Search results for "construct"

Social defeat and subordination as models of social stress in laboratory rodents: A review

1998

This paper is a review of the main research topics currently investigated in laboratory rodents using the stress of defeat or subordination as ethologically relevant models of social stress. First, the main characteristics of the resident/intruder paradigm and the colony models are given. Second, a general description of the behavioral, neuroendocrinological, physiological, neurochemical, neurological, and immunological responses found with these models, and their temporal dynamics, are discussed. Finally, the studies carried out that compare the response induced by social stress with that observed with more conventional models are also reviewed. It is concluded that these animal models of …

2020

Abstract Challenge is a key motivation for videogame play. But what kind of challenge types videogames include, and which of them players prefer? This article helps to answer the above questions by developing and validating Videogame Challenge Inventory (CHA), a psychometrically sound measurement for investigating players’ challenge preferences in videogames. Based on a review of literature, we developed a 38-item version of CHA that was included in a social media user survey (N = 813). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed a latent structure of five challenge types: Physical, Analytical, Socioemotional, Insight, and Foresight. CHA was amended in another EFA with USA-based survey da…

The temporal dimension in the understanding of maternal sensitivity in caregiver-infant interactions: The 'Early Mother-Child Interaction Coding Syst…

2021

Abstract Caregiver-child interaction is known to play a central role in children’s socioemotional development, yet the diversity of measures commonly used to evaluate it call into question the nature of the construct being assessed. Contingency within caregiver-child interactions has been identified as a key dyadic process that requires taking a temporal perspective to evaluating interactions. The Early Mother-Child Interaction Coding System is a psychometrically sound measure that sequentially code the flow of interactive and non-interactive behaviours within a caregiver-infant system. Its use of the framework of nonlinear dynamical systems (NDS) expands our understanding of contingent car…

Empowered by stigma? Pioneer organic farmers' stigma management strategies

2019

Abstract Pioneers of organic farming often faced social challenges as their innovative ideas on agriculture not only encountered opposition in the conventional farming community, but led to stigmatization of organic farmers as social deviants. In this study, we examine what kind of stigma management strategies pioneer organic farmers engage with in order to cultivate an alternative positive image of themselves. Our research is based on the interviews with 14 pioneer organic farmers. Based on a qualitative analysis of the interviews, we provide a model of those strategies that the creation from a stigmatized to valued identity requires. Our study increases the understanding of the institutio…

Environmental conflict as a social construction: Nuclear waste conflicts in Finland

1996

Environmental conflicts are a familiar phenomenon in all industrial societies, and social scientists have produced a great number of studies of different environmental conflicts. One conventional way to conceptualize them is known as NIMBY ("not in my backyard"). Although the recent NIMBY literature has revealed the complexity of the issue, the approach continues to be beset by a number of problems. It has been difficult to conceptualize the dynamic character of a conflict from this perspective. This paper suggests that the theory of environmental conflicts should shift in an epistemological and social interactionist direction, toward social constructionist theory. This paper offers a const…

Media assemblages, ethnographic vis-ability and the enactment of video in sociological research

2013

Video recordings offer great opportunities for qualitative social science research; their epistemological status, however, has not been left unchallenged. The paper picks up on this methodological debate, sounding out the specific potential of this research medium. Yet instead of primarily participating in methodological debates, we particularly want to inquire into the underlying empirical notions, settings, actors, and sceneries, which inform methodological debates on video. Reviewing research on ‘professional vision’ in Science and Technology Studies we try to raise awareness of the constructive nature of the practices, which manufacture and transform visual traces into evidence. We then…

Measuring Populist Attitudes on Three Dimensions

2018

Theoretically, populism has been conceptualized as a political ideology with three sub-dimensions: anti-elitism attitudes, a preference for popular sovereignty, and a belief in the homogeneity and virtuousness of the people. However, empirical research to date has treated populist attitudes as a unidimensional construct. To address this issue, we propose to conceptualize populist attitudes as a latent higher-order construct with three distinct first-order dimensions. A 12-item inventory was developed using two survey studies conducted in Switzerland in 2014 and 2015. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the construct validity of this measure of populist attitudes. …

Consolidated challenge to social demand for resilient platforms : Lessons from Uber's global expansion

2017

Many in the industry see the ride-sharing company Uber as the significant advancement through information and communication technology (ICT) particularly of the digital service platform and sharing economy. Uber has been exploring the new frontier of the ICT-driven disruptive business model (IDBM) and succeeded in its global expansion to over 479 cities in more than 75 countries worldwide in June of 2016. Such rapid expansion provides constructive insights regarding the significance of IDBM, not only in transportation but also in almost all other business fields. While at the same time Uber's legal battles in some cities around the world raise a serious question regarding the rationale of I…

A modest but practical software process modeling technique for software process improvement

2002

One of the main problems with software engineering is due to the difficulties in evaluating and improving our software processes, especially in the light of the fact that reuse depends on a process which supports it. Generally used approaches to the evaluation and improvement of software processes are based on the CMM, for example. In this paper we present a technique to improve software processes through modeling and evaluation. The presented technique is fairly easy to use, provides reasonably good results and requires only a fraction of resources required by CMM appraisals. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Software Business Education for Software Engineers: Towards an Integrated Curriculum

2006

All software is developed to create value to its stakeholders. Software engineering decisions and business value are closely linked with each other: technical decisions may have a profound impact on the business potential of software. Yet, software engineering education usually does not provide students with sufficient knowledge on business-related issues. We believe that the general business education is too abstract and unfocused to address the specific characteristics of software business. This paper suggests specific areas of business competencies that should be integrated into the software engineering curriculum. In addition, we compare these topics with software business curricula in …