Mutual Experience Research Articles

Understanding a Future Yet to Take Shape

An issue on narrating shared futures (‘How will we live together?’) implies being able to conceive of a mutual and shared experience. The history of shared heritages often contains other figures in the margins: those who were not seen as part of the dominant cultural narrative, or whose contribution to its heritage went unacknowledged. The holistic view of the 2018 Davos declaration on Baukultur embraces a more integral view of the built environment and society. In order to explore some of the cultural narratives that shape our past and envision a shared future, this article takes a closer look at three science fiction authors and how their stories draw lessons from the past into a narration of possible futures. Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler and Margaret Atwood have each envisioned futures that draw from contemporary developments and expand them to an overarching logic as the setting of their tales. Rather than directly examining (un)built heritages, this article examines the underlying cultural logic of building on the past. If architecture provides a foundation for a shared (and inclusive) future, the stories constructed by these authors show how the built environment resonates with societal principles, aiding or hindering particular collective values.

Online support groups, social identity, and the health and wellbeing of adults with Long Covid: An interview study

AbstractAs many individuals with Long Covid are left without formal support, they have turned to online support groups for help. In a pre‐registered study, interviews were carried out with 21 adults with Long Covid to explore experiences of using online support groups, to understand whether participants felt these experiences influenced their health and wellbeing, and to identify whether group members developed a shared social identity. The reported benefits varied by the nature and size of the online support group: participants reported that smaller groups enabled a sense of community; occupation groups provided work‐specific support; and larger groups helped with symptom management. Interviewees reported that support groups validated members' experiences, made them feel less alone, and enhanced self‐efficacy by providing and offering support and enabling participants to learn new skills. However, negative outcomes were also reported, such as increased fear and reduced wellbeing. Shared identities developed based on mutual Long Covid experiences, shared values towards illness management, and pre‐existing identities. Reported experiences also varied between online support group size (large vs small); type (e.g., advocacy‐focused, yoga‐based, local or international); and platform (video‐ vs text‐based) and throughout the illness. Whilst this study recognises the necessity of medical treatment for Long Covid, we also recommended that individuals with Long Covid explore different support groups to find the most suitable group for them in terms of preferred group features, values towards illness management and enablement of social identities.

From Molecules to Materials: Collaborative Research at the Chemistry—Materials Science Interface and Lessons Learned in Cyclophane Chemistry

AbstractIn the spirit of pursuing collaborative research at the interface of chemistry and materials science for engineering cyclophane‐based functional systems, the journey from molecules to materials and a portion of the accomplishments exploring technologically‐relevant small‐molecule organic emitters, polymer thin films, and supra‐sensing through supramolecular host‐guest interactions (molecular self‐assembly) is shared. This report highlights diverse research trajectories and the importance of active collaboration within the chemistry community. It is also intended to serves young scientists who are committed to research in interdisciplinary domains. This inspires fostering global research networks and promoting industrial−academic symbiosis that bring innovations to the education environment and curriculum by sharing mutual experiences, knowledge, and specialized skills which may cut across several inter‐related disciplines.

Współpraca Polski i Mołdawii. Geneza, obszary, uwarunkowania

Cooperation between Poland and Moldova is carried out on many levels. Its dynamics have been increasing in recent years. This is evidenced by both the intensification of contacts at the intergovernmental level and the increasing number of joint projects implemented, for example, as part of Polish development cooperation. Increased activity in the economic sphere is also noticeable. In recent years, the value of trade between our countries has increased. Political cooperation implemented in the form of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Republic of Poland and the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova as well as at the Polish-Moldavian European Integration Forum is also important. For Moldova, taking into account the specific nature of this country, Polish political activities related to expressed support on the way to European integration are of significant value. Moldova declared its independence on August 27, 1991. As a result of the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the establishment of independent states, on December 27, 1991, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland adopted a resolution on their recognition. Since then, cooperation has been developing in many spheres of political, economic, and social life. This analysis aims to present the most important forms, areas, and effects of cooperation between Poland and Moldova. Given the increasingly closer relations between entities from various sectors in recent years, it is appropriate to show mutual experiences from previous cooperation, but also an outline of common history.

Commitment to the ESG investing and Individual Mutual Fund Investors’ Preference: Evidence from Stated Choice Experiments

Abstract Using stated choice experiments, this paper tests the causal effect of mutual funds’ commitment to the ESG investing by signing the UNPRI on individual investors’ preference for mutual funds. I find that signing the UNPRI will make mutual funds more attractive to investors. The estimated WTP is approximately 4% in terms of the annual management fees, both statistically and economically significant. The effect of signing the UNPRI on investor preference is not significantly different among investors with different sex, income, risk attitude, and mutual fund investment experience. However, it is larger among the older investors than the younger. JEL classification numbers: G20, G50. Keywords: UNPRI, Choice Experiment, ESG.

Slow and steady? Capacity building for participatory governance in local arts development through practitioner-researcher collaboration

With a focus on local government's role in participatory cultural governance, this paper argues two points. First, self- and critical reflexivity of institutional brokers is important to community-wide capacity building for participatory cultural governance. Second, this reflexivity can be enabled through slow, inquiry-based collaboration between practitioners and researchers. The paper presents the experiences of a practitioner-researcher collaboration between a local authority arts officer and a cultural policy scholar in the development of a place-based local arts development programme taking place from 2017 to 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. The paper surfaces how efforts to promote greater participation in local decision-making require acts of reflexivity as core to the repertoire of capacity building for enabling participatory cultural governance practice in local public arts administration. Three interrelated factors are determined to have helped enable this reflexivity: (1) the arts officer's openness to engage in collaborative processes that (2) emphasised reflection and learning and were supported by (3) the presence of an embedded researcher with mutual interest, beliefs and experience or knowledge of the institutional context. Limitations in the study highlight areas for further research regarding the affective nature of practitioner-researcher collaborations and the potential of promoting reflexive practice in processes aimed at promoting participatory governance.

Mutual fund pollution experience and environmental voting

We study the relationship between mutual fund management's direct experience with extreme environment events and the fund's voting behavior on environmental issues. We find that higher air pollution in a fund's home county increases its propensity to vote in support of shareholders' environmental proposals. The effect is weakened by fund manager turnovers, and managers' affiliation with the Republican Party. Conversely, the effect is stronger for more highly contested environmental proposals. Overall, our results suggest that mutual fund management's direct experience with extreme environment events plays a significant role in motivating the fund's environmental engagements.

Foregrounding Amazonian women through decolonial and process-relational perspectives for transdisciplinary transformation

ABSTRACT The vulnerability of the Amazon has widely increased with the COVID-19 global pandemic and with the dismantlement of environmental protection policies in Brazil during the Bolsonaro administration. By contrast, local initiatives focusing on sustainable production, conservation, enhancing local people’s quality of life, and supporting a more inclusive economy have emerged throughout the region and are building resilience in face of these disruptions. They represent seeds for transformation towards more sustainable trajectories from the ground up. In this context, women play a significant role, but their actions and voices are poorly understood, studied, or even considered. In this article, we use a novel approach to engage and highlight women’s experiences by connecting decolonial and process-relational perspectives. Decolonial and process-relational thinking are closely linked in many ways, including in that they embrace difference as a mode of experiencing social-ecological relations. One particular aspect of this link is the shared focus on liminal thinking or thinking from the borders, what we call ‘betweenness’. In our decolonial praxis, we highlight women’s perspectives on their particular and diverse ways of life in the Amazon as they confront diverse pressures. To this end, we collaborated with 39 women from Santarém and neighboring towns in western Pará through participant observation, semi-structured interviews and facilitated dialogues. We discuss their perspectives on regional transformation, particularly the expansion of large-scale agribusiness around rural communities, and their understanding and responses to these changes. We reflect on the mutual learning experience resulting from the transdisciplinary engagement between researchers and collaborators.

"I Love Every Part of You"

"I Love Every Part of You"

Fashioning hate: Driving the runway of desire

AbstractSexist and homophobic attitudes are an individual's expression of the dominant sociocultural position which endorses sexism and anti‐homosexuality. We contend that misogyny and homophobia are pathological symptoms representing the internalization of these malignant social values. First, we explain that homosexuality (and other non‐binary identities), though previously experiencing widespread condemnation, are not and never were mental disorders. Instead, it is homophobia ‐ the fear of homosexuality—that reflects psychopathology and, ultimately, prejudice. We argue that these beliefs, in both straight and gay men, are related to fear and anxiety about one's own projected and gendered aggression. We maintain that they reflect the unsuccessful and incomplete resolution of the normative conflicts met during gender identity development. Essential to all healthy gender identity development is the childhood experience of attuned and accepting mirroring of the child by the parents and the culture. Without this regular experience of mutuality, recognition, and approval, especially regarding their most basic gender identity, children who are at risk develop ego‐syntonic misogynistic and homophobic beliefs. We include a case illustration of a gay‐identified man who was wounded and traumatized by homophobia and uses the concept and experience of homophobia as a defense.

The mediating role of concepts for collective reasoning about integrating play, teaching and digital media in preschool: A potential for enabled agency for early childhood teachers

An international contemporary challenge for early childhood teachers is to integrate digital media in preschool. Research indicates that teachers have concerns regarding the use of digital media in preschool, especially in relation to play. In this study, we explore how an early childhood education and care (ECEC) work team takes on this challenge when, in focus group conversations, discusses digital media in relation to a theoretical framework with principles and implications for understanding play and teaching in preschool. We adopt a sociocultural perspective when examining the mediating role of theoretical concepts for reasoning about the integration of digital media in ECEC. The findings illustrate how the concepts mediate an understanding of (i) play and teaching as responsive activities with a focus on the importance of sharing the same digital media references (ii) play and teaching activities as building on a mutual frame of reference, which is a challenge as children have different experiences of digital media than adults, (iii) play as including fluctuations between “as if” and “as is” and something that must include fantasy and an openness, with digital media contributing to or hindering such openness, and (iv) how teaching can take shape in mutual activities where mutual experiences of digital media can be used as a starting point for teaching. Implications for professional development efforts and teacher agency are discussed.

Moskiewska szkoła semantyczna a Polska szkoła składni semantycznej: rekonesans metalingwistyczny

The article, as reflected in the title, is an attempt to name the main similarities and differences between the theoretical ideas and the results of empirical research of the two most influential theoretical schools of semantics, i.e. the Moscow Semantic School (MSS) and the Polish School of Semantic Syntax (PSSS). The aim of the comparison is to make it clear that, in spite of a common epistemological ground, which lies in functionalism and an integrated approach to semantics and syntax, MSS and PSSS prioritize the problem of a complex description of the semantics of lexical units in a different way. MSS puts stress on the troubled relationship between semantics and lexicography, focusing on the lexicographical application of semantic analysis, while PSSS examines the sentence-forming formalization of the propositional structure within the scope of the explication of its components. The final conclusion is that, although it would be naive to assume that MSS and PSSS can work hand in hand, it would be reasonable to expect that they can learn from mutual experiences and inspire each other to improve the explanatory adequacy of research results, contributing to the theory of lexical semantics.

Three stakeholders’ reflections on language assessment literacy

Abstract This reflective action research documents the mutual learning experiences of three education stakeholders as they construct their language assessment literacy (LAL). A teacher educator, an inservice teacher, and a preservice teacher were the three stakeholders who took part in a project on language assessment development for ESOL students at a public school in the United States. In this project, with the help of inservice ESOL teachers, preservice ESOL teachers designed and implemented listening and writing assessments for local middle school ESOL students. During and after the project, one of the participating inservice teachers, one preservice teacher, and the teacher educator voluntarily participated in extended reflective practices via email communications, on-site visits, and pre- and post-project discussions. All stakeholders perceived the collaboration as a mutual learning experience to enhance their LAL while sharing their respective expertise.

Couples' Coping Strategies with Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: A Qualitative Dyadic Study.

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a mechanical device that treats advanced heart failure. Patients coping with an LVAD need extensive instrumental and medical support, which is usually provided by the spouse. Therefore, it seems that dyadic coping strategies play a crucial role as either mitigators or hinderers of couples' illness management in the context of LVADs. The aim of this research was to formulate a typology of dyadic coping strategies applied by these couples, as unfolded in their mutual and individual subjective experiences. The research was performed in collaboration with an LVAD implantation unit at a medium-sized hospital in Israel. Couples (N = 17) participated in an in-depth dyadic interview using a semi-structured interview guide, and the data collected were analyzed using content analysis. Our findings suggest that couples coping with an LVAD develop strategies for handling fear, processing and accepting their illness narratives, adjusting their level of independence and intimacy, and utilizing humor. Moreover, our analysis showed that each couple utilized a unique mix of dyadic coping strategies. To the best of our knowledge, the current study is the first to explore the dyadic coping strategies of couples coping with an LVAD. Our results may constitute a base for developing dyadic intervention programs and clinical recommendations to improve the quality of life and relationships of patients and their spouses while coping with LVAD implementation.

Applied Linguistics Communities of Practice: Improving the Research Practice Relationship

Abstract Employing the concept of practice-based research (Sato and Loewen 2022), this study argues for the creation of applied linguistics communities of practice (CoPs) as a capacitating space for researchers and practitioners, mutual exchange, and meaningful collaboration. This is needed given the existing gap between research and practice, which is particularly alarming in the field of applied linguistics. The study draws on eight in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with practice-oriented researchers from multiple country contexts zooming in on their identity negotiation between practitioner and researcher as well as their perceptions of and lived experiences with the research-practice relationship. The analysis showed that the relationship is indeed perceived as problematic even by very committed, practice-oriented researchers and that conditions to conduct meaningful, ethically responsible, and sustainable practice-based research need to be improved. The study proposes a practice-based research cycle to be used as template for joint projects, in which both practitioners and researchers are involved in and responsible for all stages from conception to implementation while capitalizing on the CoP members’ different strengths and mutual learning experiences.

Grief Walking in the Sandtray

This article reviews the symptoms of grief and complicated grief that can be reported or observed by therapists as well as the importance of therapists addressing these grief experiences first in their own lives before witnessing and supporting the grief journey of others. The Sandtray Worldplay © (De Domenico, 2002) method of witnessing a sandtray will be reviewed and integrated with stages of grief walking. Grief walking is defined as the mutual experience of processing grief by witness and builder but is unique given the builder is leading the journey. A review of healing tools for sandtray grief walking is discussed.

Healing assessment trauma: an experience of mutuality in Action Research

Learning assessment is a pedagogical reality such as in teaching professional education courses with preservice education students. Assessment problems like horrifying and boring test papers must be addressed because these cause trauma to learners. Using an Action Research Method, I subjected my test materials to democratic critiquing and enhancement process, taking-into account the experiences of my learners and the viewpoints of my colleagues as my study participants. Said materials were utilized as my pedagogical action to address student assessment animosity. The results made me discern that though the contents of my test papers were aligned with the learning outcomes defined by the Commission on Higher Education, they were merely words and sentences in monotone appearance and thus, not eye-catching. Consequently, I crafted a Holistic Written Assessment Guide (HWAG) ensuring in test paper construction the pedagogical values of multiple intelligences, learning taxonomies, grammar review necessity, proper coverage and level of difficulty sequencing and marking, and time-number of items balance. Utilizing this new form and substance of my learning assessment material and engaging with it turned out to be liberating thus mutual healing to me as a transformed purveyor of education, to my students as healthy collaborators, creators and ultimate beneficiaries of learning, and to educators in the global environment as inspirers of democratic, equitable, and lifelong education. With this mutuality, this paper potentially enables leaders of nations to engage in the transformation of the pedagogical landscape.

DWELL: Design for WELLness. A pilot study of an online Facebook intervention to improve perceptions of knowledge, engagement, and self-efficacy in the creation of healthy home environments.

Many factors in the environment influence healthy behaviors. Designing user-friendly environments, by changing the way choices are presented in the environment, may result in behavioral changes and promote the well-being. To run a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of DWELL (Design for WELLness), which is an online Facebook intervention to improve perceptions of knowledge, engagement, and self-efficacy in the creation of healthy home environments. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate this 7.5-week pilot study. The intervention was conducted during the first wave of COVID-19 lockdown in Israel. Participants answered an online questionnaire at the beginning and end of the pilot. Afterwards, eleven semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with some of the participants. There were 36 mothers who participated in the study. The overall DWELL index increased by 15.43 points (p < 0.001) from the beginning of the pilot [Mean(SD) = 48.14(17.91)] to the end [Mean(SD) = 63.57(11.98]. There were significant increases in all 5 items of DWELL (p < 0.05). Positive feedback was obtained from interviewees about their experience with the program, including being interested with the posts and having a mutual learning experience with other members. The intervention was found to be beneficial to most families during COVID-19 lockdown time. DWELL was found to be a promising intervention for improving perceptions regarding designing home environments for wellness. These results justified the continuation of the program toward its next phase of the RCT.

The Relationship between Psychological Safety and Management Team Effectiveness: The Mediating Role of Behavioral Integration.

This study explores whether there is an indirect effect of psychological safety on team effectiveness in management teams, operating through the mediating variable of behavioral integration. Whilst there exists a fair amount of research on the relationship between psychological safety and team effectiveness, few have looked at potential mechanisms that can explain this association in management teams. We propose behavioral integration to be a potential mediator. Data are collected from 1150 leaders in 160 Norwegian management teams, answering a questionnaire measuring team functioning and effectiveness. Team size ranged from 3 to 19 members. Our results show a significant indirect effect of psychological safety on management team effectiveness, mediated by behavioral integration. Thus, the more team members perceive the climate as safe in terms of speaking their mind without the fear of repercussions, the more they partake in mutual collaboration, information sharing and experience ownership in the decisions being made. This is associated with management teams performing better. We also found a positive relationship between psychological safety and behavioral integration, and-in line with previous studies-that psychological safety and behavioral integration both were positively related to team effectiveness. This study adds to the existing team research literature by expanding our knowledge about the importance of psychological safety and the way it influences management team performance at all levels throughout the organizational hierarchy.

A Case for Pentecostal Interculturality

Abstract Interculturality has been promulgated by many scholars from the 1970s onward due to world transformations such as postcolonialism, migration, and globalization. In the context of Southeast Asia, one of the ways this becomes obvious is through South-to-South mission, in which a sense of mutuality becomes the basis for intercultural partnerships. Such is the case for the Filipino Assemblies of God mission in Cambodia. Their development from cross-cultural to intercultural in their missionary endeavors can be traced through their history. The three areas of mutuality between Filipinos and Cambodians that emerged from a triangulation of their oral history, related literature, and secondary interview data are a mutual experience of socioeconomic struggle, shared acceptance of a spirit world, and the closeness of their ethnicity. Because of these areas of mutuality, Filipino AG missionaries have been able to share Christianity in a contextualized and culturally sensitive manner. These areas of mutuality also made them more relatable to Cambodians, enhancing long-term partnerships in the field.