Barker's Theory Research Articles

Reclaiming behaviour settings: reviewing empirical applications of Barker's behaviour settings theory.

Behaviour settings theory is the product of Roger Barker and Herbert F. Wright's decades-long Midwest Field Station research programme. The theory followed from the demonstration that the best predictor of a person's behaviour was the setting (i.e. location, timing and activity) in which their behaviour took place, rather than any individual trait (e.g. personality). Now little known in psychology, behaviour settings theory is often further obscured by being presented as a theory only, neglecting the clear methodology Barker provided for investigating the question: 'What do people do in everyday life?' This literature review takes a comprehensive look at Barker's contributions both within and outside of psychology. The corpus comprises both theoretical and empirical articles; however, our primary interest is in the empirical articles. We describe the who, when and where of behaviour settings research over the past half-century, and we identify branches and neighbours of behaviour settings research (e.g. manning theory, behaviour mapping and activity settings theory). Primarily, however, we attempt to answer the following questions: (i) Are any of Barker's tools for studying people in everyday settings being used currently? (ii) How accurately has Barker's theory been explained, or his methods applied? (iii) Does such work contribute to behaviour settings theory in a meaningful way? This article is part of the theme issue 'People, places, things and communities: expanding behaviour settings theory in the twenty-first century'.

A practitioner's field guide to the behaviour settings method.

Since the 1950s, Roger Barker's theory of behaviour settings has been useful for a wide number of disciplines. Few realize, however, that behaviour settings theory is also a methodology. Barker fully describes how to identify, describe and measure behaviour settings in his seminal book Ecological psychology: concepts and methods for studying the environment of human behavior (1968), and this method is further delineated in Phil Schoggen's Behavior settings: a revision and extension of Roger G. Barker's ecological psychology (1989). Nevertheless, beyond these two (rather expensive) books there are few other resources available to twenty-first century researchers who wish to systematically describe and measure behaviour in its ecological context using the principles of behaviour settings theory. In this article, I offer a practitioner's field guide to implementing the behaviour settings method, which includes a contemporary illustration of defining a behaviour setting using a recent observational study of an art gallery in Lethbridge, Canada. I discuss how researchers can use Barker's original methodology to determine what is a behaviour setting and how to define its boundaries, and I suggest best practices, offering practitioners the tools to replicate Barker's procedures. This article is part of the theme issue 'People, places, things, and communities: expanding behaviour settings theory in the twenty-first century'.

Behaviour setting transformation methodology, filling in the gaps of the conventional architectural design process.

This article recounts 6 years of empirical research in a humanitarian context on spatial behaviour using the behaviour settings theory. This research journey details the shortcomings of conventional architectural processes and the subsequent development of a human-centred behaviour setting methodology that drives behaviour change for adaptable spaces. The research work puts Barker's theory of behaviour settings into practice to show its significant methodological abilities in shaping behaviours through spaces. While the original theory was solely an analytical account of existing behaviours in certain settings, this study marks the first pragmatic exploration of the theory into both residential and refugee contexts. The methodology that is subsequently proposed is a complementary tool to account for the deficiencies of conventional architectural design processes. A method that enables one to fully immerse themselves in the environment, recognize specific architectural interventions, assess their effects and reiterate. It is a proposal for humanizing architecture, sympathizing its processes and personalizing its results for the users of any space. This article is part of the theme issue 'People, places, things, and communities: expanding behaviour settings theory in the twenty-first century'.

An Analytical Study of Theatre and censorship in Howard Barker’s No End of Blame: Scenes of Overcoming (1981) and Scenes from an Execution (1984)

Objectives: This paper explores the use of history in contemporary British theatre to address issues like marginalization and censorship, focusing on Barker's theatre theory, which diverges from early works by Churchill and Hare. Emphasizing the artist's role and responsibilities, it delves into potential dilemmas faced in the realm of contemporary British theatre. 
 Methods: This study critically analyzes Barker's plays, "No End of Blame: Scenes of Overcoming" (1981) and "Scenes from an Execution" (1984), through the lens of his influential book, "Arguments for a Theatre." Additionally, insights from interviews with the playwright are incorporated to better understand Barker's views on theatre and censorship. 
 Results: Government interference adversely impacts an artist's freedom, creating a dialectical relationship between the artist and the state. In the 1980s, the theme of censorship and restricted expression is portrayed through artist figures in conflict with external forces. Depicting artists as characters not only illustrates the dilemmas, they faced but also serves as a critique of political efforts to suppress voices during that decade. 
 Conclusions: The paper concludes that artists may intentionally conceal opinions to evade censorship, emphasizing the need for artists to balance political demands with personal expression. Unlike peers like Stoppard and Wertenbaker, Barker doesn't advocate a specific ideology in his plays. He views theatre as a space for unleashing individual imagination rather than conveying a message or utilitarian value. The exploration of artists' roles and responsibilities in Barker's plays remains a fertile area for ongoing research and discovery.

Cultural Identity of Attack On Titan Fans on Social Media Twitter in Indonesia

Research that carries the theme of cultural identity is always associated with identities that are formed and seen from ethnicity, race, country, and the like. The purpose of this study is to reveal the cultural identity of fans in an internet-based fandom, especially on Twitter social media. The theories used are Hall and Barker's theory of cultural identity, Nagy-Koles' virtual identity theory, Jenkins' fan study, and McQuail's new media theory. The approach used to conduct this research is a qualitative approach, while the method used to conduct this research is participatory observation and interview that involved several fans that followed one of the Attacks on Titan’s fandom accounts, AOTFESS. In AOTFESS, the study later found out that their cultural identity is not always seen from literal symbols, but rather formed and then found through the interactivities of fans who follow the account.

The Portrayal of an Iranian Queer Muslim Teenager in Arvin Ahmadi’s How It All Blew Up

This research examines the representation of an Iranian queer Muslim teenager in Arvin Ahmadi's How It All Blew Up. It also evaluates how the novel describes the sufferings of an Iranian queer Muslim teenager through symbolism, which Ahmadi uses as his aesthetic strategies. This research is descriptive qualitative, which examines the primary text by using close textual analysis. This research engages with Stuart Hall's theory of representation and Chris Barker's queer theory. The research investigates the symbolism representing the sufferings of an Iranian queer Muslim teenager and what aesthetic strategies the author uses to question mainstream society, which tends to exclude a queer teenager from “normal” belonging. Indeed, the analysis is engaged with Stuart Hall's theory of representation and Chris Barker's queer theory. This research discovered five representations of the protagonist character in the novel, namely Amir is represented as an Iranian queer Muslim that was born to an Iranian Muslim immigrant family, an Iranian queer Muslim that grew up in a Muslim family that did not strictly implement Islamic teachings, an irreligious Iranian queer Muslim, an Iranian queer Muslim that was attracted to people of the same sex, and an Iranian queer Muslim that struggled with his family's acceptance of his queerness. Indeed, this research discovers four symbols that are used to represent the suffering of an Iranian queer Muslim teenager, including the symbol of fortress, tunnel, tattoo, and wall. Thus, Ahmadi’s novel reveals how a queer Muslim teenager struggles to fight for his rights to be acknowledged and appreciated in the ideas of “normality” and social belonging.

Five-footways: the generator of public realm in Malaysian historical urban centre

PurposeFive-footways are an important feature in historical urban centres of tropical South East Asian cities. These colonnades along the rows of commercial shop houses provide comfortable pedestrian walkways. In spite of the decline of the liveability in many historical urban centres, the “kaki-lima” or five-footways in Klang Valley Malaysia are bustling and alive. Many studies have been done on kaki-lima, however it focuses mostly on historical and cultural context. There is lack of understanding on how the physical attributes of kaki-lima facilitate the liveliness of urban life. The paper aims to investigate the five-footway as the generator of public realm and to analyse the physical attributes of the five-footways that contribute to the “stickiness” of the public space.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilized behaviour mapping to identify the sticky activity, then subsequently used Roger Barker's theory of Behaviour Settings to observe different stationary activities along the five-footways of the historical centres of Kuala Lumpur and Klang.FindingsThe findings show that all the identified behaviour settings along the five-footways are strongly characterised by tropical climate and local diverse culture. Additionally, the small architectural detail provides an important physical setting for informal activities to take a place in the five-footways.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited only to two urban heritage districts in Malaysia, namely Kuala Lumpur and Klang.Practical implicationsThe findings have the implication for the public space policy of the local municipalities, specifically for urban design policy of the five-footways. Firstly, the inclusion of five-footways should be encouraged in any new shophouse development and secondly, the policy maker should consider to retain certain physical features of the five-footways that support not only the informal economy activities but also the creation of third places in the neighbourhoods.Originality/valueThis study will contribute to the discourse of urbanism, especially in understanding the public realm in South East Asian cities. Additionally, the outcomes will assist the local municipality in developing urban design policy of the five-footways.

Thermodynamic description of the Gd2O3-Y2O3-HfO2 and La2O3-Y2O3-HfO2 systems at high temperatures

Thermodynamic properties of the Gd2O3-Y2O3-HfO2 and La2O3-Y2O3-HfO2 systems were obtained by Knudsen effusion mass spectrometric method at the temperatures 2500 K and 2337 K, respectively. Description of the thermodynamic properties of these systems was obtained using the Barker theory. It was illustrated that negative deviations from the ideality in these systems were related to the formation of the Me-O-Y and Y-O-Hf bonds in the solid solutions. Accuracy of the optimization of the thermodynamic data in the Gd2O3-Y2O3-HfO2 system using the Barker theory was checked in comparison with the traditional Redlich-Kister approximation approach.

Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) and Epidemiology

Japan has the highest proportion of low-birth-weight infants among OECD countries for over 20 years. In 2011, the proportion of low-birth-weight infants in Japan was 9.6%, whereas the mean proportion in OECD countries was only 6.8%. In particular, young Japanese women's strong desire to be thin has been pointed out as the underlying cause. Indeed, the frequencies of unhealthy thinness among third-year female junior and senior high school Japanese students have been increasing since the start of "Healthy Parents and Children 21", and both groups have reached about 20%. The hypothesis of the fetal origins of adult disease (Barker's theory) was proposed by Professor David J. Barker of Southampton University, who had conducted descriptive epidemiological studies in England and Wales and birth cohort studies in Hertfordshire, for example. In early 21st century, it became the wider theory known as the "Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)", which was composed of developmental plasticity and the mismatch concept. Birth cohort studies are believed to be suitable for epidemiological studies to demonstrate the DOHaD theory. These studies and their collaborations are very popular in European countries, whereas such collaborations lagged behind in Japan. Recently, a new paradigm, "preemptive medicine", has been proposed in Japan. The importance of interdisciplinary studies focusing on fetal and childhood periods was also recommended as a political strategy. We just expect the realization of nationwide large-scale interdisciplinary research projects based on DOHaD and preemptive medicine and the establishment of a central research institute of these studies.

Programación metabólica fetal

In the past few years, Mexico has been considered the countrywith the first place in childhood with overweight and obesity. International organizations have reported that 33% of our infant population as being overweight or with obesity. A large number of infants have as risk for metabolic alterations, and when reaching adulthood can present metabolic syndrome, which is a constellation of risk factors for cardiovascular disease that including insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia and central obesity. It has been found in animal studies that the fetus can adapt to malnutrition, alter its metabolism, redistribute its blood flow to protect important organs such as the brain, and even adapt to a slower growth in order to diminish its substrate demands. On the other hand, those changescan be permanent in the structure and function of the organism. Barker's theory also known as Intrauterine Programming Effect was the first to propose fetal origin for coronary heart disease. According with this theory the growth and development of the fetus are determined by three factors: the mother's nutritional status, placental function and the ability of the fetus to utilize the nutrients.

Long-term consequences of low birth weight

There is accumulating evidence of the impact of low birth weight in adult age. Thus, the Barker theory and Brenner hypothesis gain more power. This article reviews and analyzes the evidence that supports the intrauterine origin of chronic noncommunicable diseases in adult age, particularly systemic arterial hypertension and chronic renal insufficiency. These are possibly related to lower nephron numbers, acquired in utero or later in life, which can increase susceptibility to kidney damage from diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, or cause arterial hypertension and secondary renal damage.

Remembering the lizard: Reconstructing sexuality in the rooms of narcotics anonymous

The crack epidemic was devastating to poor American communities in part because of the destruction wrought by the system of exchanging sex for drugs, which was a key feature of the crack‐use culture. Sex‐for‐drugs exchanges were often conducted under unsafe circumstances and were linked to the spread of AIDS and other STDs as well as unplanned pregnancies. The existence of this alternative system of sexual relationships threatened the economic viability of established commercial sex work and undermined the status and power of women. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings helped men and women recover from crack addiction through a well‐described 12‐step process. Described as “the rooms,” these time‐ and space‐specific encounters helped people become sober in the context of neighborhoods that were centers of the drug trade. Because of the key role of sex in the crack culture, transformation of sexual relationships was essential to establishing and maintaining sobriety. The manner in which the rooms of NA influence the sexuality and lifeworld of addicted people is explored using Barker's theory of ecological psychology.

Solution generating in scalar-tensor theories with a massless scalar field and stiff perfect fluid as a source

We present a method for generating solutions in some scalar-tensor theories with a minimally coupled massless scalar field or irrotational stiff perfect fluid as a source. The method is based on the group of symmetries of the dilaton-matter sector in the Einstein frame. In the case of Barker's theory the dilaton-matter sector possesses SU(2) group of symmetries. In the case of Brans-Dicke and the theory with "conformal coupling", the dilaton- matter sector has $SL(2,R)$ as a group of symmetries. We describe an explicit algorithm for generating exact scalar-tensor solutions from solutions of Einstein-minimally-coupled-scalar-field equations by employing the nonlinear action of the symmetry group of the dilaton-matter sector. In the general case, when the Einstein frame dilaton-matter sector may not possess nontrivial symmetries we also present a solution generating technique which allows us to construct exact scalar-tensor solutions starting with the solutions of Einstein-minimally-coupled-scalar-field equations. As an illustration of the general techniques, examples of explicit exact solutions are constructed. In particular, we construct inhomogeneous cosmological scalar-tensor solutions whose curvature invariants are everywhere regular in space-time. A generalization of the method for scalar-tensor-Maxwell gravity is outlined.

Some Empirical Evidence for Ecological Dissonance Theory

Using Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory as a model, the extension to Barker's ecological theory, referred to as ecological dissonance theory, was developed. Designed to examine the motivational dynamics involved when environmental systems are in conflict with each other or with cognitive systems, ecological dissonance theory yielded five propositions which were tested in 10 studies. This summary of the studies suggests operationally defined measures of ecological dissonance may correlate with workers' satisfaction with their jobs, involvement with their jobs, alienation from their work, and to a lesser extent, workers' conflict resolution behavior and communication style.

SOME EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FOR ECOLOGICAL DISSONANCE THEORY

Using Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory as a model, the extension to Barker's ecological theory, referred to as ecological dissonance theory, was developed. Designed to examine the motivational dynamics involved when environmental systems are in conflict with each other or with cognitive systems, ecological dissonance theory yielded five propositions which were tested in 10 studies. This summary of the studies suggests operationally defined measures of ecological dissonance may correlate with workers satisfaction with their jobs, involvement with their jobs, alienation from their work, and to a lesser extent, workers' conflict resolution behavior and communication style.

Thermodynamics of mixtures containing linear monocarboxylic acids II. Binary systems showing cross-association between components: DISQUAC characterization of linear monocarboxylic acid + 1-alkanol, or + linear monocarboxylic acid mixtures

Binary mixtures containing compounds which show cross-association between them are investigated in terms of DISQUAC: namely, systems with two linear monocarboxylic acids, or with one acid and one 1-alkanol. In the former, the interactions between the COOH groups of the acids are represented by dispersive parameters only. Binary systems involving two 1-alkanols behave similarly. In the linear monocarboxylic acids + 1-alkanol mixtures, the COOH/OH interactions are represented by structure-dependent dispersive and quasichemical parameters. It is shown that those solutions with methanol and ethanol do not fit into the general scheme followed by the higher members of each homologous series considered here. A similar behaviour is found when mixtures containing methanol and benzene or CCl 4 are compared with those involving higher alkanols in the frameworks of DISQUAC or of the Barker's theory. Vapor-liquid equilibria, VLE, and excess enthalpy, H E, data are consistently described by DISQUAC. Discrepancies are analysed. The UNIQUAC association model or an equation of state (Carnahan-Starling) with the association built in have been applied in the literature as pure correlations of the experimental data for acids + 1-alkanols systems. Their results are compared with those reported in this work by DISQUAC.

Nutrition in Child Health

Ed D P Davies Royal College of Physicians, pounds sterling19.50, pp 240 ISBN 1 86016 018 2 I cannot recall a more exciting time in the study of paediatric nutrition. This excitement, excellently conveyed in Nutrition in Child Health, has several components, but perhaps foremost is the element of surprise. Consider for example, the sense of astonishment that engulfed the nutrition and medical fraternity at David Barker's theory that our destiny—in terms of hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, and noninsulin dependent diabetes—results not primarily from external factors such as lifestyle but from the body's self …

Setting phenotypes in a mutual help organization: Expanding behavior setting theory

Expands Barker's theory of behavior settings by proposing an additional method of classifying settings based on their functional/behavioral aspects--the setting phenotype. Although behavior setting theory has been widely hailed as a revolutionary contribution to behavioral science, it has had limited impact on general psychology. This may be due in part to a reliance on a purely structural method of classifying behavior settings--the setting genotype. Behavioral data were collected from 510 meetings of 13 self-help groups from a mutual help organization for persons with problems in living. A cluster analysis was performed to uncover meaningful behavioral patterns among the groups. Four phenotypes were identified: personal, impersonal, small talk, and advising. Mutual help group phenotype was found to be related to a set of setting characteristics as well as to overall rated change of group members. The results are discussed in light of the significance of the phenotype construct for making behavior setting theory more relevant for social scientists.

Cosmological models in Barker's theory of gravitation.

A systematic and exhaustive study of homogeneous and isotropic cosmological models in Barker's theory of gravitation is reported, where present values of dynamical functions are consistent with astronomical observations and solar-system experiments. Except in the special case where ${q}_{0}$=${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{0}$/2, which constitutes a region of zero measure in the allowed zone of the (${q}_{0}$,${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{0}$) plane, the age of the Universe in these cosmological models is less than the age of old globular clusters. Other specific features of Barker's cosmologies are also presented.

Dimensional analysis of behavior setting demands in a community residence for chronically mentally ill women

Care of chronic psychiatric clients in community settings is a priority issue in mental health, and current thinking proposes an interactional model encompassing both individual skills and environmental demands to explain clients' adjustment to community life. Although functional skills of chronic clients are readily measurable, we lack systematic and precise methods for describing and evaluating community settings in commensurate terms. The present study used Barker's (1968) theory of behavior settings to assess 55 structured activities and other settings in a large community residence for chronically mentally ill women. Factor analysis identified dimensions of behavioral demands involving entry requirements, levels of social interaction, dress, cooperation, and competition, and also size and frequency/duration of settings. Implications for the assessment, selection, modification, and creation of community settings for the chronically mentally ill are discussed.