Exploration Of Self Research Articles

The Joy Factor: Redefining Leadership Excellence at Black in Marine Science through Joy-Centered Leadership Practices.

At Black in Marine Science (BIMS), the integration of joy-centered leadership principles has emerged as a transformative blueprint for empowering leaders and fostering inclusive environments. This article explores the integration of the Formula for Joy (F4J) model within BIMS, providing a comprehensive overview of its principles and practices. It presents the model as an adaptable leadership approach suitable for a diverse range of leaders and organizational contexts. The F4J model, uniquely designed for the challenges and opportunities within BIMS, specializes in leaders' personal joy and wellness. It encourages leaders to embark on a journey of self-discovery, embracing their true identities and finding fulfillment within their roles. By fostering an authentic exploration of self and nurturing continuous growth, leaders can cultivate meaningful connections within their teams, promoting collaboration and unity. Moreover, the F4J model highlights the significance of psychological safety and balanced well-being in creating environments where individuals feel valued and culturally supported. By championing an ethos of iterative joyfulness, leaders engage in ongoing self-reflection and improvement, enhancing their well-being while fostering resilience in navigating organizational challenges. This article underscores the practical benefits of joy-centered leadership within BIMS, offering a roadmap for leaders to infuse joy into their practices and drive positive change. By embracing the principles of F4J, leaders within and around BIMS can foster environments of empowerment where diversity is celebrated, and individuals thrive.

Roll for Insight: Understanding How the Experience of Playing Dungeons & Dragons Impacts the Mental Health of an Average Player

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast. Evidence shows that D&D is being used as therapeutic practice by clinical psychologists, and the reported success of these interventions indicate that it may have positive outcomes for its players. However, there is little research that establishes, from a psychosocial perspective, how playing D&D provides opportunities for supporting frequent player’s mental health. Using semi-structured interviews and a reflexive thematic analysis, we aimed to understand better how playing D&D interacted with players’ well-being psychologically and socially, as well as exploring factors that may prove challenging or problematic in the therapeutic context. 6 men, 2 women, and 2 nonbinary people participated in the study. Analysis illustrated several processes that are supportive for players’ mental health. These features were identified as five key themes: escapism, exploration of self, creative expression, social support, and routine. These findings highlight the transformative potential of D&D in a therapeutic setting, offering insights into its positive impact.

A Study of the Master-Slave Dialectic Relationship of the "Other" in "The Ballad of the Sad Café"

"The Ballad of the Sad Café" is one of the representative works of American writer Carson McCullers, which deeply explores the master-slave dialectic relationship of the "Other" under existentialism by depicting the complex relationships among three protagonists in a southern town. In the novel, the protagonists show both a longing for and a resistance to the "Other." Marvin Macy's obsession with Amelia and his manipulation of Cousin Lymon, as well as Amelia's dependence on Cousin Lymon and her disgust towards Marvin, reflect the complex and distorted relationship between them. This relationship is not only a master-slave relationship in emotions but also a dialectical process of self-awareness and other-awareness under existentialism. The novel reveals the eternal master-slave relationship between people by showing the power struggles and psychological changes between love and being loved, control and being controlled. In this relationship, the "Other" is both the object of love and control, while the protagonists constantly seek self-identity and freedom in their relationship with the "Other." Through an in-depth study of the master-slave dialectic relationship of the "Other" in "The Ballad of the Sad Café," we can better understand the complexity of interpersonal relationships under existentialism and the eternal exploration of self and the "Other" in the depths of the human heart.

The panoramic portrait: Educational strategies to create a distorted self-portrait

In art education, students reflect on and explore their identity. In the course ‘Plastic Arts Education’, required for a Primary Education degree at the University of Granada, Spain, students create a panoramic photographic self-portrait to engage in an exploration of self. The main purpose of this visual strategy is to experiment with visual identity using the self as creative subject and resource. Through the creation of these panoramic self-portraits, art education majors work creatively with different images to develop their visual identities and become conscious of constructing a self-image that will be projected on social media. This arts-based research approach allows students to be inspired by artists and discover visual and conceptual resonances between images.

The Therapeutic Aspects of Embroidery in Art Therapy from the Perspective of Adolescent Girls in a Post-Hospitalization Boarding School.

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the experiences of adolescent girls with emotional disorders from post-hospitalization boarding schools who embroidered in an art therapy open studio group. A Youth Participatory Action Research approach and the bioecological model were used to shed light on the therapeutic process of embroidery. Through a thematic analysis of the focus groups and interviews with 13 participants, we identified five themes specifically related to embroidery: (a) control versus release/freedom; (b) calmness that comes from the repetitive action and focus; (c) the experience of being exceptional versus conventional; (d) the "stitch through time" experience, which involves a dialogue with the past, present, and future through embroidery; and (e) the overt-latent layers of consciousness. The findings suggest that embroidery has therapeutic benefits for this population and supports psychological development. This study reveals that embroidery, whose threads are intricately embedded in society and culture, and may provide a unique and meaningful activity for young people in post-hospitalization boarding schools and enables a social and cultural exploration of self and community. Limitations of this study and recommendations for further research are also discussed.

COMPLEX IDENTITY: GENES TO GOD

AbstractUnraveling the complex notion of “self” and “other” necessitates a layered approach that explores biology, namely genetics; philosophy, namely event phenomenology; and culture, namely religion. This essay examines (1) the latest paradigm shift occurring in the genetic sciences due to the increased knowledge of epigenetic effects on gene expression and how our DNA functions in concert with the cellular apparatus, the body, and the environment; (2) the incorporation of relationality into a philosophical understanding of self; and (3) finally, what religion adds to this exploration of self. Thus, providing a glimpse at how these different approaches to identity help us understand the “self.”

The Kawa Model: A Self-Reflection Tool for Occupational Therapy Student Development in Practice Placements in Australia.

The Kawa Model is a conceptual occupational therapy model of practice that uses the metaphor of a river as a medium to support the exploration of self, life events, and environment. In this study, the Kawa Model was used by occupational therapy students during a practice placement in a remote community setting as a tool to support learning, build self-awareness, and promote reflection on personal and professional development. The study used an exploratory qualitative research design. Six student participants were purposively recruited and orientated to the use of the Kawa Model at the beginning and throughout their remote community practice placement. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data which were analysed thematically using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings. Analysis of the student transcripts revealed three overarching themes: self-awareness, the development of personal and professional skills, and working with metaphor. All students identified the model as a reflective tool that enhanced their understanding of their student selves in a remote setting. The students described the growth of various professional skills including communication, goal planning, and confidence. Whilst initially students found the metaphor challenging to fathom, throughout their placement, they found it impactful for comprehending their development of self. This study revealed that the students' self-awareness and personal and professional development were influenced by their engagement with and application of the Kawa Model. Repeated engagement with the Kawa Model enhanced the students' journey of personal and professional skill development.

한국 대학교육의 정책적 변화에 대한 비판

This study looked at the higher education law from the perspective of university education as well as school education to explore authenticity. Starting with the Higher Education Act, which was first enforced in 1998, among the Higher Education Acts revised and enacted until 2022, we will focus on systems that have become a policy change point or have had a significant impact on higher education. Through this, the problem was overviewed and a solution was sought. Korea has achieved policy and institutional improvements through various institutional reforms, and has demonstrated the power of Korean education that could not be found anywhere else in the international community. However, at this point, it is necessary to review the flow of higher education in the past and discuss the policy direction to find consistency and originality in the future. It is also pointed out as a problem that the majority of studies take a bottom-up approach to designing simple policies or systems or implementing them efficiently. In order to find the original meaning of university, major courses of various characteristics must be developed and operated, and learner-centered self-directed learning must be realized. A cquisition o f a c reative p roblem-solving p rocess a s w ell a s t he a bility t o u tilize i t a nd t he exploration of self are privileges of university education, so future university policies should be promoted in this direction. Lastly, active support for the formation of a network of policy researchers is needed at the government level so that higher education researchers can maximize their expertise and expand the scope of higher education research. Finally, in order to solve the problems of university education, the process of change was reviewed centering on the higher education law, which is most direct to the field of university education, policy changes in future university education were examined, and alternatives to university education in the future were presented. In this respect, I would like to give meaning to this study.

Exploration of self- and world-experiences in depersonalization traits

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a qualitative study exploring anomalous self and world-experiences in individuals with high levels of depersonalization experiences. Depersonalization (DP) is a condition characterized by distressing feelings of being a detached, neutral and disembodied onlooker of one’s mental and bodily processes. Our findings indicate the presence of a wide range of anomalous experiences traditionally understood to be core features of DP, such as disembodiment and disrupted self-awareness. However, our results also indicate experiential features that are less highlighted in previous work, such as faster time perception and blurriness of the self/other boundaries which may play a key role in altering one’s sense of self and sense of presence in the world. Our qualitative study provides an in-depth examination of self-reported disturbances of one’s relatedness to one’s self and the world, thereby shedding further light on the nature of altered subjective experiences in DP. In doing so, this paper draws attention to key aspects yet overlooked that may prove valuable for shedding further light into the phenomenon of depersonalization. We conclude by highlighting limitations of this study and a number of open questions that further work needs to address in the future.

For Love of the Father: An Archetypal Exploration

Great stories articulate the movement of the individual and collective psyche and withstand the tests of time, location, cultural and gender distinctions. Through the study of myth, we recognize our shared humanity and the particularities that inform a life. As a depth psychotherapist, I come to archetypal stories with expectancy, hoping to re-cognize myself and my clients within the action of the other. The Biblical story of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25-35) offers the scholar boundless opportunity for theological, ethical and historical analysis. However, this story of familial relationships requires of me a different kind of telling. This essay is intended not as a scholarly examination of a myth, but rather as a mythic exploration of self. Using Jacob as my guide, I will explore how the archetypal movements of longing, envy and love; deception, separation and reconciliation inform and reveal underlying themes within my life story, and in particular, how my relationship with my father determined much of the course of my life.

Discomfort, Doubt, and the Edge of Learning.

Discomfort is a constant presence in the practice of medicine and an oft-ignored feature of medical education. Nonetheless, if approached with thoughtfulness, patience, and understanding, discomfort may play a critical role in the education of physicians who practice with excellence, compassion, and justice. Taking Plato's notion of aporia-a moment of discomfort, perplexity, or impasse-as a starting point, the author follows the meandering path of aporia through Western philosophy and educational theory to argue for the importance of discomfort in opening up and orienting perspectives toward just and humanistic practice. Practical applications of this approach include problem-posing questions (from the work of Brazilian education theorist Paulo Freire), exercises to "make strange" beliefs and assumptions that are taken for granted, and the use of stories-especially stories without endings-all of which may prompt reflection and dialogical exchange. Framing this type of teaching and learning in Russian psychologist L.S. Vygotsky's theories of development, the author proposes that mentorship and dialogical interactions may help learners to navigate through moments of discomfort and uncertainty and extend the edge of learning. This approach may give birth to a zone of proximal development that is enriched with explorations of self, others, and the world.

Reunion with Self in Terry McMillan’s I Almost Forgot About You

The novel I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan, which deals with the problem of finding your own identity by studying the components of personality and the context in the formation of identity, is examined. African American feminist literature consists of common themes like sense of being different, managing multiple selves and quest for identity. Terry McMillans works represent African American female characters struggle for self-realization that help them in better understanding of the present and planning for the future by reestablishing their identity. The predicament of Georgia, protagonist of the novel, is that she has lost selfhood after subsequent divorces. In due course of time, her role in the family becomes diminished; also she loses interest in the professional life. Her aimlessness and strong desire to restore self leads her to search for male companion among her old boyfriends. She believes that self-satisfaction is possible with exploration of self for that she decides to go on a train trip and tries to focus on nurturing the hobby of woodwork. It helps her in regaining her internal and external self. Thus, the leitmotif of the novel is the search for your own identity as an attempt of inquiry for the destined future.

The Metacognition Journey: Strategies for Teacher Candidate Exploration of Self and Student Metacognition

The purpose of this article is to provide (1) declarative knowledge on metacognition, (2) procedural knowledge on how to design metacognitive learning experiences for both teacher candidates and their students, and (3) strategic/conditional knowledge on when to use these metacognitive strategies. Educators can teach, develop, and support metacognition by devising activities that take their students through the metacognitive process.

Professional Identity Formation, Leadership and Exploration of Self

The value-neutral approach to legal professionalism that prioritizes the duty to zealously advocate for clients within the bounds of the law, sometimes with disregard for individual values and morals, has resulted in a decoupling of one’s individual values from our understanding of the values of the legal professional. Such detachment of personal from professional values has resulted in a dissonance that impedes professional identity formation by failing to provide students and lawyers with the opportunity to understand how their individual values fit within the framework of professional values. The importance of professional identity formation as a concept that should be given greater focus in legal education is well-supported by the Carnegie Report and a wealth of research stewarded by The Holloran Center at the University at St. Thomas. Such research shows that supporting the growth of professional identity formation increases lawyer effectiveness. There are various stages of professional identity formation in members of the legal profession, the characteristics of which include: an internalized moral code characterized by deep responsibility to others, particularly the client; integrity/honesty; internalized standards of excellence at lawyering skills; ongoing solicitation of feedback and self-reflection; independent professional judgment and counsel to the client; adherence to ethical codes; and public service. Many of these characteristics of professional identity formation are also the focus of the study of leadership, but that discipline offers further insights into how to marry personal and professional values, which, at times, appears lacking in the formation of lawyer professional identity. Experts in leadership, such as Marshall Ganz, have suggested that by exploring our “story of self” — the “challenges we have faced, choices we have made, and what we have learned from the outcomes” — we can communicate our values and inspire others to act. In this Article, we propose that one way in which law schools can address the disconnect between one’s internal values and the values of the legal profession is to explore established leadership principles, such as emotional intelligence and ethical decision making, in the context of exploring one’s “story of self.” This Article, through a careful description and analysis of “Lawyers as Leaders: The Practice of Leadership,” a course that draws from the study of leadership in business and executive training programs, will explore the ways that the lessons of leadership development, in particular using the story-of-self frame, help improve the formation of professional identity in law students, which serves as a strong foundation upon which such students can further shape and refine their identities throughout their careers. In “Lawyers as Leaders,” we reinforce self-reflection, self-awareness, and self-direction as tools to develop values of fairness, honesty and trust. Through readings, simulations, and group projects centered on teamwork, communication and the exploration of self, students are required to reflect upon and assess their deeply personal values, based upon their individual backgrounds and experiences, and connect those values to the profession and their responsibilities to their colleagues, clients, organizations and society as a whole.

Body Ecology and Emersive Exploration of Self: The Case of Extreme Adventurers

ABSTRACT Body ecology by cosmosis refers to the experience of immersion, or the incorporation of the elements of nature through a body practice, leisure or sport. In this article, we propose comprehensive understanding of corporeal practices that become emersive when new emotions are produced. Considering the background of emersiology proposed by Bernard Andrieu, we first explore the notions of immersive leisure, ecologisation, cosmosis, and body ecology. Next, we investigate the relationship of the human body to nature while experiencing wilderness adventures over the course of outdoor sport or exploration. In doing so, we present different levels of ‘emersion’, from reflex activation to awareness, by studying diaries kept by adventurers who have experienced extreme environments. Body ecology produces modifications and adaptation in the living body, supporting multiple motives for participating in adventure sports and leisure in nature. Furthermore, immersion in extreme environments helps us to better understand cosmosis and may support an ecological understanding of our belonging to the world.

Bridging cultural divides with the power of poetry: an educator’s reflection

ABSTRACTIn this article I discuss the ways in which writing poetry and reflecting on its meanings may be a valuable tool for promoting an educator’s reflexivity surrounding issues of reconciliation. As Canada embarks on the work of healing the difficulties its colonial past has caused its original inhabitants (i.e. Indigenous peoples), educators must explore ways in which they can contribute to a more socially just, democratic, and healthy society. By utilising the theoretical framework of Dialogical Self Theory (DST) to describe and explore identity and the writing of poetry as an exploration of self, it becomes possible for myself, as an educator, to unearth my own biases and begin to create safe spaces for identity exploration, learning, and healing.

Selves and Identities in the Arabian Gulf: The Year in the Gulf Cooperation Council

Selves and Identities in the Arabian GulfThe Year in the Gulf Cooperation Council Szidonia Haragos (bio) The Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates), the historical Arabian Gulf States, constitute some of the fastest-changing geopolitical landscapes in the world. Following the extraction of oil in the 1950s, the region experienced a major economic boom fueling dramatic sociocultural and demographic transformations: fast-paced globalization; large-scale interventions in indigenous ecosystems; the rise of desert metropolises like Dubai, Riyadh, and Doha; the influx of a working expatriate population forming a very significant numerical presence next to the local, national communities; along with, more recently, the push for the diversification of local economies and a gradual move away from an exclusive reliance on oil revenues. One of the most highly anticipated moments of global exposure in the region will be the 2020 World Expo to be held in Dubai, UAE, and the ongoing development and construction in the Emirate is visibly changing the cityscape on a daily basis. Reflecting upon the particular cultural tensions arising from sociocultural and demographic transformation, auto/biographical production in 2017–2018 in the GCC incorporates two connected, yet distinct trends. Forming a sort of tradition of their own, biographical narratives of historical figures and local luminaries constitute one set of tendencies. For example, in the United Arab Emirates, 2018 was declared "The Year of Zayed," celebrating Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, leader of the 1971 unification of the UAE, hence the publication of gorgeously illustrated biographies in bilingual English and Arabic editions, like Zayed: Life of a Great Leader, a volume published by The Dubai Chamber of Commerce commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Sheikh Zayed. Probably the best-known UAE publishing house, Motivate Publishing, marked the occasion with Father of Our Nation: Selected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a bilingual English-Arabic edition. Soud Ba'alawi and Florence Marguerite Guillerm Mandet's Sheikh Zayed: A Personal Tribute: How His Philosophy Is Now More Important than Ever is another exploration of Sheikh Zayed's historical role, while Sheikh Zayed: [End Page 55] Life and Times is a collection of photographs by royal photographer Noor Ali Rashid. Bookstores also carry the multilingual editions of Prime Minister of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Reflections on Happiness and Positivity along with previous collections of his poetry, Flashes of Thought. Reissued editions of the well-known local businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor's autobiographical work, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor: The Autobiography, also appeared in 2018. In addition to this particular trend, the repertoire of auto/biographical works includes personal explorations of self and identity profoundly marked by the various tensions registered between tradition and the paradigm changes induced by modernization: works dealing with women's rights, with the role of moderate Islam, and with illness and disability, detailing the challenges faced by people diagnosed with lifelong conditions. In my review, I consider this latter type of life writing through the analysis of three representative texts from the Gulf States: Kuwaiti author Shahd Alshammari's Notes on the Flesh, UAE writer Omar Saif Ghobash's Letters to a Young Muslim, and activist writer Manal al-Sharif's Daring to Drive from Saudi Arabia. "I am a woman, a tribal woman, a hybrid, a disabled woman, but so what?" asks Shahd Alshammari in her biomythography—a term she borrows from Audre Lorde—Notes on the Flesh. Echoing Sojourner Truth's question, "Ain't I a woman?" uttered more than a hundred fifty years ago in a different climate amid the material realities of another era, its defiance fits into the zeitgeist of #MeToo. Alshammari's text reveals a self "enmeshed" (9) within multiple identities and situated within a text that is "part-memoir, part-illness narrative, part confused, part confusing, partially fabricated, partially the truth" (iii). She performs a recuperative gesture, working through "shards and fragments of memory and trauma," while purposefully avoiding a sense of closure or stability. Instead, she records a "multiplicity of voices," not just her own, aiming to go to places in the archive of human suffering "where there are not the...

Touch Mechanisms in Early Self Exploration

Touch is the earliest sensory modality the infant relies on, and is crucial for the first months of life and for survival.
 The other sensory modalities (taste, smell, vision, and hearing) become active later. Smell and taste are also critical in helping the infant identify the mother and, later, other caregivers and helpers. The study and analysis of the infant’s central nervous system (CNS) is simpler and is easier to model and explore.
 One of the primary functions of the newly born seems to be the exploration of self, mother, and (gradually) other objects in the environment. This paper deals with the slow process of exploration, identification and the development of self and object in the CNS. Although crude, the model allows a description and understanding of the processes of early merging, splitting, and denial of attributes of the self and object as psychological attributes. 
 The paper should motivate development of theoretical, computational and experimental models for the study of natural neural systems in the process of growth, maturity, and functional versatility. It should lead to formulations of redundant systems, growth of physical size, and functional properties of the CNS.
 No experiments were conducted to validate the model. Physiological, neural and experimental efforts are needed that would confirm, improve, refute, or complement the model.

An exploration of existential needs and self-determination theory within an educational context

In this concept paper ideas of the psychology of motivation in the twenty first century are explored as an introductory study on motivation theory. Drawing from the work of Leontiev (2012 a, b) and Längle (1999, 2012), as well as Deci and Ryan (1985, 2000), an overview of existentialist motivation is presented. Längle (1999) proposes that the four fundamental existential motivations centre on having a place in the world, a valued existence, a shared existence, and a meaningful existence. This section is followed by an analysis of the more traditional and mainstream approach of Self-Determination Theory, which explores issues of self-regulation and self-determination from existential underpinnings. Further exploration of Self- Determination Theory and the needs of competence, autonomy and relatedness, as well as the conceptualisation of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as a continuum, follows. Concluding comments are made as to the relevance of the overview for an educational context.

Comparing Traditional‐Residential, Personalised Residential and Personalised Non‐Residential respite services: Quality of life findings from an Irish population with mild–moderate intellectual disabilities

Accessible Summary This study looked at differences between three types of respite care for people with intellectual disabilities. The three types of respite care were: 1) an overnight stay in a residential facility, 2) an overnight stay, where the person could choose where they stayed and what they did during their time in respite care, and 3) a non‐overnight service where people were supported to choose what they wanted to and who they wanted to spend time with in respite care. Where people using respite care had a choice as to how they spent their time they were reported to have higher levels of emotional well‐being, personal development, rights and interpersonal relationships. These results are important because they show that giving people choice in how they spend time in respite care might have better outcomes than Traditional‐Residential forms of respite care. AbstractBackgroundRespite care is an essential support for people with intellectual disabilities and their families; however, there is limited evidence examining different models of respite care. The present research examined quality of life among adults with intellectual disabilities using three different models of respite services in Ireland.MethodA quasi‐experimental research method was adopted, which sought to determine differences in quality of life across the three respite care groups using two measures, 1) a self‐reported quality of life scale and 2) a quality of life questionnaire filled out by a keyworker. Participants were people with mild/moderate intellectual disabilities (n = 82) and their keyworkers (n = 81).ResultsThree distinct models of respite services were assessed: (a) Traditional‐ Residential respite; (b) Personalised Residential respite, and (c) Personalised Non‐Residential respite. No differences emerged between the groups on self‐reported quality of life; however, the groups differed on a proxy measure of quality of life with respect to Rights, emotional well‐being, personal development and interpersonal relationships.ConclusionThe current data offer an initial exploration of self‐ and proxy‐reported quality of life among persons with intellectual disabilities in receipt of novel models of respite care in Ireland.