Fear Of Isolation Research Articles

Adjusting the distance.

This paper describes the anxiety evoked in a patient threatened by invasion or engulfment by his object on the one hand, and the fears of isolation and abandonment on the other. The author illustrates the patient's strugles to find a distance between himself and his object he can tolerate. The analyst has also to cope with the anxieties evoked by the patient's projections, and find a distance between himself and his patient that enables him to think and work.

Healing attitudes in contagious times: the experience of practising psychotherapy in China during the pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic is a challenge for any human being. Realising this simple psychological fact, the China Society for Analytical Psychology launched a "Garden of Heart & Soul 2020" volunteer campaign, providing psychological care to those in need whether or not they had had previous experience with counselling or psychotherapy. This article describes principles and practice of Jungian analysts, analysts in training, sandplay therapists, and other practitioners in China seeking to apply Jungian analytic techniques with regard to exposing and working through psychological complexes to the problems that have emerged for people facing the epidemic. Emphasis has been placed on developing a conscious, compassionate attitude towards the cultural complexity the epidemic has activated in China, which has therapeutic aspects based on the traditional wisdom of Chinese culture. Contemporary Ci-bei (compassion) therapy has added to these the contemporary Jungian emphasis upon playing, active imagination in the form of art making and authentic movement, and attention to the feelings of the inner child. With people facing a pandemic and its many problems, the use of Chinese myths and legends that involve facing collective challenges with resilient ingenuity is also helpful. They can be retold to contemporary people caught between fear of isolation and fear of contagion in such a way as to awaken the archetypal energy of the individual self that is needed to reconcile these opposites. In applying these Jungian techniques and concepts, we have been able to witness their power even in relatively shortterm crisis intervention, to foster transformation of attitudes and healing in populations facing cultural stress who would not have imagined that consulting a Jungian practitioner could be so helpful.

Facebook and the Spiral of Silence: Examining the Social Media Dynamics among Female Students in Pakistan

The aim of this study is to investigate the way in which female Facebook users engage in political discourse, aligning its inquiry with Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann's seminal Spiral of Silence theory (1974). Focusing on key variables like participants' perceived opinion climate, willingness to express opinions, fear of social isolation, the research explores the dynamics within two distinct Facebook audience compositions: the expansive macro climate and the intimate micro-climate. The former encompasses a diverse range of connections, from old friends to online communities, while the latter involves daily interactions with friends, family, and significant others. Survey data (quantitative analysis) has been collected targeting university students in the federal capital and Rawalpindi. This study corroborates earlier findings, affirming the presence of the Spiral of Silence phenomenon on Facebook. Notably, it reveals that Pakistani women who use Facebook are more likely to express themselves in micro groups with friends and relatives compared to macro-Facebook communities with lots of individuals. The study confirmed that fear of isolation has a major impact on opinion expression in macro circles, and that opinion climate evaluation is significant for both circles.

You've been fact-checked! Examining the effectiveness of social media fact-checking against the spread of misinformation

Using a random sample of active social media users (N = 1,156), this study examined the effectiveness of social media fact-checking against online misinformation sharing. Data indicates that these fact-checks are minimally effective in stopping the spread of misinformation on social media. Being aware of the fact-checks, being fact-checked, or even having content deleted from one's account were not deterrents to sharing misinformation. The fear of isolation was the strongest deterrent, suggesting that account freezes, suspensions, or bans were the most effective ways to curtail the spread of misinformation. The study contributes to research on fact-checking, to research on online surveillance, and to research on online expression and the spiral of silence theory.

Why Majorities Are Silent but Minorities Are Loud: An Empirical Approach to Opinion Interactions in Online Communities

Majority opinions are often observed in online environments. Previous studies have demonstrated that majority opinions are constructed because people with minority opinions have fear of isolation, which forces them to be silent. However, we often observe that online users with different minority opinions fight each other, even though there are only a few. To explain this phenomenon, we developed a new theoretical model and examined it through the analysis of Reddit data. The results show that users in small communities expressed relatively homogeneous and less negative opinions, and constructed majority opinions that were not as strong as those in large communities. Contrarily, users in large communities showed relatively heterogeneous and more negative opinions, and built majority opinions more strongly than those in small communities. This implies that the model can properly explain why and how majority-opinion users are silent and why minority-opinion users are loud.

Tuberculosis Outbreak in a State Prison System - Washington, 2021-2022.

During 2014-2020, no tuberculosis (TB) cases were reported within the Washington state prison system. However, during July 2021-June 2022, 25 TB cases were reported among persons incarcerated or formerly incarcerated in two Washington state prisons. Phylogenetic analyses of whole genome sequencing data indicated that Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from all 11 patients with culture-confirmed TB were closely related, suggesting that these cases represented a single outbreak. The median infectious period for 12 patients who were considered likely contagious was 170 days. As of November 15, 2022, the Washington State Department of Corrections (WADOC) and Washington State Department of Health (WADOH), with technical assistance from CDC, had identified 3,075 contacts among incarcerated residents and staff members at five state prisons, and 244 contacts without a known TB history received a diagnosis of latent TB infection (LTBI). Persons who were evaluated for TB disease were isolated; those receiving a diagnosis of TB then initiated antituberculosis therapy. Persons with LTBI were offered treatment to prevent progression to TB disease. This ongoing TB outbreak is the largest in Washington in 20 years. Suspension of annual TB screening while limited resources were redirected toward the COVID-19 response resulted in delayed case detection that facilitated TB transmission. In addition, fear of isolation might discourage residents and staff members from reporting symptoms, which likely also leads to delayed TB diagnoses. Continued close collaboration between WADOC and WADOH is needed to end this outbreak and prevent future outbreaks.

Are there differences in perceptions, preferences and attitudes towards disclosure of genetic testing for Stroke? A qualitative study among stroke-free SIREN-SIBS genomics study participants

ObjectiveThis study explored perceptions, preferences and attitudes towards disclosure of genetic testing results for stroke among stroke-free controls (and their family members) in the SIREN-SIBS Genomics Study, healthcare providers and policymakers. Materials and MethodsWe conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of key informant interviews with 61 participants recruited from community advisory boards (30) and health care providers (31) across seven sites in Nigeria and Ghana. ResultsMajor findings illustrate differences in the knowledge of genetic testing with superior knowledge among health care professionals. Relatives and religious leaders were opined as the best to receive the disclosure as they would be able to break the news to the patient in a culturally sensitive manner to reduce the likely resultant emotional outburst. Poor level of awareness of national guidelines for disclosing genetic results exist. Key facilitating factors for disclosure are education, enabling environment, involvement of religious and community leaders, campaigns, and possible treatment options. Disclosure inhibitors include inadequate information, fear of marital break-up or family displacement, fear of stigmatization, fear of isolation, religious beliefs, health worker attitude, and lack of preparedness to accept results. ConclusionsThese necessitate culturally sensitive interventions for continuing education, increased awareness and sustained engagement to equip all stakeholders in genetic testing disclosure process.

SOCIAL ADAPTATION AND EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS CHILDREN OF REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS

In most cases, migrant children are exposed to socio-cultural risks. In such cases, children do not have the social and psychological conditions they need for normal development. Exacerbation of this or other risk can lead to mental illness, behavioral disorders, drug and alcohol abuse. Traumatic, stressful situations, such as witnessing death or physical abuse, can affect the health of both adults and children. It is parents and families who reduce the mental stress of children in emergency situations. These children sometimes act unconsciously, are not responsible for their actions, and are pessimistic about the future. They are concerned about the fear of isolation from society and all children who experience psychological shock suffer from the consequences. Besides physical and mental disorders, such children impair cognitive processes and behaviors in society. The situation of refugee children at school often undermines their self-confidence. The lack of knowledge about the language and culture of the new country makes them feel awkward and lag behind other students in learning school subjects. Refugee children’s problems at school can undermine a child’s ability to have positive experiences outside the family. Education can open the door for refugees to participate fully in the life of the host country. For ordinary migrant workers and their children, studying in a host country teaches them about the society in which they will live, helps them develop their full intellectual potential and promotes social integration. Purpose – Research and analysis of the problems of social adaptation and education of children of refugees and migrants. Methodology – a systematic approach, comparative historical analysis, etc. İn the study of such a rather complex problem as social adaptation and the problems of raising children of refugees and migrants used general and special scientific methods. Results of the research – social workers working with children of refugees and migrants should develop an effective program to study the problems faced by children and provide assistance to them.

Cancel Culture in the Academia: The hispanic perspective

Although many cases of the so-called Cancel Culture in the American and British colleges and are taking place nowadays, social science researchers claim for a better understanding of the phenomenon and a clarification of the concept. In this context, cultural perspectives can be an interesting tool to illuminate facts and meanings. This paper tries to contribute to this debate introducing theoretical aspects as well as case studies from the Hispanic context. To achieve this goal, first three different approaches to the Cancel Culture (critical, institutional, and moral) are explained. Then, we examine the role of social media and the new “fear of isolation”, connecting Cancel Culture with the classic theory of the spiral of silence (Noelle-Neumann, 1974). We complement the theoretical discussion with an exploratory work on cases of Cancel Culture in different Hispanic countries. Observing characteristics of those cases we can conclude that they do not follow the traces of the Anglosaxon world, but they share some aspects of the culture of fear in the new digital context. This is the first academic work in this field for the situation in Latin America and Spain.

Predictive factors of problematic smartphone use in young Spanish university students

Smartphones have evolved from being a helpful tool in our days to be an indispensable complement. Its presence in our daily lives has grown to reach a problematic use on occasions. This fact is even more remarkable when we speak of young adults and adolescents, in which problematic situations can be identified as derived from its use. In this study, we analyze the self-perception of 409 young adults pursuing an Education university degree on the use and consumption of the smartphone via their responses to the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale. The results show that, despite not perceiving the use of the mobile phone as problematic, some of the behaviors described by them as habitual would imply inappropriate use of the smartphone. Some outlined by the sample included mitigating loneliness, fear of isolation, or using it to feel better. Surprisingly, these are not recognized as problematic, despite being some of the most apparent indicators of misuse. The analysis of the results shows how younger populations and, mainly women, present this type of worrying and unconscious behavior. However, the increasing use of these devices within training areas offer new options to favor its proper use, mitigating the possible adverse effects of its use.

The Relationship Between Fear of Isolation and Thinking Ability about Social Issues1

AbstractThe fear of spending time alone (isolation) may be closely related to dysfunction in decision‐making. This study tested the prediction that people who strongly fear isolation have a reduced ability to think about social issues. The authors polled Japanese respondents via an online survey (N = 824). The results revealed that fear of isolation, measured by self‐report, was negatively correlated with the ability to detect inappropriate agendas, inconsistent with a meeting's purpose. Additionally, fear of isolation was negatively correlated with a capacity to detect less relevant propositions addressing the causes of social issues and their solutions. These results showed that the more people feared isolation, the lower their ability to think about social issues. Based on these findings, the authors argue that fear of isolation is a good predictor of a lower ability for contemplating social issues.

Escaping the pandemic present: The relationship between nostalgic media use, escapism, and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research has shown that entertainment media can make people experience nostalgia, a mixed emotion triggered by fond memories, which can function as a resource for well-being in times of strain. Accordingly, people may be especially motivated to consume nostalgia-inducing media in times of crisis. One such crisis that has strongly affected the personal lives of most people around the world is the global COVID-19 pandemic. In our study, we investigate the role of nostalgic media use during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigate whether nostalgic media use has increased during the early 2020 lockdown, what kinds of media people used to become nostalgic, and how nostalgic media use is associated with well-being and escapism. In a cross-sectional panel survey conducted during lockdown measures in Germany in April and May 2020, participants (N = 534) were asked about their current stress, fear of isolation, nostalgic media usage, and functional as well as dysfunctional escapism. Controlling for nostalgia proneness, our findings indicate that nostalgic media usage was positively associated with fear of isolation and that it was related to both functional and dysfunctional escapism. Respondents in our survey most commonly used music, movies, and series and also (audio-)books, videogames, and private photos and videos to become nostalgic. Overall, our findings indicate that media-induced nostalgia may function as a resource to cope with social stress (fear of isolation) for some people during the lockdown measures and that this coping strategy may have both functional as well as dysfunctional components. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Public Policy Relevance Statement: This research offers evidence that fear of isolation that many people experienced during the lockdown measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic is positively related to the consumption of media that elicits nostalgia. Moreover, nostalgia was positively related to both functional and dysfunctional escapism. These findings indicate that people may use nostalgia-inducing media as a coping mechanism to deal with fears related to social isolation during times of social distances. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

The Self-Censoring Majority: How Political Identity and Ideology Impacts Willingness to Self-Censor and Fear of Isolation in the United States

The spiral of silence theory suggests that those who hold a contrary opinion to the majority tend to remain silent; however, social media may be flipping this upside down. The majority may remain silent to the hardcore vocal minority, implying a self-censoring majority. This study examines the spiral of silence theory, and the effect of political identity and ideology has on the willingness to self-censor and the fear of isolation with social media use. Through a survey distributed through a Qualtrics panel to participants that mirror the US census ( N = 1,047), this study investigates political identity and ideology by examining self-censorship and fear of isolation of social media users. Results identify significant differences with self-censorship and identity politics between strong conservatives and liberals in comparison to the majority in the middle. Differing political ideologies seem to have an impact on fear of isolation between democrats and conservatives.

Prevalence, pattern and predictors of self-medication for COVID-19 among residents in Umuahia, Abia State, Southeast Nigeria: policy and public health implications

BackgroundCOVID-19 has led to restrictions on movements and lockdown measures, which have resulted to higher utilization of over-the-counter drugs compared to prescription-only drugs. This study determined the prevalence, pattern and predictors of self-medication for COVID-19 prevention and treatment.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted between October and November 2021 among the residents of Umuahia, Abia State. The respondents were selected using a snowball sampling technique, and a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the variables via Google forms. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were done using IBM SPSS version 26. The level of significance was set at 5%.ResultsA total of 469 respondents participated in the survey. The overall prevalence of self-medication for COVID-19 prevention and treatment was 30.3% (95%CI: 26.7–34.1). The most commonly used medication was herbal products (43.7%). This was mainly self-prepared (41.5%). The major source of information for self-medication was from family members (39.4%). The majority of the respondents reported fear of isolation (76.3%), followed by fear of stigmatization (75.7%) as the triggers of self-medication. Older age (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.11–3.13), lower educational status [No formal education (aOR = 3.78, 95% CI: 1.28–11.19)], [Primary education (aOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.17–3.097)] and perception to cost (aOR = 2.29; 95CI: I.24–4.24) were the predictors of self-medication.ConclusionEvery one in three residents of Umuahia, Abia State, practiced self-medication for COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Some economic and socio-demographic factors were significantly associated with self-medication. We recommend intensifying public awareness campaigns on the risk of self-medication.

Spiral of Silence in an Algorithm-Driven Social Media Content Environment: Conceptual Framework and Research Propositions

The aim of this conceptual study is to explore the major tenets of the spiral of silence theory (i.e., fear of isolation, willingness to speak out, quasi-statistical sense) within social media environments, where users are predominantly shown content that aligns with their views and interests. In this environment of algorithmic-suggested content, the researchers offer several propositions as to how the spiral of silence tenets operate relative to the perceived anonymity, tie strengths, and the postings suggested by programmed algorithms used by social media platforms. New research directions on spiral of silence theory, social media communication, and opinion polarization are also discussed. Finally, implications for researchers, policymakers, and social media practitioners are addressed.

LONELINESS: PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

The peculiarities of the development of feeling of loneliness in the context of personal formation and social historical development are analyzed in the article. Positive and negative aspects of the experience of loneliness and the factors that cause them are highlighted. Personal characteristics that catalyze the formation of negative emotions and impede adaptation in society are revealed. Loneliness evolved and changed in the process of social development, from the primitive society in which the phenomenon of loneliness as such did not exist, to the modern stage, where the tendency to loneliness is regarded as a stable personality trait. In the course of the study, a number of factors have been identified that have a catalytic effect on the process of forming a sense of loneliness in the negative aspect. One of these factors is the violation of the mechanism of identification-separation, which in extreme manifestations manifests itself in the pathological need for closeness to another and self-isolation, which makes it impossible to become one’s self. Other factors that contribute to the appearance of loneliness are also the psychological characteristics and personal traits of the person. Among them, scientists distinguish such psychological characteristics as low levels of self-esteem, anxiety, uncertainty, lack of initiative, seclusion. The emergence of the tendency to loneliness as a personality trait is also determined by the style of education. The lack of parental care and attention provokes the formation of emotional anxiety, which in its extreme manifestation is experienced as a fear of isolation that can accompany a person all his life. Over-care, attachment, especially of the boy to the mother, are also negative. This method of education significantly shackles the child, deprives her of the initiative to make contact with peers.

Exploring the Opinion Sharing Patterns among Social Media users in Pakistan

The spiral of silence theory described that when majority opinion is dominant the minority opinion is not expressed. For the last five decades, the theory of the spiral of silence describes social separation due to minority opinions. The fear of isolation has made individuals frightened in exchanging their opinions. The people who have opinions in minority are the main actors feared from isolation. In today’s world, the internet has shown rapid developments in the form of new media, and day by day users are getting attracted to this new technology. This study is an effort to determine the level of effects of the spiral of silence on the young generation of Pakistan. This research focuses on the spiral of silence and the way people are expressing their opinions. This research is quantitative study. A Survey of 1099 respondents has been done through purposive sampling. Opinion sharing is a dependent variable whereas exposure to social media, fear of isolation, willingness to speak, and climate of opinion are independent variables. Regression analysis was applied to check the connection of independent variables with opinion sharing behavior of the social media users. This research uses the spiral of silence theory in relation to the social media usage patterns of its users. The study indicates that the relationship between dependent and independent variables is strong.

Fear of COVID-19 Opinion Expression: Digitally Mediated Spirals of Silence and the Situational Theory of Problem Solving

ABSTRACT Integrating the Spiral of Silence and the Situational Theory of Problem Solving, this study examines the relationships among fear of isolation, public segmentation, and willingness to express COVID-19 opinions amidst a public climate polarized by social media. An online survey sampled 338 U.S. participants. Findings revealed that fear of isolation predicted COVID-19 opinion expression. Additionally, segmentation of publics predicted COVID-19 online information-seeking behavior while situational variables moderated the relationship between fear of isolation and opinion expression engagement. Findings provide practical implications for effective health messaging and social media literacy efforts to combat opposing public opinion judgments about adhering to public health guidelines.

Offline and Online Gender Differences in Opinion Expression about Women Inclusion in the Police Force in the Arab Gulf State of Kuwait

ABSTRACT Employing the Spiral of Silence theory, this study examines the influence of four cultural dimensions (collectivism, resistance to change, commitment to religion, and patriarchy and hierarchy) on gender variations in opinion expression in incongruent offline and online opinion climates about women working in the police force in Kuwait. The response of 534 individuals indicated that a tendency for expressiveness and personal support for women were positive predictors of opinion expression, while fear of isolation and respondents’ beliefs about the stance of Islam on the issue were both negative predictors. Both genders were affected by the same variables when they expressed their opinions offline, but they were each affected by different variables when online. The results suggest that women benefit from online discussions more than men.

The Role of Social Media as a Public Sphere in the Algerian Protests: An Analytical Study

ABSTRACT This paper examines the role of social media as a public sphere during the Algerian protests. A survey method was used on a randomly selected sample of social media users in Algeria. Findings showed that social media outlets were an alternative to traditional media, civil societies and opposition political parties. Furthermore, social media played an effective role in pulling people out of the spiral of silence and got them into the spiral of expression by a new perspective of explaining the mechanisms of social media influence in forming public opinion in exceptional circumstances when fear of isolation and conformity were no longer factors. Results also showed that social media expanded political participation and promoted democracy and freedom of expression in Algeria.