Amount Of Social Contact Research Articles

The influence of different social and physical environments on the incidence of lactational oestrus in sows

The behaviour of sows and their litters housed in different environments of increasing social and physical complexity was observed. Lactational oestrus occurred only in the most complex housing system (4 sows grouped, full boar contact, four indoor pens with four connected outside yards). The amount of time the sows were active did not differ between the housing systems whereas the piglets were significantly more active in the most complex housing system. The amount of social contact between the sows and the piglets was the main factor influenced by the housing conditions. Several measures of social interactions and spatial arrangement consistently showed that social contact was highest in the farrowing crates and lowest in the most complex housing system. The results indicate that increasing the complexity of a housing system for lactating sows reduces the contact between the sow and the piglets which may enhance the incidence of lactational oestrus.

Interaction and well-being in old age: is it quantity or quality that counts?

This article explores the relationship between two dimensions of social interaction and well-being, controlling for the key antecedent variables of health and income. The two dimensions of interaction relate to the quantity and adequacy of social contact. Using more comprehensive indicators of social interaction than are generally available, the results indicate that it is the respondent's assessment of the adequacy of his or her social contact, rather than the amount of social contact per se, that is a critical determinant of well-being in old age.

Social support and arterial pressure in a central Mexican community.

Research on the relationship of social support and arterial blood pressure was conducted in a town in central Mexico. A culturally appropriate measure of social support was developed assessing perceived support from relatives, friends, neighbors, and compadres (ritual kin). The effects of perceived support from these four sources were compared to the effects of the amount of reported social contacts. For males, more support from all four sources was related to lower arterial pressure, whereas amount of social contact was related to higher diastolic blood pressure; support from compadres had the largest inverse correlation with blood pressure. For females the pattern of correlations was dependent on age: support from relatives and friends was related to higher blood pressure for younger females, whereas support from relatives was related to lower blood pressure for older females. This pattern of relationships is consistent with the place of women in the social structure of this Mexican community, and these results point to the need to conceptualize and measure social support in culturally appropriate ways.

Use and non-use of hearing aids.

A hundred and fifty hearing-handicapped were interviewed at home two years after their hearing aids had been fitted. The aim was to find out how many of the delivered aids were in use, and if not, why. A remarkable percentage of the hearing aids were very seldom, if ever, in use (23%), 57% of them were used regularly every day and 19% of the hearing-handicapped used their aids occasionally. The hearing aids were less used if the hearing loss was mild or sensorineural. Behind-the-ear aids were used more regularly than the body-worn aids. The time needed for learning to handle the aid did not affect the amount of use. Very often, despite being satisfied with the instruction, the non-users were not skilled in handling the aid. They also often complained about having little opportunity to converse with others; however, no difference in the amount of social contacts could be shown between the users and non-users. On the basis of the results of this study the policy of our hearing-aid fitting has been revised.

Social support factors and drinking among college student males

The present investigation focused on social support and social competence among male college freshmen and the relation of these variables to alcohol use and psychological adjustment. Recent critical analyses of the social support literature suggest that studies in this area have generally failed to distinguish between different modes of support. Therefore, measures pertaining to possible dimensions of the social support construct (i.e., social network characteristics and perceived social support) were administered to 137 male college freshmen, along with a measure of social competence, and these data were factor analyzed. As a result, three interpretable factors were identified: Network Functions, Perceived Intimacy/Support, and Social Competence. Measures representing social network characteristics (e.g., network size, density, amount of social contact), perceived support, and social competence were used to predict alcohol use and psychological symptomatology. Results indicated that alcohol use was positively related to social network characteristics that reflect high levels of social interaction (e.g., network density, amount of social contact) and measures of social competence. Drinking was not significantly related to measures of perceived social support. Psychological symptomatology was negatively related to measures of perceived support, social competence, and network density. Thus, this study concludes that different modes of support and different measures of psychological adjustment should not be treated as if they are equivalent. And this study reaffirms a growing concern that the social context provides frequent opportunities for alcohol use and abuse in a college community.

Social support, accommodation to stress and adjustment to breast cancer

A woman's emotional adjustment to breast cancer is the focus of this study. The social support the woman experiences is predicted to affect the adjustment process by improving her ability to cope. Current clinical research indicates that background factors, such as marital status, age, SES and life change, also affect adjustment; these variables are incorporated into the model as controls. Using multiple regression analysis ( N = 130), the control variables are entered simultaneously with the indicators of social support to assess the independent effect of social support on adjustment. The relationship between social support, coping, and adjustment, as measured by psychological distress, self concept, and sense of power, is then examined. Two indicators of social support, perception of family cohesiveness and the amount of social contact have direct effects on coping and indirect effects on all three measures of adjustment, indicating that coping mediates the relationship between social support and adjustment. Contrary to predictions, being employed and of higher social status have significant effects on adjustment when it is measured by either self concept or sense of power.

USING "ANGELS AND DEVILS"

The incidence of perceptual deprivation and social isolation effects, possible correlates of such effects, and the potential for remediation of effects was studied for 32 nursing home residents through playing a discussion-stimulating board game called "Angels and Devils." Results indicate a high incidence of sensory deprivation and social isolation effects in the population, as meausred by resident response to questionnaire items. These do not correlate with length of institutionalization, amount of social contact, or degree of medical restriction and may be reduced by stimulating resident-staff discussion. Findings are interpreted as indicating the need for more research in application of board games to ameliorate negative effects emerging in institutional environments.

Using Angels and Devils: a board game developed for play in nursing homes.

The incidence of perceptual deprivation and social isolation effects, possible correlates of such effects, and the potential for remediation of effects was studied for thirty-two nursing home residents through playing a discussion-stimulating board game called Angels and Devils. Results indicate a high incidence of sensory deprivation and social isolation effects in the population, as measured by resident response to questionnaire items. These do not correlate with length of institutionalization, amount of social contact, or degree of medical restriction, and may be reduced by stimulating resident-staff discussion. Findings are interpreted as indicating the need for more research in application of board games to ameliorate negative effects emerging in institutional environments.

Graphidium strigosum and Trichostringylus retortaeformis in a confined population of wild rabbits

Replicated rabbit populations were maintained in experimental enclosures at each of three densities (approximately 12.5, 25, and 50 rabbits per ha); in addition, populations were maintained at a density of about 50 per ha but in enclosures of three different sizes (about 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 ha). Altogether 230 rabbits commenced the experiment. Towards the end of the breeding season all the surviving rabbits (or their replacements) were killed and counts made of the numbers of G. strigosum and T. retortaeformis. Statistical tests were done relating the numbers of these parasites to the treatment to which their hosts had been exposed and to a range of factors that had been measured either during or at the termination of the experiment. Numbers of G. strigosum varied in relation to the treatment to which their hosts were exposed, in particular to the length of time that the rabbits had been under the conditions of the experiment and to factors directly related to the treatment, especially rabbit density and the amount of social contact with other rabbits. These extrinsic factors had a much less marked effect on the numbers of T. vetortaeformis in the rabbits. Male rabbits of low social status carried significantly more T. uel'ortaeformis than did their more dominant counterparts. It is suggested that this was the result of social factors affecting the susceptibility of these subordinate animals to infection with this parasite.