Conceptual Continuum Research Articles

Trust and distrust in public governance settings: Conceptualising and testing the link in regulatory relations

ABSTRACT The relationship between trust and distrust in public governance is still an open question. In the literature, three different perspectives on how trust and distrust are related are intensively debated: (1) trust and distrust as two ends of the same conceptual continuum; (2) trust and distrust as opposites, but with neutral ground in between; and (3) trust and distrust as related, yet distinct concepts. Employing a new measure for distrust and by using perceptual data on trust and distrust in regulatory agencies from multiple types of stakeholders in nine countries and three sectors, this article shows that high trust and high distrust can co-exist at the same time, and that trust and distrust are negatively correlated only to a limited extent. Moreover, while trustworthiness correlates strongly with trust, trustworthiness does not or only weakly correlate with distrust in a negative way. These findings are robust even when controlling for respondents' characteristics, different types of stakeholders, sectors and countries. This suggests that in public governance settings trust and distrust should be considered as distinct concepts, and the article calls for more research into the distinctiveness of the measurement, causes and effects of distrust, compared to trust.

Local–translocal–postlocal: Emerging affordances for multi-sited ethnography

This article proposes a systematization of the within, between and beyond sites through which ethnographic field-making takes shape. It draws on fieldwork in Brazil, Greece, Nigeria, the UK and the social media among congregations affiliated with postcolonial Nigeria’s denominations of Pentecostal orientation. The main argument builds upon the conceptual continuum local–translocal–postlocal. Whereas the local exists through familiarity, the translocal emerges at the overlapping of familiarities, and the postlocal as a gesture of familiarity’s reconfiguration. This systematization advances epistemological and ethical extents of multi-sited ethnography, as it is premised upon the revision of designations identifying the research subject(s) as a ‘Nigerian Pentecostal diaspora’. While introducing a knowing of locals, translocals and postlocals over nationally, denominationally and diasporically bounded individuals, the continuum re-theorizes multi-sited-ness under local, translocal and postlocal affordances. In questioning identity designations, the paper foregrounds nuanced positionalities of ‘field’ constitutors to destabilize subtle conventions of totalization and the alterity-ipseity divide.

The Concept of Beauty in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Any lingual item can be considered in two different dimensions. These dimensions integrate conceptual and semantic spheres. Semantic knowledge is a special type of conceptual knowledge. Different aspects of the concept are lexicalized through this type of knowledge. Any language is a synthesis of man and the world. Therefore, contemporary linguistics maintains its internalconnection with previous paradigms of linguistics. From this point of view, the internal connection of the modern linguistic paradigm with the systemic- semiotic paradigm of language is particularly significant. The article is devoted to the study of the conceptual sphere integrated into a literary text. The subject of study is the verbal representation of the concept of “Beauty” in O. Wilde’s novel “The Picture of Dorian Grey.” While analyzing the conceptual continuum of a literary text, the markers of the conceptual sphere of the novel were considered; the basic concept in the novel was highlighted; lexical units representing the concept were identified and analyzed.

(182) The Differences in Brain Function Between Lifelong Premature Ejaculation and Delayed Ejaculation: A Study Based on High-density Electroencephalogram

Abstract Introduction Ejaculatory dysfunction is common male sexual dysfunction, which is a conceptual continuum, and premature ejaculation (PE) and delayed ejaculation (DE) anchor the opposite ends of this conceptual continuum, and normal ejaculation is in the center. The pathogenesis of PE and DE is still not fully elucidated, and the studies on the central nervous mechanisms are highly lacking, and the differences in brain function between PE and DE are unclear. Objective We try to use a high-density electroencephalogram (HDEEG) to explore the differences in brain function to compensate for the deficiency of previous studies based on functional magnetic resonance Imaging (fMRI) and provide a theoretical foundation for future studies exploring the treatment methods. Methods We included 12 lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) patients and 11 lifelong delayed ejaculation (LDE) patients, and all of them are right-handed. We evaluated the conditions of all subjects, who reported estimated intravaginal ejaculation latency time (eIELT). We used the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT), the abridged international index of erectile function (IIEF-6), and erection hardness score (EHS) to quantify the sexual function and sexual arousal. EEG signals were recorded in patients with LDE and LPE during two segments of resting and watching an erotic video, respectively. The duration of the recording was about five minutes and fifteen minutes, respectively. The subjects whose EEG signals were less than 30 segments were excluded from the final analysis. The power spectral density was analyzed based on fast Fourier transform (FFT). Differences in the power spectral density during resting and sexual arousal between the two groups were compared. We analyzed changes in the power spectral density of β oscillation with sexual arousal in each group. Results There were no statistical differences in the general clinical characteristics. The mean eIELT of LPE patients was 0.8 ± 0.4 minutes. The scores of EHS were not statistically different during watching an erotic video between the two groups. There were no significant differences in δ, θ, and α oscillations between the LDE group and the LPE group during resting, but the LDE group had significantly higher power of β1, β2, and β3 oscillations. The power of β1, β2, and β3 oscillations was significantly higher in the LDE group during watching an erotic video, and other oscillations were not significantly different. The power of β1, β2, and β3 oscillations significantly increased in the LDE group during sexual arousal, and β2 and β3 oscillations significantly increased in the LPE group. Conclusions Based on the previous literature and our results, we proposed a scientific hypothesis to explain the increase of β oscillation in LDE patients. The increase of β oscillation is associated with the activation of the inhibitory brain area. The over-activation of the inhibitory brain area leads to LDE and the under-activation leads to LPE. The activation of the inhibitory brain area may be associated with gamma-aminobutyric, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Disclosure No

Research on Large-Scale Sports Events Boosting Urban Tourism Development from The Perspective of Media Rituals

With the advent of the new media era, the research on the promotion of urban tourism development by large-scale sports events has gradually deepened, and its connotation and extension have shown an expanding trend. This study proposes a new framework for sports event tourism and introduces the concept of "media rituals" in communication. After sorting out the three interactive forms of sports, media, and tourism, the main mechanism of media rituals participating in sports event tourism is clarified. , and carried out explorations in three aspects: first, according to the presence or absence of media ritual intervention, a dual model of sports event tourists is proposed; second, the conceptual continuum of sports event tourism is constructed according to the level of media ritual intervention. From the perspective of ontology, this paper explores the particularity of sports event tourism that is different from other forms of tourism; thirdly, taking the Beijing Winter Olympics as a case, to sort out the value, predicament, and development path of large-scale sports event tourism under media ceremonies, aiming to It provides new ideas for sports event tourism marketing and academic research in the new media era.

Everyday power dynamics and hierarchies in qualitative research: The role of humour in the field

Negotiating the relationships influenced by a combination of identity markers during fieldwork is an important aspect of qualitative data co-creation. Based on ethnographic research with the canal boating and enthusiast communities in the UK, this paper focuses on the mundane power dynamics and hierarchies in research situations. The paper discusses the role of humour in negotiating the interpersonal dynamics and argues for the consideration of power (im)balances in the field beyond assumptions of the researcher as definitely the advantaged side. Joking plays an important role and is used by both research participants and researchers to level the researcher–participant hierarchies as well as to reproduce and reaffirm them. This takes place on a conceptual continuum: first, in terms of their relative rigidity, whereby certain norms, opinions or value systems are reinforced; and secondly, flexibility, whereby the notions about norms and preconceived ideas might shift during the research encounter.

Factors that motivate men who have sex with men in Berlin, Germany, to use or consider using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis-A multi-methods analysis of data from a multicentre survey.

While our knowledge of what motivates men who have sex with men (MSM) to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has grown in recent years, quantitative survey-based studies have not asked MSM explicitly to name their motivations. We did so using a qualitative open-ended question and aimed to categorise the responses and explore whether these were related to where MSM were located along a conceptual continuum of PrEP care. In a multicentre survey examining knowledge and use of PrEP among MSM in Berlin, Germany, we additionally asked an open-ended question about motivations for using or considering PrEP. Data were collected from 10/2017-04/2018. One researcher developed a thematic framework deductively from the literature and another did so inductively from the free-text data, and a merged framework was used to code responses independently. We used Fisher's exact test to assess whether the frequency of motivations differed significantly between respondents using or considering PrEP. Of 875 questionnaires, 473 were returned and 228 contained a free-text response. Motivations in the following categories were reported: (1) Safety/protection against HIV (80.2% of participants, including general safety; additional protection to condoms), (2) Mental well-being and quality of life (23.5%, including reduced anxiety; better quality of life), (3) Condom attitudes (18.9% intent not to use condoms), (4) Expectations about sexuality (14.4%, including worry-free sex or more pleasurable sex, with explicit mention of sex or sexuality), (5) Norms/social perspectives (0.8%). The difference in frequencies of motivations between those using or considering PrEP was not statistically significant. Safety and protection against HIV, particularly having additional protection if condoms fail, were the most common motivations for using or considering PrEP, followed by mental well-being and quality of life. Many respondents reported several motivations, and responses overall were heterogeneous. This suggests that approaches to increase PrEP uptake that focus exclusively on its effectiveness in preventing HIV are unlikely to be as successful as a holistic approach that emphasises multiple motivations and how these fit into the broader sexual and psychological health of MSM.

DISTANCE BE DAMNED: THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL PRESENCE IN A PANDEMIC CONSTRAINED ENVIRONMENT

ABSTRACT COVID-19 forced marketing education online, physically separating faculty from their students complicating communication, and generally disrupting the social process of learning. COVID-19 changed education in unprecedented ways, leaving many marketing educators teaching courses online for the first time. The change in modality motivated our research to understand a students’ perspective of what practices have and have not worked in this pandemic-constrained learning environment. Using a phronetic, iterative approach, we analyze 110 student reflections from 3 different marketing courses that transitioned online in the lock-down. The qualitative exploration of this rapid transition from the classroom to online course delivery reveals the use of synchronous video-conference platforms enables student-centered practices that can increase social presence and enhance students’ motivation, engagement, and perceived learning. We develop a conceptual continuum between transactional distance and social presence where these important student-centered dimensions can be influenced by faculty practices. Based on our results we develop a pathway to successful learning. Actionable propositions are offered to aid faculty in increasing social presence in the online delivery of marketing education. This study provides student insights and faculty guidance to design virtual course offerings that demonstrate motivating and engaging to students despite physical separation between faculty and students.

Brand imitation strategy, package design and consumer response: what does it take to make a difference?

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a brand imitation strategy for the package design of male-targeted, female-targeted and gender-neutral products.Design/methodology/approachThree (2 × 2 × 2) between-subjects factorial experiments were conducted with three independent variables, namely, visual shape, color and logo, each classified as relevant/divergent. The dependent variables were participants’ attitudes toward the brand, attitudes toward the product and purchase intention.FindingsThere were no significant main effects or interactions for the male-targeted product. The results for the female-targeted product revealed no significant main effect of visual shape, a significant main effect of color and significant two-way interactions between visual shape and color and between visual shape and logo. Significant main effects were found for visual shape and color for the gender-neutral product.Practical implicationsA color scheme similar to that of a leading brand in the same product category more powerfully influenced participants’ attitudes and purchase intention, while a more holistically similar design had greater impact than a less holistic design. Some “divergence” or distinctive design elements of the female-targeted product positively influenced participants’ attitudes and behavior. These findings suggest that a brand imitation strategy offers a means for competing in the marketplace, but should be used with caution.Originality/valueA conceptual continuum of brand imitation is proposed, incorporating visual semiotics, creativity theory and gender differences in cognitive styles to provide a more systematic method for delineating brand imitation levels.

Can Leadership Transform Educational Policy? Leadership Style, New Localism and Local Involvement in Education

In the realm of new localism and collaboration, local educational policymakers are called upon for responsible community leadership. Given the conceptual continuum between new localism and transformational leadership, this study examines the relationship between the leadership style of local educational policymakers and the involvement of local authorities in education. Data were obtained from 107 questionnaires submitted by mayors and directors of education affiliated with 100 local authorities in Israel. As predicted, there was a positive relationship between transformational leadership and the local authorities’ involvement in education, measured using four factors, but only for sound local authorities. We used five criteria to determine the soundness of the local authorities. In contrast, among less sound local authorities, there was an inverse relationship between transformational leadership and involvement in education. In general, in such communities, leaders seemed to prefer to leave educational issues to the central government. Thus, we present evidence for the boundaries of educational transformational leadership in the educational governance arena. Education-related policies are on the agenda of leaders even in weaker local authorities, but only to the extent that these policies can serve as an instrument to meet specific needs of the local community. All in all, there is no “one size fits all” for all aspects of new localism—i.e., central regulation towards local government, local policy, local leadership, and civic participation. Accordingly, policymakers, local leaders and residents must fit themselves to the blurred boundaries of new localism and collaborate towards better education. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Tourists’ perceptions regarding the use of anthropomorphic robots in tourism and hospitality

Purpose Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, service organizations rushed to deploy robots to serve people in quarantine, again igniting the ongoing dispute regarding robots in tourism. This study aims to investigate tourists’ perceptions regarding the use of robots and, more specifically, anthropomorphic robots in the tourism domain. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative inquiry was used to delve deep into the issue of tourists’ perceptions regarding the usage of anthropomorphic robots in tourism, with a total number of 78 interviews with tourists being retained in the study. Findings The findings reveal that tourists favor the use of anthropomorphic robots over any other type of robot. The use of anthropomorphic robots in tourism may result in an overall enhanced experiential value. Even so, informants also expressed frustration, sadness and disappointment vis-à-vis the use of robots in a human-driven industry. Research limitations/implications A conceptual continuum of tourists’ perceptions and concerns over the use of robots is presented that can guide future studies. Tourism stakeholders may look at the possibility of incorporating carefully designed anthropomorphic robots in key service positions, but should not give the impression that robots are replacing the human face of the organization. Practical implications Tourism stakeholders may look at the possibility of incorporating carefully designed anthropomorphic robots in key service positions, but should not give the impression that robots are replacing the human face of the organization. Originality/value Tourism organizations that make use of robots run the risk of being perceived as nonanthropocentric. This leads to the conclusion that anthropomorphism could be used but should not replace the sector’s anthropocentrism. The study conveys tourists’ concerns over technological (robot) determinism.

Remembering Jonestown through the camp and the postcolony: A multidirectional reading of Fred D’Aguiar’s Children of Paradise

ABSTRACT This article explores the contribution of Fred D’Aguiar’s 2014 novel Children of Paradise to the conflicted memorialization of the 1978 Jonestown tragedy, where over 900 American citizens lost their lives in the Amazonian interior of Guyana. It argues that in his fictional revisitation of the massacre, D’Aguiar explores Jonestown as a multidirectional site of memory. By placing the tragedy in a historical and conceptual continuum that encompasses different forms of subjugation, including colonialism and its legacy in the post-independence Caribbean, but also totalitarianism and Nazi rule, the author gives Jonestown a global resonance that enlarges its significance, challenges understandings of it as a historical anomaly and enhances the humanity of its victims, revealing linkages between seemingly disparate developments and memories. The discussion draws on the theoretical insights provided by Michael Rothberg, Giorgio Agamben and Achille Mbembe, among others.

Реалии Крыма в региональном лингвокультурологическом словаре

The article describes the formation of the Crimean regional version of the Russian literary language and the principles of compiling a regional linguocultural dictionary. The main problem addressed in the study is the application of functional-semantic description techniques and the ideas of geo-russistics to the practice of compiling a new type of linguocultural dictionary describing the regional version of the Crimean Russian language and representing the basic elements of the regional concept sphere. The purpose of article is to analyze the concept «Crimean regional version of the Russian literary language» in relation to the task of compiling the Russian linguocultural dictionary of the Crimea. Methods: descriptive, comparison, analysis. The following principles are recognized as innovative concepts of the «Russian Linguocultural Dictionary of the Crimea»: interdisciplinarity, functional-semantic approach to considering the relationship between a concept and means of its vernal implementation, regionalism, ideographic principle of modeling the conceptual continuum of a dictionary, historical and cultural commentary. The study examined the content of the term «regiolect», which is understood as a variant of the literary language formed in conditions of interacting with non-literary forms (dialect, vernacular, etc.) and / or other languages in the socio-cultural conditions of a particular region. As a result of the study, linguoculturological phenomena are presented as interpreted dictionary entries. The research results are important for the introduction of innovative teaching methods at schools and universities, as they develop the ideas of Crimean studies which are a new branch of regional pedagogy.

Building Meaning: Constructions of Imperial Power in Domitianic Architecture, Visual Culture, and Literary Sources

Abstract Domitian’s architecture was much denigrated, and nuanced readings of his buildings were closed off. His damnatio memoriae was remarkably complete. Buildings act as theoretically open spaces where meaning is constructed, deconstructed, and reconstructed. Imperial buildings exist on a conceptual continuum with humbler structures. Domitianic architecture is read through the poetry of Martial and Statius, through elite writers such as Pliny, Suetonius, and Dio, and through Domitian’s own coinage and inscriptions. Senatorial survivors justify their continued existence through denigration of Domitian’s buildings, but Domitian himself becomes a kind of writer, constructing his own existence through his utterances on and in architecture.

NEDD4 Family of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Breast Cancer: Spotlight on SMURFs, WWPs and NEDD4.

Massively parallel sequencing, genomic and proteomic technologies have provided near complete resolution of signaling landscape of breast cancer (BCa). NEDD4 family of E3-ubiquitin ligases comprises a large family of proteins particularly, SMURFs (SMURF1, SMURF2), WWPs and NEDD4 which are ideal candidates for targeted therapy. However, it is becoming progressively more understandable that SMURFs and NEDD4 have "split-personalities". These molecules behave dualistically in breast cancer and future studies must converge on detailed identification of context specific role of these proteins in BCa. Finally, we provide scattered clues of regulation of SMURF2 by oncogenic miRNAs, specifically considering longstanding questions related to regulation of SMURF1 and WWPs by miRNAs in BCa. SMURFS, WWPs and NEDD4 are versatile regulators and represent a fast-growing field in cancer research and better understanding of the underlying mechanisms will be helpful in transition of our knowledge from a segmented view to a more conceptual continuum.

Age-related changes in the temporal focus and self-referential content of spontaneous cognition during periods of low cognitive demand

An intriguing aspect of human cognition is the unique capacity to mentally retreat from our immediate surroundings to consider perspectives distinct from the here and now. Despite increasing interest in this phenomenon, relatively little is known regarding age-related changes in off-task, self-generated thought (often referred to as "mind-wandering"), particularly under conditions of low cognitive demand. While a number of studies have investigated the temporal orientation of mind-wandering with increasing age, findings have been largely inconsistent. Here, we explored the frequency, temporal focus, and self-referential/social content of spontaneous task-unrelated, perceptually decoupled thought in 30 young and 33 healthy older adults using the Shape Expectations task, a validated experimental paradigm in which discrete facets of inner mentation are quantified along a conceptual continuum using open-ended report. Participants also completed the daydreaming subscale of the Imaginal Process Inventory (IPI) as a trait measure of mind-wandering propensity. Significant group differences emerged on the Shape Expectations task, with reduced instances of mind-wandering in the context of elevated task-related thoughts relative to younger adults. In terms of temporal focus, a preponderance of present/atemporal off-task thoughts was evident irrespective of group; however, significantly higher levels of future-oriented thoughts were provided by younger adults, contrasting with significantly higher instances of retrospection in the older group. In addition, older adults displayed significantly fewer incidences of self-referential cognition relative to their younger counterparts. Our findings indicate a distinct attenuation of off-task, self-generated thought processes with increasing age, with evidence for a shift in temporal focus and self-referential quality, during periods of low cognitive demand.

What Is Local Food Entrepreneurship? Variations in the Commercially and Socially Oriented Features of Entrepreneurship in the Southeastern Arizona Local Food System

AbstractEntrepreneurial activities are sometimes framed as market‐based strategies that compromise the integrity of the movement against the global agrifood system. Other times, scholars have argued that entrepreneurship is a critical component of local food system viability. This study helps reconcile these conflicting views through a qualitative exploration of the variations in the commercially and socially oriented features of local food entrepreneurship in the southeastern Arizona local food system. Researchers gathered data between August 2014 and December 2016 through semistructured interviews with and direct observations of 36 southeastern Arizona local food entrepreneurs. A conceptual continuum that articulates the variations between commercial and social entrepreneurship according to market condition, mission, resource mobilization, and performance measurement guides the exploration. The findings reveal commercial and social variations in local food entrepreneurship to be assorted, yet synergistic enactments of the economic, environmental, and social conditions and principles that characterize the southeastern Arizona local food system. The findings push the local food entrepreneurship narrative beyond the limitations of a rigid activist‐market dichotomy by illuminating the synergistic complexities that influence the form and function of local food systems. The article discusses implications for both local food practitioners and scholars.

Innovative Capability of Building Information Modeling in Construction Design

The construction industry has long been urged to innovate, but innovation has been elusive because of the inherent social and organizational complexity of construction. Therefore, developing insight into the practice of innovating is needed to better understand and perform innovation in construction. Focusing on the practice of innovating requires exploring the enabling capability of solutions for practitioners to establish novel ways of doing things for improvement, referred to as ‘innovative capability.’ Building information modeling (BIM) has been promoted as an enabler of innovation in construction design because of its data management capabilities and the opportunities for interdisciplinary work based on them. Nevertheless, previous work presents divergent results exploring what BIM technologies can do for people and what people can actually do in BIM-enabled design practices, which presents confusion about the innovative capability of BIM. This paper aims to establish the basis of this confusion as a necessary step in developing more realistic ways of assessing and exploiting this capability. A conceptual continuum is proposed based on the functionalist/technology-centered and nonfunctionalist/human-centered perspectives on BIM to consider divergent arguments about its innovative capability; this continuum is used to analyze empirical findings from BIM-enabled design practices. The analyses suggest that individuals use BIM but are confused about its innovative capability because they adopt different views of BIM depending on their job and perspective. Given this, innovation is held back by the unexpressed differences between the views of BIM adopted by various practitioners who have to work together. It is argued that recognizing these differences, and working toward their reconciliation, is the way forward in establishing and exploiting the innovative capability of BIM.

La preposición ἀπό en el griego del Nuevo Testamento. Algunos casos de controversia

Una adecuada comprensión del signifi cado de las preposiciones en contexto es vital para la exégesis. En efecto, el debate exegético ha girado, en ocasiones, en torno al valor de una preposición en concreto. Sin embargo, siguen existiendo casos de desacuerdo en torno al sentido del morfolexema ἀπό en diferentes pasajes del NT, tanto en las traducciones y los principales diccionarios de griego clásico y neotestamentario como en algunas gramáticas y estudios. Este trabajo examinará pasajes del NT en los que el valor agentivo (de predicación pasiva) y el causal de ἀπό son erróneamente identifi cados entre sí o con otras funciones como las de separación, procedencia o intermediación. Tratará de dilucidar, por tanto, cuál es el ámbito signifi cativo de la preposición en cada caso siguiendo la metodología del Diccionario Griego-Español del Nuevo Testamento (DGENT), (Córdoba 2000-) de J. Mateos (†) - J. Peláez J. & GASCO, cuyo marco teórico seguiremos, así como dentro del eje o continuum conceptual que abarca las nociones de Causa y Agente e Intermediario. En defi nitiva, este artículo muestra cómo la aplicación del método de análisis semántico del DGENT, que supone nueva forma de tratar los lexemas, constituye un avance en el examen y la sistematización de los valores semánticos de la preposición ἀπό en el griego del corpus del NT, ya que permite analizar con precisión la preposición en contexto, arrojando luz sobre algunos pasajes neotestamentarios en los que su sentido ha sido largamente discutido por los investigadores.

Elastic impact response of a nonlocal rectangular plate

This paper concerns with the problem in which a spherical nano-particle impacts a rectangular orthotropic nano-plate. The plate is assumed thin, so that can be addressed by the Kirchhoff's classical plate theory assumptions. The governing equations are derived using nonlocal theory of elasticity. The nano-particle is considered to collide with the plate transversely while the interactions are non-bonding van-der Waals forces. The contact force in terms of indenter-plate distance, i.e. contact law, is derived using a conceptual continuum model. Afterwards, the coupled equations of motion for both the plate and indenter together with the utilized contact law are solved and results are developed for the case of impact between a gold nano-particle and a single-layered graphene sheet with simply supported boundaries.