid policies, namely black people, women and people with disabilities.”
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The Teaching and Learning Development (TLD) Sector Reform Programme
The TLD programme began in 2015 and aims to enhance the quantity and quality of teachers for all education sub-systems. It comprises Budget Support of €20 million, a Technical Assistance component of €1.7 million, and a CSO component of €4 million.
The programme focuses developing a teacher education system that can deliver quality professional development programmes and opportunities for early childhood development educators, primary school teachers, special needs teachers, technical and vocational education and training lecturers, community education and training lecturers, and the professional development of university academics.
Comments
The EU also co-funds VVOB in South Africa to improve teacher education in addressing barriers to learning experienced by primary school pupils. Check out our project, which is implemented with local NGOs and universities, here:
http://www.vvob.be/vvob/en/news/vvob-and-eu-remove-barriers-learning-in-... | https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/articles/working-towards-inclusive-education-south-africa |
This is an opportunity to make a real difference. As a member of the school Leadership team, you will report to the Head Teacher and liaise closely with the Deputy Head to lead Key Stage 5 across the whole school. You will play a critical role in driving the school forwards on its journey towards an improved OFSTED inspection outcome.
You will have significant knowledge and experience of:
- working in a special school setting with some leadership responsibility
- mentoring staff and holding others to account
- working within a number of key stages and phases
- developing high and aspirational outcomes for learners with diverse needs and abilities
You will be required to:
- mentor others to achieve consistently high standards of teaching and learning
- lead pupil progress meetings with teams across the whole school
- contribute significantly to the school development plan and whole school curriculum
- be ambitious for the learning outcomes for all learners across the school
The successful candidate will be an exemplary teacher who is highly experienced, enthusiastic, and motivated to share in the leadership and management of our school.
We can offer you:
- A commitment to support you in developing new skills through a wide range of professional development opportunities and experiences
- The opportunity to make a huge contribution to the education and lives of children who respond very positively to high quality teaching.
- A friendly and inclusive working environment
You will offer us:
- Your considerable skill as a good/outstanding teacher who has experience of working with children with special needs.
- Your commitment to engaging and inspiring our pupils and the ability to make a real difference to their learning.
- Your flexibility, commitment and excellent interpersonal skills.
- Your ability to initiate and lead change in a positive way.
If you feel you possess these qualities, are passionate about working alongside pupils with SEND and would like to shape their futures at a progressive school, then we would like to hear from you.
Prospective candidates would be very welcome to visit the school by arrangement prior to making an application.
Forward Education Trust is committed to recruiting and retaining the highest quality staff. To do this, we have an Employee Value Proposition offering a range of benefits to help our staff on a personal and professional level, which includes:
Teacher Pension or Support Staff Local Government Pension – Employer Contribution
FET HUB – information all in one place, access to a range of benefits
Paid for Health Cash Plan – employee and dependent children benefit – option to add partner
Employee Questionnaire – Consultation with staff on a range of issues and ideas
Salary sacrifice scheme – Cycle to Work Scheme
Access to the NHS approved Thrive App – to support mental health & well-being
Comprehensive induction and probation support and an ongoing performance management & appraisal system
Easy purchase scheme (salary deduction) – Smart Tech in association with Currys
Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme – free, totally confidential advice, with face-to-face consultations
Personal & professional learning & development – including FLICK online learning and other resources
Access to discounts and offers from Reward Gateway and MyPerks
Occupational Health Service – accessible to support the needs of individual staff
Staff recognition – e-cards to celebrate success among colleagues
Mental Health First Aiders
Policies being developed to support positive health & well-being: Family Friendly Working, Special Leave of Absence, Flexible Working, Menopause
Staff recognition – awards throughout the year, in line with Trust behaviours and values
A commitment to develop new ideas to show we really value what you do for our children
Supporting documents
If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.
About Hallmoor School
- School type
- Academy, ages 4 to 19
- School size
- 263 pupils enrolled
- Age range
- 4 to 19
- Ofsted report
- View Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)
- School website
- Hallmoor School website (opens in a new tab)
- Contact email
- [email protected]
Hallmoor School, a Forward Education Trust School, specialises in the education of pupils aged 5 to 19 years with a range of diagnosis including Moderate Learning Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum and Severe Learning Difficulties. The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils achieve their full potential. | https://teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/jobs/assistant-headteacher-hallmoor-school |
Credentialed Trainer I - Contributes to and participates in training, implementation, and support of one Epic application within Information Technology, equipment, and processes used by ProMedica employees. The core role of the CT is to become credentialed in an Epic module, deliver training to end users in a classroom setting, provide go live support for a defined period of time, optimize end user proficiency and conduct consistent rounding. This requires onsite rounding and providing ‘help at the elbow’ to end users for a period of time for extended shifts. Travel to hospital locations or physician practices is likely.
Accountabilities
- Under the direction of a principal trainer(s) or others, lead classes, workshops, computer-based training and online lessons in alignment with established application curriculum.
- Support the mission of ProMedica through professional classroom demeanor and high-quality teaching standards.
- Using ProMedica’s learning management system software, maintain class rosters and grade classes correctly and promptly.
- Analyze and test application functionality; identify and resolve issues within scope of authority and notify appropriate individuals.
- Work with Principal Trainers to provide feedback on additional end user learning needs, remediation of identified issues and continuous quality improvement activities.
- Responsible for mastering both an Epic application and the specific workflows of that application.
- Perform routine facility rounding and provide onsite assistance to end users as assigned.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s Degree preferred
- Strong computer skills and a technical aptitude are necessary.
- Must have strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Must be able to understand directions, communicate and respond to inquiries; requires effective self-motivation and interpersonal skills.
- Must demonstrate a dynamic presentation style, professionalism, and trouble-shooting capabilities.
- Display a personal passion for educating others; create an engaging learning environment and enhance the end user learning experience through creativity, enthusiasm, and high energy.
- Must achieve credentialed status within 90 days of hire within designated Epic application(s).
- Prefer a bachelor’s degree in education, information technology, business or related field
- Experience with providing education to adult learners preferred.
- Experience with providing computer-based learning preferred.
- Knowledge of health care operations is preferred.
- Minimum two years’ experience in the role of an educator in industry and/or academic settings.
- Must be able to occasionally move, lift and/or carry medium-weight objects and materials.
ProMedica is a mission-based, not-for-profit integrated healthcare organization headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. For more information, please visit www.promedica.org/about-promedica
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex/gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, physical or mental disability, military or protected veteran status, citizenship, familial or marital status, genetics, or any other legally protected category. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a job with ProMedica, please contact [email protected]
Equal Opportunity Employer/Drug-Free Workplace
My Saved Jobs
You have no saved jobs. | https://careers.promedica.org/job/toledo/epic-credentialed-trainer-i-ambulatory-it-provider-full-time-days/32442/33906647040 |
Southeast Comprehensive Center (SECC)
The Southeast Comprehensive Center (SECC) is one of 15 regional comprehensive centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education for the October 2012–September 2019 grant cycle of the Comprehensive Centers Program. The centers provided capacity-building technical assistance to state education agencies (SEAs) in their implementation and administration of programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, reauthorized in 2015 as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
During the grant period, SECC worked closely with SEAs in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina to support their efforts to implement, scale up, and sustain initiatives statewide and to lead and support their school districts and schools in using evidence-based policies, practices, programs, and interventions to improve student outcomes. A selection of the center’s state-based projects and key resources are featured below. Partners in SECC’s work included AIR and RMC Research Corporation.
Key Projects
Alabama Educator Effectiveness
Alabama State Department of Education Plan 2020 Data Preparation and Analysis Primer (PDF, 2016).
SECC/Alabama State Plan for Progress in Mathematics (2018, PDF).
The SECC assisted the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) in implementing multiple metric educator evaluation systems that meet federal ESSA requirements. The center provided content expertise and evidence-based resources for guiding the development of a statewide model for teacher and leader evaluation, including defining teacher and leader effectiveness, determining metrics of effectiveness, and aligning educator evaluation outcomes with professional learning. These efforts increased SEA capacity to measure teacher and leader effectiveness and its capacity to align teacher and leader professional learning needs with evaluation outcomes.
Georgia College and Career Pathways: Employability Skills Task Force Recommendations
Georgia College and Career Pathways (2019, PDF).
The SECC assisted the Georgia Department of Education through technical expertise and support to the CTAE staff in the implementation of the department's career pathways. Also, the SECC and the College & Career Readiness & Success Center supported the implementation of employability skills and quality work-based learning opportunities for all students. The task force crafted three overarching recommendations and eight goals to address the main challenges in ensuring opportunities for every student to develop the skills needed to be successful in careers and life. For each of the goals, the group also drafted implementation strategies for key stakeholders.
Mississippi Talent Management
Sharing What Works: A Framework of Effective Practices and Procedures (2018, PDF).
SECC Information Request: State Support for School Improvement Grant Schools and Districts (2018, PDF).
To address the state’s needs for talent management, SECC provided evidence-based resources and professional learning materials to inform district- and state-developed plans to increase teacher recruitment and retention. As part of the Talent for Turnaround Leadership Academy (T4TLA) at AIR, SECC delivered professional learning on key topics related to recruiting, developing, and maintaining high-quality teachers. The center also provided technical assistance support for the July 2018 Male Educators of Color Conference. This convening was an outcome of Mississippi’s goal to advance a more diverse educator workforce. SECC’s work with Mississippi helped to improve the state’s organizational structures and processes through aligned state- and district-level plans to address talent management and provided improved tools to guide preparation of diverse-learner ready teachers.
North Carolina Instructional Improvement Systems
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction English Learner Support Team Appraisal Tool (2017, PDF).
North Carolina Partnership Supports Stronger Teaching for English Learners (2017, PDF).
The SECC worked with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) staff to strengthen the Global Ready education program through revised district and school renewal procedures and support for educators pursuing certification, as informed by qualitative data collection and analysis. The center provided technical assistance on qualitative data collection and used the data to inform the refinement of the Global Ready district and school renewal applications. To hear from NCDPI staff regarding SECC support for statewide education initiatives, access this video, which was created by SECC.
South Carolina Early Childhood
Overview of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support - South Carolina MTSS (2019, PDF).
MTSS Implementation: Reflection and Action Planning Sheet (Word).
MTSS Implementation: Training Resources (Word).
The SECC worked with the South Carolina Department of Education's (SCDE) early childhood staff to provide appropriate school readiness resources and services to early childhood stakeholders and program providers. The center assisted SCDE with its efforts to develop a statewide comprehensive literacy plan, including guidance with the state’s multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework and the provision of statewide training for educators.
Resources
Southeast Comprehensive Center Impact Stories (2019)
The SECC developed a series of impact stories to highlight key technical assistance support and positive outcomes related to improving teaching, learning, and capacity building in the states it served.
- Alabama State Plan for Science and Mathematics (PDF)
- Boosting North Carolina School Turnaround Efforts (PDF)
- Georgia College and Career Pathways (PDF)
- North Carolina Partnership Supports Stronger Teaching for English Learners (PDF)
- South Carolina Educator Effectiveness (PDF)
- To Pre- or Not to Pre-: Children in Mississippi Gain Pre-K Option (PDF)
Understanding Educational Inequality by Revisiting Civil Rights History (2018)
In November 2018, a group of AIR staff and clients participated in a civil rights learning journey across the South to better understand how the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s affects educational opportunities today. Participants retraced parts of the original journey from Jackson, Mississippi to Birmingham, Alabama, with civil rights leader Roscoe Jones Sr. View the photo essay and the video >>
South Carolina Expanded ADEPT Survey and Focus Groups: Findings Report (2018)
The South Carolina Department of Education’s ADEPT (Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching) system is the vehicle for teacher evaluation, licensure, and training in the state. The SECC assisted with determining educator experiences and perspectives relevant to implementation of the student learning objectives process, a component of the ADEPT system.
- South Carolina Expanded ADEPT Survey and Focus Groups: Findings Report (PDF)
- South Carolina Educator Effectiveness (PDF)
Best Practices, Strategies, and Recommendations for Improving School Climate and Culture (2018)
This SECC report (PDF) summarizes 15 resources, which describe evidence-based approaches and interventions that may help to improve school climate and culture. Specific best practices, strategies, and recommendations are detailed, and links to the resources are included in the summaries.
SECC College and Career Readiness Videos
These videos were created in collaboration with the SECC to support states, schools, and teachers in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The videos were based on states' needs for professional development support for the implementation of the Standards. | https://www.air.org/project/southeast-comprehensive-center-secc |
1 PBBD – Protein Building Blocks Database
Motifs of super-secondary structure that are consistent with closed loop properties were collected manually using the following principles: 1) amino acid sequence length between 10 and 40 mers; 2) Cα-Cα distance between sequence extremities < 10 Å; 3) at least three apolar and/or hydrophobic amino acids contiguous with extremities; 4) structural compatibility with one of the more common folding motifs that are recurrent in proteins, such as type I’..IV’ αβ-barrel, β-hairpin, β-corner, Greek key motif, Rossmann fold, βαβ-motif, zinc finger, leucine zipper, helix turn helix, α-α corner, and α-hairpin. Moreover, elementary building blocks of different lengths, with internal conformations kept invariant, which possess HFUs on the N-terminal and C-terminal ends, were also included in the database. As well, we collected a broad set of intrinsic disordered regions that lack a defined three-dimensional shape and cannot be classified by any of the previous reported categories.
1.2 Database accuracy
Multiple alignments of the amino acid sequences showed a satisfactory parallel between closed loops structure and sequence: use of the Gonnet matrix determined separation of αβ-barrel sequences in three distinct strings, each corresponding quite well to the structural elements of these super-secondary motifs. Surprisingly, alignment of sequences corresponding to βαβ-motifs revealed a sufficiently clear separation between the secondary structures present. The substitution matrix used evidently discriminated between strings characterised prevalently by hydrophobic and/or non polar residues, corresponding preferentially to β-strands, and strings characterised by polar, acid and/or basic residues, corresponding to α-helix type structures. On the other hand, strings in which residues such as Gly, Pro and Asp prevail are often corresponded to hairpin of αβ-barrels, helix-turn-helix hairpins and flexible coils connecting secondary structures of βαβ motifs. Statistical analysis based on frequencies of residues within β-strands showed a predilection for amino acids such as Val, Ile and Leu. Dipeptides Val-Ile, Val-Leu and Leu-Ile were among those recurring with a high frequency and are therefore a good, though non univocal, fingerprint for identifying β-strands occurring inside closed loops. Among tripeptides, such as Ile-Val-Val, Leu-Val-Ile, and Ala-Leu-Val, observed with high frequency in β-strands, some belong to “prototype” motifs of prokaryotic closed loops already characterised in previous studies, while the frequencies of binary patterns revealed a clear prevalence of non polar residues. Analysis of residues recurring in α-helices showed a clear predominance of dipeptides such as Val-Ala, Ala-Leu, Leu-Lys, Arg-Glu and Ala-Ala, and of tripeptides X-Ala-Ala (X = Arg, Leu, Lys, Glu), Glu-Glu-Ala, Ala-Leu-Ala and Leu-Lys-Ala. On the other hand, binary patterns identified in α-helices often showed regular alternation of polar and non polar residues typical of amphipathic helices, whereas in other cases we observed short sequences of polar amino acids followed by a contiguous series of hydrophobic and/or non polar amino acids. Finally, hairpin folds typical of αβ-barrels and coils in βαβ and α-hairpin motifs revealed, as expected, a clear predominance of residues interrupting secondary structures (Pro, Gly, Asp) and motifs such as Gly-Arg, Gly-Ala-X (X = Ser, Ala, Asp, Arg, Gly, Glu, Lys) and Ala-Pro-X (X = His, Ser, Gly, Glu). Study of hydrophobic clusters revealed many patterns peculiar to the different types of secondary structures analysed: the trend of minimum and maximum values of the different populations observed corresponded quite well to the trend of mean values of the populations themselves, confirming the hypothesis formulated for data collection. | http://www.acbrc.org/pbbd.html |
Leitmotif. Leitmotif. One example of a leitmotif in literature is the use of the color purple in literature. In other words, the use of a color in poetry.
What is a recurring melody called?
Recurring Melody. A melodic line repeated in more than one way or more than once through the structure of a song or composition by repeating. For example, if a song has a melody that seems to follow the same pattern but is changed slightly each version, it would be considered a recurring melody.
How do you use leitmotif in a sentence?
You use leitmotif when you want to remind people of something that happened in a past situation. For example, if you are trying to emphasize that someone was always happy with himself and never let anyone else affect his mood, you can say that the person felt like a leitmotif in his life.
What does it mean to score a movie?
What does it mean to score a movie? A Bollywood film score involves three distinct components: the music, the lyrics, and the dance score. The score is a piece of music performed by an orchestra. The lyrics include both sung words or spoken speech and the dance score is composed of background music.
What does Leit mean?
Léit
What is a leitmotif and how did Wagner use it?
In Wagnerian terminology, ‘leitmotif’ refers to the idea that a character acts out his or her function, his “purpose in life.” The “purpose” in this context may be something that the person can see but others can’t and they try to fulfill it; or it could be something they can see without directly understanding it.
Can a phrase be a motif?
Phrases or words used repeatedly from different sources or times in your text serve as literary motifs.
Correspondingly, what is an example of a leitmotif?
The commonest theme of Wagner’s opera is the battle between Siegfried and Gurnemanz, an antagonist who reveals himself to be Siegfried’s long-lost father and tries to kill him in his sleep.
Where does the term leitmotif originate?
The German word leitmotif means “leading motif” or “leading theme”. And it comes from “Leitmotiv”, the name of the musical composition by Richard Wagner. The leitmotif is the musical concept of how all themes, characters, and actions all work together to develop the overall narrative.
What is a motive in music?
In music and in the arts, a motive is a specific element of a composition that stimulates the emotions of the listener. It can also be a specific musical line, phrase, or motif that occurs in a work. Motives are used in both monophonic and polyphonic music.
Who was the founder of German Romantic opera?
Richard Wagner (1813-1883) was the leading German composer of the early 19th century. He created several early operas (see list of Wagner operas), such as Lohengrin and Tristan und Isolde. The opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, which he created after 1848, is regarded by many as the most important opera of all time.
What is the best definition of theme?
The thematic structure of a film is: a. The purpose the film is trying to communicate to the viewer.
What is a sound motif?
A theme (from Greek: thème, “a theme”) is a recurring melodic pattern or sequence used in many (usually short) musical passages in a score or composition. Typically, a motif is repeated and/or “borrowed” throughout a composition, such as the chorus of “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven.
Accordingly, what is the purpose of a leitmotif?
The term leitmotif (German – leading motif) was first used in literature theory to refer to a recurring motif with a special emotional impact. As music theory, leitmotifs are patterns, motifs, or emotional themes expressed through music.
Also, what is the difference between a motif and a leitmotif?
The motif serves as a recurring musical element within a score and its role varies from piece to piece. A leitmotif is something that is repeated only once and that is a single event, and the theme is repeated. A motif is also a leitmotif that is used and developed as the piece moves.
What is drama music?
Music that accompanies action and changes depending on how much something happens. The main difference between this and comedy music is that it has a definite beginning and end.
What means source music?
There’s a great line from one of my favorite movies – The Princess Bride, “In the cinema, they call that camera work,” says Vizzini. That’s because source music is the music used to accompany a film, usually from an album or other record released in the 1960s, or later.
What does Gesamtkunstwerk mean?
Gesamtkunstwerk. The German word gesamtkunstwerk is pronounced “sams-awlt-koonst-vark”, G.
What is unique about the jaws leitmotif?
Because they are used from a small, narrow part of the mouth, there is less resistance from the lips and less risk of overclosure. A good rule of thumb is that the top half of the jaw is “open”; the lower half of the jaw is “close”.
What does sequence mean in music?
Sequence is the process of ordering, grouping, or arranging events in a logical or appropriate order. It is most often used when music is combined with movement or dance to show a story or movement of events. Sequence means that the music has to follow a specific order.
How do you pronounce leitmotif?
How to pronounce leitmotif? Leitmotif is an important part of film and music theory, but it is rarely pronounced in correct English. A German word, it means “main theme”. Leitmotiv is pronounced lee-toh-MOO-vee and sounds like lee-TOO-mee-vee. | https://tessab.net/what-is-leitmotif-in-literature/ |
Abstract Background Two important challenges in the analysis of molecular biology information are data (multi-omic information) integration and the detection of patterns across large scale molecular networks and sequences. They are are actually coupled beause the integration of omic information may provide better means to detect multi-omic patterns that could reveal multi-scale or emerging properties at the phenotype levels. Results Here we address the problem of integrating various types of molecular information (a large collection of gene expression and sequence data, codon usage and protein abundances) to analyse the E.coli metabolic response to treatments at the whole network level. Our algorithm, MORA (Multi-omic relations adjacency) is able to detect patterns which may represent metabolic network motifs at pathway and supra pathway levels which could hint at some functional role. We provide a description and insights on the algorithm by testing it on a large database of responses to antibiotics. Along with the algorithm MORA, a novel model for the analysis of oscillating multi-omics has been proposed. Interestingly, the resulting analysis suggests that some motifs reveal recurring oscillating or position variation patterns on multi-omics metabolic networks. Our framework, implemented in R, provides effective and friendly means to design intervention scenarios on real data. By analysing how multi-omics data build up multi-scale phenotypes, the software allows to compare and test metabolic models, design new pathways or redesign existing metabolic pathways and validate in silico metabolic models using nearby species. Conclusions The integration of multi-omic data reveals that E.coli multi-omic metabolic networks contain position dependent and recurring patterns which could provide clues of long range correlations in the bacterial genome. | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/277926 |
No, I will not stop with the Spongebob image!
I also won't stop sharing my ideas on how to get more out of your clarinet and musical journey!
So, let's pick up where we left off last week, and talk about analyzing music.
Most college students take theory and musicology courses for 2+ years that are all about analyzing music, so this blog post will not by any means be a definitive guide. However, I can get you started with some basics that will make a big difference in your playing.
Though you can go really in-depth and look at specific harmonic progressions, larger background structures, how each piece conforms to or breaks the rules of the time, all analysis really comes down to patterns.
Start looking for the patterns in your music and then see how the composer manipulates those patterns to make the music interesting. If you are familiar with minimalism, this is a great example of music that makes the patterns very clear, and gets all of its momentum from tiny changes to the patterns.
When you think of the deceptive cadence, after the solo excerpt in the second movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, that is another example of a pattern intentionally being manipulated.
You don't need to know that there is a deceptive cadence there, but you can see in the music that it might be odd that the final resolution note is left out, and upon listening you can hear that something surprising happens there.
From that analysis (and listening, they really are so interconnected), you can start to come up with some ideas on how you can play the music in such a way to prepare that deceptive cadence.
Here is the most simple way to get started searching for these patterns.
Take just 4 measures of music, and look at the rhythms, notes, and style (dynamics, articulations, etc.), and try to get an image of what is going on in those 4 measures. Again, this goes back to the idea of getting a clear imagination of how the music should go.
Then look at the next 4 measures, thinking about the same things, but now look for any similarities or differences from the first 4 measures. Are the rhythms the same, but with different notes? Is it the same music, but at a different dynamic?
As you go through each phrase, you will start to see some recurring rhythm or note patterns. These are like the DNA of the piece, and these little hooks or motifs are what make the piece sound like that piece.
As your detective abilities increase, you can start to peel back the layers and find some exciting moments where the composer breaks a pattern, and the way you bring those moments out and how you execute all of the other details you find is where you start to form your own point of view.
One of the most amazing things about music is that composers put the ink on the page and put it out into the world, but it is the way the performers realize that into the actual sound of music that produces the final result. The composers create the body of the work, but it is up to you as the performer to animate it!
What questions do you have about analysis? Is there anything that you would like a future blog post or YouTube video about to help with analyzing music?
Happy Analyzing,
Josh
I can't wait to see where your clarinet journey takes you! | https://www.quickstartclarinet.com/blog/developing-your-musical-imagination-analyzing |
Description:
PLEASE NOTE: THIS ITEM IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RETURN
Frequency is the measurement of a recurring event in time. The interval during which a recurring sequence of events takes places is a cycle. The world is a composition of parallel frequencies and cyclical events; the sounds of waves crashing, the stages of animal life, the phases of the moon, the seasonal migration of birds, the beat of the human heart. The result of recurring events in nature generates a stunning energy, perpetually information our sense. Through subtle shifts of movement and scale, the Jill Malek wallpaper designs are inspired by the fluctuating patterns of frequency found in nature.
The wallpaper is in pretty good shape besides the one little tear pictured
Jill Malek
Design Public is an authorized USA dealer for all Jill Malek products. | https://www.designpublic.com/products/jill-malek-anemone-wallpaper-snowflower-outlet-item-condition-slightly-damaged |
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising therapy for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). However, questions remain regarding efficacy and safety in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, as well as longitudinal stability of donor stool composition. This report describes an IBD patient with two CDIs 18 months apart, each successfully treated with FMT with no IBD flares or complications. Microbiome composition analysis of patient samples during each infection revealed low-diversity microbiota patterns similar to those previously described in non-IBD patients with CDI and active IBD alone. Samples taken after each transplant demonstrated quick remodeling towards the donor's sample composition coinciding with symptom resolution. Of note, samples taken from the same donor 18 months apart reflected marked differences in microbiota abundances, suggesting that the use of single donors in FMT programs offers little benefit in ensuring predictability of donor stool composition over time. This report describes similar microbial composition patterns during CDI in IBD patients to those described previously in non-IBD patients, and supports FMT as safe and effective treatment for recurring CDI in this patient population. | https://read.qxmd.com/read/24529606/microbial-composition-analysis-of-clostridium-difficile-infections-in-an-ulcerative-colitis-patient-treated-with-multiple-fecal-microbiota-transplantations |
In my studies in music, I have always found the programmatic aspect to be powerful. Within my music, I always strive for a programmatic aspect, tying in motifs to stage stories or recall past events. Overall, the driving force of music provides, in many cases, an analog for a plot contour commonly found in stories. In this recital, two pieces stylistically do not lend themselves to plot contours, while the capstone Classical pieces both demonstrate a climax through development, using recurring themes. While music is not necessarily definitive in its programmatic capabilities, the final work is intentionally defined by its narrative. The wordless styles of music carry followable patterns that in essence describe characters. With repetition in music, these abstract “characters” go through syntactic developments akin to a story. | https://thescholarship.ecu.edu/handle/10342/9184 |
We are proud to announce that ACS Member, Joshua Armitage, is now displaying his work at Stoppenbach & Delestre at the group exhibition, 'Moderato Cantabile'.
Armitage’s works carefully observe the overlap between observation, memory and feeling. Visitors should note Armitage’s use of recurring architectural motifs including bricks and skyscrapers, depicted variably in different colours and contexts to enforce suspense and mystery within his paintings. | https://artistscollectingsociety.org/news/joshua-armitage-moderato-cantabile/ |
Beyond conventional records of individual historical performances there are numerous images interacting with interpretations of the live stage in illuminating ways. This selection juxtaposes distinctive images, sometimes included in the previous sections, sometimes not. For example, artists may conceive of imaginative stagings capable and even actually turned into live productions, such as the pictures of the scene celebrating the deathbed vision of Queen Katherine of Aragon in Henry VIII that progresses from Blake to Fuseli to Charles Kemble’s realization of their concept in his production of the play, which was ultimately to include the youthful Ellen Terry as one of the angels, in its revival. Moreover there are sequences of patterns that transcend the considerations of a unique dramatic composition, determining the persistence of successful stage motifs in Shakespeare, inviting comparison within the range of these patternings. Another source of production input may be motifs imported from non-English-speaking performers such as those in France and Germany. There are also distinctive versions from other media. | http://shakespeare.berkeley.edu/topics/unusual-productions |
Douglas Cantor (b. 1989, Puerto Boyaca, Colombia) lives and works in Glasgow, UK.
Cantor’s paintings are a biographical exploration of the self. His work is a collection of existential thoughts, phrases, memories, and experiences that create a vocabulary personal and specific to his own history — his Latin American heritage, his time spent away and his experience as an immigrant.
On the surface, Cantor's paintings often depict his most immediate context, with recurring motifs and subjects through which Cantor explores his painting process and where the act of painting is the driving force behind the decisions made. Underneath all this, Cantor's paintings are personal and private where, behind the interlacing layers of colour, snippets of text, and recurring motifs, lays the artist's personal exploration, depiction and conciliation of his feelings of segregation, his relationships, his experiences, realites and traumas.
Working from memory, Cantor ’s compositions are romantic, idealised, and often permeated with a heavy sense of nostalgia. The result is paintings that are of all things relevant to him: places, patterns, animals, people, still life, text, plants, and food, where each element works as a vessel for the artist’s thoughts, emotions, and unfolding identity. | https://nbb.gallery/collections/achy-breaky-heart/products/all-i-can-do-for-paw-is-look-after-maw |
It is widely accepted that many cancers arise as a result of an acquired genomic instability and the subsequent evolution of tumor cells with variable patterns of selected and background aberrations. The presence and behaviors of distinct neoplastic cell populations within a patient's tumor may underlie multiple clinical phenotypes in cancers. A goal of many current cancer genome studies is the identification of recurring selected driver events that can be advanced for the development of personalized therapies. Unfortunately, in the majority of rare tumors, this type of analysis can be particularly challenging. Large series of specimens for analysis are simply not available, allowing recurring patterns to remain hidden. In this paper, we highlight the use of DNA content-based flow sorting to identify and isolate DNA-diploid and DNA-aneuploid populations from tumor biopsies as a strategy to comprehensively study the genomic composition and behaviors of individual cancers in a series of rare solid tumors: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, anal carcinoma, adrenal leiomyosarcoma, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. We propose that the identification of highly selected genomic events in distinct tumor populations within each tumor can identify candidate driver events that can facilitate the development of novel, personalized treatment strategies for patients with cancer. | https://mayoclinic.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/genomic-analysis-and-selected-molecular-pathways-in-rare-cancers |
We determined tidal, diel (day-night), and diurnal (day to day) patterns of occurrence for the summer zooplankton assemblage in an intertidal salt marsh basin at North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina. In one time series, 153 μm pump and 365 μm net collections were made every 1–2 h during four consecutive tidal cycles. Taxonomic composition remained unchanged throughout most of the 48-h period, but densities and proportionalities of individual taxa were highly variable. Recurring patterns of abundance were observed and taxon-specific relationships with the tidal and diel cycles were indicated. Zooplankton were not uniformly distributed within flooding-ebbing water masses and distributions could not be explained by simple passive advection with the tides. Diel differences in densities of copepods and bivalves resulted from behavioral responses to changing light conditions. Large pulses of crab and shrimp larvae originating from nocturnal hatching events within the intertidal basin exited but did not return during the next flood tide. Higher densities of postlarval decapods on flood tides indicated settlement and recruitment to the shallow basin. In a second time series, replicated collections of the 153 μm and 365 μm assemblages were made during the daytime ebb tide every 1–3 d from May through October 1991 to determine relationships between diurnal changes in depth, salinity, and temperature and zooplankton composition and abundance. Diurnal variations in densities and proportionalities were less than those observed during the 48-h study and patterns were not regular. For most taxa, relationships between depth and abundance were the same in both time series. During periods of reduced salinity, densities of copepods,Uca zoeae, and barnacle nauplii decreased and densities ofUca megalopae andPenaeus postlarvae increased. However, zoeae emerged and postlarvae recruited throughout the 5-mo period, indicating that considerable flexibility in responses and tolerances existed within the populations. The diversity of life-history strategies and behavioral adaptations found among the zooplankton assures continuous occupation of flooded intertidal habitats. We suspect that the evolution and maintenance of temporally staggered recurring patterns of occurrence results in reductions in the competition for resources.
References
No relevant information is available
If you register references through the customer center, the reference information will be registered as soon as possible. | http://academic.naver.com/article.naver?doc_id=34685345 |
What is a motif in literature examples?
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book or play. For example, one of the central themes in Romeo and Juliet is that love is a paradox containing many contradictions.
What is a journey in literature?
A journey is defined as the movement of one place to another. The concept of an inner journey is similar in that it is also a movement or growth to maturity in an individual because of challenging and inspiring experiences. The texts, ‘My Place’, and ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ present this concept of inner journeys.
What is the theme of journey?
Writers often use journeys as metaphorical representations of life itself. In one way or another, journey metaphors enable writers to express notions of chance and choice, discovery and departure, and search and struggle.
What are some common motifs in literature?
Examples of Motif in Narrative Writing
- A repeated reference or visual of shattered glass (something in life is about to break)
- Recurring dishonest characters (to cue up the discovery of an unfaithful spouse)
- A character who constantly misplaces things (as the loss of someone or something significant is on the horizon)
What is the example of motif?
A motif is a recurring idea or concept throughout a text. A symbol is an object that represents something it is not. A common example is that a heart is a symbol for love. A writer may use a symbol to reinforce motif.
Is a motif a symbol?
A symbol can be a motif if it is repeated at various intervals throughout a work of literature. 3 дня назад
What is an inner journey?
A spiritual journey—a process of paying attention to what is within, what touches our spirits, what brings us life—can take many forms but each journey, while unique, has some comment elements.
What is an emotional journey?
An emotional journey is a visualization that maps and illustrates a user’s emotional experience through the experience of interacting with an organization, product or brand.
What is a journey story?
A journey narrative is typically centered on one hero. The hero’s journey begins in one world and travels to another, where he encounters a series of strange and dangerous events. These encounters and adventures challenge the hero, occasionally give him perspective on his life and the world in which he lives.
Is heroic a theme?
Heroic is a responsive, multi-purpose WordPress theme. It’s flexible and suitable for agencies, blogs, businesses, finance, accounting, consulting, corporations, or portfolios.
Is Hero’s Journey a theme?
This is a literary theme, and is called the heroic journey. a hero going on an adventure, and who, in a decisive crisis, wins a victory, and who then returns to his home changed or transformed.
What does the metaphor life is a journey mean?
A Journey. A journey is a common metaphor for life as it reminds us that the destination is not our only goal. Like with any form of a journey, there are times when the roads are straight and times when they are winding. There are ups and downs and potholes along the way.
How do you explain a motif?
A motif is a symbolic image or idea that appears frequently in a story. Motifs can be symbols, sounds, actions, ideas, or words. Motifs strengthen a story by adding images and ideas to the theme present throughout the narrative.
What is a motif in English literature?
Motif is a literary technique that consists of a repeated element that has symbolic significance to a literary work. Sometimes, a motif is a recurring image.
What are the types of motifs?
Types of Motif
- Plant motif.
- Floral motif (flower)
- Traditional motif.
- Geometrical motif.
- Abstract motif. | https://www.inkbottlepress.com/interesting/readers-ask-journey-motif-in-literature.html |
Handwoven Kala cotton saree in indigo with intricate Soof Embroidery motifs all across the body. The saree has a broad border with Soof embroidered geometric patterns in colorful combination of threads.
The saree is handwoven in village called Kotay and is embroidered in Sumrasar (Bhuj) by our artisan Nilima ben.
Soof is one of the unique embroideries as they are done from reverse without any pre drawn motifs
It took 6 months of work by these two sisters to complete one saree.
Material: Kala cotton
Colour: Indigo
Measurements: Length 5.5 meter width – 45 in
Blouse : Includes blouse in same color and an additional contrast blouse
Care: DRY CLEAN ONLY
Expected Shipping Time: We ship Within 5 working days from the date of your order
Note: There could be slight variance in colour due to screen resolution.
This is a handcrafted product and hence slight irregularities are distinctive and inherent to the beauty of this creation. This product provides rural employment and involves ethical practices.
Happy Draping !! | https://www.forsarees.com/products/soof-embroidery-kala-cotton-saree |
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